When it comes to pricing, there are a couple of loopholes most fitness trainers will let you slip through. To get a discount, "you can ask for a package of workouts (if you pay up front) or split your sessions with a friend," says Borden. This will get you a cheaper price per session. Also, sometimes trainers will offer a cut rate if you pay cash, as a lot of trainers are self-employed and cash reaps a "no paper trail" benefit.
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They have serious pet peeves
There are some things trainers just can't stand. First, "if you think being whiny is cute, think again," warns Borden. Second, "your trainer will hate you when you flake on your 6 a.m. appointment whether or not you pay -- it's just rude," she says. And Borden cautions, "If you owe them money, trainers talk amongst themselves."
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You don't always need them
"Just because a gym is public, doesn't mean you are supposed to know how to use it," says Borden and that's why hiring a trainer to help you shape a workout routine is a great idea. However, after you've learned the basics and if you have the motivation to go it alone, you're pretty much good to go.
"Your trainer is supposed to help build your body and your knowledge of movement patterns, [but] once you have that down, training on your own is always encouraged," says Borden.
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It's a dirty job
As you might imagine from all the sweat being produced, "gyms are generally filthy," says Borden. She says to "always bring your own mat and towel, no matter what gym you go to. At my gym, the mats have never been washed -- that's why I bring my own!"
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They let you do their job
"A lot of trainers will let the client dictate the workout when they don't feel confident enough in their own knowledge or belief system in how they teach," says Borden. "You'd be surprised at how many clients dictate to their trainers." So make sure you are getting the most out of what you pay for and go to an instructor with a lot of experience. You're paying them for a reason.
So as it turns out, getting in shape isn't the great mystery we all like to think it is. In reality it's just: Eat right. Work out. Repeat.
But of course, as anyone who's ever tried can attest, that's way easier said than done. Getting the motivation to haul our hasn't-seen-a-bikini-since-high-school butt to the gym and saying "no thanks, I've had enough" to the chocolate Bundt cake crying our name from the kitchen at 11 p.m. is hard. Really hard. Almost as hard as our fantasy abs.
Sometimes, we just can't do it by ourselves. We like our excuses too much -- we made them up after all. Which is why it can often be extremely helpful to buckle down and hire a fitness trainer. Someone to motivate you, help you stick to your goals, and most importantly, help you navigate the gym and all that equipment so that you get the most out of your workout.
But just like anyone trying to make a buck off your self-improvement, there are bound to be some things they don't mention to you in order to get your business. And with price tags ranging anywhere from 50 to 200 bucks a training session, your business is worth fighting for. So if you are spending the dough on a fitness trainer, make sure you're putting your muscle (however weak) behind that money. Learn the secrets your trainer would rather you not know from fitness and lifestyle consultant Ashley Borden, because your brain is a muscle too you know.
