Whether you’re a novice in your sport of choice looking to build a solid foundation or a seasoned athlete trying to improve your overall athletic performance, choosing to work with a fitness trainer who can provide personalized workout plans for you will give you a serious edge. A good personal trainer can mentor and coach your abilities, encouraging you to make new strides in your training.

How can hiring a fitness trainer can help you realize your training goals? Some of the biggest names in sports have worked with personal trainers—LeBron James and Tom Brady have both worked with fitness trainers to optimize athletic performance and encourage injury prevention. There are quite a few reasons why working with a fitness trainer is beneficial for any athlete.

1. Injury prevention

Fitness trainers are specialists who can instruct you on proper form and technique, which lends well to things like injury prevention. They can guide you with stretching to alleviate any tightness and sometimes soreness in your body after strenuous training sessions, and they are knowledgeable when it comes to athletic injuries (note that they cannot take the place of folks who specialize in sports medicine).

Having an athletic or fitness trainer as a resource can help you get in front of any problems ahead of the game. It is always easier to prevent an injury than to treat one. The biggest causes of athletic injury are overtraining and overuse injuries.

2. Consideration of Body Type, Previous Experience, and Desired Gains

Every person has a different body type, so what works for one athlete may not work for another. We also all have different strengths and athletic backgrounds. It is often the case that fitness trainers will find that an athlete has focused on working out some areas while neglecting others.

Depending on your athletic focus, a trainer can customize a workout and training plan that considers where you are currently and your body type, tailoring training exercises to build strength to not only help you achieve your goals but that will add you become more well-rounded from a body fitness perspective. A good personal trainer knows the exercises to focus on building the muscle groups needed for your athletic pursuits, including the muscle groups that need to be strengthened to support injury prevention.

3. Flexible Availability

If you are only available during times of the day, a fitness trainer can work around your schedule to get you where you need to be to achieve your athletic goals and maintain your fitness. When you pay for a personal fitness trainer, they work for you. If you need to take a sick day and reschedule a session or two, they have the flexibility to work with you.

It is important, however, to remain consistent with your training. When you stay with a trainer for a duration of time, they are better able to measure your progress and increase your training plan as they work with you to help you get to your goal safely.

4. Accountability

Some athletes may lack the discipline to stick to a training schedule or program on their own. Choosing to work with a fitness trainer can provide some accountability and motivation to stick to a training plan and see real gains. If you are not a self-motivated athlete, working with a fitness trainer could give you the nudge you need to commit to a training plan.

5. They are Fitness Mentors and Teachers

Finally, the best fitness trainers out there are certified. That means that they have spent ample time studying body mechanics for the weight exercises that they will be prescribing you. Teaching someone how to squat, bench press, and clean correctly is imperative for athletes to avoid the pitfalls of improper training.

Having a mentor will provide you with a wealth of guidance and tips for your training regimen. Are you local to the greater Lancaster area and on the hunt for a fitness trainer? Universal Athletic Club (UAC) has you covered.

UAC is a state-of-the-art athletic training and recovery center for local athletes looking to keep strong both on and off season. Visit our website to learn more about our personal training in a small group training programs.