Personal Trainers Pretty much Suck on Average?

[ghettostudmuffin]

Actually I have been a trainer and I know what I'm talking about lol.

And you're right. Most gym pt's do suck.

I know what the big picture is. I've worked with 65 year olds. I've worked with girls. I know everyone's goals are different.

AND, I stll stand by what I said. Most suck. I never said all did now did I?

Btw, I don't look through a narrow little scope on things. If you've read through this whole thread than you should have realized that before spouting that bulloney off. And you have no idea the kinds of people I've been in contact with so keep the assumptions to yourself, K.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

This stupid ass post had been sitting here forever now lmfao.

 

[wtlftr]

I disagree. i have been a PT for 10 years. I have many opinions like ya'll do, but they are like assholes, everyone has them. My practices work. Calories burned v calories ingested equal wt loss, if calories ingested are fewer than those burned.

This equals...workout hard, eat fewer calories than needed and loose wt. But everyone cannot be a trainer. It takes committment, education, personality and ability.

 

[Bikini Mod]

I haven't read the entire thread admittedly, and yes, there are gobs of shitty-ass PT's with shit "physiques" that are basically ripping ignorant people off while the gym is profitting bigtime.

HOWEVER, as a PT I can tell you that every single one of my clients gets the result that I promise. I dont bullshit and because of this I have earned respect not only because of what I have done with my own physique, but because of the knowledge and motivation that I have imparted to my clients. Hell, my co-workers want me to train them too! (front desk and childcare staff)

What you all are forgetting when talking about MOST gym members is that they are not hardcore strength or bodybuilding wanabees and their goals are very different from your goals.

A hyuge juicehead would not necessarily be a better PT than the cheesy-assed chick who has zero muscle tone.

Most gym members just need a bit of nutritional guidance, a bit of education about the way their bodies work (ie - "Why can't I burn the fat first and then build the muscle?"), orientation as to how to perform numerous movements safely and effectively and get into a GOOD HABIT of coming to the gym for several weeks. Once all of these components are in place you have a very satisfied client who is now a walking billboard for you, not to mention that they will most likely recommend you to their equally clueless (as they were before YOU came into their lives via the vehicle of you offering your services to them) friends and family.

 

[flowerz]

Don't get me wrong, I respect a good personal trainer that has developed a decent physique and/or a solid amount of strength and trains his clients well and gets them results. But every gym I have trained at has had lameass personal trainers. It's a joke. The gym I go to now is one of the best in the area and the PT's look like they barely lift! They are usually young, cocky guys that try to look like Brad Pitt or something and have about as much strength as your old grandpa has if he got real psyched up after a win at a local bingo tournament. They have decent builds, but no SIZE whatsoever. Not unless you consider a 15" muscular arm big on a guy that's been training for years and has several training certifications and acts like he's the shit.

Also, I see them making their clients do the dumbest looking exercises all the time and I wonder, what's the point of that? Like today, as I'm walking out of the bathroom at my gym on my way to my car I see one of the REAL COCKY PT's having his female client do unweighted calf raises against a wall. HMM? Oh ya, he has her leaning on a stability ball that's on the wall pressing on her chest as she's doing her calf raises on the ground with no weight, no block for the stretch, and she's doing them with both legs, not one leg at a time. Try and picture the rediculousness ofthat image in your mind. I think it's safe to say she'd get a better workout walking up a nice size set of stairs in high heels carrying her purse. AS a bonus, at least she wouldn't look stupid, and at least the PT wouldn't be embarassing himself. What a joke!

Last week I saw one of the PT's having his male client do 45 degree leg presses with 50lbs. That's no typo. "50" heavy ass pounds. His client probably weighed 160lbs and even on his first workout could probably handle 180lbs no problem.

Finally, the biggest problem I see is these guys barely seem interested in their clients when they are doing their sets. They always have them use too little weight and not enough intensity. Not once have I seen a single PT at my gym put a client through an even moderately demanding workout.

Anyone have any stories of some lamo PT's you've seen, and some of the stuff they have their clients do that defies all possible logic and reason?

P.S. Good PT's are a great thing and valuable to a good gym. Bad PT's just suck worse than suckass.

You shouldn’t judge the work out unless you know the customers full medical history. Maybe it’s the persons first time doing the exercise and the PT is focusing mainly on proper form. Or maybe the customer has certain medical issues that restrict him from lifting heavy weights. Everybody’s needs are different.

 

[Bikini Mod]

You shouldn’t judge the work out unless you know the customers full medical history. Maybe it’s the persons first time doing the exercise and the PT is focusing mainly on proper form. Or maybe the customer has certain medical issues that restrict him from lifting heavy weights. Everybody’s needs are different.

Agreed. Not only that but you have to realize that not everyone in a gym wants to look like Arnold or Corey Everson... that is even if they COULD. What good would it do to totally turn someone off to physical activity altogether by pounding their asses into the ground within the first few days of them entering a gym, many after an entire lifetime of being basically sedentary?

I have only one client that is bigtime hooked on bodybuilding. She is 43 y/o female, one teenage son let herself go BIGTIME last couple years. Granted she has a lot of weight to lose, but since she has been training with me she has lost a total of 49"... in THREE MONTHS!... bout 10 pounds so she is definitely building muscle and shedding fat.

She has had many trainers in the past but has hardly has any results, nevermind the results she has gotten with me. She is strong as a freaking horse and loving every second of the pounding I give her in the gym... But most of my other clients only want to she some fat and feel better in general, no ass-pounding needed. Just some general guidance in movements and form and general nutrition.

Now the free PT sessions... those are a horse of a different color. I figure, if it is on me - then dammit----- it am gonna HURT!

 

[Snypr]

I used the PT sessions at my gym, basically because the first 3 were free with membership. Nice girl, but I knew way more than she did, and I don't even know as much as I should. She was the one that sold me the membership, so I guess she wanted to do the sessions herself. After the first one, I kind of wanted her to go away.

 

[Snypr]

They mostly suck, and the reason why is the same reason you the people at the fast food drive through also suck, and the janitors suck, and receptionists suck.

It's because you need a modicrum of ambition to be good at anything, and people with ambition who work hard, study hard, and improve themselves typically do not get stuck with jobs that pay poorly - ala trainers at your local gym.

If I or many of the people on this board were going to try and be personal trainers, we would fail miserably because most people wouldn't appreciate us enough to pay us enough for what we are worth.

That's why you are much better off doing your homework and sharing/gaining knowledge here and being your own personal trainer rather than getting some dork with an ACE cert he got through two evening class at the Learning Annex(TM).

good stuff

 

[K637musl]

In most gyms i've seen pt's getting the people on the right machines and exercises, but they do about 30 different exercises with 1 set each of 10 reps and they really hog up all the damn machines and get in he way. And when they don't know what to do they ask you and some of the bullshit trainers won't give much detail and put them on exercises I don't know!
There is my 2 cents on that.

 

[Golddoor]

Yea I like it when you see these chicks that are PT and they have fat asses and tree stump legs. And its real bad when you see some dude that weighs 200 + using the 100 pound female trainer to train him. I have a few of those going now at my gym!
My wife's friend just paid $2000 for some 5'4 230# plus Male PT thats at our gym to train her so she could lose weight! Focking hilarious!