Is a personal trainer worth the money if a 60 year old is trying to get into a workout routine to lose a few pounds and gain lean muscle mass?

Gabster43213 said:

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Is a personal trainer worth the money if a 60 year old is trying to get into a workout routine to lose a few pounds and gain lean muscle mass?

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Ill say, as a 58 year old, that you don't need a personal trainer.

It depends on your personality.

Some need another person to tell them what to do, motivate them, and hold them accountable.
Some have worked out since they were 13 and don't.
Some have worked out since they were 13 and feel like they do.

If you're someone who's never been around a gym in your life, it may be helpful to have someone show you what to do and give you a routine to follow regardless.

If you have no idea what you are doing, a good PT can really help you learn and get started. It won't be cheap but you are investing in your future longevity and quality of life.

If you are a self starter and consistent, there are a ton of resources and plans out there to follow.

As mentioned above, I think it is wise to have one if the person does not know what they are doing or where to start. At our gym we work with some people from backgrounds where they have no experience with weightlifting or an athletic program. I make mental notes on a movement they struggle with and a month later coming back to them and mentioning something like "Do you remember when you started and were struggling with those pushups"? As trainers we can see the potential and improvement but they need guidance.

You may even find some group classes for individuals that are older. Group accountability and socializing goes a long way. I know CrossFit has a stigma for many, but I've seen some gyms have classes specifically for older individuals. It's completely different from a normal CrossFit class.

As a Personal Trainer, here is my take:

For most, a CPT is as much as anything, a motivational tool when one knows they have trouble doing the things that they need or want to do to become healthier on their own. You pay money, you schedule times to meet and that can serve to make one feel compelled to show up and do the work. In other words, it creates a level of commitment b/c you paid and scheduled it. It creates accountability, b/c you have to show up or call to cancel or if you forget, will get a call or text from the trainer "where r you?". As time goes on and that person finds a way to stay motivated even without a trainer, they may go it alone.

For a select few, a trainer/coach is necessary to push them in more advanced athletic endeavors, from contests and competitions (body building and power lifting) to sports performance. Here is when you hire a much more specialized coach. And many times, it can be the difference from placing 5th and 1st, depending on the coach as they handle more then "showing up and working out." They program, manage the program and adjust, handle the nutrition plan and adjust and help out with all the other details.

Obviously, you fit into the first description, and it is up to you. If you think you can stay consistent with you training and nutrition (the biggest issue most people have is consistency), then you probably do not. But remember that you do probably need guidance of some form. Follow a person or company that gives you info, guidance and troubleshooting to help you either design a program or buy a program, template, find and use one of the many free apps and programs online etc. The key is following a good program, not just "showing up" to "exercise". Know what you are going to do today. Be smart enough to know how to adjust when things change (you're not recovered yet in the area you want to train, the machines/stations/benches are all taken up and you don't have time to wait so what can you replace an exercise with, etc). These things are what helps people the most. Same point with nutrition. Find a good app to log your nutrition. Plan your meals. And there is a wealth of free info out there to show you how to track and plan meals for your week. Do these and you may not need a hired trainer.

It wouldn't be true personal training, but check out Edge Performance. It is owned and operated by a friend of mine, and I trust that he and/or his staff will be helpful in knowing if it's the right fit for you. They run group classes plus some more specialized training.

I work out more reliably with a trainer . I have one two times a week and almost never miss. It helps me get those done and I try and make a third a week.

I'm pretty good about running 2-3 times a week and have a group I run with but lifting is easy use for me to skip even though I naturallyvprob like lifting more than running

It's accountability

My running is good because of the group.

Gabster43213 said:

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Is a personal trainer worth the money if a 60 year old is trying to get into a workout routine to lose a few pounds and gain lean muscle mass?

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I know I'm worth the money, but only if clients listen to me.

I've had people who could barely walk due to knee pain go water skiing 6 months later. I've had people lost a bunch of weight.

And I've had people get just a little stronger with dang near no weight loss at all….because they wanted to eat what they wanted and only worked out when they saw me and just were trying to not get fatter.

So it depends on you.

But in terms of your age, your goal should be MOVING better and longevity of a higher quality of living….so 2-3 years (or more) from now you're able to move, function, and enjoy so much more than you can now cause your functionally stronger instead of, "my leg press went up X pounds"