Opinions please….

OK so I went to trial a gym today….not because I wanted to join it's just something we doevery so often to check out the competition…I went in and basically they left me to do what I wanted which was freat but I did see/hear a trainer who was training a client….she was probably mid-late teens no more and was severely overweight…anyway he practically had her in tears and was still screaming at her about not finishing the set….I'm still not a qualified trainer, still got a couple of months to got but have been working with clients and I personally don't think that trainers should be reducing clients to tears.I work my clients hard and push them further than they think they can go. Anyway I just wondered what other people's thoughts were…

Thanks

Replies

  • justmyalias
    justmyalias Posts: 153 Member
    if she's crying due to frustration or a self-defeating attitude, that is one thing
    if she is crying because the trainer is 'attacking' or de-moralizing her, that is quite another

    on Biggest Loser, the trainers have made many cry...
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    Maybe she said before hand "Train me so hard I cry, and don't stop!!"

    Safety Word is always: Tom Selleck
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I'd love to have a trainer make me cry! Although I'm sure that's not for everyone.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Maybe she said before hand "Train me so hard I cry, and don't stop!!"

    Safety Word is always: Tom Selleck

    That safety word only works if you aren't sleeping with Tom Selleck.
  • marsellient
    marsellient Posts: 591 Member
    I think there are better ways to motivate people, especially when the client is probably feeling defeated to begin with.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I did a circuit class with taken by a trainer once. One of his PT clients was in the class and he was putting her down and being horrible. All I could think was I would NEVER go to him for PT. He had a reputation (that he lived up to) for being the biggest douche bag. I had a friend who worked at the gym at the time and she told me that he didn't have many clients.

    I think, and I always tell people who are looking for a PT, that you need to find one who suits your personality and motivation style. A good PT should be able to adapt their style and motivate just about any client. They should never make you feel like crap, EVER. They are there to inspire you to work harder and make healthy changes. Having said that maybe this girl was just having an emotional moment and needed to let it out, if that's the case then I suppose it's okay. The trainer should just suport her through this. Other than that I don't find it acceptable. Most overweight people spend enough time putting themselves down and making themselves feel like crap without having someone else do it.
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    I had a football coach telling me I was a (feline) when appropriate during my formative years.

    Most women I observe in the gym don't seem to push themselves (particularly with weights) as well as guys, so I have too jaded of a bias not to sound like (more of) an a-hole here.
  • I would never go to someone who humiliates me and shout at me. If I work with a trainer I want to be pushed, definitely. And tell me where I am going wrong! Else I can just do it on my own! But I would not allow anyone else to shout at me, the trainer definitely won't get away with it!

    Us fatties get treated with enough disrespect in many other ways, no need to do it when someone is actually trying to make a change. Poor girl, my heart goes out to her. Self esteem is so fragile at a young age.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I'm a Powerplate personal trainer and I wouldn't make my clients cry..yeah I encourage them, mainly by doing the exercise with them and may raise my voice, only to say come on you can do it! But they always get a cuddle when they leave so they know I'm not really horrible :laugh:

    But I rarely let them quit.