Weight lifting-denied!

I just had my first personal training session today to see how I would like it and it was horrible. I specifically mentioned that I wanted to start weight lifting as my resistance training M,W,F and the personal trainer was like 'well as a newbie, I am going to have you do this circuit of machines', umm..no. I am disheartened that he wouldn't show me proper form or setup for weight training with barbells. Instead my hour consisted of machines and then 15 minutes of one on one training with him, which he was basically trying to sell me sessions for the future and I politely told him I was not interested. So I guess I am going to start stronglifts 5x5 on my own. I was hoping that he would have said absolutely and started to show me proper form and then I would have bought some personal training sessions. I am just worried that my form, especially squatting, is going to suffer.

I would Google it. Honestly... Google sources on safe weight lifting for beginners. if the answers match up and make sense, I'd roll with it. It's probably just common sense stuff you'll be like 'ohhh okay' in response to. ): Weights are everything... Sooo useful in my view.

For what it's worth, and as the husband of an ACE certified personal 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

I've gone to physiotherapy for a year now, first to help with back, knee and hip problems. From there, I advanced to weight loss/strength training with my physiotherapist. I was started on machines first, increasing the weight, then progressed to free weights, being taught proper form with bar only for every exercise. It makes sense to me to build some strength on the machines before attempting free weights. Just the bar can be heavy (and awkward) for first time users, so to have some strength base would help maintain proper form, prevent injury and you can then go from there.

Stronglifts 5x5 is a free online programs that INCLUDES videos.

http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

There are also plenty of useful links in the Eat, Train, Progress group:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

This

I recently joined a gym and had to do a session which was 'free' with a personal trainer who was trying to sell me all sorts of personal sessions and classes to help me lose weight, I just said to him I have already lost 6 stone and think I know what I'm doing. I would seriously listen to advice on here any day than any joker in the gym. Some great knowledgeable and helpful folk on here, listen to them.

Would definitely visit the stronglifts website, the video's are great and if you sign up (free again) you get the program on a couple of spreadsheets for tracking

I can tell by ninerbuff's post he knows what he is talking about. However in big commercial gyms, I have found that 95% or more of personal trainers are taught a bunch of bunk and don't even know how to do the exercises with correct form themselves. Less chance of injury if you do a bunch of machines.

I watch these guys daily do personal training sessions. I have yet to see a trainer teach anything but 1/2 squats with toes straight forward. If you are serious about learning the lifts, read Starting Strength.

You can read this wiki while your book comes in http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

You can also look on youtube Rippetoe teaches the squat

Before paying for another training, tell them you want to learn to squat like Rippetoe teaches it or Dan John. If they don't know who they are find another trainer.

Reading through this I think I have struck gold with my PT. I am 60 years old, and have done lifting in the past (powerlifting competively) but had let it go, life got in the way etc etc. There have been long periods where I have not done any weights or exercise at all, and others where I have regained a bit of fitness, and made some progress with weights again, although nothing like in the past. However in recent years, although I have been going to the gym on a semi regular basis, I had lost my way. Fast forward to 5 months ago - overweight, unfit but determined to do something about it, I did something I have never considered before, as I never needed to. I hired a PT. Used some of my savings because I thought "I was worth it".

I gave him my background, we discussed my goals and what I wanted to do - apart from losing weight, these involved getting back to a regular routine of lifting heavy, but not with competition in mind, just for the sake of being stronger in my old age. His eyes gleamed and he asked me did I mind putting muscle on or getting so that my muscles showed? I didn't and off we went. After an assessment he started the first few weeks with a lot of mobility and flexibility and stretching routines because I had gone really bad in that department, but we also started using free weights and kettlebells from the start.

After 4 weeks we reviewed progress and he altered my program to start incorporating the main compound lifts, and we have gone on from there. He has not let my age put him off, and doesn't let me slack. He says he doesn't need to anyway because I work harder than most of his clients, even though my results are a bit slower in coming. He is very encouraging, and pushes me hard. Sadly I only have another month with him, but am hoping I can continue to see him a few times a month to keep me on track.

If he hadn't been so keen on my using free weights an getting back into strength training, I wouldn't have hired him - so yes, I think it is important that you establish at the start what you want to do.

I would check out the videos on youtube and on the 5x5 programme website. All for free. They have some great videos on there. That's where I have been learning.

A little trick when doing squats......before you lift stand in front and center yourself in front of the bar/dum bell. Then, pick a spot on the ceiling in front of you and focus on it. This will help you keep your back straight as you lift and also when you squat, keep focus on that spot you picked.....hope this helps.......

how fked up is this post? your first post, no profile picture and you give horrible advice that has nothing to do with the thread! omg.

OP: fire your trainer. simple as that. Not all CPTs are created equal.

Reading through this I think I have struck gold with my PT. I am 60 years old, and have done lifting in the past (powerlifting competively) but had let it go, life got in the way etc etc. There have been long periods where I have not done any weights or exercise at all, and others where I have regained a bit of fitness, and made some progress with weights again, although nothing like in the past. However in recent years, although I have been going to the gym on a semi regular basis, I had lost my way. Fast forward to 5 months ago - overweight, unfit but determined to do something about it, I did something I have never considered before, as I never needed to. I hired a PT. Used some of my savings because I thought "I was worth it".

I gave him my background, we discussed my goals and what I wanted to do - apart from losing weight, these involved getting back to a regular routine of lifting heavy, but not with competition in mind, just for the sake of being stronger in my old age. His eyes gleamed and he asked me did I mind putting muscle on or getting so that my muscles showed? I didn't and off we went. After an assessment he started the first few weeks with a lot of mobility and flexibility and stretching routines because I had gone really bad in that department, but we also started using free weights and kettlebells from the start.

After 4 weeks we reviewed progress and he altered my program to start incorporating the main compound lifts, and we have gone on from there. He has not let my age put him off, and doesn't let me slack. He says he doesn't need to anyway because I work harder than most of his clients, even though my results are a bit slower in coming. He is very encouraging, and pushes me hard. Sadly I only have another month with him, but am hoping I can continue to see him a few times a month to keep me on track.

If he hadn't been so keen on my using free weights an getting back into strength training, I wouldn't have hired him - so yes, I think it is important that you establish at the start what you want to do.

Wow, this is pretty much my exact experience. After reading these posts I feel very fortunate that I had such an amazing PT. He was NOTHING like what everyone is mentioning here. I walked in knowing what I wanted (to lift heavy) and away we went! Of course there was a lot of body weight exercises first because well I was fat and out of shape, and couldn't even do a push-up on a ledge :-) But he never hesitated with weights and he disliked the machines (except a few cable ones (lat pull downs)) more than anyone.

Best of luck to you OP, sometimes you have to shop around to find the right PT for you. As for people saying they didn't need a PT, that they are a waste of time or money because you can learn it all on your own, well not all of us are that lucky (or coordinated). My PT was the best investment for me and I would have never accomplished what I had without him.

It's REALLY easy to become a "certified trainer". Finding one that knows what they're doing and you like is hard, but once you have that person it's a good relationship. Sadly, mine is doing this thing they call "having a baby", so she can't train me right now.

It's REALLY easy to become a "certified trainer". Finding one that knows what they're doing and you like is hard, but once you have that person it's a good relationship. Sadly, mine is doing this thing they call "having a baby", so she can't train me right now.

How selfish of her!