Personal Training and its Effects on University of Oregon Students

Session: (Virtual) Oral Panel—Strive to Thrive ARC

This paper analyzes how personal trainers affect and influence the wellness of college students at University of Oregon. If students work with personal trainers then their overall wellness will improve because working with a personal trainer offers a more structured workout plan for people who are inexperienced or uncomfortable at the gym, less risk of injury, and guidance on proper nutrition. To prove this, we read through multiple scientific research papers and spoke to various personal trainers and students about how personal training has benefitted them. Our primary results showed that among the people we interviewed, the overwhelming majority of participants showed improvements in their overall wellness. However, these results were based on prior experience in the gym and their individual relationship with their trainer. The implications of these results can help direct more students who are not comfortable with the gym and/or whose physical and mental health is not well to the Rec Center. Additional possible outcomes of this could be a raised GPA among students at UO, better physical and mental health of students, and just an overall better campus. Overall physical and mental wellness are important aspects of well that UO is trying to help students with, and directing students to meet with a personal trainer would be the most beneficial way to improve wellness.