Hi guys, Kris from Custom Fitness here, your Amarillo personal trainer. Today we’re going to be talking about personal training: what’s included and what it costs. If you have any questions about today’s blog, then please give us a call at (806) 322-3188
So, I could go straight into this by telling you about us and what we do, but I’m sure you want more of a general sense of what you’re looking at when it comes to personal training.
Well the first thought that you have to have is whether or not it’s an expense to you, or an investment in your health. If it’s an expense, then just about anything is going to seem expensive and that’s why most people end up over at the discount gym. It all feels very expensive, you’re paying for something that you don’t really want, and so that’s why you look for the lowest cost option.
Well, if it’s an investment in your health, you understand the benefits that you’re going to receive from that. Those benefits can be longevity of life, less medications over time, less illness, and more strength to support your body so that you have less injury and time down. If you can see that, then the for you the cost may be outweighed by those positive benefits.
I’m not telling you this to tell you that personal training costs an arm and a leg, but there’s really five different areas that you want to look at whenever you’re considering the cost of personal training.
First off though, if you go to meet with a trainer you’re going to hear one side of things-maybe they’re right, maybe they’re wrong, maybe they’re indifferent, there’s really no telling. Because of this, you really want to get your facts straight, be able to ask the right questions, and be able to find the right answers so you can find the right solution for you.
And the first thing that you have to understand is that most personal trainers, in the Amarillo area (which is where we’ll be addressing today) are contract labor. That means that the gym does not count them as an employee, they work on their own and typically pay the gym a commission, and they can charge whatever they want to. It’s not really a regulated field where people are charging a set amount. However there is some sort of range going on depending on where you live. So obviously here is less expensive that Dallas.
So as I said before, there is about five different things that would change the pricing of personal training.
The first is quality of service.
Are the training sessions high quality? You’ll get that information from their client’s testimonials, talking to other people that worked with them, and watching them work. If you happen to see them at the gym working, then watch them work and see what happens. Doing all of this is really important to find out what quality of service they are providing. There are a lot of trainers out there that really aren’t paying attention during their sessions. They may be on the phone, or talking to two or three different people. They could just be monitoring the session instead of guiding it and leading it.
So, the job of a personal trainer is to design a program for you, implement that program, and teach you what to do during that program. Teaching you form and technique, keeping you on pace, keeping you motivated, and helping you to reach your results are all things that your trainer should be doing for you. So if you’re not getting a high quality of service, then it may not be worth the money that you’re spending on it.
The second is the value that you’re getting for your money.
Some people add in different benefits or services to their package to create more value for that person. So, perhaps instead of just being a personal trainer, they now offer nutrition services, or supplement services, or they’ll go to the grocery store with you, or they’ll work you out at home. Whatever it may be, there is added value there. And that’s something to look for as well. Are you paying high dollar for very little value? Are you paying very little for the value you’ve been given?
The next is experience.
Background, certifications, degrees, and experience can all be factors. A trainer having a combination of these will show that they know what they are doing. As a personal trainer in Amarillo, I see these days that it’s way to easy, like with any self regulated industry, to go out and get a low level certification. In just a few weekends you could get a certification and call yourself a trainer. There is also fitness enthusiasts that are people that really love working out, but they don’t ever go and further their education to learn what to do, how to do it, and why to do it. Instead they take the information that they think they learned from doing it themselves.
I’m not trying to say good or bad about any of that, I’m just trying to stress the importance of proper certifications- ones that take time to get, and that are top tier. There are four top certified agencies in this field which are: NASM, ACSM, NSCA, and ACE. Those are all top tier organizations that will provide trainers with the knowledge that they need.
So you’re looking at that, and maybe they have a sports and exercise science degree. Maybe they have a physical therapy degree. Maybe they went to school and got a degree in something totally different. So you want to be looking at what information they have, what kind of background they have. How long have they been doing it for? Not saying that someone new to the field can’t be great because they can be, but you want to make sure that whoever you choose you are comfortable with that. Sometimes having more experience is a bonus, and sometimes you don’t feel like you need someone with experience but just to be knowledgeable.
I started out very young myself. I was in my late teens, early twenties when I started out and a lot of people didn’t trust me for that fact, but a lot of people did were appreciative that I had gone to school and learned everything that I had so I could help them the best I could.
The next part is variety.
What is your session going to be like? Is it going to be constantly the same thing? Are you going to be doing three sets of twelve everyday? Or, do they mix it up? Is it something different everyday? There’s mixed schools of thought on that as to what’s best, but the research shows us that certain things do work better than others, and that’s where you want to find out. If you’re more of a person that needs something different everyday, then check with that trainer and see if that’s possible. If you need it to be more systemized, then check and see if that’s possible. Figure out who you are and what you want and then find out if that trainer matches your personality needs.
I’m actually going to wrap it up here and save my last point for part two of this blog.
If you can’t wait for the next post and want to know more about us and what we do at Custom Fitness, then please contact us for more information or to get your consultation set up. Give us a call at 806-322-3188 or email us at info@customfitness.biz At Custom Fitness, we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo, Texas. And you can now read part two here: https://customfitness.biz/2018/01/14/much-personal-training-cost-whats-included-part-2-custom-fitness-amarillo-personal-trainers/