PTs? People who have had PTs? People who would like a PT?

I like watching the PTs at the gym have the client balance on a ball, while holding dumbbells doing jumping jacks and other crazy exercises like that.
It entertains me while I work out

ummmmm... the PT caught my attention. PT is the professional abbreviation for Physical Therapist.
Godd luck in your new venture.

I had a PT for a summer. Not the best experience. While she taught me a lot about weight lifting technique that I use now, I saw zero progress in those three months because she didn't emphasize nutrition enough in the beginning, didn't have me weigh in or take measurements regularly, and didn't adjust the program when we failed to see my body responding to it. On my own I learned I needed harder cardio and heavier weights; she just went too easy on me. My number one tip would be to always be ready to adjust if your supposedly tried-and-true method isn't working for one of your clients. Treat everyone as an individual, and don't be afraid to encourage them to go harder.

I'd like to get a PT...thought about it a lot actually. The weights at the gym are still a bit scary to me, and I'd like to learn. I work crazy hours, so I got to see him with various clients at various parts of the day.

Right now I feel like I need to be in better shape before I even consider signing up with him. Everyone he trains has the same basic workout - a lot of things I'd be concerned about, given my old injuries (I have bad knees, ankles and back from jumping out of a plane and landing wrong). I'd like a trainer who's willing to listen and modify their routine based on the client. I dont want to risk injuring myself doing something I'm not ready for.

I am working out with the third personal trainer that I've had in the past five years (the first one moved to a private gym and the second moved away). My current personal trainer is the best so far. When I tried to pinpoint what makes him different/the best, here are the highlights:

1. He understands my limitations (I've had 4 knee surgeries including a reconstruction and had a torn trapezius several years ago) and he has gradually helped me add exercises to strengthen those weaknesses. He has done this carefully and conscientiously so that I don't risk re-injury.

2. He watches every singe thing I do while we are working together and immediately corrects my form if necessary. Again, I appreciate this so that I don't risk injury and I don't create bad habits.

3. When we are working together, he is completely focused on our workout, not socializing with anyone walking by or working out in the vicinity.

4. At the beginning of every session, he asks if there is anything in particular I want to work on. I appreciate this respect, especially since I am often training for a half-marathon or will have a 5k coming up and may not want to overtax my legs.

5. Every workout is interesting. We don't do exactly the same workout twice.

6. He has introduced many new exercises, new equipment (kettlebells and TRX, for example), and new challenges. I've used equipment and the free weight area that I never would have gone near before. This has also given me credibility with the others working out in that area and everyone is friendly to me even if my PT isn't with me. I am convinced that a lot of this comes from their respect for him.

7. He pushes me to my limits (though he says I am one of his hardest working clients and that sometimes he has to hold me back because I don't always recognize my limits). When I thought I couldn't do pushups, he told me to try one. Now he won't let me do anything less than a full-out good form pushup. When I thought I could only plank for x number of seconds, he pushed me to stay at it and doubled my duration in one session.

8. He makes me sweat every session. I mean dripping wet, reaching for a towel, drinking lots of water, and feeling very accomplished because of it. He says never to apologize to a PT for sweating - that PTs love to see a client pushing that hard.

9. He tracks every single workout on a card that he keeps with him. He always tells me when I'm lifting heavier than I've done before or when I've done more reps than the last time. I appreciate that he keeps track so carefully.

10. Whenever he sees me at the gym, he says hello and then the next time we work out together, he'll make mention of what I was doing - how long were you on the elliptical, how was the reisistance, how did your knee feel, did you enjoy your rowing session, good job on planks the other day. Very encouraging.

11. He is encouraging, complimentary, assertive, and demanding. I call him "Killer Kyle" and he loves it.

I hope that isn't more information than you were looking for. I am convinced that a good PT can completely turn around a person's attitude about working out and can change a person's life. It's great that you want to know what makes a great PT, I wish you tremendous success in this venture.

I signed up for a once/month session with a trainer when I joined a gym. My primary reason is that I have never been in a gym outside of freshman year in high school. I have no idea what to do with the equipment, how to use all the assorted aids, how to exercise in a planned way in general.

In years past I've been a serious dancer, been involved in some intense horseback riding, lived semi-carless with a lot of commuter walking - and at the time those were fine without adding in some other work-outs. I'm totally lost in a gym or picking a workout program without someone to get me started, even though I know what it is like to be fitter and work hard.

I'll switch to a new trainer soon under my program, but I've been pleased so far - I get an encouraging "good to see you" or "nice job" when he walks by and I'm there on my own for motivation. And he's been good about figuring out what I want to accomplish and coming up with a routine I can use on my own.

One issue I'd look out for when choosing a PT is how they look. I want a PT who walks the walk so if I were looking to lose weight, I'd expect the PT to be lean. And if I were looking to bulk up, I'd not take a PT seriously if they were skinny. It's a bit like those rusty cars you see with "MAKE £1,000 A WEEK IN YOUR SPARE TIME!"... you can see it's not working for them!

I've been working with a PT once a week for the last year and a half. Quite honestly, it's the best decision that I've ever made. I consider it to be both a valuable investment in myself and money well spent.

That being said, you can only make your client work out for the hour or 30 minutes that he or she has with you. I regularly talk to my trainer about what my goals are, what I'd like to be doing and what equipment I'd like to be using.

She does tend to get me doing things that initially are outside of my comfort zone, but I take those exercises and work them into my normal routines the other 3-4 days a week when I'm not working with her. This is extremely helpful, as some things I woulnd't have thought to do on my own.

Since I started working with a PT, I've lost roughly 35lbs and more than 60 inches. While the 35 lbs isn't terribly dramatic for a year and a half, I think the 60" speaks for itself.

EDIT - Forgot to add - my trainer competes in figure/bodybuilding competitions, and definitely looks like she should look to be taken seriously as a trainer.

I had a PT for approx 3 months & loved it.

What i loved:
*I was accountable - to be there when i planned
*I learned how to use certain parts of the gym
*I learned how to use my body to do things without machines
*She focused on overall body recomp
& she was personable. Just balanced enough to still get the job done.
*flexibility (financially) she allowed me & my SIL to train together (as were were the same body type / size) and only charged us one fee... this made it much easier to continue our sessions.

What i would have preferred be different:
*although i know it's probably not the objective of a PT (as it's their profession) I wish she'd had made it a little easier to continue what i'd learned outside of our sessions - i wrote down as much as i could & still do some of what she taught. But some kind of schedule or goal plan (written for me) would have been nice - so I could someday take hold of my own training.
*nutrition. I know this is a gray area b/c PTs aren't Nutritionist, & mine vaguely covered what SHE ate - but quite frankly she's in the gym at least 8 hrs a day, i am not lol... it would have been nice if some kind of general meal plan accompanied our training...

But all in all, she is one of the major stepping stones that got me into the gym hardcore so i am very thankful for her.

my personal trainer is absolutely amazing. She cares a lot about me and my goals and making it happen no matter what the cost - i wasn't just about the sale to her and I've never felt that way about her in the slightest. She is understanding, but still firm and makes sure that I stay committed and motivated as well as have fun and enjoy exercising. She is very creative with my work out routines and tries not to do the same exercise twice in a short time span. I don't know, I just really love her passion for the job and her want to see me succeed as much as I do - if not more! Lol! I wanna do good for me, but I also want to do good for her since, even though I'm paying her, she really commits 150% to me always and I don't want to give her a reason to doubt me I guess.

I had my share of personal trainers and gained a lot of information but exericising and diets seem to change a lot, so I come here often for advice. Recently I had this great wellness/PT coach. First she worked out of her home, and not at a gym. She provided a few different options with bootcamp style. She really kicked my butt and loved it. She also provided/helped with my diary and changed a lot of it. She was quite reasonable too. The reason I'm not going to her right now is fiances (even with her reasonable prices). I think what makes a great PT is that you change it up a bit and not some borning routine you get at a gym. Anyone can learn stuff and go from there but it's those PT that really push you hard. It also helps that you are just not a client but a friend.

I definitely agree with a lot of that. I think that being a friend is important, but still maintaining a balance so that the client doesn't feel that they can distract with the friendship. I'm not sure I put that as clearly as I would like- but I see a lot of trainers at my gym spending their hour chatting about love lives and gossip and not getting much else done. If we can get our work done, then tell me anything you like

However, I am aware that with some older adults in particular this may also be a social event for them, so making it effective but social is important to me.

I agree, you don't want to be too chatty. I guess What I meant by friend is that someone that really cares about their goals and really wants to help them, rather caring about making a few bucks off of them. My coach actually reduced her prices so she can achieve people's goals.

I have been working with a personal trainer for about five months now and it has been well worth the money. I work with him twice a week. He keeps me motivated and even on the days we don't work together he comes and makes sure that I am exercising properly. He has taught me alot about nutrition. He has me lifting heavy something I didn't think I would be able to do. He pushes me out of my comfort zone which is what I want. Just in the 5 months I have worked with him I have lost 70 pounds. My husband is also working with the same trainer and he has gotten great results as well.

Several years ago the gym I was at had a PT who for a small fee would teach you how to use the machines. It was a 6 lessons at 1/2 hour each. It was all I could afford. I loved this woman. She was friendly with a good sense of humour and motivating. I was sorry I couldn't hire her for more. I later left that gym since it was going downhill fast.

I posted this recently about my experience at my current gym. I had a problem with a PT's sales tactics.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/668220-sales-pitch-truth-or-bit-of-both

Once of the things that bothered me about her was that during the sales pitch she asked me all sorts of questions, then used it against me. For example, she had asked me for a fitness goal and I said, "I want to dance at my grandkids' weddings" (which will be many years from now as my kids are 18 and 20). Later on when I was debating about signing up due to the costs, she threw this in my face asking, "do you still intend to be around for your grandchildrens' weddings?". Suggesting that if I didn't sign up with her I'd be dead in no time. That's not the type of person I want to be around.