Do you need a Personal Trainer?
Many people go to the gym – and one associated expense is the Personal Trainer.
Do you go to they gym? Do you feel the need for a Personal Trainer?
Let us look at the cost of going to a Gym. Annual Fee: Rs. 35,000. And a Trainer should cost say Rs. 6000 a month.
Is it worth paying 6k for a trainer? Can I not do it myself? – fair question, is it not?
Well, sure. Let us look at the biggest cost of going to the gym – it is your time, is it not?
Again let us say you go to the gym 5 days a week – and if you do weights on 3 days, you need the trainer for 3 days. So you end up paying about Rs. 500 for a session with your trainer. If you are earning much more than this, and can afford this expense, it is worth it. If you cannot afford it, then it is a different story.
A personal trainer can very quickly help you achieve your goals (I am assuming you have a goal – weight loss, general fitness, reduction of fat in the body, improve the BMI, run a marathon, improve your swimming timings, play some sport better…). The trainer can also help you in the postures of exercises – how to use the equipment, how to breathe in and breathe out, what protein supplements to take (if you are in some sport and want a quick recovery, it helps).
A good trainer will also be able to talk to you about your diet – remember your weight is clearly a function of your diet (80% importance is to the diet) and 20% on the workout. What you eat, how much you eat, how often you eat, ….all that is important.
A dietician / trainer will also tell you that the Britannia Multi Grain Biscuit (which looks so healthy) is about 150 calories – and it takes 2.5km of running to burn it. So if you eat 6 biscuits in a day, you need to do a Half Marathon to burn it off and help your body!
Patheja P
The personal trainer rates look so attractive! at my gym I pay Rs.14k per month for a P Trainer – but hey not cribbing. He is worth every rupee that I pay. I also see that people from various strata of society do read your blog!
umesh ikhe
I agree with Mr.Panjawani , the costs are unnessary prohibitive in gyms and for personal trainers. May be it is kind on “in thing ” so…
subra
Umesh have you joined a gym, used a PT?
Jsan
Out of context question but curious to know from the experienced people: I have read that, you should always play one sport on regular basis. So will it suffice if someone plays some outdoor sport, atleast once a week, vs going to gym, to stay fit? (I know many of friends paying for yearly subscription for Gym and going once a month to Gym)
subra
A gym / swimming pool is cheap or expensive depending on he denominator. If you join a gym costing Rs. 30,000 and go to the gym for 300 days a year, it costs you Rs. 100 a day. However if you pay Rs. 30,000 and go for 50 days in a year, it costs you Rs. 600 a day. That is expensive.
Jsan: a gym does a regular work out. A sport does a stop, start, accelerate, slow down kind of a work out. Like say a game of football – you need to be alert for 90 minutes – it is far, far more taxing. So ideally you do both as a combination. Just a gym is boring. If you add water polo (swimming), riding a mountain bike, sprinting, running the marathon….different muscles are exercised. Some people like variety…some people are happy gymming. Ultimately it is about keeping the body strong and supple – i have cousins who are very fit just doing yoga and some walking…
anon
Subrabhai, I brisk walk seven days a week come hell or highwater. Intend to add Shivai gym which is in the region of 250 pm.
Put it down to my gujju stinginess.
Even if my company picks up the tab, money is money and I don’t need ac and piped music, thank you.