How Everyone Can Afford a Personal Trainer

You realize that you need the help of a personal trainer but just don’t think you can afford it. Truth of the matter is – Personal Training is expensive and these are tough economic times. Well, tough times call for creative measures. It’s time to take a look at how you can put a trainer to work for you with whatever amount you have to invest.  

The first step is to figure out what your budget is. A typical session will run at least $50. How often can you come up with that? Once a week? Every other week? Once a month? Keep in mind purchasing a multiple session package will greatly reduce the cost.

Then decide what you need from your trainer. If you’re new to exercise you may need your trainer to put together your entire program from scratch. If you have a good thing going already, perhaps just checking in once a month for a fresh routine will keep you motivated and be sufficient. Even a monthly fitness assessment may be all that in needed to keep you heading in the right direction.  Most people will fall somewhere in between and need some weekly guidance to reach their goals and stay motivated. Here are a few different options with varying ranges of commitment and investment:

One-on One-Training: The ideal situation would be to train with your trainer 3 times every week. That would ensure your workouts are geared 100% toward you reaching your goals. This is a very effective approach, however, expensive. One 60 minute session is going to run you at least $50. Of course it is much less expensive if you commit to the program and purchase a package. Much more reasonable.

Less Frequent Sessions: One way to cut costs is to meet with your trainer once a week. This is a great option if you can make it to the gym regularly on your own and don’t need someone watching your form. Your trainer can give you workouts to do on your own when the two of you are not together. The key here is that you will actually do the workouts without someone else pushing you. A once a week program will allow a 20 session package to last about 5 months. You should be able to see some major improvements in 5 months!

Partner or Small Group Training: If you are already coming to the gym with your workout buddies, this is a fantastic option to save some money. You will still get personalized attention and a plan geared toward your goals, plus additional camaraderie that you wouldn’t get on your own. You may find yourself working harder with someone else to challenge you and additional the accountability will keep you focused.  

Express Training: A great way to save money on a trainer is to invest in shorter sessions. You can do your warm up and cool down on your own and spend your time together focused on your specific goals.  A 30 minute, high-intensity session saves you time and money and will still produce results.  

Periodic Check Ins: Ask your trainer for a workout to do on your own. Check in every 3 or 4 weeks for a new routine to keep things fresh and avoid plateaus. You can also do periodic fitness assessments to make sure you are achieving the results you are after.  

Specialty Classes:  Here you meet with a trainer in a group of 3 to 5 like-minded individuals. The class format is already set so it is not individualized to your specific goals, but you still get the attention of a trainer to watch your form and push you through a tough workout. This is great if you want professional guidance and team support with a low price tag.

Your options include:  Kettlebells, TRX, Kettlebell/TRX Fusion, 5K Training, Boot Camps and Pilates Personal Training. A 45 minute class meeting once a week for 8 weeks will run you about  $120, just $15 a session. A 60 minute class is about $160, that’s $20 a session.

Online Fitness Coaching:  If your tech savvy, you may want to purchase an online program to ensure your efforts are leading toward your fitness goals without having to meet weekly with your trainer. A good option if you are familiar with the equipment and self-motivated. Good programs will offer strength, cardio and nutritional tracking combined into one program, tailored to your schedule, fitness level and goals. Programs combining all these elements will generally run you around $30/month.

Say you’re greedy and want the best of all worlds. You can purchase a one-on-one session once a week, train with a group once and week, enroll in a few specialty classes and track all your progress online. You would be working out with a trainer, or group of trainers, almost every day just like those professional athletes at a fraction of the price they are paying. Mix and match the above options to find a plan and a price that works for you.

Is it worth the investment? Of course it is. Think of it as buying self-confidence, an increased life expectancy and an increased immune system. As a bonus, the knowledge you gain is yours to keep for life, as is the body you create.