Getting to the gym is half the battle of getting started on a physical regimen. The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself while there because this could set you back weeks or months on achieving your goal of weight loss or fitness. If you are new to the gym, it’s a good idea to start out with a personal trainer because you are at a greater risk of injury if you don’t.
That’s because you may not know how to use the equipment and use poor form due to your lack of experience lifting weights or doing certain types of exercises. Here’s what a personal trainer can do for you so you avoid the pain of workout injuries.
An Education in Exercise
Personal training is essentially an education program personalized for you. It teaches you how to use weights and machines, including the appropriate form that will keep the pressure off your joints and help you determine which exercises are the best for you at each point in your weight loss or fitness process. The education includes how much to do of each exercise and, if weight is involved, how much weight to lift for your current physical condition.
Supplemental Advice
If you are not eating well or sleeping, this could also impact your risk level for injury. A personal trainer can provide advice related to a sleep and food regimen that fits your exercise schedule. For example, increasing calcium and protein can help prevent shin splints and rebuild muscle to help you take on the exercise with the right level of energy and strength at the ready.
Body Experts
Personal trainers understand what is going on with your body and why it does what it does (or doesn’t). They understand what pressure can do to the joints and how trigger points alter how your body reacts. By studying how you do the exercises they give you, they can sense imbalances or any other issues that they can then address as you use the equipment to ensure those things don’t lead you to an injury.
When to Push and When to Let Up
In the midst of a tough set of exercises, you may want to give up, but your personal trainer knows when you can keep going. This helps you advance faster without hurting yourself. They also can gauge if you are ready to go onto the next level of exercise or when to wait, which also keeps you in the safe zone.
