Do you have a trainer? Or are you a trainer?
jessica2021624
Posts: 18 Member
If so, can you describe what you like and don’t like about your relationship? Any questions you were afraid to ask at the beginning? Or any challenges in communication and accountability?
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Replies
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I do not currently have a trainer, but I did have one for a year back in 2012. He was fantastic! I do not believe all trainers are equally awesome. If are thinking about getting a trainer really feel them out before pulling the trigger. Also find a trainer who is going to be able to help you accomplish whatever goals you are trying to achieve.
I personally was never afraid to ask questions, he always explained the exercise and made sure my form was correct. Our communication was completely open, and he always kept me accountable.
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I have had several trainers.
At first I had no clue really what I wanted, other than to learn how to do resistance training safely, as I had been told ladies of my age should worry about their bone density. I knew I was overweight but had already lost a lot, and did NOT want any discussion of weight at all (sensitive subject for me, back then).
My first few trainers were in a commercial gym which offers them no guidance, they are mostly rookies and they never offered anything beyond guidance in the sessions. No particular "homework", no particular discussion of my goals. They didn't really ask, and I felt a bit shy about having goals as un-lofty as being able to do a push up. I pretty much Googled what I should do to achieve my goals and trained myself. Successfully in the aim of getting strong enough to water ski. Abject failure in anything else other than a general increase of fitness and loss of weight.
The gyms had a high staff turnover and this was a problem. It takes me a while (especially back then when fitness was new) to get comfortable with someone and trust them. Just when I was starting to get there, they'd leave.
Some had pretty poor timekeeping. Some were obviously not interested and just going through the motions. Many of them tried to have me do warm ups on the treadmill as part of our session, but I refused to pay them just to watch me on a treadmill for 20 minutes. I mean, come on.
I found a self-employed trainer outside of my gym and that was better. He addressed my goal of wanting to do press ups and pull ups. We had a plan, we recorded my lifts. I liked it. But for various reasons he left the industry 6 months after I had started with him.
A new trainer joined the commercial gym and it was clear he was very well educated, with plenty of experience, and knew what he was talking about. It was also clear he did not like the attitude of the gym and he was a bit hard to approach. It was obvious he was not really interested in someone who wasn't going to put the work in. He's not drill-sergeant but he is strict. I was brave enough to hire him and we've been working together with great success since the beginning of 2020.
I like a trainer who is as nerdy and particular as I am. I want to be sure I am being taught safe form. I've enough experience with exercise and trainers now just to ask for explanations and tell them if I don't like a suggestion, and why. At the beginning, when I had not the first clue, I really needed the trainer to talk me through what we were doing and why. Some were better than others but I Googled everything behind their backs. Partly because I was afraid they would think I doubted what they were saying, mostly because I didn't actually know what questions to ask.4 -
Welcome to MFP.
As this is your first post I am wondering where your questions come from and what you are looking for.
(guidance, or a new trainer looking at how to build a clientele)
Personally I have never used a trainer, nor am I one.
When I first started exercising I used a variety of classes. That was sufficient for my goals at that time.
When I wanted to start lifting I had a good enough idea of form, from the classes I took, and used a lot of the information and links that the excellent folks on MFP provided, that I was happy with going out on my own.
(I flirted with competing (where I would have joined the appropriate gym) but life interrupted, and I decided it always would. I just didn’t have the dedication.
So, because I am a recreational lifter,and satisfied with my progress, I don’t feel the need for a trainer.
For anything that is not lifting, classes, in a variety of genres, still fulfil my needs.
Cheers, h.3 -
I just stopped working with a trainer. Everyone's experience is going to be totally different with them, and there will be good ones, not so good ones, and ones you love, or just don't mesh with. I was comfortable talking to mine about anything, and she was good at motivating and pushing me, however she had trouble for a while hearing what I wanted and putting it into practice. They all have their own style, and in my case, we just didn't mesh well, as she would stick with routines she liked regardless of my goals.
I think one can be beneficial, but it is somewhat important to know what you want to get from the relationship, and be comfortable expressing yourself. Being able to communicate your goals is really important for them in order to tailor a workout for you. One of the BEST things I got out of a trainer, was having my form checked, and getting to learn the correct way to do things (as I am lifting weights), and I think for weight lifting, a good trainer can be a great asset.1 -
middlehaitch wrote: »Welcome to MFP.
As this is your first post I am wondering where your questions come from and what you are looking for.
(guidance, or a new trainer looking at how to build a clientele)
Personally I have never used a trainer, nor am I one.
When I first started exercising I used a variety of classes. That was sufficient for my goals at that time.
When I wanted to start lifting I had a good enough idea of form, from the classes I took, and used a lot of the information and links that the excellent folks on MFP provided, that I was happy with going out on my own.
(I flirted with competing (where I would have joined the appropriate gym) but life interrupted, and I decided it always would. I just didn’t have the dedication.
So, because I am a recreational lifter,and satisfied with my progress, I don’t feel the need for a trainer.
For anything that is not lifting, classes, in a variety of genres, still fulfil my needs.
Cheers, h.middlehaitch wrote: »Welcome to MFP.
As this is your first post I am wondering where your questions come from and what you are looking for.
(guidance, or a new trainer looking at how to build a clientele)
Personally I have never used a trainer, nor am I one.
When I first started exercising I used a variety of classes. That was sufficient for my goals at that time.
When I wanted to start lifting I had a good enough idea of form, from the classes I took, and used a lot of the information and links that the excellent folks on MFP provided, that I was happy with going out on my own.
(I flirted with competing (where I would have joined the appropriate gym) but life interrupted, and I decided it always would. I just didn’t have the dedication.
So, because I am a recreational lifter,and satisfied with my progress, I don’t feel the need for a trainer.
For anything that is not lifting, classes, in a variety of genres, still fulfil my needs.
Cheers, h.
Thank you for the kind welcome!
I am not a trainer. I’ve worked with a trainer in the past. The gym I was going to had a promo and I decided to try it out. It felt rushed, impersonal and was overpriced even with a discount. He pretty much trained me like I was a basketball player and track runner. I was doing a lot more cardio and drills than expected. He also had no exceptions for meal planning and suggested nothing but bland food and flavored protein and amino acids.
Now I am looking for a trainer who has more of a holistic approach and considers other lifestyle factors like functional strength, health disorders, cooking for a family and sustainable habits and tips.
What types of classes did you take? I’ve only taken yoga core with weights, regular yoga, cardio kickboxing, hiit, etc.0 -
SnifterPug wrote: »I have had several trainers.
At first I had no clue really what I wanted, other than to learn how to do resistance training safely, as I had been told ladies of my age should worry about their bone density. I knew I was overweight but had already lost a lot, and did NOT want any discussion of weight at all (sensitive subject for me, back then).
My first few trainers were in a commercial gym which offers them no guidance, they are mostly rookies and they never offered anything beyond guidance in the sessions. No particular "homework", no particular discussion of my goals. They didn't really ask, and I felt a bit shy about having goals as un-lofty as being able to do a push up. I pretty much Googled what I should do to achieve my goals and trained myself. Successfully in the aim of getting strong enough to water ski. Abject failure in anything else other than a general increase of fitness and loss of weight.
The gyms had a high staff turnover and this was a problem. It takes me a while (especially back then when fitness was new) to get comfortable with someone and trust them. Just when I was starting to get there, they'd leave.
Some had pretty poor timekeeping. Some were obviously not interested and just going through the motions. Many of them tried to have me do warm ups on the treadmill as part of our session, but I refused to pay them just to watch me on a treadmill for 20 minutes. I mean, come on.
I found a self-employed trainer outside of my gym and that was better. He addressed my goal of wanting to do press ups and pull ups. We had a plan, we recorded my lifts. I liked it. But for various reasons he left the industry 6 months after I had started with him.
A new trainer joined the commercial gym and it was clear he was very well educated, with plenty of experience, and knew what he was talking about. It was also clear he did not like the attitude of the gym and he was a bit hard to approach. It was obvious he was not really interested in someone who wasn't going to put the work in. He's not drill-sergeant but he is strict. I was brave enough to hire him and we've been working together with great success since the beginning of 2020.
I like a trainer who is as nerdy and particular as I am. I want to be sure I am being taught safe form. I've enough experience with exercise and trainers now just to ask for explanations and tell them if I don't like a suggestion, and why. At the beginning, when I had not the first clue, I really needed the trainer to talk me through what we were doing and why. Some were better than others but I Googled everything behind their backs. Partly because I was afraid they would think I doubted what they were saying, mostly because I didn't actually know what questions to ask.
That happened to me at a commercial gym as well! My trainer ended up leaving. He wanted me to follow him but I was under a contract and also, I did not want to follow him lol. Part of our time together was me warming up on the treadmill and then him rolling out (not sure what the term is really called) my arms, legs or back. Thinking back on it, is that massage roller session even appropriate.
That’s awesome you’re still with your trainer. Hoping to find a trainer that’s similar — someone who can tell me why I’m doing things or eating a certain way. I want the added education so I can have both mental and physical habits.0 -
ChaoticMoira wrote: »I just stopped working with a trainer. Everyone's experience is going to be totally different with them, and there will be good ones, not so good ones, and ones you love, or just don't mesh with. I was comfortable talking to mine about anything, and she was good at motivating and pushing me, however she had trouble for a while hearing what I wanted and putting it into practice. They all have their own style, and in my case, we just didn't mesh well, as she would stick with routines she liked regardless of my goals.
I think one can be beneficial, but it is somewhat important to know what you want to get from the relationship, and be comfortable expressing yourself. Being able to communicate your goals is really important for them in order to tailor a workout for you. One of the BEST things I got out of a trainer, was having my form checked, and getting to learn the correct way to do things (as I am lifting weights), and I think for weight lifting, a good trainer can be a great asset.
Thanks for the insight! I’ll def be asking more questions and expressing myself more when it comes to my goals.1 -
jessica2021624 wrote: »Part of our time together was me warming up on the treadmill and then him rolling out (not sure what the term is really called) my arms, legs or back. Thinking back on it, is that massage roller session even appropriate.
Most of the trainers at my commercial gym seem to have a general policy of not touching clients ever. The trainer outside of my gym was more inclined to touch me if necessary (prodding my back to indicate which muscles should be firing, making contact when using the boxing pads, touching my elbows to indicate where my arms should be; that sort of thing). My current trainer is inclined to touch quite frequently in a similar manner but he is also prepared to massage out a muscle knot, do assisted stretches and the like. There are some exercises (nordic hamstring curls) where he simply has to touch me or they cannot be done since our gym does not have the requisite equipment. He will also give some assistance when doing pull ups, which means he has to grab my torso.
I would say that conducting an assisted foam rolling session is appropriate BUT only if you are happy for the trainer to be hands-on in this manner. I would also say that touch is sometimes necessary for optimal training. Some trainers will assume you are OK with it, and others may ask first. If you are at all uncomfortable about a trainer making physical contact with you then I would suggest you tell them up front so that they at least ask first before grabbing you!
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jessica2021624 wrote: »If so, can you describe what you like and don’t like about your relationship? Any questions you were afraid to ask at the beginning? Or any challenges in communication and accountability?
I had a trainer for a few years and was probably in very close to the best shape of my life with the exception of when I got out of bootcamp. I came upon him pretty accidentally. He and his wife (also a trainer) owned their own gym and lost the lease so they started renting space at the gym I was working out in. I kind of got to know him a bit just by being in the gym and making conversation here and there.
The one thing I noticed just in observation was that he used Olympic lifts with pretty much all of his clients. I also noticed he worked with a wide range of clients from general fitness to working with guys who were obviously athletes and putting together sport specific programs, both of which were what I was looking for.
As an avid cyclist, though not competitive I wanted to improve my skills for participating in local events and I was very interested in getting back into some Olympic lifting which I had learned in high school, but hadn't practiced in years. We were a good fit and actually he and his family have become really good family friends and we all socialize together these days.
I don't work out with him anymore mostly due to money and time constraints and I'm capable of programming my own stuff for general fitness. I'm not really doing many events or racing anymore, so that more specific training isn't necessary at this point...though I do miss being in that kind of condition.2 -
As a CPT for YEARS, what I can say from experience is that there are many who could use a trainer that don't think they do. Normally it's people who are regulars, but don't seem to be getting anywhere in their physique. They are consistent, but I don't pay attention to their programming. Every once in awhile, some will ask advice on exercises, but it's just for variety in their training.
I can also say as a trainer, that I've developed many relationships with clients over the years. I have a few people I've trained for 9 years and some about 3 years +. They feel comfortable with me, I know their limits and the workouts seem to be what they want.
I personally write and email EVERY WORKOUT we do for their use. Many trainers I've seen over the years DON'T. They just wing it and have people train on what's available at that time. Also, many trainers who are new DON'T really know how to put programs together because their experience training is just themselves and maybe a buddy or two so the workout they usually give is something THEY are familiar with and may not be what the client really needs.
All in all, if you hire one things you should look for IMO are:
Are they punctual?
Do they pay attention and give you feedback?
Do clients they have seem to be physically changing?
Will that trainer give you concise answers for questions that you may have on anything regarding fitness?
Since you pay, make sure you're getting what you want out of it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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SnifterPug wrote: »jessica2021624 wrote: »Part of our time together was me warming up on the treadmill and then him rolling out (not sure what the term is really called) my arms, legs or back. Thinking back on it, is that massage roller session even appropriate.
Most of the trainers at my commercial gym seem to have a general policy of not touching clients ever. The trainer outside of my gym was more inclined to touch me if necessary (prodding my back to indicate which muscles should be firing, making contact when using the boxing pads, touching my elbows to indicate where my arms should be; that sort of thing). My current trainer is inclined to touch quite frequently in a similar manner but he is also prepared to massage out a muscle knot, do assisted stretches and the like. There are some exercises (nordic hamstring curls) where he simply has to touch me or they cannot be done since our gym does not have the requisite equipment. He will also give some assistance when doing pull ups, which means he has to grab my torso.
I would say that conducting an assisted foam rolling session is appropriate BUT only if you are happy for the trainer to be hands-on in this manner. I would also say that touch is sometimes necessary for optimal training. Some trainers will assume you are OK with it, and others may ask first. If you are at all uncomfortable about a trainer making physical contact with you then I would suggest you tell them up front so that they at least ask first before grabbing you!
That’s a good policy to have. It def makes sense to be touched to correct form or for assistance.
I didn’t feel physically uncomfortable just sort of jipped. Looking back, those last few minutes could’ve been used to exercise more or discuss nutrition, strategy or struggles.0 -
Thanks for the advice! It must feel great to be a part of someone’s fitness journey for 9 years.As a CPT for YEARS, what I can say from experience is that there are many who could use a trainer that don't think they do. Normally it's people who are regulars, but don't seem to be getting anywhere in their physique. They are consistent, but I don't pay attention to their programming. Every once in awhile, some will ask advice on exercises, but it's just for variety in their training.
….
All in all, if you hire one things you should look for IMO are:
Are they punctual?
Do they pay attention and give you feedback?
Do clients they have seem to be physically changing?
Will that trainer give you concise answers for questions that you may have on anything regarding fitness?
Since you pay, make sure you're getting what you want out of it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I am one of those people! Struggling to get the results I desire. I’m skinny and a little pudgy and would like to gain muscle.
I had a session yesterday with a CPT who answers a lot of my questions and corrects me. After years of doing dead lifts incorrectly, I can finally feel the tension in my hamstrings. I think we’re off to a good start.0 -
Not a trainer, nor have ever used one. With limited time, I pretty much just keep programming to 'Keep it simple stupid'. 1 leg + 1 push + 1 pull + 1 extra as 2 supersets...in and out in 30 minutes 3x per week. ~4-5y now and have been pretty happy with the results. I found the book 'Starting Strength' to be extremely useful on form. He has some good information in there on what to watch for (common things that people will do wrong that causes them issues and how to correct) - this was extremely helpful on the squat.1
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i am a trainer for 3 years now and My Health Calculator really helped me through out my journey-3
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I am studying for my personal training certificate now, but I have been a fitness and yoga instructor since 2006. I love moving into personal training. It is very motivational for me!2
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