It’s well-documented that highly productive people typically have exercise in their daily routine. After all, exercise keeps the mind sharp and provides Type A personalities the energy to get through their intensive days.

It’s also not a stretch to describe Type A’s as control freaks. After all, they know what they want and how to get it done. They want it done their way and they will seek to control all the variables. However, control is a mindset and that sometimes makes them stubborn and even irrational. They don’t like to be told what to do or that they are wrong. This is the same trait that makes them succeed at times and cause them to fail at others.

In context of exercise, stubbornness could result in injuries, or exacerbate an existing injury. This is where having a trainer is valuable. Besides getting you in shape, a trainer’s job is to keep you from hurting yourself. In the case of an existing injury, a trainer will know how to work around it and keep you in shape while you heal up. For some, ceding control–even if it’s at the gym–is difficult. But if you’re smart, you will know when to not be your own enemy. A good trainer will bring out the best in you, even if it’s to protect you from yourself.