Are Personal Trainers a Gym Scam?

Many gyms operate salespeople in the garb of personal trainers. These commission-based salesmen with bulked-up physiques lure oblivious gym members into taking personal training and charge hefty fees. (This reminds the scene from FRIENDS where Chandler and Ross go to the gym to quit the membership, but ultimately Ross joins the gym lured by a beautiful gym trainer).

In the U.S., the average personal training cost per hour per session is anywhere between $40 to $70. At such high fees, do these sales sharks provide better training? It is questionable.

It is also doubtful whether these trainers have proper certifications. Such personal trainers are one of the gym membership scams low-grade gyms employ to make money. It is these gyms that have raised questions about hiring personal trainers.

There is nothing wrong with employing a good personal trainer as a salesperson to drive gym membership. After all, a gym is a business center that needs to make money. But how can you be sure whether the gym trainer is indeed what they profess to be? One way to make sure that you are dealing with a professional or not is by asking questions like:

• What fitness certificates do you have (look for ACE, NASM, NSCA, and ACSM certificates and notice the expiration date)?
• What emergency training did you receive (look for CPR/AED in their answers)?
• How much experience do you have in personal training?
• Can I speak to your other clients?

Now, coming to the question, 'Are personal trainers really helpful?'. Of course, they are. Here is how.

Importance of Personal Trainers

• Motivator Extraordinaire

Some individuals have the extraordinary ability to stay motivated to go to the gym and finish the workout sets. But for the majority of people, motivation is fleeting. They need someone to push them constantly, which is where the need for having a personal trainer (a motivator extraordinaire) comes into the picture.

When that voice in your head tells you to 'stop, I cannot do it anymore,' your trainer steps in and pushes you to do more. A personal fitness trainer understands your abilities and limitations. They coach you to do more or tell you when to stop. More and more research suggests that partnering with a personal trainer boosts physical activity.

• Sets Effective Goals

We have some idea of what we want to achieve from our gym sessions. Our goal may be to gain muscle mass or lose weight. This simplistic idea of a goal is often not enough to achieve what we want. The goal must be specific. Here is where a personal trainer comes in handy.

A good gym trainer will set practical goals, each of which is measurable and achievable. They create both long-term and short-term goals to keep you on track. And a good trainer will be flexible in changing targets and adapting them to your needs.

Also Read: Trainers guide on calculating Body Mass Index (BMI)

• A True Accountability Partner

When lying on your bed under the sheets skipping the gym, there is no one to question you. There is no accountability on you to hit the gym. But, when you hire a personal trainer - physical or virtual - they are there to nudge you to get out of bed and start working out.

With a personal trainer, you have to report to them, making you less likely to skip workouts. As the trainer looks over your shoulder, you do not want to let them down. And you stick to your schedules and goals, eventually making them your true accountability partner.  

• Designs Personalized Programs

Search the internet, and you will find a ton of information on various fitness regimes. But not all are suitable for us. Each individual has a different body type, capacities, and abilities. Understanding them is essential to choose appropriate workouts to achieve our goals.

With a personal trainer at your side, you need not worry about choosing workout programs. They speak to you, understand your body, and design personalized fitness programs for effective results. And most of the time, they add variety to your sessions to make them worth your time.