Arrgggh! Warning, this is a rant!
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Calliope610
Posts: 3,775 Member
Once again I go meet with a potential trainer, tell them I want to get good form advice for SL5x5, the next thing I know, she is telling me that I will get better results doing 4x20 at lower weights w/ 2-3 day splits and all that mumbo jumbo. Am I crazy??? At this point I don't want a complicated program (who knows, that may change in the future). Right now I just want to know that I am using the correct form for low back squats, rows, OHP, bench press and deadlift. Why can't you just teach me the basics???
I have been interested in SL5x5 for over a year. I have started SL5x5 several times, but I get to a point where I feel that I need some professional guidance to assure that I am using correct form. So I turn to a trainer, then them exactly what I want, and they try to steer me to something else. Then I get frustrated and slack off on my program. I am getting tired of quitting. I want to quit quitting.
Why can't I find someone to watch my workout and tell me what I'm doing right and correct the things I might be doing wrong???
How many of you started with a low back squat, or did you have to start w/ body weight squats? How long did you have to do body weight squats? When did you start squats with the bar?
Maybe I should just listen to this trainer and trust the process. But I feel that I am compromising what I want to do. But what do I know?, I'm just a novice with enough knowledge to be dangerous.
Thanks for listening to my whining.
I have been interested in SL5x5 for over a year. I have started SL5x5 several times, but I get to a point where I feel that I need some professional guidance to assure that I am using correct form. So I turn to a trainer, then them exactly what I want, and they try to steer me to something else. Then I get frustrated and slack off on my program. I am getting tired of quitting. I want to quit quitting.
Why can't I find someone to watch my workout and tell me what I'm doing right and correct the things I might be doing wrong???
How many of you started with a low back squat, or did you have to start w/ body weight squats? How long did you have to do body weight squats? When did you start squats with the bar?
Maybe I should just listen to this trainer and trust the process. But I feel that I am compromising what I want to do. But what do I know?, I'm just a novice with enough knowledge to be dangerous.
Thanks for listening to my whining.
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No, you are right for being frustrated. If you want to do SL then hell, do SL! Make sure you watch all the videos you can like from the "so you think you can ___" series on youtube or others. Ask this group pointers. Take videos of yourself doing the lifts at the gym and this group can make suggestions for your form. If you take it slow, then you should be okay. I know others who have started SL or lifting heavy on their own and are doing great with just videos to go by.
I started with bodyweight squats because I didn't have more than my tiny apt gym for a little bit, then the bar for back squats once I could join a real gym, but had someone there to show me and correct me (not a trainer).
And if you are this type of person, find someone who looks like they know what they are doing and ask them for a few pointers.0 -
I'm sorry you are having such trouble finding a trainer. I would just get someone to record your form and either compare it to how to videos or post it in the form check thread.
As for squats I always have done a lot of body weight squats so I was fairly comfortable going under the bar for back squats. I knew already that my hip and ankle mobility were fine.0 -
I haven't had much success trying to work with trainers, so I watched Mehdi's StrongLift videos on his StrongLifts website. And watched them and watched them. Then, when I got out there to do my routine, I watched in the mirrors to check my form. Try recording yourself during your workouts and compare yourself to Mehdi.
You got this!
BEAST IT!!
ETA - I started with the bar for all 5 lifts and add weight each time.0 -
That does sound super annoying. And I guess I know how little it can take for someone to get a personal training cert so I might not believe them anyway.
I don't have confirmation that my form is good, but I started with the bar. I do have kind of a sports background though, so I may have had more training than I know. I also teach martial arts and come from a family of loose joints and "specialize" in knee safety.
Cuz knee pain is scary! And the other younger instructors just don't know.
I will say I didn't read carefully enough and got the squat grip all wrong. I'm low back and thumbless now. Nothing wrong with warming up with body weight and maybe some dumbells held at your hips or shoulders. Push through heels and ball of foot. Make sure you can do it while wiggling your toes freely.
I've learned nuttier things off the internet, so I say start light and save the money. Watch videos, post videos, listen to your body. Search when you have questions! (I recently had to figure out if my knees were tracking right outwards instead of straight.) Usually if you think about it, where the weight should go and what should be aligned makes sense. Doing it is a different story, sure, but a PT won't guarantee success either. Make a new friend at the gym!
And take a break and do a yoga routine from doyogawithme. There's a routine for shoulder stability that kicks my *kitten*.0 -
Once again I go meet with a potential trainer, tell them I want to get good form advice for SL5x5, the next thing I know, she is telling me that I will get better results doing 4x20 at lower weights w/ 2-3 day splits and all that mumbo jumbo. Am I crazy??? At this point I don't want a complicated program (who knows, that may change in the future). Right now I just want to know that I am using the correct form for low back squats, rows, OHP, bench press and deadlift. Why can't you just teach me the basics???
I have been interested in SL5x5 for over a year. I have started SL5x5 several times, but I get to a point where I feel that I need some professional guidance to assure that I am using correct form. So I turn to a trainer, then them exactly what I want, and they try to steer me to something else. Then I get frustrated and slack off on my program. I am getting tired of quitting. I want to quit quitting.
Why can't I find someone to watch my workout and tell me what I'm doing right and correct the things I might be doing wrong???
How many of you started with a low back squat, or did you have to start w/ body weight squats? How long did you have to do body weight squats? When did you start squats with the bar?
Maybe I should just listen to this trainer and trust the process. But I feel that I am compromising what I want to do. But what do I know?, I'm just a novice with enough knowledge to be dangerous.
Thanks for listening to my whining.
Number 1 next PT you hire remember you are the customer and you tell them what you want..not the other way around. If they have issues then they lose money.
Number 2 video your form on your smart phone and upload it to youtube and post it here...lots here pick up things to work on.
I personally started with BW squats, then added the bar with weight but not much weight. I have video'd my form more than once and may again here soon as my form is breaking down on my last set.
Tis trainers process is complicated and ensures you are hanging on to her as long as possible, in her mind..but what she doesn't realize is that by doing what you asked you will go back to her more and more when needed.
Watch some videos online too such as the ones for SL or the So you think you can...bench, squat and DL online which show great tihngs to help form.0 -
Wow that really sucks! It's exactly why I don't want to go through the trouble of finding a trainer, I know it's going to be hard. I'm so sorry this happened! Don't give up, they're not worth it. Like the other ladies have said, watch form videos, videotape yourself and compare. You will do this!!!
I have a friend who's a personal trainer and bodybuilder.. I asked him for help once and he built me a program. about 2 hours worth of 3 sets of 20 reps with 5 pounds dumbbells or only machines... Yeah. Not what I wanted dude!! I asked him about barbell training and he said it's good if I want to look like a female bodybuilder. AAAAAH. ok !!!! I just don't talk about weight training with him anymore!0 -
I haven't worked with a trainer, but if I were in your shoes, I'd have a frank conversation with this one (if you like her and want to work with her). I'd be very clear that this is the program you want to follow and you want her to help you with your form and that if she can't do that, you will take your business elsewhere.
I tried to work with a trainer, but the day before he got sick and never called me back to reschedule. I just jumped in and started SL with my son watching my form initially to make sure it looked like the various videos.
I started squats with just the bar but found it pretty easy to add weight (although I did deload this week to work on form).
Don't let some jerk stand in your way! I think it's much more likely that you'll stick with a program that YOU choose.0 -
sadly this has been my experience with trainers as well.... they want to sell me on their program... do it their way... eat what THEY say eat... when I simply want to know if I have proper form...
what I have been doing lately is going to a class like BodyPump and asking the instructor if my form is proper on a particular lift... then going back to free weights with their advice...0 -
Tis trainers process is complicated and ensures you are hanging on to her as long as possible, in her mind..but what she doesn't realize is that by doing what you asked you will go back to her more and more when needed.
This exactly! I know that once I get comfortable and confident with my form and progress with SL5x5, I will be ready to add accessory work. And I would be back to get guidance at that time.0 -
I seriously lucked out with my trainer Samson. I told him I was interested in lifting heavy, so for the first 10 mins or so of each session we go over a lift. We've done DL, squats, front squats, power cleans...and then the last 20 mins is a hellish circuit that he designs to torture me.
I don't know why I pay him.
He used to be a power lifter, he watched my form videos and gave me a thumbs up.
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That IS frustrating.
When I first did 5x5, I started very light and took a ton of videos of myself to compare to the Medhi and Rippetoe form vids. Also, the "So you think you can ____" series--particularly bench. I had my daughter watch to make sure I was hitting just below parallel on squats--I tend to want to "cheat" when the weight gets heavier. I still film myself about once a month to make sure I'm keeping proper form.
I did goblet squats with a dumbbell to start. I feel like those things prepared me for back squats fairly well. YMMV.0 -
What everyone else said, but I'm still shocked at the amount of trainers that seem to not want to make money. If I went to a trainer wanting to learn X and they were like yeah, but you really should do Y I'd fire/not hire them. When I'm at work I can't really be like, "oh you know boss I know you hired me to answer phones, but I feel like I'm just going to file all day instead. kthx"0
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You're paying for the service so just say no - I want this.
I've booked 2 sessions with a PT for my new gym and I'm not even going to let the book me in with someone until I know they understand the big 3 and can check my form - otherwise I want my money back.
I suspect they'll try to hand me off to someone with the whole pink dumb bells 20 reps nonsense - screw that. I paid for the service you do what I ask you to or I go else where.
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Ugh. I had a pretty similar experience. I'd set up sessions with a trainer whose specialty was Power Lifting. I told him the specific lifts I wanted to learn.
And he humored me a bit.. but then spent a lot of time making me do machines and metabolic conditioning. His rationale was that I needed to build a "base of strength" (like I can't do that with compound lifts and lower weight?) and - after 6 sessions, he never got around to teaching me OHP and Pendlay rows, no matter how many times I reminded him.
He still vibes me at the gym for not purchasing more sessions with him, but I told him exactly why.
Please do throw up some form check vids if you can, and I'm sure you'll get some helpful pointers here. More helpful than that trainer, anyway.
Sorry you had that happen to you. 0
