What is it like to have a personal trainer?

I paid a lot for a personal trainer and it was a waste of money. She didn't teach me anything I didn't already know. But I'm sure they're trainers out there that actually like helping people get their goals instead of money.

dontgiveup2319 wrote: »

I paid a lot for a personal trainer and it was a waste of money. She didn't teach me anything I didn't already know. But I'm sure they're trainers out there that actually like helping people get their goals instead of money.

personal trainers are the WORST

Some perspectives on separating the good trainers from the bad ones:

http://body-improvements.com/articles/industry-articles/how-to-select-a-personal-trainer/
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-choose-a-personal-trainer
http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/personal-trainer-break-up-signs/

Be clear with them about your goals, but keep an open mind about the exercise choices. They might choose different exercises than the cookie-cutter programs you've heard about, and for good reason.

If you're on a low budget, take good notes, and get a program in writing. You should be able to learn the basics in 4-5 sessions. For the first 2-3 sessions, practice on your own between sessions. Then follow up a week later, and again 2-4 weeks later, because your form will probably need fixing after you've progressed in weight.

A good personal coach that listens.

I have used a few

Last one was a woman that taught a boot camp class

To help me lean out a bit and shape my torso

She was very helpful

I slimmed it down to 32 jeans

She showed me exercises I did not know and for me started

I did the rest by doing the work

For example: I worked with a lot of triathletes because of my background in swimming and spinning. My sister, who is also personal trainer, uses Pilates to train her clients. She works with a lot of older people and injured athletes. OP, if you want to lift, I'd look into a local CrossFit gym. A lot of them do personal training. Or, if you want to stay at your current gym, specifically ask for a trainer who specializes in lifting.

Hmm... it's tough to say. There ARE some great trainers out there, and there are MANY *kitten* ones. Here's my opinion on personal trainers and then i'll follow with a story on how i found one (at a corporate gym) that worked for me.

BE WARNED, THIS IS A WALL OF TEXT!!!!


My suggestion would be to get in with a personal trainer with the following:
1.) NOT located at a corporate gym. (In my opinion if they were fantastic personal trainers who had experience they wouldn't need a big gym's clients.)

2.) An accreditation through a reputable source such as ACE, ACSM or NASM. Preferable if they have a degree in related field.

3.) ATLEAST 5 years continuous experience in this field. (In other words this is their profession by choice and they are not just "paying their way through college")

4.) They are willing to tailor a workout plan based on YOUR needs and for your specific goals. NOT a "cookie cutter" training plan they apply to all their clients.

5.) They have a client list with before/afters or testimonials. Bonus if they have contact information or can otherwise show their methods HAVE worked and continue to work.

6.) They offer their service on a pay-as-you-go basis. In other words, you are NOT prepaying for their (potentially substandard) service and you are NEVER locked into a contract. A good trainer will make money in the business because their clients WANT to work with them NOT because they are obligated to.



First it's important to evaluate whether or not you even need personal training. Decide this first. Do you need support? Advice on training? Critique on your technique? Motivation? It's important to find out exactly why you need a trainer and the goals you intend to reach with their help. It's important to understand that continuously paying for a trainer can be unfeasible for some or simply unneeded.

In regards to why I suggest NOT working out with a corporate trainer is as follows;

*most do not have basic knowledge of nutrition and are notorious for spouting "bro science"

*most received a 1 day "certification" that any fitness enthusiast could pass

*most are required to assist you in a structured style (aka cookie cutter program) and aren't allowed the flexibility to assist you with your personal needs

*the trainers themselves make only a FRACTION of what you're paying the gym (ex. I paid 70$ for an hour with a "master trainer" at LA Fitness. He only made 12$ of that)

*most gyms will require you to sign up for a year or even TWO in a contract with outrageous prices (which don't go to the trainers)

*these gyms sales guys use harsh sales tactics and are usually not trainers. They literally provide sales services and will discuss your "goals" and then dump you on a completely different person when you go for actual training. They will convince you you're getting a fantastic deal and act as though you literally cannot walk away from the deal- but wait, this price is an exclusive offer that is only good for TODAY! Seriously, these guys care about making a sale (think a timeshare salesman or a car salesman) they do NOT care about your personal health. A common technique is them telling you how they went through some great personal transformation after an injury or life changing event.


*These trainers are usually newbies biding their time and trying to get a client base until they can work as an independent trainer.

I could go on... after working with numerous trainers and considering this field as a long-term career for myself it's my opinion that these corporate gyms aren't good for trainers and aren't good for clients either.


So how did i find a trainer that worked for me? I went through the front desk and found out who the trainers were. I had to sit through a HARSH sales speach about how I needed to sign up for a 2 year contract. But wait- there's more! If i sign up right now, blah blah blah. I wasn't buying their crap and i interrupted them and said "Listen, i want to buy 3 training sessions ONLY from your master/top trainer and that's that. If you can't provide that for me...." They had to make a crazy special contract for me and all of this nonsense just because i wasn't buying one of their "plans".

Once i met with said trainer, i spent my entire first session (only 30 minutes worth and the last session of the day) sitting down and expressing my goals, where i am, what i need help with, and confirming that i do NOT want a plan developed by them or a "cookie cutter" plan they are required to give. I wanted advice on how to perform certain lifts safely and any pointers they could give about that. I specified that I was uninterested in signing up for some contract. The next two sessions we worked out he fixed my form on a few lifts and confirmed everything was on the up and up.

We became good friends afterwards working out at the gym together in the late-night time and he offered to do some training under the table for 20$ per 1 hour long session because he enjoyed working out with me. We would alternate sets, lift together, compete against each other, etc. AND, then he told me that he only makes 6 dollars per training session (so 12$ an hour) as a trainer. and get this... I PAID OVER 70$ PER TRAINING SESSION!!! So not only was this agreement great for him, it was great for me, and we could focus on really doing what i wanted; not the requirements he had by the gym.

So, can it be done? Yes. But you need to go in there with the right mindset and willingness to look through the *kitten* and find a trainer you have a real connection with.

Best of luck!

I suggest asking questions with whoever you meet. I went to a trainer years ago. I wanted her because I had some injuries from a car accident and wanted a workout I could do safely. She could care less. She had a set workout that she does for everyone and refused to sway from it at all. I could have really hurt myself if I stuck with her. My husband on the other hand had an amazing trainer. Each workout was tailored to his level of fitness and his goals. Of course that trainer also had a very long waiting list. Good luck!

I adore my PT, and would have quit lifting a long time ago if I didn't have my sessions with him.

He corrects form/teachs my exercises, never upsells stuff and gives good variety to my programme.

My favourite bit though is the encouragement and positivity I get from him. Like when I'm working really hard to get a new PR he will clap and cheer. It's silly but the primal bit of my brain goes 'omg yay I lifted the thing! yay me!'.

I have a session once a fortnight which also stopped me quitting until it became habit to go to the gym.

Oh and yes I agree with the lady above me, FORM! That is huge. He was constantly correcting me in the beginning and I so needed that! And sometimes still he has me tweak my form or lets me know when I am getting lazy with my form, etc. Yay for not getting injured haha