how do you feel about personal trainers?
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I love my personal trainer. She pushes me, motivates me, and we've become great friends.0
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onefootfoward wrote: »I have found a great personal trainer but im wondering will it be worth the butt load of cash? I've heard varying opinions on the subject.
That depends entirely on who you are. Some people do better with one, some do better without one, some do the same either way.
Only you can answer the question for yourself. :drinker:
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Was worth it for me. I don't have any money now for it, and honestly I think I don't have any money because I spent it all on my trainer. But she helped me get into the weight room, which has changed my life. So, worth it.0
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My trainer has been well worth every penny I have given him! I need the accountability I get from meeting with him twice a week. I've learned so much from him, and now have goals I am working towards that I never imagined I would have set for myself. I know for a fact, from past experience, that I would have given up a long time ago if I were trying to do this on my own.0
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I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.0 -
I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...0 -
What are you goals? Is the trainer you're looking for qualified to help you reach them?
Seriously. I have a sports-related goal. So, any help or coaching I get requires that the person be quite knowledgeable about that sport.
What you want is someone who really is very knowledgeable about your goal. If you can find that, yes, individualized help is totally worth it.0 -
Not necessary, unless you're completely unaware of how to exercise properly. I got the necessary information when I first started weight lifting through friends who lifted regularly. Once you get the concepts down, its easy. I'm sure if you wanted to, there are even youtube videos on how to lift properly.
What has worked best for me overall: alternate days of weight-lifting and cardio. On the weight-lifting days I would work out one major muscle group (e.g., legs; biceps and triceps; etc.), and on my cardio days I would do at least an hour of cardio.
I would also imagine if you were overweight, then start off with some basic cardio and light weight lifting. Then as your body changes, and you become more acquainted with the people at the gym, then it becomes easier to progress. The people at my gyms have always been wonderful resources.
Good luck!0 -
Or they stand there and count reps. Or they upsell you on more training and other items for their employer, the gym. Or they tell you about cutting edge concepts like starvation mode and eating six small meals a day.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...
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WalkingAlong wrote: »
Or they stand there and count reps. Or they upsell you on more training and other items for their employer, the gym. Or they tell you about cutting edge concepts like starvation mode and eating six small meals a day.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...
Not all trainers do that.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »
Or they stand there and count reps. Or they upsell you on more training and other items for their employer, the gym. Or they tell you about cutting edge concepts like starvation mode and eating six small meals a day.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...
Yes! I don't need muscle contraction explained, lol. I happen to know how it works, but even if i didn't, knowing it wouldn't help me with what i wanted.
I don't need nutrition help. I am not buying much less swallowing magic mystery pills. I find it frightening that he's swallowing them without understanding what is in them. Yikes!
Both wanted to breeze past the things I really wanted help with.
I guess people must like what they do or they wouldn't do it. Makes no sense to me.
I had to get a friend of a friend to show me things. I saw world-class equipment, I guess, but it was lost on me. I don't know enough to be impressed. But I got the simple, basic tips I was looking for.
And then my back and arms were SORE! I woke up like, "What the hell happened to me?"
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It's gonna depend a lot on you and what you need/respond to. Also, a lot will depend on the trainer. Some are better than others.
Personally, I just use the trainer at my gym. It's free. He asks me my goals and then sets me up with a routine, shows me how to do the new things, let leaves me alone to do it. It's up to me to do it. And it's up to me to push myself to go longer or harder or lift heavier. Then we meet about every six weeks for redesign purposes… but it's up to me to initiate that. It's exactly what works for me. I would get pissed off and would probably end up resenting it if I had to answer to someone.
And I love that he doesn't try to give me nutrition advice or to try to sell me on supplements or his personal philosophy on eating. He knows I am trying to lose weight, he told me that 80% of that will be done in the kitchen and encouraged me to go to MFP to figure out my calories. That was the extent of it.
I would never pay for a personal trainer when I have exactly what I want and what works best for me for free.0 -
A personal trainer works great for me. The value-adds: (1) Assesses my true weaknesses as opposed to my perceived ones, (2) Creates a variety of workouts targeting those, aligned with my goals, (3) Helps me perform exercises with good form so I don't spend months on the bench with injuries, (4) Pushes me harder than I ever would on my own. Highly recommended.0
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I was never interested in a PT until my gym got a new instructor and she started working with a few of us at a time on little classes. I now use her as a PT for 45 minutes on a Monday and Tuesday every week. She pushes me to do things I didn't think I could do and although I haven't lost a tonne of weight in the last year, my body shape is dramatically different.0
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Every personal trainer I've had any dealings with has had an overinflated sense of self worth.0
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I have medical issues, and my personal trainer is worth it for me, helping me work around them and with them. He's also been fabulous assessing my weaknesses and coming up with various routines to help work my whole body while trying to bring it more into balance. Worth every penny.0
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Try it for a few, learn the basics and cut them loose. Alternately, spend the cash.0
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I agree. Hence the "or".WalkingAlong wrote: »
Or they stand there and count reps. Or they upsell you on more training and other items for their employer, the gym. Or they tell you about cutting edge concepts like starvation mode and eating six small meals a day.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...
Not all trainers do that. The "that's what a PT does" (i.e., helps with programs) remark seemed to suggest they all are helpful and knowledgeable.
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I have had two really great personal trainers in my lifetime. I'm planning to go back to one for a few sessions because I'm about to start the SL 5x5 program on my own at the gym. My goal is to make sure I have my form down so that I don't hurt myself and that I feel confident in the power rack.
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WalkingAlong wrote: »
I agree. Hence the "or".WalkingAlong wrote: »
Or they stand there and count reps. Or they upsell you on more training and other items for their employer, the gym. Or they tell you about cutting edge concepts like starvation mode and eating six small meals a day.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I wanted one to help me with exercise programs and doing the weights. They were much more interested in trying to show off their little bit of knowledge of the body, some of which they got wrong.
I tried them, but they aren't really helpful with the one thing I needed help with, so I quit. I just went to a sports medicine doctor and got some helpful advice. It cost more, but he knew what I wanted and gave it to me.
They should really focus more on the thing people hire them to do, IMO. What they do must be working for them, though.
Waste of my time and money.
That's what a personal trainer does...
Not all trainers do that. The "that's what a PT does" (i.e., helps with programs) remark seemed to suggest they all are helpful and knowledgeable.
I would agree they are not all helpful, because not all are in the best interest of the client, as it is in any business.0
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