LOS ANGELES—Hiring a professional is one of the most efficient and effective ways to get anything done exactly how you want it. January is the busiest time of year for us personal trainers, and it is probably the most rewarding time too. The enthusiasm and energy that clients bring to the table at the start of the New Year makes it all worthwhile. January is the time of year when many of us carve out new (and sometimes bring back the old) resolutions: the ordinary, the wild and wacky and the downright unrealistic. Exercise, thankfully, is one of the more doable, and easy to stick to options that many aim for in order to lose weight, tone up, gain muscle, feel better and get their body back to how they want it to be.

So do you simply go back to your old gym routine or exercise class? Or should you look into hiring a Personal Trainer (PT) to help you along the way?

First, let me get one thing straight—PTs are not for everyone—ironically, myself included. I enjoy training in my own time and by myself (being the loner that I am). The majority of people, however, enjoy having someone there to guide them, motivate them and keep them safe when training; thus, helping to prevent injury, improve efficiency of their workout and push them beyond their own comfort zone to get optimum results. Many aren’t comfortable working out by themselves. Indeed, large gyms can be daunting with countless pieces of ominous-looking machinery and metal being grappled by pumped up Adonis-types putting you off the moment you step foot in the door. So if you’re lacking confidence and have no idea where to start, or simply want variety in your workout to prevent you from getting bored, then having a fitness professional at your disposal can make a world of difference.

Photo by Jocelyn Holt

Unfortunately, it has become very much a thing of the past five years or so that the focus on hiring a PT has become something of a status symbol thanks to the image portrayed by the celebrity world where the idea is to be able show to others that you can afford to hire someone privately whose role is specifically to help make you look good. But it goes beyond that. PTs have an invaluable amount of knowledge that many don’t realize. Naturally, we must have an understanding of the body, the kinetics and how it works. Knowing the ins and outs of the joints, the muscles and the skeletal system, is just the basic grounding of a good PT. We know exactly how to achieve the perfect body. But go beyond that and there is that in-depth knowledge that is far more important than that of aesthetic qualities. PTs have an understanding of illness, disease, injury, recovery and rehabilitation, which exercise can help alleviate and improve. This form of controlled health monitoring is where the attributes of a PT really do become invaluable.

Cancer patients undergoing treatment and post-recovery are frequently being referred by their hospital for careful, controlled training under the watchful eye of a qualified PT. The benefits of exercise begin to emerge stronger and more reinforced than ever before. The belief that exercise can help ease the symptoms of painful and serious conditions, including heart disease and diabetes, is becoming more widely accepted, and the benefits of having a PT around to provide the guidance and motivation needed really are substantial.

Invest in a good PT, qualified to ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) standards and you will see results faster than ever before. The best PTs will always take time out to meet with potential clients first, making sure they connect well with you and that you are both on the same page as personality clashes, of course, do happen. Once you have found the right PT for you, you will be on track to getting the results you really want, whatever your goals may be.  You will feel better for it and your PT will be there for you, come rain or shine. Remember, it is never too late to start exercising. Image is one thing, health and well-being is another. And when it comes to feeling well and improving your quality of life, status symbol or otherwise, you really can’t put a price on that.

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