Focus on Fitness

Jayme Limbaugh Owner, Anytime Fitness

Do you Need a Trainer? Yes, Yes you do.

There are a multitude of benefits for using personal trainers no matter who you are, from weight loss to injury prevention and post physical therapy training. Personal trainers are not for the elite and movie stars anymore. They are a necessity for many of us and we don’t even know it! I mean who doesn’t want to move feel and better with less pain?

The investment into your health through personal training pays dividends for years, as it has the potential to save you valuable dollars in the future through injury prevention, weight maintenance, and overall health.

As a busy mother of two amazing and highly energetic little boys, a personal trainer is an absolute necessity to me. I often cut my personal time short to get them to all their extracurricular activities and have a healthy meal on the table at night. After delivering each of my sons, I had low back pain. To address this issue, I met with Pauline Juhle owner of Because We Run and Lucas Jordan of Lucas Jordan Fitness. They helped me strengthen the muscles I had injured during pregnancy and delivery through exercises specific to my injuries and pain. I also used the training for motivation to lose the baby weight! Within one year, I felt better, looked better and was pain free. In fact, I was better than BEFORE pregnancy! So, yes, even personal trainers use personal trainers!

Now that you know some of the benefits for using a personal trainer, here are some valuable questions you should ask every potential trainer:

Ask for their certifications – There are so many certifications out there, but only a few are NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) accredited and are recognized as the standard for the field. Some of the top certifications out there include: ACSM, NSCA, ACE, and NASM. It takes serious work to complete these certifications, and it’s important to trust someone who has put in the time and effort. It is also important to verify their certifications are still current. This can be done easily by going to their certifying organizations website and search for a professional.

Ask if they have a degree in an exercise science related field – There are many opportunities for personal trainers to obtain postsecondary education. College teaches separate classes for the variety of traits necessary to be a proficient and knowledgeable personal trainer. Like any other professional field, it takes many years of education and experience to excel in personal training.

Check references – It is always good to follow up with current and former clients and ask how they are doing with the personal trainer. Beyond education and current credentialing, meshing with

the personal trainer’s personality is crucial to a client’s success. There must be rapport between you and the personal trainer or you may not enjoy your sessions as much as you could.

Don’t judge a book by its cover – Don’t get me wrong, make sure your trainer walks the walk, but be sure to select the personal trainer whose expertise best matches your goals. Sometimes we choose trainers because they have the body we want or because they look tough or easy. Always remember, they work out with what works best for them, and that may not work for you. Also, don’t overlook someone because they don’t look how you think a personal trainer should look. I have seen this time and time again. Clients will come in and say, “I don’t want to train with her because I don’t think she will be tough enough!” Those same clients after some convincing and complimentary sessions with the easy personal trainer, become clients for life and achieved amazing results.

In conclusion, there are various important benefits to hiring a personal trainer. So, whether you are considering personal training to stay motivated, reduce medications, improve mood or feel better, make sure you ask each potential personal trainer for their credentialing and make sure he or she is a good fit for you. If you ever have any questions please let me know!

Jayme Limbaugh is a mother, wife, avid knitter, coffee addict, aspiring wellness entrepreneur and owner of Anytime Fitness and Crystal Coast Wellness Center in Morehead City.