Is the Price Right? Is the Trainer Right?

How much should you really be paying for a personal trainer? The average cost of a trainer is around $50.00- $80.00 per session (one hour) and I say average because there is just so much out there. For example, if you have a trainer at a private camp, your price tag is going to be the the quadruple zeros range. {$10,000} Then you also may know someone who is a good friend for a long time who will train you for $10 an hour. A lot of trainers will also do a service exchange with other licensed professionals. Example; Massage Therapists, Coaches, Photographers, Accountants etc.

So why does a trainer cost so much?
Would you want someone with the gym experience of a 15 year old to tell you what to do? Now you may want a trainer with the body of a 15 year old to train you, but to insure that they are qualified they need to get licenced. Most certification companies will charge between $500-$1,000 for books, materials, and the test. Now add a college degree on top of that, and your looking at a lot of debt. and it doesn't stop there.

After getting educated and certified many trainers will begin working for a gym to build up a client base. Some gyms require a trainer to get their own liability insurance and business licence. Add that up for another $500. Then with how saturated the market is, trainers will need to spend money getting their name out there. Separation yourself from the crowd is expensive, trainers may spend hundreds in their first year trying to draw attention.

Now you might be wondering how any of them get started. Well a new trainer will be focusing on just getting their name out there. You can probably find a new trainer who is willing charge $25- $35 for a session. If someone is new to the fitness field (less than a year of experience) this is a reasonable price. Keep in mind that your trainer is learning from you, don't expect them to know everything or to know what is proper for all health problems.

So if you are looking for a trainer make sure you ask them these questions
1. Who are you certified through? (Keep your eyes out for trainers who are certified through ACE, ACSM, NASAM, ISSA, AFAA. These are the leading certifications)
2. How much do you charge? (See if they have any discounts or packaging available)
3. How long have you been in the fitness industry (If they have a background in group fitnessthen keep your ears perked up)
4. How long have you been a personal trainer? (Does their experience match their price?)
5. What are you sports? (Keep your eyes open for an athlete)

If you feel like your trainer is someone who has expertise in a field that matches your needs (you have arthritis and they have been teaching water aerobics for 5 years) then you should defiantly keep them in your radar. If they are a bodybuilder and you want to do a triathlon then you should look for a trainer who better matches your needs.

Finally, you need to know when they are just after your wallet. The family rule is; if they are making something sound too good to be true, it is. If they are pushing you to buy right now "for the next hour if you sign up for a month you get %10 percent off" NEVER fall for this pressure sale! They want you to hurry into a contract without thinking about it. If they are offering a promotion and you want more time to think, just ask them if they will honor the promotional price if you can go home and talk to your spouse about it first.

So is training for you? This is up for you to decide. It is a big financial commitment, but in the long run you will live with a higher quality of life, be healthier, do more and spend less time in a hospital for health issues. Stay tuned for a post on the benefits of personal training. Have a fantastic weekend and remember to party safe!

As always, leave a question or a comment in the post comment box or the bottom community question box.