Weight lifting-denied!

Sounds like you got a lucky escape from that trainer.
There are some videos on you tube you can check out re form. Also join the strong lifts group on mfp.

I got a new membership at a gym close to home, after already lifting regularly at a gym while I was traveling. It was this exact same thing! At my gym, when you sign up, you have to have a "Welcome training session" thing where they basically just try to sell you sessions. I tried to stress to him that I wasn't just some newb. That I'd lost a lot of weight previously, and had been lifting for a while.

I will say that they don't know you, or your capabilities so they're not going to push you like you might want in the beginning. My guy kept telling me to breath. I refrained from telling him that I was breathing, it's just that what he had me doing didn't make me breath hard lol.

Don't get discouraged, just look around and find a trainer that you like, who will work with you and get to know you. Or ditch the trainer and pick up a good lifting program. Maybe hire someone for one or two sessions, tell them this (insert program like 5x5) is what you want to do, and don't let them tell you no. Tell them that you hired them to teach you proper form, and that's it.

Good luck!

Which is why I've never wasted money on a personal trainer. You can check your form without paying some guy a bunch of money to tell you how you should be lifting. I watch a lot of videos and form, especially those by Mark Rippetoe, and take videos of myself on my phone when I work out to check my own form. Another way is to find a seasoned lifter (or two) and ask them to watch you squat and see what they think. If you see someone that looks like they know what they're doing in the squat rack, ask them if you can do a set while they watch because you'd like to learn from them - it's an ego boost.

I work out at home, so I rely on my videos to check my form, but it should be easier at the gym.

I had a somewhat similar experience. I bought a Groupon for a 3 month gym membership that came with a 1 hour training session. When I set up the session, I specifically asked for a trainer who would work with me on free weights. I met with the trainer, explained I was doing NROL, and asked her to work with my on my form on the main lifts. Instead, she spent the whole time on a functional assessment and then a bodywork session (she was a former massage therapist, and got me on a table to work on my tight IT bands.)

It wasn't a huge disappointment, since I'd only spent $10 on the Groupon and I did at least get a bodywork session and some good info from the assessment, but it wasn't what I'd wanted to do. I could tell that I was expected to sign up for full-price sessions... I didn't.

I have a 30 minute session with the same guy next Monday. I am going to speak up and tell him that I am going to weight lift and if he does not want to show me proper form and the like, that is fine and he will not be getting my money, plain and simple. I am hoping he will start to show me and I will pay for a few sessions until I feel comfortable on my own. Thanks for the reply everyone.

Innocently ask how much of his sessions come by way of referral to him and/or gym specifically.

Then mention what you want to do.

Then mention you might even desire to pay for a few sessions to keep checking form as time goes on.

And before you meet with him, check out the bio's for any other trainers at the gym. New folks usually are assigned round-robin basis, but you don't have to pay for that specific trainer.

Start SL 5x5, start light, go slow and learn form. Keep it simple to start and learn those 4 lifts. I've been doing it almost 4 months. There are tons of very helpful videos online, and honestly, once you get in the weight room, there will be some help, maybe not always good help, but watch the other people, learn from them. Don't let that trainer discourage you and don't be afraid to try it on your own.

Personally, I would cancel your next session and look for a different trainer. The first time I met with a trainer, I told her that I was interested in learning how to lift with the barbells, and would like to just do free weights. She walked me over to the Smith machine instead of the squat rack. Um...NO.

You shouldn't feel like you owe this guy another session. There are lots of bad trainers, but also lots of good trainers, and no need to waste time with a bad one.

I always assume that if a trainer just has people do machine circuits, they don't really know what they're doing. I'd go to whoever is in charge at your gym and ask for a trainer that knows how to do free weights.

get the book "Starting Strength" it goes into tiny detail regarding form. You really can't go wrong.

personal trainer was like 'well as a newbie, I am going to have you do this circuit of machines',

**** that guy.

For what it's worth, and as the husband of an ACE certified physical trainer, starting out on machines is actually a good thing. A machine is specifically made to force you to use the correct form for weight training. Free weights, you can very easily use improper form, not get the desired results you want, and most importantly, before you know it, you can hurt yourself. Yes, I know from experience. It took about 8 weeks for my shoulder to heal after I knew best and used free weights and hurt myself. Think about it, two gyms, two trainers both told you not to do free weights yet. Having somebody do exercises they aren't ready to do, holding proper form they aren't ready to hold, is irresponsible. If a trainer has you do free weights out of the gate, you need a different trainer. Yeah, I know, not what you wanted to hear or do, but it's the truth. Maybe the trainer didn't explain it well to you, or you just didn't want to hear it. Tony

There's nothing wrong with someone using machines or starting on machines, etc. But it's not necessary. You can start on free weights and continue on free weights and never use a machine, ever.

I don't know what ACE is (and I don't really care) but there is so much wrong here. You probably increased your weights faster than you should, experienced form breakdown and got hurt. That's on you, not the barbell.

The same thing happened to me when I went for my gym orientation. I finally got someone to show me the stuff that I wanted to see, but it was like pulling teeth. As others have said, the Stronglifts website is very helpful. There is also a Stronglifts 5x5 for Women group on MFP. I learned a lot from that, too.

Check out this link - it contains good info and form videos

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308750-so-you-want-to-start-lifting-great

Also, check out the SL5x5 Women's group - a fantastic group of women who will supply all the support, suggestions and inspiration you will ever need!!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

That is so lame, I refuse to use any of the weight machines in my gym. I have found that body weight and free weight exercises are so much more effective.

Maybe the guy was just trying to cover up that he himself didn't lift or didn't know the information?