Where to find a personal trainer in Oregon

One of the best things about Portland Oregon is the many awesome attractions. The sheer number of bookstores, coffee shops, food carts, and breweries in Portland is almost overwhelming! Still, you’ll have noticed that when talking about the city, most people focus on food and drink-related activities. Even a movie-going experience in Portland can’t be separated from our love of food — case in point, Portland’s many movie brewpubs.

Now, as much as we’d like to think that the occasional stroll through Forest Park or the Rose Garden is enough to keep the beer belly at bay, something much more substantial is needed. On the other hand, going to the gym can be similarly frustrating. You can’t choose the people in your group and most gyms have set schedules for each class. So, if they scheduled yoga classes in the middle of your work shift, there’s nothing you can do.

Fortunately, working out in groups isn’t the only solution — you could also hire a Personal Trainer. Having an expert guide you on your fitness journey means that you’ll never have to rush to group classes after work or keep to anyone else’s schedule. The trainer you choose will create an exercise plan for you according to your personal goals and abilities. With a bit of professional guidance, you’ll be able to create and maintain healthy habits for years to come.

In this article, we’ll talk about how a personal trainer might help you, and how much a session might cost. Spoiler alert: it’s actually much cheaper than you’d think! But first, let’s talk about how you can find a personal trainer in Portland Oregon.

How to Find a Qualified Personal Trainer in Portland Oregon

Since Portland is basically the fun capital of the US, of course, it also has many gyms and personal trainers to choose from. After all, working out is supposed to be fun too! A personal trainer should know how to instruct and motivate you, and that includes making fitness fun. Fortunately, Portland is brimming with cool characters, many of whom are actually personal trainers.

In fact, we have counted hundreds of trainers in the city. So, if anything, you might have too many to choose from. Still, we believe that having choices can only be a good thing. In any case, finding a personal trainer is like finding a good therapist: everyone has different preferences. The personal trainer you choose will have a great impact on your overall physical and even mental health. And, as with therapists, you’re allowed to switch between trainers until you find the right one for you.

The best part of having a personal trainer, though, is that many of them will be willing to meet you where you are, or somewhere outside of the gym. Even if you don’t find a personal trainer in your own neighborhood, you could have one meet you at or around your home.

How Can a Personal Trainer Help You?

Before you start looking for a personal trainer in Portland Oregon, it’s important to know what you can expect. Most trainers will spend the first session getting to know you, your abilities, and what you’re hoping to achieve. People don’t just seek out a trainer to help them build muscle or lose weight — there are many different things you could request. For example, you could ask for a stronger focus on balance exercises and flexibility. Or, you could do high-intensity boot camp training.

Speaking to your personal trainer at the beginning and the end of each workout will also allow them to see if they need to adjust your workout program. This is especially helpful for people who are suffering from some kind of injury or medical condition.

Strength and Cardio

As a licensed professional, a personal trainer can help you achieve any body shape you’d like. For example, if you tell your trainer that you want to have lean and strong muscles, rather than bulky ones, they can adjust accordingly. You’ll lift lighter weights with more repetitions. If you want more developed shoulders, they might have you doing some of the exercises we have mentioned in our shoulder workouts article.

And, of course, many people hire personal trainers to help them lose weight. In those cases, a personal trainer is likely to start you on cardio exercises. You’ll probably move on to toning workouts as you approach your desired weight. If you were looking to hasten the slimming process, you could even ask your trainer about a fat burner like Phen375.

Flexibility and Balance

If you’re more interested in achieving flexibility and balance, your trainer might do yoga with you. Now, if you’ve ever suffered through an overstuffed class at the yoga studio, you might not be too keen on repeating the experience. But remember, you’ll have your personal trainer all to yourself! No more studios that are too crowded to even hold a pose.

A personal trainer will be able to completely focus on you and make sure that you’re executing the poses correctly. And they’ll be able to switch up a routine according to your own abilities and needs.

Functional Training and Boot Camp Exercises

Those looking to increase their endurance and stamina might talk to their personal trainers about functional training or boot camp exercises. Boot camp exercises are pretty much high-intensity cardio and strength workouts rolled up in one. You’d likely be improvising with the environment if you were working out outside. However, since a personal trainer can also work with you in a gym, you might also get to play around with various workout machines and tools.

Functional exercises are more focused on enabling you to live your life more easily. They’re purposefully similar to actions you’d perform in your daily life anyway. So, if you’re lifting your kid every day, your personal trainer might have you working the same muscles you use to do that. So you might strengthen your knees and thighs with some squats and work on some back, shoulder, and arm exercises.

We recommend that anyone who doesn’t have any specific fitness goals in mind start with functional training. The exercises are often very low-intensity, and they gently work toward building strength and flexibility as well. You should expect any odd pain you have in your joints and back to completely disappear, as you train your body to make the most of its muscles.

Working Around Injuries and Medical Conditions

As we have mentioned, any personal trainer will take your ability into consideration. Sometimes, your abilities can be affected by medical conditions like asthma, or prior injuries. Make sure to mention any joint or back pain to your trainer before you start. They’ll create a program that respects your boundaries but also strengthens your weak points. If you have a more serious physical disability, you can mention it before your first meeting with the trainer. Don’t worry: most certified personal trainers will know how to deal with just about anything you throw at them.

Average Cost of a Personal Trainer in Portland Oregon

Now that you understand all of the benefits of working with a trainer, you may be wondering how much it costs. Well, working with a personal trainer in Portland Oregon really isn’t that much of a luxury. Sessions can cost anywhere between $40 and $80, though most personal trainers keep their prices around $50. These prices are certainly more reasonable than those you might find in bigger cities. But that’s just another perk of living and working out in Portland!

So, if you’re tired of your only exercise being cycling during your commute, why not hire a local personal trainer? Your other choice is to use your bike for your weight workouts. Or, why not combine the two, and do some of the cycling and weightlifting exercises we wrote about in this article?