Personal Training Consultation

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Gen216
Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Today I went for a personal training consultation for the first time. She has CanFitPro certification (no idea what that means), she had some good exercises and stretches for me to try to gauge my level of ability, but I was confused that she didn’t do some basic things like ask me my age, take any measurements or my weight or anything...

Is that odd? Or do they only do those things once you pay to have training?

Replies

  • its_cleo
    its_cleo Posts: 544 Member
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    Can Fit Pro is pretty basic I think. I don't see a trainer unless they have something more and ideally a related university degree ie Kinesiology or something like that.

    But aside from qualifications, it's important to have a good and well educated trainer. Not saying this one isn't, but it's good to have questions.

    Is it a reputable gym with good reviews?
  • Gen216
    Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
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    It’s in her home. It is well-equipped but it’s not at a gym.
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,231 Member
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    What are your fitness, health and wellness goals that makes you want to hire a trainer?
  • Gen216
    Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
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    I want to get stronger. I play sports and do cardio, but can’t lift a weight or do abs at all. Wouldn’t know where to start and need the accountability of making an appointment I have to keep.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    Personally, I would keep looking.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    Gen216 wrote: »
    I want to get stronger. I play sports and do cardio, but can’t lift a weight or do abs at all. Wouldn’t know where to start and need the accountability of making an appointment I have to keep.

    Strong Lifts 5x5, and a recurring event in your calendar so your phone nags you to go do it.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    One of the personal trainers at the gym offered me to show me some exercises with the Swiss ball. Very kind of her, BUT: she doesn't carry the weight I do - so she can jump about like a filly. I had a nasty knee operation many moons ago - which she hadn't. She kept on telling me that "my muscles will get stronger". To carry 140 kg (310 pounds) about all day (was 170 kg, 375 pounds a year ago), takes a lot of muscles already - how much more muscle do I need? With my current weight the stationary bicycle and the swimming pool are my best friends - no jarring of knee joints and nearly all my weight lost in the pool. Anyway, it was very kind of her to take her time and try to assist.
  • Gen216
    Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Gen216 wrote: »
    I want to get stronger. I play sports and do cardio, but can’t lift a weight or do abs at all. Wouldn’t know where to start and need the accountability of making an appointment I have to keep.

    Strong Lifts 5x5, and a recurring event in your calendar so your phone nags you to go do it.

    I wish a nagging phone reminder was all I needed for motivation! :smile:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    Yes, I used to observe the trainers at an LA Fitness run every client through the same routine.

    I knew how little they paid their yoga teachers and expected they did the same with their trainers.

    OP - I don't have enough info to judge your trainer, but if your gut tells you this lack of questioning on her part is a red flag, you are quite likely correct.

    It was a little awkward for my mom to "break up" with her first trainer at her new gym after her old one closed, but she is so glad she did as she just loves her new trainer.
  • sandboxfitness
    sandboxfitness Posts: 69 Member
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    Your goal is to get stronger, why does she need your measurements or weight? If you told her “I want to lose weight” and she didn’t do any of the above; look somewhere else
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    Does that mean I can't get good advice from the 300lb powerlifting PT in my gym even though he has the most knowledge about lifting for strength?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    Does that mean I can't get good advice from the 300lb powerlifting PT in my gym even though he has the most knowledge about lifting for strength?

    I'm judging my personal trainer on whether or not they have the look *they* want. If they're qualified to train overall, they can help me achieve my look even if they are personally going for something different.
  • Gen216
    Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
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    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    This is very helpful... I agree. Thank you!
  • Gen216
    Gen216 Posts: 32 Member
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    problem121 wrote: »
    Your goal is to get stronger, why does she need your measurements or weight? If you told her “I want to lose weight” and she didn’t do any of the above; look somewhere else

    Well, I told her ‘obviously I want to lose weight, but I particularly want a stronger core focusing on losing inches in my arms and stomach area’.

    She also kept saying about my heart rate that it was fine to go that high because I was so young. And kept referencing how young I am but she never asked. A lot of people think I’m just out of high school, but I’m actually 35. So just seems a little odd.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    Does that mean I can't get good advice from the 300lb powerlifting PT in my gym even though he has the most knowledge about lifting for strength?

    I'm judging my personal trainer on whether or not they have the look *they* want. If they're qualified to train overall, they can help me achieve my look even if they are personally going for something different.

    Indeed.
    I don't want to look like the powerlifter, the physique competitor, the excellent female squash player, the marathon runner, the semi pro cyclist - but I can take good advice from all of them.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,070 Member
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    Gen216 wrote: »
    problem121 wrote: »
    Your goal is to get stronger, why does she need your measurements or weight? If you told her “I want to lose weight” and she didn’t do any of the above; look somewhere else

    Well, I told her ‘obviously I want to lose weight, but I particularly want a stronger core focusing on losing inches in my arms and stomach area’.

    She also kept saying about my heart rate that it was fine to go that high because I was so young. And kept referencing how young I am but she never asked. A lot of people think I’m just out of high school, but I’m actually 35. So just seems a little odd.

    I wouldn't take that (the HR issue) as definitive, depending on how high a HR we're talking about, especially if you were showing no signs of physical distress (by which I mean things like feeling faint, not just finding the exercise challenging).

    People with risk factors for heart conditions for sure, and people in general ideally, should be cleared by their doctor before striving for high heart rate regularly in workouts, but it's kind of normal to hit higher heart rates now and then with exertion. Age is not a huge factor: Once assured that there's no medical issue, even old people like me can work all the way up to their measured HRmax without it necessarily being a big deal. High intensity cardio isn't the best starting point for anyone, young or old; but if you're talking weight work, there's a tendency to get some HR spikes from the strain.
    CharlieCharlie007 wrote: »
    First rule, a personal trainer needs to look how you want to look. If they cant get there themselves, how can they get you there. Same principal when choosing a dietition, I would not go see one who is obese. Second...certifications. Third, references. 4th, you already noticed...asks a lot of questions. If they do not, you can be sure they use the same routine for everyone and not one for your particular needs.

    I'm skeptical. I've learned lots of useful things from rowing coaches who couldn't row they way I wanted to (or at all, in some cases, by the time I met them), so I would've missed a lot of insight if I'd used that test. (One was a grizzled old guy, still ambulatory, who'd gotten a lifetime award from USRowing for the number of people he'd coached as juniors who eventually rowed on the national team . . . something he'd never done himself AFAIK.) And I've taught people to do (physical) things I couldn't do myself. (Back in my 40s, when I was doing martial arts regularly, I successfully taught various college youths to do tornado kicks, even though I don't think I'd ever done one myself: Tornado kicks are not a great plan, for an obese 40-something woman with bad knees).

    I don't see why trainers would be different. I care whether the people they train are reaching those trainees' goals, not how the trainer looks.

    Obviously, given that view, I agree with you about the certifications and references.

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