Trainer Issues

I agree with nellie.

It's tough to be pragmatic when someone else is going through a difficult situation, but his medical concerns are not your problem. If he can't do his job, tell them to either find someone else or give you a refund.

I've been pushing myself well at the gym and feel comfortable working on my own. Biggest reason I wanted a trainer was to look at my form and assist me using the correct form. I've tried looking at YouTube video's and stuff but just don't feel comfortable (more of a mental block) using free weights so I resort to only using machines which isn't the best thing.

I've learned a lot since I've been here and felt silly spending so much on a trainer just to learn form but I was hoping they'd help me maximize my workouts to get the best results possible. I've gained a lot of muscle but I haven't lost a lot of weight.

I'm currently doing 1 hr of cardio on the elliptical and then 30-45 minutes worth of strength training which consist of moderate weights 3 sets 25 reps with 30 - 45 second breaks between sets.

Why such high reps? If your goal is strength, use a lower rep range.

Re: being your own trainer, pick up Starting Strength. It will teach you more than most trainers about good form and intelligent strength training programming. Certainly it will be better than youtube videos.

You will eventually find yourself at a point where you will want a coach's input, but finding a good trainer is hard, and doing your own homework (by reading good books rather than muscle mags and such) will help you find one.

You should do your weight training before cardio. You should drop your reps down. If you can do 25 of anything then you don't have enough weight on there. At max you should be shooting for maybe 12 but if you want to see some strength gains over just endurance you should be loading up heavy enough to where your reps would be around 8 or 6.

Also, get your money back and find someone else.

Dude, you are not going to bulk up like you think you would just by heavy weights. If you busted your *kitten* lifting heavy as you could with low reps AND ate a calorie surplus of +500 your TDEE AND did just low maintenance cardio AND got plenty of sleep then you might be able to add 15 pounds of lean muscle mass a year.

Please don't take this the wrong way but use your fatness tobyour advantage while you can. At this point you can lift HEAVY while being on a calorie deficiet and see plenty of weight loss and strength gains at the same time. This won't be the case when you start getting closer to your ideal weight. At that point you"ll be trying to lose weight and working harder than ever just to maintain your lean muscle mass. Your at a point right now where you an have your cake and eat it too. Don't waste it.

Don't be afraid to lift heavy. Having more lean muscle mass on requires your body to burn more calories just resting to maintain it. It's your friend. It's a win win situation. Your will drop so much more weight faster by lifting heavy and busting your *kitten* at cardio. It will even help you avoid the flappy extra skin you will get when dropping that much weight.

And seriously, are you going I trust the manager of the PTs that can't even get a pt to show up for a session? Go and find someone independent by word of mouth and I bet try are going to tell you te same thing I'm telling you here. Hell, just to out and do some independent research on the web.

Also, reach out to the people in your gym. If you see a guy doing a certain thing then don't be afraid to ask him to watch your form. Ask them for suggestions, ask them any questions you have. As long as you are in there working your *kitten* off day in and day out then those fit guys in the gym will see that, respect you, and WANT to help you out and see you succeed. Good luck man.

Usually it's the women we have to convince that they are not going to "bulk up" on a deficit... If this is a serious worry for you, perhaps stick to endurance training only.

It's tough to be pragmatic when someone else is going through a difficult situation, but his medical concerns are not your problem. If he can't do his job, tell them to either find someone else or give you a refund.

pretty much this.

I was doing high weight and 3 sets of 12-15 reps (last set would be about 1/2 that as I'd be pushing it pretty hard) and was told to change it by the Manager of the personal trainers.
I'm not trying to bulk up just want to lose weight. I'm at 279 now and have 109 lbs to lose.

I'm going to take a look at the material you mentioned. I'm just waiting for them to call me but it sounds like it would be best to just get a refund and keep pushing myself like I have been and read up some to better myself.

Thanks for the advice.

The best way to train for bulking or weight loss = heavy weight, low reps.

I cannot even begin to understand this sentence.

How can you not understand that? Are you dumb or something? I'm pretty sure you said the same thing as I did further up.

Strength Training (low reps, heavy weight) is ideal for cutting and bulking.

Well, it is possible that I am dumb, of course. Unlikely, but possible. You, however, seem to be confusing a matter of intake (cutting, bulking) with how one trains for strength gains vs. hypertrophy and endurance.

How can you not understand that? Are you dumb or something? I'm pretty sure you said the same thing as I did further up.

Strength Training (low reps, heavy weight) is ideal for cutting and bulking.

Wow, did you just call BB dumb and say what I bolded for you? Earlier today you told a guy that is experiencing a weigh loss stall netting 1200-1400 calories that he's over-eating if he's not losing weight. You also told him that you can't burn fat and build muscle at the same time. Seems like you're ether confused or don't really know what you're saying. Either way, calling someone that does know what their talking about 'dumb' is making you look worse.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1062556-does-overtraining-slow-the-metabolism

How can you not understand that? Are you dumb or something? I'm pretty sure you said the same thing as I did further up.

Strength Training (low reps, heavy weight) is ideal for cutting and bulking.

Wow, did you just call BB dumb and say what I bolded for you? Earlier today you told a guy that is experiencing a weigh loss stall netting 1200-1400 calories that he's over-eating if he's not losing weight. You also told him that you can't burn fat and build muscle at the same time. Seems like you're ether confused or don't really know what you're saying. Either way, calling someone that does know what their talking about 'dumb' is making you look worse.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1062556-does-overtraining-slow-the-metabolism

I don't know what I'm saying? All due respect, seen what I look like? I've spent the past 2 years of my life researching and dedicating my life to it. Now head over to bodybuilding.com and ask them in the losing fat section about Strength Training and see if I'm wrong? There is no reason for compound lifts to ever do more than 8 reps, none of this 12-15 rep rubbish.

Secondly, I said he's over-eating if he's not losing weight - simply, he is, if someone is eating 1200 calories theey will lose weight, regardless of how slowed their metabolism is, fact. Go over to bodybuilding.com,, ask that question again. (My Point was, he is overeating, as in, he is NOT eating 1200 calories he is eating more and recording wrong.)

Unless you're a beginner, and you actually want to get somewhere, no, building muscle and losing fat at the same time, is not going to happen.

bye