My name is Sarah, and this is my story when searching for personal training in Nashville. I wondered about a personal trainer vs gym membership, and here’s what I found:
Personal Trainer vs Gym Membership
When you get determined to get back in shape (often after NEW YEAR’s, or when you have a reunion or wedding coming up 😉), the first thing that comes to mind is joining a gym. And it was no different for me. Right after my New Year’s Eve hangover subsided, I rushed to the fanciest gym in Nashville that was featured in Nashville Lifestyles magazine (the gym where only photo-shoot-ready people in expensive cars went).
I was given a warm welcome and a ‘supermodel’ personal trainer showed me around their ‘zen art-inspired’ facility while I watched people in full makeup do basic exercises. Right after my tour, he asked me to enroll for the membership. Without a second thought, I said YES! (as if he had just taken out a ring for me). In my mind, I was prepared to pay premium charges (remember I told you about the ‘fancy cars’ earlier).
BUT…….
Hang on.
Wait a minute.
I did a double-take
$1800 per month! WHAAATT?
That can’t be right. They must have accidentally added an extra zero.
Turns out, no. My estimate for the gym membership where fancy cars went was completely wrong. The membership included sauna, Zumba, Yoga, and that ‘supermodel’ personal trainer, apart from their other high-end amenities.
The words almost didn’t come out of my mouth, and I whispered, dumbfounded, “Are there any less expensive membership options?” Turns out, I could enroll myself for an $895 membership minus the supermodel. But you see, I NEEDED that personal trainer. So I bit the bullet, swallowed my shock, and signed up for three months.
My first attempt at personal training included with the gym membership
The first week was amazing, he pushed me hard to go beyond and finish my sets. Second week, my energy was not the same, but he still pushed me, and I kept on. The third week, and I just couldn’t do it. I begged him not to make me do another rep, but he insisted, and you see I could not say no to him. How could I? After all, he was my very own personal fitness trainer.
I did what he asked me to, and the next day, I just couldn’t get up.
Like literally! I did something to my back.
The next day, it became worse, and I was howling in pain. I visited the walk-in clinic, and the doctor told me that I had strained my lower back muscles and had a bulging disc. I asked- “What could have caused it?”. His reply was maybe I lifted something too heavy, or with poor lifting technique. I immediately jumped and said, Well I have been doing lots of squats and deadlifts for the past three weeks.
He advised me to stop them for a while and not do any heavy exercise for a while till my back recovers, but do moderate light exercise. He also advised me to seek a personal trainer rather than doing workouts on my own.
At that point, I had to tell him that I have an amazing personal trainer right here in Nashville, who has been training me.
His immediate answer was, YOU NEED TO CHANGE TRAINERS.
I asked him why he suggested this. He replied that if he is giving me lower back pain, he is not a good trainer. Simple!
Hmm… that’s food for thought. Am I really paying this dude to be my fitness trainer for $1800 per month to give me lower back pain? That can’t be right. He must know what he’s doing, look at those bulging muscles ready to pop out of his T-shirt. Something needs investigation here.
I went to the gym the next day and shared my troubles with him. He said, this is common and happens all the time. All I need to do is take some time to rest and then start up again. But at the back of my mind, the doctor’s words kept coming back like a ghost haunting me, “He is not a good trainer if….”
Something did not feel right with this guy’s answer. I had to get another opinion for my own sake. I spoke to a friend, and she advised me to try her trainer. Apparently, her trainer specializes in helping people recover from injuries. And I do not have to sign up for any membership. I can pay per session. I was like, why not? Let’s try! Though I felt like I was going to cheat on my ‘supermodel’.
Now, where do I begin? I had my first session with Libby in a personal training studio on 21st ave near my home in Nashville. She had me do light movements to relieve the strain I had put on my back. The way she supported my body posture during the exercises and stretches immediately made me understand that the ‘supermodel’ personal trainer was a step behind. (Libby had years of experience and received formal training from the National Academy of Sports Medicine to be a fitness trainer and nutrition coach.)
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I visited my original fancy gym again and asked them about the training certifications for my personal trainer. They showed me his certification. And it seemed legit. But somehow I was not convinced because my experience with Libby was worlds apart from what I had experienced for three weeks here.
After a second session with Libby, I was 100% sold on her. I felt GREAT after my times with her, not CRUSHED like the sessions with the handsome guy. She knew how to pace things, she knew what my body needed, she knew how far to push me.
So I asked Libby to train me from now on. She only charged $75 per session. And you just pay per session, with no strings attached – not a thousands of dollars package like the Lexus gym! From Libby, I found out that she belongs to a community of well-trained and experienced personal fitness trainers, and they have rental arrangements with certain gyms in Nashville. But the best part is, you do not have to sign up for another gym membership.
(I ended up using the rest of my 2-month second-mortgage gym membership to enjoy the sauna as much as I could. 😊)
SO HERE IS MY VERDICT: Personal trainers are not all the same! Hiring the right coach is totally worth it if you find a well-trained and certified personal fitness trainer who can start from where you are. Do not fall for the off-the-shelf staff trainers that gym memberships offer. The cost of a great personal fitness trainer can be high, but the lousy ones also charge top dollar (or more! 😵). My experience with Libby has been worth every penny, and it has enhanced my life immeasurable. 5 stars! Thank god I didn’t settle, even though I sure learned my lesson the painful and expensive way. You don’t have to make my mistakes! Just contact Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition, and Dan will set you up with just the right person. Take it from me, you’ll be in good hands. Why would you trust your body with anyone else?