Ready for this bomb? Are you ready? Are you excited? Ready?
Not everybody needs a trainer. Seriously. Some people are totally fine working out on their own.
Now let’s be clear, EVERYONE benefits from an outside eye. If I’m not sure I’m doing something right as I refine my kettlebell skills, I’ll go hang out with my friend and Personal Training Superstar HKC Matt Semrick at Club H and ask him to look at my kettlebell technique. And even for movements I’ve done for years and know very well, I STILL need an outside eye. Happily these days I can ask someone to film me on my phone so I can check my technique when I’m doing heavier weights (which always challenges even the most solid technique). Though, even here, I’d be better off if I had a training partner who could feed me helpful cues in the midst of the set.
(“Arch your back!” ”Pack your neck!” “Try not to shit your pants!” “Ok, you shit your pants, that’s alright, let’s get two more reps!”)
That said, loyal readers know the value of not making the perfect the enemy of the good. And the reality is… not everyone has the means or time to work with a personal trainer. For some of you with good body awareness, this actually could be ok. You may not get results as fast or as safely, and you may have to work harder to educate yourself, but it can totally be done.
The flip side of this coin, is that unfortunately… some of you REALLY need a trainer. We all have different strengths and weaknesses in life. Not everyone is blessed with coordination and good body awareness. And since many of you just want to be healthy and hot and are unlikely to extensively educate yourself on the finer points of movement technique, you may be doing yourself a disservice by going it alone. Is moving better than not moving? Sure. But it can still create acute and chronic injuries if you don’t know what you’re doing. And you only get one body my friends. No trade ins.
So what’s the best option for you? Only you can decide. Like all realms of life, each of you must weigh the pros and cons of the various options, your personal preferences, and a realistic assessment of where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
For those that are super self-motivated and have great body awareness, you’re probably ok to do your own thing provided you educate yourself. You may benefit from having a smarty pants design you a program, but you’ll be ok to rock out on your own.
Some of you may not be able to afford one-on-one training, but still want the accountability of a trainer and some help. Group classes like Snatched in 6 Weeks can be a nice compromise.
And some of you may just need to suck it up and outsource your fitness to a professional. Yes, it’s not cheap. But I promise you this: you’re gonna pay for your health eventually. You can pay now by doing what’s necessary to take proper care of your body, or you can pay for it when your body starts to fall apart and you start to spend a lot of time and money in the offices of various medical specialists.
You maaaaay have noticed I’m pretty passionate about this. I think the crux of my passion is I honestly love humans. I’m a pollyanna and I make no bones about it. I want people to have a high quality of life and be their hottest and healthiest self. And if you’re not doing what you need to do to maintain your body, you’re gonna run into problems sooner or later. Ultimately it’s your choice. My loving and firm recommendation is to take care of your body now because in the long run it will be cheaper and more time efficient. Also, you’ll probably get laid more.