In the fitness world, personal training is booming. In most health clubs today, personal training is the top profit center.
In 2016, 8.3 million health club members used personal trainers, accounting for a whopping 12.6% of members in the US. Those numbers have only continued to increase in recent years, and the popularity of personal training remains strong.
But why? What makes personal training so attractive, and how does it stand out from offerings like small group training?
Here’s what you need to know.
9 Top Benefits of Personal Training
Personal training is good for everyone – from gym owners to members. As one of the most in-demand fields of fitness today, personal training stands out as a major benefit for any gym that offers it and a significant perk for clients.
You should also look for Certified Personal Trainers that have the appropriate credentials and training. Just a few of the personal training certification organizations include: NASM, ACE, and ACSM. Each has different ongoing continuing education requirements as well.
Here are just a few of the benefits personal training provides:
1. Workouts Updated To Produce Results
People who work with a personal trainer get choreographed fitness programs designed and redesigned each week. This keeps workouts from feeling stale and helps keep the body guessing, which boosts metabolism and enhances fitness results. If you do the same workout each time, your body adapts and doesn’t produce the same benefits as introducing different workouts regularly.
2. Appropriate Education and Guidance
Today, there are dozens of ways to get fit, and it’s difficult to navigate them all. As a result, many people become “jacks of all trades, masters of none.” Working with a personal trainer can change that.
Certified personal trainers have extensive education with many different workout modalities. They understand how to offer movement, yoga, training, and strength guidance so clients can get results, avoid injuries, and make the most of their time in the gym. They also have extensive ongoing continuing education opportunities to specialize or gain in-depth health and fitness knowledge.
3. Adjust Training To Individual’s Fitness Level
No two people are the same, and the field of personal training knows that. Today, many different types of people use personal training services.
Some people may be more advanced, athletic individuals looking for ways to intensify and target their workouts for events or types of training, while others are beginners just venturing into a gym for the first time.
One of the most significant benefits of personal training is that it meets people where they are. Everyone who works with a personal trainer gets fitness-level guidance designed to cater to that person’s unique background, goals, and health.
4. Injury Prevention and Adaptation
An estimated 20.4% of adults in the US experience chronic pain, and countless others live with old injuries. While one-size-fits-all workout classes don’t provide individualized modification options, personal training does.
An experienced personal trainer will work with a client to modify and adapt exercises to care for old injuries and prevent re-injury.
Suppose a movement or activity hurts or is uncomfortable. In that case, the personal trainer can develop an alternative that provides the same benefit without posing a risk of injury.
5. Motivation
Motivation is critical for anyone who wants to get results in the gym. Unfortunately, it can also be elusive. An estimated 73% of people who set fitness goals give up on them, and many others fade into lackluster workouts that are little more than a waste of time.
Working with a personal trainer, however, can change that.
Personal training provides motivation and accountability, two necessary things for getting fit. Because people pay for one-on-one personal training services, they’re already invested in the process and are much less likely to skip workouts.
6. Diverse programs
People who want to get fit need to perform a variety of exercises. Unfortunately, this can be tough if you’re just working out alone.
However, training with a certified instructor makes it possible to master many different types of exercise and incorporate each into an ongoing workout plan.
7. Group Dynamics
Humans are social creatures. We’re meant to work together, play together, and learn together. Personal and small-group training cater to these needs.
By providing a community for people, personal and small-group training increases motivation, decreases feelings of frustration and isolation, and enhances results.
Participants reported that attending group exercise sessions meant positive changes in physical, mental and social functioning, enhancing their motivation to sustain their attendance and leading to positive behavioral changes that were important in their everyday lives.
8. Increase Accountability and Retention
Personal trainers provide accountability to clients and increases the rate they show up for their sessions. This results in a higher rate of clients staying at their fitness business. Personal trainers average an 80% retention rate, which makes them a great addition to any fitness business. While there are many ways for fitness businesses to boost client retention, implementing a robust and diverse personal training program is THE best way to encourage clients to stay committed and keep coming back.
9. Personalized Training with Individualize Prescriptions
Last but not least, personal training is – you guessed it – personal! People who work with a personal trainer get tailored, customized, uniquely designed workouts meant to cater to them, their needs, their bodies, and their fitness goals.
If something isn’t working, a personal trainer can adjust. If a client gets bored, switching up workouts or incorporating something new is easy. It’s impossible to find this level of customization anywhere else in the fitness industry, and this feature truly sets personal training apart.
Personal Training: The Gold Standard in the Fitness Industry
Today, there are a lot of different ways to work out. Clients can choose a boutique fitness studio, online classes, free weights at home, or dozens of other ways to get sweaty. None of it compares to personal training, though.
By providing tailored, customized, dynamic workouts designed for an individual, personal training gets at the heart of fitness. Exercises are designed by a trained professional and individualized for each person. Moreover, the trainers keep prescriptions updated and exciting, and can include elements of different workouts, from yoga to pilates to strength training.
While personal training provides many benefits for clients, it’s also great for fitness businesses. Gyms and studios that provide personal training see higher retention numbers and more satisfied customers.
The moral of the story? Personal training is the gold standard of the fitness industry, and that will not change any time soon. As a more targeted, customized way to work out, personal training helps people crush their fitness goals and improve every aspect of their health and lives.
