Can’t decide between the myriad ways to get your sweat on? You’re not alone. There are so many choices: that new program everyone’s talking about in your favorite online forum, the bootcamp in the park by your house, the personal trainer you’ve heard great things about, or custom programming delivered to your inbox. To help you determine which might be best for your unique situation, let’s take a look at some options, their benefits, and when they may not be a good fit.
 
Training From A Template
 
Your favorite online fitness guru has a new book out with a 16-week workout template. You picked up some glossy mag with a month-long program that looks like a lot of fun. You decided to hop on the bandwagon of the newest fitness craze posted on T-Nation. Or you want to get serious about Olylifting by trying out one of the Catalyst Athletics programs.
 
(Note: I didn’t include group training classes in this list because they are often similar to training from a template, though you may sometimes get individual feedback from a fitness instructor depending on the class structure, the class size, and their approach.)
 
Benefits: Training from a template is inexpensive, if not free. If the programs are well written, you can get great results, particularly if it’s geared for very specific results that line up with what you’re looking for. Sometimes other people are going through the same program, so you can compare notes with your friends or even find training partners.
 
When to skip it:
 

• If you’re not motivated to read the program’s instructions for whatever reason—maybe you read all day for work and just want to skim—then you’d probably be better off sticking to a program where someone tells you what to do.
• If you’re pretty new to fitness, or the specific area the program you’ve selected trains, a template can do more harm than good unless it’s a starter program that’s written specifically for beginners. It’s not uncommon for athletes to have poor form when trying to learn new exercises through videos or drawings, so make sure to get some solid coaching when you’re working on the basics.
• If you’ve got an injury, training from a template can be a bad idea. Even if the program has variations to account for certain injuries, it’ll probably just keep you from doing certain exercises…but won’t do anything to help you with underlying movement dysfunction.
• If you need to hit a goal by a certain timeline and don’t know exactly how to assess your own progress and modify your program if needed, template-based workouts are probably not for you. (While some coaches will give you feedback or pointers, particularly for programs you paid a lot for, others will simply tell you how many people the program has worked for rather than addressing your individual concerns, and/or give you a refund to get you to leave them alone.) 

Individualized remote training
 
Remote training is written just for you with your goals in mind. When done properly, it’s actually customized, so is geared individually to you and your goals and address specific injuries, weaknesses, etc.
 
Benefits: You can work with a coach you like who happens to be in a different country or state without having to relocate. You can work out whenever you want in the day instead of having to set a specific time in advance. In most cases, you’ll get pointers and feedback on your technique, if you videotape your workout. You often get a lot of support via email. Unlike a template, a good coach will adjust your custom programming if you’re not seeing results, or if your goals or circumstances change. It may be less expensive than working one-on-one with a personal trainer.
 
When to skip it:

• If you’re pretty new to fitness, the limited feedback you’ll get on videos isn’t very time-effective, and your risk of injury is higher than if you worked with someone in person.
• If you’re a bit on the uncommitted side, remote training may not be for you. Nobody is forcing you to actually do the workouts (or texting you if you don’t show up to the gym), so if you think you might be the type of person to bail (or turn in made-up numbers), best to find a different option.

Custom in-person training

We all know the personal training model—it’s when you show up to a gym and someone with a clipboard tells you what to do, walks you through the exercises, spots you on your lifts, tells you when your form sucks and how to correct it, adds 50 more pounds to the bar when you’re being a little bitch, makes adjustments on the fly, and re-racks all your weights for you.

Benefits:  The sky’s the limit if you have a solid coach. Everything is specifically tailored to you, so this is a fantastic option for people with injuries, those new to fitness, or anyone with a specific training goal (especially if your coach specializes in your sport or area of interest).

When To Skip It

• If you can’t afford it.  Even if the hourly cost is reasonable, these sessions definitely add up. Sometimes you can work with a coach by supplementing personal training with less technical sessions on your own. Some gyms even have small group training, so you can get a session with a couple of your friends for a fraction of the cost—assuming you have similar goals and fitness levels and work well together, and nobody in the group is nursing some kind of injury. Then there’s the OPEX model of offering customized individual programs and having a few coaches on the floor to correct people’s form, which can work really well. But for the most part, personal training = $$$.
• If your schedule is too crazy. Personal training requires you to get up off your ass and show up at the gym at a specific time. If your life circumstances (or individual temperament) make that impossible, best to save your money and opt for a different type of program.
• If you don’t like the trainer. Sadly, the fitness industry is filled with personal trainers who are totally checked out during their sessions, who are bad at assessing clients or writing programs that will help them meet their goals are, or who suck at their jobs in countless other ways. If you can’t find a personal trainer you trust and connect with, best to wait until you do.

Hopefully this list will save you some time in your decision-making process and help you pick the option that makes the most sense for your budget, schedule, training age, temperament, and goals. A poor fit can make your life miserable, and a good situation can be a game changer, so choose wisely. That said, it’s worth remembering that you can always switch to a different type of training if things aren’t working out or if your situation changes…so don’t let the myriad options stop you from getting started!