Well That Was Encouraging.......NOT!

124

Replies

  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    He was ignorant and probably had a bad day or just down right negative.

    Call and or go and speak to the manager and tell about his behavior because folks are trying to improve their health and he is a road block in our way.

    Do you have a Gold's Gym?

    I hope it wasn't Golds Gym. lol

    No, not a Gold's Gym....a work gym with a few annexes. Don't worry! LOL
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    He was rude.

    Doesn't matter where you go....gym...bank...grocery store....you don't talk to your customers or potential customers like that. It makes you look like a douche.

    End of story.

    Yeah, the bank analogy totally threw me off. Nevertheless, you are right.
  • Mummsy
    Mummsy Posts: 347 Member
    That IS terrible!
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    I've never had this happen but have read a lot recently on here about seriously rude gym workers and or trainers. (ps, i think most trainers are douches by default) combine that with it being january 3rd and all the resolutioners bombarding the gyms...the workers are frustrated, and i'm sure what he said is not untrue. for at least 80% of the people who will join this month. Doesn't make it right. He shouldn't have said that. Good call. Give your money to someone/somewhere else.

    Exactly. I understand frustration! I work with know-it-all attorneys for goodness sake but he didn't have to be so damn offensive with the fat quitters comment. I had already let most of his little stupid comments slide.
  • ilovemybuggy
    ilovemybuggy Posts: 1,584 Member
    I went to a gym this morning and asked if I could take a look around. To make a long story short - I already have a treadmill and some free weights at home that I work out with daily. But I wanted to push myself and decided to look into a gym and a personal trainer.

    The guy at the front desk says, "Well, I usually take people's money and say ok, I know I won't see you again but have fun on this one day you decided to exercise!" WTF! That was an answer in response to my question about joining the gym. OK, whatever, I'll let that slide; though I'm sure he isn't supposed to say things like that to potential members. But that wasn't the worse thing he said.

    Before I could get my entire question out about looking for a trainer, he says "Look, for a trainer like me (though I wasn't neccesarily asking about him as he was sitting at the front and I had no idea he was even a trainer) it would cost you. I don't train certain people and I hike my prices way up and stupid people still pay for me to train them and then quit. But I still charge them for the entire month. Fat people are usually the first quitters, no offense!" I thought this was a rather rude and out-of-left-field response. I was honestly floored by what he said.

    Well, I had a friend there with me who instantly flipped out and we decided that was not the gym to join if they had staffers like him working there. But has anyone ever had this sort of experience. It makes me not want to go out and look anymore. Bad first experience.

    He should no longer have a job, what a horses ***
  • acpgranberg
    acpgranberg Posts: 137 Member
    I had an experience with one gym that my BF at the time really wanted to try. He called me and asked me to come down. I walked in the door and the teeny girl at his side took one look at me and said "Don't expect to lose 20lbs in a month!" I hadn't even said anything yet. They then told us that to quit the gym we would need a doctors note. I don't think so. I'll decide when I want to quit the gym thanks.
  • DVMcGhie
    DVMcGhie Posts: 8 Member
    Stay motivated and find another gym. The idea of getting to a gym daily or several times a week will keep you accountable. Have his insults roll off your shoulder... it's a new year!
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    maybe he had the balls to say that to you because he knows you won't come back.

    i don't know about you, but when i get told things like that, i use it as fuel.

    freshman year of college i was the worst swimmer on the team. coach didn't give me much attention or training, and put me in one event at each meet. i knew he pretty much didn't want me on the team, but he couldn't cut me. so i never missed a practice and pushed hard.

    senior year i was team captain.

    i tend to agree with this. i'd imagine it's pretty frustrating for trainers who are serious who sign on clients who dont treat their training seriously. yeah you're paying them money and all that and some might not give a crap if you'd rather sit around talking during their session, but there are others who dont want to waste their time with that .

    of course there could have been a better way for him to assess your goals and commitment to those goals.

    also i diagree with looking for a personal trainer based on how well they motivate you.. motivation, commitment and drive come from inside. a personal trainer is there to show you how to effectively reach your fitness goals, not to be something akin to a life coach

    Who said I was looking for a motivator? I am not. I wanted to start some strength training and push myself a little harder than my little weights at home and my treadmill. I wasn't looking for his motivation but a little bit of tact would've sold the use of the gym at the very least!
    '

    i dont know who said it, but i sure didnt. other people have responded to this thread besides you. my "trainer has warm and fuzzy motivator" was more to them than to you.

    cheers


    Not sure what to really make of your comment so....
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    considering 1000 people told him the same thing this week....

    you know what? gym staff is not there to motivate you. They are not there to teach you. They are not there to train you.

    They are there to answer the phone, scan your ID, smile and wish you a good workout, and let you borrow pens and sneak friends in.

    The gym is just like a bank.

    You dont get money from a bank. You just go there and handle business and leave. If you're broke - is it the teller's fault?

    ^ uhh, lol

    Pretty sure the guy at the front is supposed to try to sell you personal training classes and a membership and he did a terrible job at it. I think he needs to be retrained to actually make the gym money.

    I also LOL'ed at this analogy because call me slow here, but I honestly didn't get it! The whole bank, money, teller's fault, fat quitters!!!! I don't know what any of it had to do with each other.
  • gemstone4
    gemstone4 Posts: 14 Member
    I hate that your experience to do something positive turned out so badly. But I would love it if you returned to that same trainer and let him see the newer healthier you. Also let him know you decided to invest in someone better than him- yourself. Hope this outlook will inspire you. I know it inspires me already.
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    Stay motivated and find another gym. The idea of getting to a gym daily or several times a week will keep you accountable. Have his insults roll off your shoulder... it's a new year!

    Great encouragement. Thanks!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    considering 1000 people told him the same thing this week....

    you know what? gym staff is not there to motivate you. They are not there to teach you. They are not there to train you.

    They are there to answer the phone, scan your ID, smile and wish you a good workout, and let you borrow pens and sneak friends in.

    The gym is just like a bank.

    You dont get money from a bank. You just go there and handle business and leave. If you're broke - is it the teller's fault?

    ^ uhh, lol

    Pretty sure the guy at the front is supposed to try to sell you personal training classes and a membership and he did a terrible job at it. I think he needs to be retrained to actually make the gym money.

    I also LOL'ed at this analogy because call me slow here, but I honestly didn't get it! The whole bank, money, teller's fault, fat quitters!!!! I don't know what any of it had to do with each other.

    good luck on your 82 pound goal.
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    I hate that your experience to do something positive turned out so badly. But I would love it if you returned to that same trainer and let him see the newer healthier you. Also let him know you decided to invest in someone better than him- yourself. Hope this outlook will inspire you. I know it inspires me already.

    Thanks, a lot! I will say that it kind of convinced me to just stay home and keep working out there. It'll save me $300 bucks annually. But your outlook on it is inspiring.

    Good luck with your journey!
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    considering 1000 people told him the same thing this week....

    you know what? gym staff is not there to motivate you. They are not there to teach you. They are not there to train you.

    They are there to answer the phone, scan your ID, smile and wish you a good workout, and let you borrow pens and sneak friends in.

    The gym is just like a bank.

    You dont get money from a bank. You just go there and handle business and leave. If you're broke - is it the teller's fault?

    ^ uhh, lol

    Pretty sure the guy at the front is supposed to try to sell you personal training classes and a membership and he did a terrible job at it. I think he needs to be retrained to actually make the gym money.

    I also LOL'ed at this analogy because call me slow here, but I honestly didn't get it! The whole bank, money, teller's fault, fat quitters!!!! I don't know what any of it had to do with each other.

    good luck on your 82 pound goal.

    Thanks! Way to go on your 99 pound loss. Now, that's encouraging!
  • bpauntie
    bpauntie Posts: 20 Member

    you know what? gym staff is not there to motivate you. They are not there to teach you. They are not there to train you.

    As trainers, yes they are. That's what they are paid to do, and he, supposedly, was a trainer.
    considering 1000 people told him the same thing this week....

    It doesn't matter how many people came to him and said the same thing. All people can't be lumped into the same category. There are some that will follow through, will do the work, will continue the training and will get fit. He is in a service industry, and good service, no matter what type, is key to getting and keeping a customer base.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    :drinker:
  • gemstone4
    gemstone4 Posts: 14 Member
    I am proud of you. You have permission to keep your BUZZ :)
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I would say, consider yourself lucky that he told you all this BEFORE you gave him your money. An inadvertent favor.
  • I would say, consider yourself lucky that he told you all this BEFORE you gave him your money. An inadvertent favor.
    ^ This. You already wasted time on him. Thank God you didn't waste your money on him! But I'd complain and demand the gym make it up to you!
  • jeanmariemcp
    jeanmariemcp Posts: 17 Member
    If that gym was conveniently located for me and only $300/yr I think I'd join anyway. Screw that guy. Don't let him make decisions for you. Talk to the manager and let him/her know what happened and then go prove that dude wrong. It would motivate me to get there just to look in his eyes each time as an "I told you so".
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    I would say, consider yourself lucky that he told you all this BEFORE you gave him your money. An inadvertent favor.

    Yup, you're right!
  • Stay motivated and find another gym. The idea of getting to a gym daily or several times a week will keep you accountable. Have his insults roll off your shoulder... it's a new year!

    Great encouragement. Thanks!

    Congrats on your 10 pound loss and much luck towards your final goal!

    You got it in the bag! Don't let one DB ruin it. Take it and use it as fuel.

    At my largest, I had a doctor tell me that I needed to consider prescription appetite suppressants or weight loss surgery because I was not going to be able to do it on my own.

    I never saw that doctor again, but I used his words as fuel and got into the best shape of my life.
  • parys1
    parys1 Posts: 2,072 Member
    That trainer will go far. I see great success in his future.
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    Stay motivated and find another gym. The idea of getting to a gym daily or several times a week will keep you accountable. Have his insults roll off your shoulder... it's a new year!

    Great encouragement. Thanks!

    Congrats on your 10 pound loss and much luck towards your final goal!

    You got it in the bag! Don't let one DB ruin it. Take it and use it as fuel.

    At my largest, I had a doctor tell me that I needed to consider prescription appetite suppressants or weight loss surgery because I was not going to be able to do it on my own.

    I never saw that doctor again, but I used his words as fuel and got into the best shape of my life.

    Thanks, a lot! I have worked out no less than 3-4 days a week since November 25th and I got on the scale on December 15th with a 10 pound loss. I am excited to see what the scale and my measurements are next when I track this Sunday.

    Good for you. App suppressants and surgery do not teach healthy living most of the time and I'm happy for you that you did it and without either!

    Very inspiring!!!

  • Horrible thing is that it's a gym associated with my work place. There are 6 annexes to the gym so that's rather small. But I was just very turned off by this guy's attitude and pretty intimidated after that because I'm just thinking "Is that what all trainers feel about overweight people!?!"

    Oh man this just makes me so sad. As someone deeply involved in the fitness community it really makes me sad to see and hear about this behavior. No, not all trainers view people that are overweight that way or feel like this...well nice words escape me on what to call this individual, so I will just say person. Quality trainers view overweight people as someone who needs a little motivation and direction to become healthy. Most people are in the position of being overweight because they have never known any other life style or they do not know how to get back to being fit and making it work with their day to day life. It is not easy. If it was everyone would be skinny and fit. Quality trainers will support you, motivate you, share in your successful milestones, and occasionally kick you in the rear when you need it. They are truly counselors and teachers of fitness and health who want to see you succeed and be healthy. My recommendation as you look for a quality trainer is to continue with what you have in your house. I am a huge fan of Jillian Michaels and love her stuff. So between that, free weights, and a treadmill you are on the right path. Dial in a quality nutrition program and you will see success. Please don't let this sorry excuse of a person derail you from meeting your goal or from finding a quality trainer and gym. And as one other poster mentions. Prove that man wrong.
  • Oh and one more thing. For some awesome motivation check out the Under Armour What's Beautiful Community. http://whatsbeautiful.ua.com/?cid=DA|facebook.com|whatsbeautiful (WFS) There are so many aspirational women on there that have all kinds of different backgrounds and stories. They will truly motivate you and celebrate in your success in fitness through your journey. Plus there are really cool challenges that you can do and it is only for women.
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member

    Horrible thing is that it's a gym associated with my work place. There are 6 annexes to the gym so that's rather small. But I was just very turned off by this guy's attitude and pretty intimidated after that because I'm just thinking "Is that what all trainers feel about overweight people!?!"

    Oh man this just makes me so sad. As someone deeply involved in the fitness community it really makes me sad to see and hear about this behavior. No, not all trainers view people that are overweight that way or feel like this...well nice words escape me on what to call this individual, so I will just say person. Quality trainers view overweight people as someone who needs a little motivation and direction to become healthy. Most people are in the position of being overweight because they have never known any other life style or they do not know how to get back to being fit and making it work with their day to day life. It is not easy. If it was everyone would be skinny and fit. Quality trainers will support you, motivate you, share in your successful milestones, and occasionally kick you in the rear when you need it. They are truly counselors and teachers of fitness and health who want to see you succeed and be healthy. My recommendation as you look for a quality trainer is to continue with what you have in your house. I am a huge fan of Jillian Michaels and love her stuff. So between that, free weights, and a treadmill you are on the right path. Dial in a quality nutrition program and you will see success. Please don't let this sorry excuse of a person derail you from meeting your goal or from finding a quality trainer and gym. And as one other poster mentions. Prove that man wrong.

    I love this comment! This was me, not growing up eating healthily at all and thought I would be a size 4 my entire life! Well, marriage, a child, and just an unhealthy lifestyle overall took me to a size 12/14. So, this makes me happy to see someone who has such kind words about weight loss.

    Thanks, so much, and I will prove him wrong!
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    Oh and one more thing. For some awesome motivation check out the Under Armour What's Beautiful Community. http://whatsbeautiful.ua.com/?cid=DA|facebook.com|whatsbeautiful (WFS) There are so many aspirational women on there that have all kinds of different backgrounds and stories. They will truly motivate you and celebrate in your success in fitness through your journey. Plus there are really cool challenges that you can do and it is only for women.

    Thanks! I was a part of the all women fitness center "Curves" when I actually was in shape and I loved it. Sadly, there isn't one by me anymore.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    i've never been treated like that at any gym and i WOULD complain to management. if you're not comfortable complaining face to face then send management an email and make sure you give the person's name and outline exactly what the person said and why you will NOT join and why you WILL pass on your thoughts about the facility to any and all individuals who will listen to you. bad word of mouth spreads faster than wildfires.
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
    i've never been treated like that at any gym and i WOULD complain to management. if you're not comfortable complaining face to face then send management an email and make sure you give the person's name and outline exactly what the person said and why you will NOT join and why you WILL pass on your thoughts about the facility to any and all individuals who will listen to you. bad word of mouth spreads faster than wildfires.

    Oh, I'm not shy in the least so I am going back to the gym after work to speak with a manager.