What does a Strength Trainer do?

A strength trainer works with a client to build muscles through physical workouts. These workouts are designed to strengthen the muscles in the body in order to improve form and function. Strength training is achieved mainly through weight training and resistance training. A strength trainer will analyze a client’s goals in order to come up with an exercise program that will achieve the client's fitness goals.

Strength trainers are usually affiliated with a specific gym. A person with a membership to a gym is typically given the option of paying more for a strength trainer to help with personal goals. A strength trainer may also work privately and accompany a client to a home gym or public gym. In either case, a good strength trainer will begin with an analysis of what the client wants to achieve, whether it is developing a specific muscle group or just general improvement to the muscles in the body.

A person may hire a strength trainer for very specific needs or simply to build overall muscle. Most athletes have various muscle groups they use more than others, and may hire a strength trainer to help increase their performance. For example, a rower would need strength training for abdominal muscles while a tennis player might use strength training to improve just the arms and legs. A non-athlete may add strength training to his or her exercise regimen simply to increase bodily performance.

Clients can benefit from hiring a strength trainer for a number of reasons. Strengthening muscles in helps to increase joint performance as well. In addition to appearance, strength and joint health, there are other benefits to strength training such as higher HDL cholesterol, higher bone density and better cardiac function.

The types of strength training are mainly weight training and resistance training. Weight training uses gravity to build muscles through the lifting of dumbbells or weight stacks, which is particularly effective for the arms and legs. Resistance training typically uses hydraulics to create resistance. With weight training, there is movement of the body against gravity, but with resistance training, the body fights the hydraulic force actively working against the body.

Strength training is different from sports such as bodybuilding or powerlifting, however, strength trainer may use many of the same exercises and techniques as these sports. The end goal of strength training is overall muscle strength and physical fitness rather than an award or medal.