Are PTs worth it if you are very unfit?

[Caplin]

Hello,

I have been going to the gym, but I'm pretty lacklustre. At best I'm managing once a week, on a rare occasion twice. I also go for hour long walks 2-3 times a week. So I'm not completely hopeless!

However I am horribly unfit and about 4 stone overweight. I saw a deal on PT sessions today and I am seriously considering a set of 10. It is pricey, but in lieu of fitness classes which push me really hard, I wonder if I need the kick.

What do people think? Better to persevere a while and try when I'm a bit fitter, or good to kick me in the butt now? Is it worth the money when you are as big and unfit as me? (I may end up spending most of the time red, and collapsing in a heap retching!).

Any guidance much appreciated!

I've never had one but I know people who have. The point is to improve your fitness levels and you won't be doing anything that is beyond your capabilities.

My DH used to be a PT and he had clients that ranged from really sporty, fit people who ran regularly ran marathons to those who could barely run for 20 seconds. He would tailor the sessions around whichever client he was working with so everyone would work to their max but everyone's session would be totally different depending on their abilities.

I would go with a PT that's recommended by someone you know. The ones I've used (attached to my gym) weren't great and just wrote me an exercise plan - no real support or trying to push me to do more/ work harder which was what I really needed.

I was quite unfit when I got my PT last year. My fitness improved and I toned up massively. They take your fitness into consideration but also push you way further than you would go as well.

I think you might get some good advice on appropriate exercise and diet so why not?

I have a PT every week and have done for years. I also do classes. What I love about the PT is that we work on the things that I enjoy so I work harder and it really boosts my results. Highly recommend you try it, even just as a kickstarter.

Yes, it's well worth it. However, make sure you get a good one, not just someone who has done a short PT course. You want someone who has the experience to tailor your workout to suit you. I'm on my second PT and I looked for someone who is or has been a competitive athlete because they understand fitness for function. I also look for qualifications in excess of a PT course, eg anatomy related things like sports massage or further qualifications in things like fitness for seniors etc. If you can get a personal recommendation from someone, even better.

No time like the present. Book an appointment and do it. I had a PT for a bit when I turned 40 - it was my present to myself. I often couldn't face going but it was such a good thing to do.

DH put loads of weight on during LD#1, we have a sports masseuse who comes to the house who is also a PT, we booked a course of 10,before he started he couldn't do a sit up at the end of the ten he was doing sit ups holding 10 kg x 2. He is 64.

The PT was £30 an hour, money well spent imo.

I've been seeing a PT once a week for almost a year. I echo some of the comments above about finding a good one. Some offer free trial sessions so that might help you decide you who feel comfortable with and who will push you. Some will literally just write you a plan you could find online for free which is not what you want.

Once you find a good one, it's also with noting they are PTs, not magicians. You will need to commit to the gym and follow their advice a few hours a week without them.

My hour with mine is tough, but he also spends a lot of time going over and correcting technique so the other 4 sessions that week are productive when I'm on my own.

I find mine to be well worth the money and would be sad if he moved into another line of work because there aren't many others in my gym who seem as passionate about helping their clients.

Thanks all, lots of good info there. I hadn't really thought about how I select a good person for me, in my lack of wisdom I just thought I got who I was given in the gym

Off to check their details, and if they aren't great I can probably get some recommendations from the school mum whatsapp group, I'm sure a few have used a PT before as quite a few look super fit!

I've had a PT for nearly three years now. Well worth the money. As PPs have said, pick someone who suits you, snd your personality. I absolutely didn't want a sergeant major type, bellowing in my face, but someone who would encourage me and get the best out of me.

Yes! When I had mine I started off really unfit and I was the most fit I’ve ever been when I stopped. I was more motivated to work out in between when I could feel myself getting fitter. Mine was great fun and very relaxed. I wouldn’t have liked a slave driver.

Definitely give it a go.

I swear by them. Started using one in 2016 when I was obese and mind-bogglingly unfit.

I started because I, too, saw an offer in the gym. I wanted to know how to use weights to stave off osteoporosis as I age and I fully expected to hate it. Here I am, doing PT twice a week.

The wrong person could really put you off at the beginning, though. You need someone who will listen to you and not simply push their own agenda. Be clear on what you are hoping to achieve so they have some idea of how to guide you. In my case weight loss was a very sensitive subject and my PT was forbidden from discussing my weight. That was my business and he respected that. I also would not have coped with a drill sergeant type approach. I would now and have had PTs who are a bit tough and demanding, but back then I would have fled. My first PT was encouraging. He pushed me, but gently and in a fun way and if I ever felt totally unable to even try something he would back off and suggest an alternative.

I found it a really good way to stretch my boundaries. Looking like a fool under the instruction of a PT felt OK, whereas looking like a fool by myself in the gym was not something I was then comfortable with. Now I don't give a stuff and do all sorts of weird things that many people don't.

Go for it!

Hi @Caplin

I am an Injury Rehabilitation Therapist and some of my qualifications aside from my degree are as a Personal Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach. I love working with client's who are new to exercise or who are very unfit. It is a real pleasure to support people in their journey and I like to feel that I can bring a lot of knowledge to support as they progress towards a more active lifestyle whilst avoiding injury. Most of my client's are overweight and incredibly unfit when they start but little and often makes a big difference to their mental health and physical well being.

My advice: take your time and find a Personal Trainer who makes you feel good about yourself, safe and is your cheer leader. Ask for recommendations. See what people are saying. Whilst it can be tempting to pick the cheapest (especially just before Christmas) it is worth finding the person who has walked in your shoes and understands where you are coming from and is knowledgable / passionate about helping people.

Good luck on your fitness journey!

I love my PT. he works me way more than I work myself. It’s a really intense hour a week. I supplement this with 2 additional gym sessions and walking. Can’t wait to get back to the gym.

I am very overweight and hugely unfit - I started training with a PT a couple of weeks ago and I would highly recommend it. He pushes me way harder in an hour than I ever would do on my own, he builds a routine for each session and keeps it fresh, he checks I am doing things safely and effectively and he motivates me.
My friend talked me into doing it with her - it's not something I ever would have considered doing but it really works.

Yes def if you can

They push you that bit harder
Great motivation

And I have learned loads so far with mine

There good but you'll need a lot more than 10. Depending what tier your in if your gym is still doing group exercise go to some classes to get your base fitness up . Then move onto PT sessions

Unlike most PPs I wouldn't recommend it unless you can afford to do it twice a week and continue for at least a year. Otherwise it's neither here nor there.

Weight loss is mostly through diet. So fix your diet, and do strength training exercises from any app (les mills, fiit, etc), and walk your 10k steps. That's my two cents.

I was the same... over weight and under motivated... a friend put me in touch with this guy, and it's been incredible... I pay £60 a month for nutritional coaching plus daily online hiit classes and kettlebells too. He's so lovely and motivational... I feel like he's a PT even though I've never met him, just chatting weekly to advise and hear how it's been going. I've gone from 14 st to 11 since Feb. Honestly can't recommend enough... https://bespokefitnesstraining.co.uk

I’d recommend a few sessions. I’d never done resistance training before, so I needed guidance and a plan on how to start doing weights. Couldn’t have done it without him.

Ultimately, motivation/persistence comes form within. But a bit of guidance is a great thing.

I would say they're particularly useful if you're unfit.

A couple of years ago I was in a dreadful state (unfit, very overweight) so joined a gym (mostly 'free' equipment rather than machines) that included one 30 minute session per month with a PT. Basically every other month he gave me a new programme to continue to stretch me and we had an intensive training session in the alternating months (more effort in 30 minutes with him than in an hour's solo session).

I was going three or four times a week, an hour each time and was really pleased to see improvements month on month. For example, at my induction session I could barely manage a minute on the cross trainer on very low resistance, but after 6 month, 5 minutes on a much higher resistance was my warm up.

About a year ago I got a heart rate monitor integrated with a gym system that compared your effort to other members (not actual achievement, thankfully) and showed your ranking on a screen. I discovered an unexpected competitive streak and upped my membership to three PT sessions a month and stated going four or five times a week.

The first lockdown was something of a disaster but I restarted as soon as it finished and borrowed a brute of a cardio machine for the November lockdown, so actually continued to improve. I'm now a lot fitter than two years ago and have even lost some weight (I like my food and wine too much).

In short, going to a gym with a PT was one of the best things I have ever done. It may not have saved my life but it will certainly have made it longer and, assuming I keep it up, a lot more comfortable.

Go for it!

My PT session each week wokld be the last thing to go if I needed to drop things. Pushes me way beyond what I wokld myself

Thanks all, I found someone who seems to fit the bill, just done three sessions this week. I am very glad I took the plunge! Already very motivating and supportive for someone like me. I also got back on track with weight watchers and the sessions with PT seem to have kicked me into a new place with that as well.

Going to do two sessions a week for a couple of months, then drop to once a week once I feel I have a decent habit established.

Thank you all!!!