Whether you want to lose body fat, build lean muscle, or anything in between the two ... getting started can be difficult. It can be very intimidating to know how much work it takes to achieve our fitness goals.
You have to be consistent with your diet, exercise, water intake, and so much more. At first, there's a lot to take in. This can make it hard to know where to even start!
The truth is, most people have no idea what to do when they're getting started with their fitness journey. Shoot, I was there myself. I thought all I had to do was move more and eat less.
It was definitely not far from the truth, but it also led to me establishing some unhealthy habits ... habits that you should avoid if you want real, long-lasting results.
We've all heard workout and diet advice in commercials. I'm sure you have also seen magazine covers with a call-out that says: "How to get in shape fast!"
The question is ... is that really the best place to get your advice from? Probably not.
These strategies are generally designed to be one-size-fits-all.
Since everyone responds differently to certain diets and training styles ... I recommend looking into something that is tailored to YOU as an individual.
One of the best ways to do this is by hiring a personal trainer. Having a professional on your team can be a game changer! So let's go over what a personal trainer is, the benefits of hiring one, and the average cost of a personal trainer.
What is a Personal Trainer?
Personal trainers are people who have earned a certification in health and fitness. They can deliver a safe and effective exercise program for anybody looking to achieve their fitness goals.
To clarify, there are many different certifications that personal trainers can get. Not all of them are created equally either. Some certifications are more prestigious than others.
This doesn't mean to just go look for a trainer with the best credentials though. Above all, a personal trainer should know how to help YOU reach YOUR goals.
It's also important to have a good personal connection with them. That way, you'll know whether they have your best interests in mind or not.
Personal trainers create workout plans specifically for the results you want. A good trainer also knows how to help you avoid injury while training.
Why is it Beneficial to Get a Personal Trainer?
A good personal trainer will be very helpful when it comes to seeing results along your fitness journey. They know how to work out, and how to teach it properly to their clients. This ensures that you will be safe, and see great results.
If you're a beginner and have no idea what you're doing when it comes to fitness ... you could really benefit from hiring a trainer, because you may not know how to perform exercises safely yet.
That's why a personal trainer can be so beneficial. He or she will show you how to exercise safely and progress your workouts over time.
Even if you already know how to train properly, a personal trainer can help. Sometimes, a new perspective from a professional can make a big difference.
Just look at all the pro athletes and bodybuilders who have coaches and trainers! Many people have a trainer to help them reach their maximum potential.
Heck, Michael Jordan had trainers and coaches to make him perform at his best throughout his career, and look at how great he already was.
Another aspect that commonly gets overlooked is accountability and motivation.
Many people who work out and want to make a change lose motivation and fall off their plan. Some of them even quit.
Personal trainers are there to help hold you accountable and motivate you to keep going. That's a big reason why it's important to make sure you like your trainer. If you don't get along with them, how are you ever going to trust them or listen to them?
How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost?
The cost of hiring a personal trainer can vary based on multiple factors. This is a good thing though, because it gives you options to choose from that fit your budget.
For instance, if you want a personal trainer for a one-on-one session ... it will likely cost you more than if you were to enter group sessions with other people. That one-on-one attention is worth the extra money for some, but might not be necessary for every person.
Every personal trainer and commercial gym trainer will have different prices, but we’ll cover some national averages here to give you an idea.
The average cost of a personal trainer for a one on one session is around $60 per hour. However, personal trainer costs can be as low as $39 per hour or as high as $100 per hour or more.
Now, that’s just 1 session. If you are more serious about your goals, you may decide to do several sessions per week.
Let’s be conservative and say you decide to do 2 sessions per week, and we’ll just call each month 4 weeks to keep it simple. That’s $60 per session x 2 sessions per week x 4 weeks. That means you could be spending $480 per month on a personal trainer.
For some, that is reasonable and well worth the price. For others though, that can be a pretty steep price ... and not ideal financially.
That said, you can sometimes buy multiple sessions at once for package deals to save on personal trainer costs. The thing is, not every trainer or gym will offer that deal.
You could also look into group sessions like I mentioned earlier. You may even have the option to schedule shorter sessions.
Many trainers offer 30-minute sessions! A shorter session will typically cost less money, but you’ll get less time with your trainer to work out and learn from them.
There are also fitness facilities like Orange Theory, F-45, and so many more that offer trainer-led group classes. It will not be directly one-on-one, but they are usually intimate groups.
These memberships can range from $75 per month to $200 per month. They typically include multiple sessions per week. In some cases, you may even get access to unlimited workouts.
What Factors Influence The Cost Per Hour?
I’ve covered some of them already, but there are several factors to consider when it comes to the cost of a personal trainer:
• The length of each session
• Number of sessions purchased
• Group sessions vs. one-on-one sessions
• Location
• Certifications and experience of the trainer
How Do You Find A Personal Trainer?
You can always go to a local gym of your choice and ask them about their personal training options. Almost every gym has some options for personal training. For most gyms, it's a significant portion of their revenue.
You can also look online for local reviews of personal trainers in your area. That way, you can see what other people think of those trainers and make a well-informed decision.
As a reminder ... if a trainer has great reviews, and a lot of people want to work with them, you will likely have to pay more for that trainer.
What About Online Personal Trainers?
Online personal trainers are another option for many people ... and in many cases, it can be the best option. Here are a few reasons why:
Many people have trouble scheduling sessions ahead of time.
If your schedule is unpredictable and busy, it might cause you to cancel sessions. Many trainers will still charge you for missed sessions, but not all.
Not everyone can afford in-person training averaging $60 per hour. So how much is a personal trainer online?
Most online fitness coaches and personal trainers cost around $100-$300 per month. That’s still cheaper than the $480 per month we discussed earlier for 2 sessions per week.
A key benefit to this type of personal training is that it doesn’t require you to be at a specific location for your session.
You can take your laptop with you on business trips or vacation, and you’ll still be able to do your sessions online.
Is There Anything Cheaper That Can Still Get Me Awesome Results?
In-person and online trainers are great options for many people, but they can still be difficult to fit in the budget.
So, what other options are there to help people get in shape without spending a few hundred dollars a month?
A perfect option in this case would be using a lifestyle fitness app like the 1st Phorm App. There are so many benefits, and you absolutely get much more than your money’s worth if you use the tools available to you within the app.
For starters, it only costs $12.99 per month, which is much lower than the typical cost of a personal trainer.
Plus, you get 24/7 access to a real human advisor in the app.
These advisors are all Certified Personal Trainers through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM-CPT). Many are also Certified Nutrition Coaches (NASM-CNC), and some are even registered dietitians.
They can answer any questions you have about your nutrition, workouts, and supplementation.
You also get education and coaching from daily live streams and announcements. This is in addition to what they coach you on in the one-on-one chat conversations!
You get 24/7 access to multiple workout programs to choose from in the app.
Every exercise has an instructional video to teach you how to be effective and safe.
You can also log other workouts that aren't in the app if you prefer to try other workouts, too.
Not only do you receive coaching on nutrition from your advisor, but you can track your food within the app as well.
The 1st Phorm App contains different tracking options like portion control, or calorie/macronutrient tracking (This is an individualized approach to your nutrition)!
You get access to a private Facebook group filled with a wonderful community of people who are working to improve their health & fitness just like you!
These people want to make healthy lifestyle changes and get in the best shape of their life ... and will support you along your journey as well!
There's plenty of educational content posted daily in the group to give you the best chance at success!
Maybe you still want/need in-person training. With the 1st Phorm App being so cost effective, you can still explore that option as well!
Don’t get me wrong ... traditional personal training is still a great option to help you reach your fitness goals, but it isn’t for everybody.
The 1st Phorm App is the perfect option for anyone looking to get in the best shape of their life without paying the price of personal training.
We're Here To Help
If you have any questions about personal training, the app, or anything else ... don't hesitate to reach on and let us know.
Our Customer Service team here at 1st Phorm HQ in St. Louis, MO is here to help you get the answers and support you need to make a real change in your life.
You can contact us by sending us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com, or giving us a call at 1-800-409-9732 ... and we'll get you taken care of right away!
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