Not too long ago, the act of hiring a personal trainer was practiced almost exclusively by the affluent. Such one-on-one attention in your home or local health club was as much a status symbol as an exercise regimen and the field of personal training was considered niche at best. Over time, however, more and more people—from all economic strata—have begun to prioritize the healthy lifestyle commitment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics now estimates there are some 261,000 fitness workers in the US alone.

There are many reasons why you’d want to hire a trainer. Novices might require an introduction to the gym and all its equipment. Veterans often need to recharge their exercise batteries with new ideas. Still others appreciate their trainer most as a psychologist of sorts.

While it might appear clinical to some, there’s an inherent intimacy about the trainer-client relationship. A trainer may know details pertaining to personal issues from menstruation to menopause, cash flow to sexual preferences (sometimes firsthand). We get you in shape for your wedding, we help you deal with the stress of divorce, we listen to endless stories about your job and/or kids. We’re your psychologist, your scapegoat, your escape from reality and sometimes your friend…the yin to your yang.

That said, let’s keep in mind the very practical reasons why people choose to work with a trainer, for example:

• To have an individualized program designed for them.
• To learn proper form and exercise safety.
• To stay motivated and maintain a training structure.

Even those who’d rather not join a gym can benefit from a trainer’s expertise and this concept may soon become a popular fitness trend. On Long Island, for example, GymGuyz (gymguyzfitness.com) provides a fully equipped van with weights, resistance equipment, body bars, aerobics equipment, medicine balls and more, which come to you.

“Many of my clients were making excuses as to why they could not get to the gym,” says personal trainer and GymGuyz founder Josh York, “so I decided I would bring the gym to them. The client can choose the time and place to workout—seven days a week—inside their homes, backyard, pool, local park or the office.” York and his team have a growing and satisfied clientele that choose not to deal with a potentially stressful commute to a generic large gym.

“They appreciate the one-on-one workouts that are individually designed for them,” York adds, “and they can exercise in the location where they are most comfortable. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing our clients reach their goals, both physically and mentally.”

Whether you go to the gym or the gym comes to you, personal trainers are no longer a luxury.