personal trainer or no?

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  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    Really depends on the gym, my "complimentary" session scared me off of a PT because... well they took me from being purely inactive to doing 150 squats. I couldn't walk for about a week. If they're going to do that to me in a free session what are they going to do in a paid one?
    My issue weight wise has been mostly my eating anyway, I still see that I've got problems if junk is in the house, like if I buy a box of drumstick simply dipped cones I go for one each day until they're gone (making sure it fits in my calories) instead of having one as a treat and then leaving it so I have a treat later on when I want one.
    But I don't need to be spending the $60 a month I am on a gym that I haven't been using, I can get in a better workout doing gardening, animal care, reorganizing the house etc. MAYBE if the gym I was a member of had a pool I'd use it more, but that can't quite be true as I now have access to a pool for nothing and I've been once.
    PT isn't needed to lose the weight, sure they can help make sure you're doing the exercises with good form to prevent injury but beyond that...
  • ursula0601k
    ursula0601k Posts: 169 Member
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    I agree. Stay away from that trainer! He is just trying to scare u into signing up for a trainer package. Thousand of people on this website have lost the weight without a personal trainer and many don't even have gym memberships. U can definitely do it too!
  • Workoutsamrat
    Workoutsamrat Posts: 2
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    All I have to say in this matter is this, LOOSE your trainer. You are your trainer and you make your own schedule. Work out sessions does not have to be same time, but has to be every day. Control what you eat and work out every day, even for say 15 mins. Flex muscles while you are doing chorus at home. You should be good to go.

    Remember, lot of this is all in your mind. If you convince your mind that you will loose weight in no time, YOU WILL loose weight in no time. So, control your mind and you will control you body. Sam
  • jackiemonx
    jackiemonx Posts: 343 Member
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    PTs are the same as any profession....you'll get ones and bad ones. you just have to make sure yuo researcht he trainer to make sure they're decent enough before you hand over the money
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    Personal trainers (and even sometimes the gym owners) can sometimes put a lot of pressure on new members to purchase training packages. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THEIR SALES PITCH! That's all it is, a sales pitch.

    Instead! Go to the gym normally and do what makes you comfortable and observe the personal trainers working with other clients. You can eavesdrop on their tips/tricks, observe the types of exercises they suggest, and use that information to create a similar workout for yourself.

    If you're unsure how to use a specific machine, they will show you for free anyway.

    I fell victim to the personal trainer sales pitch once, spending $1200 on sessions (money that I didn't have and put on my credit card). My trainer wasn't even old enough to legally drink. His suggestions were good but never great... all information I could have learned by going to Google. The best thing he did for me? He was a warm body for me to talk to while working out so I didn't feel quite as alone at the gym. You can easily avoid that by going with a friend.

    So, save your pennies for something you really want and use your powers of observation to get a trainer-quality workout without spending money on it. I wish I had done that but I signed up on my first visit to the gym before I realized that it was possible.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,720 Member
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    ok, im a lil discouraged. i joined a gym recently, and was all excited till i had my "complimentary session with a personal trainer"

    alot of what he said made and still makes alot of sense... but he basically said that without a physical trainer i wont be able to lose weight. and i dont have enough money to pay for the trainer packages...

    has anyone lost weight and hit their goal without the use of a physical trainer?
    What an *kitten*. I'm a PT and would never say that to anyone. There are many people that can't afford trainers, so to say what he said is BS.
    I offer free advice on training here all the time. So much so that it takes me time to answer all the requests. But it all boils down to a couple of things: calorie deficit and good exercise program. Most programs are free on the internet. You just need to make sure that you have good form and use weight that is challenging in strength training, and enough resistance in cardio to make it effective.
    Good luck to you.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,720 Member
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    Okay fair but how many personal trainers tell you for every push you need a pull exercise, horizontally and vertically? Or perhaps look up when doing a deadlift as to prevent a disc to move out of your spine that can cause some serious issues?

    How about compound exercises and the volume of these exercises? When is it best to do high reps or low reps?

    Yes they may help you to some extend, but will they ever share their knowledge with you?
    I do it here and with non clients. I'll agree that many "young" PT's have absolutely no idea what they are doing sometimes and that this whole shift to "functional" exercise is nothing but an industry scam to cater to more females (sorry but it's true). I write down all my clients exercises, sets, reps, weights and whether or not I need to have the intensity higher or if I need to back down.
    It's more important to observe a personal trainer at your gym to see if they mesh with your style and look at the clients they deal with. If the clients are getting fit and looking good, then obviously that trainer is doing something right. The majority of my clients come to me and I hardly ever have to look to build clientele on my own.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,720 Member
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    Personal trainers (and even sometimes the gym owners) can sometimes put a lot of pressure on new members to purchase training packages. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THEIR SALES PITCH! That's all it is, a sales pitch.

    Instead! Go to the gym normally and do what makes you comfortable and observe the personal trainers working with other clients. You can eavesdrop on their tips/tricks, observe the types of exercises they suggest, and use that information to create a similar workout for yourself.

    If you're unsure how to use a specific machine, they will show you for free anyway.

    I fell victim to the personal trainer sales pitch once, spending $1200 on sessions (money that I didn't have and put on my credit card). My trainer wasn't even old enough to legally drink. His suggestions were good but never great... all information I could have learned by going to Google. The best thing he did for me? He was a warm body for me to talk to while working out so I didn't feel quite as alone at the gym. You can easily avoid that by going with a friend.

    So, save your pennies for something you really want and use your powers of observation to get a trainer-quality workout without spending money on it. I wish I had done that but I signed up on my first visit to the gym before I realized that it was possible.
    Good trainers know how to assess and create programs for people. I would be cautious about just eavesdropping and trying to pick up tips as they may not pertain to you. What if I was working with a diabetic or an athlete? Different types of workouts. What if you have a bad knee and I'm showing someone how to do plyometrics and you decide to try it and end up tearing a ligament?
    Sorry you had a bad experience with your trainer. I would caution anyone when selecting one that you get references from them from actual clients who may still be at your gym.
  • topyule
    topyule Posts: 18 Member
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    A personal trainer can be useful if you can afford one, but hard work and dedication can do that too. There are plenty of free exercise programs out there on the internet that you can pick and choose to fit your time and desired goal. A personal trainer will focus your efforts and encourage your training, but a good workout partner and dedication can work too.
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    Good trainers know how to assess and create programs for people. I would be cautious about just eavesdropping and trying to pick up tips as they may not pertain to you. What if I was working with a diabetic or an athlete? Different types of workouts. What if you have a bad knee and I'm showing someone how to do plyometrics and you decide to try it and end up tearing a ligament?
    Sorry you had a bad experience with your trainer. I would caution anyone when selecting one that you get references from them from actual clients who may still be at your gym.

    I agree that GOOD trainers know how to create programs that are specific to the individual but you have to admit, the majority of "trainers" out there (at least ones that are working for someone else's gym - and especially ones like the original poster referenced) are not tailoring their fitness routines for the individual, they're concerned with making a sale of their services because they work on commission. They're simply giving textbook advice that you could get from any website or individuals like yoruself who are helpful enough to share. But if you see a trainer doing really basic circuits with a client or showing them how to stretch - those are the types of tips/tricks you can observe and learn for yourself without paying the hefty prices for a personal visit.

    I actually did not have a bad experience with my trainer, he was a super nice guy and very helpful with certain things but like I said - it wasn't anything I couldn't have learned from him by just watching him with other clients. There were times when I would show up early to get some cardio in before strength training with him and would see him doing the same exact warm ups and circuits with another client as he did with me... and that client was in much better shape than I was.
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
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    Good trainers know how to assess and create programs for people. I would be cautious about just eavesdropping and trying to pick up tips as they may not pertain to you. What if I was working with a diabetic or an athlete? Different types of workouts. What if you have a bad knee and I'm showing someone how to do plyometrics and you decide to try it and end up tearing a ligament?
    Sorry you had a bad experience with your trainer. I would caution anyone when selecting one that you get references from them from actual clients who may still be at your gym.

    I agree that GOOD trainers know how to create programs that are specific to the individual but you have to admit, the majority of "trainers" out there (at least ones that are working for someone else's gym - and especially ones like the original poster referenced) are not tailoring their fitness routines for the individual, they're concerned with making a sale of their services because they work on commission. They're simply giving textbook advice that you could get from any website or individuals like yoruself who are helpful enough to share. But if you see a trainer doing really basic circuits with a client or showing them how to stretch - those are the types of tips/tricks you can observe and learn for yourself without paying the hefty prices for a personal visit.

    I actually did not have a bad experience with my trainer, he was a super nice guy and very helpful with certain things but like I said - it wasn't anything I couldn't have learned from him by just watching him with other clients. There were times when I would show up early to get some cardio in before strength training with him and would see him doing the same exact warm ups and circuits with another client as he did with me... and that client was in much better shape than I was.


    I agree a good trainer would absolutely never say that to a client. I'm on this site to lose weight myself, and I've been a trainer and instructor since 1983. But,as has been said, a trainer can teach you how to not waste time, and get the most you can out of the gym, or for that matter anything you do. I own my gym, and I train people who don't want to join, but want to know how to get in shape outside of the gym.

    I agree that lots of trainers do not do ANY kind of PERSONALIZING on their programs. That's why I, as a trainer, am careful on the FREE advice I offer here. Every BODY can be fit, but no one program works for every BODY, or personality, or genetic make up, or schedule, or ability, or with physical restraints.....And no trainer knows or understands EVERYTHING. And I would RUN fast from any trainer that acts like they do. And any trainer that tries to make you dependant on them, should be shunned. But some are definitely more experienced than others. And observing whether or not they do the same thing with all their clients tells a lot. I've had colleagues, and unfortunately and even an employee that did this. I let her go.

    But all you folks that think trainers are money grubbing, let me please explain this. A lot of us give a lot of free time and free advice because we care. The average trainer doesn't last in this profession longer than 2 years. A lot of people look at the "per hour" rate, figure, "I like to exercise and I can make $20-$80 an hour teaching someone else how to do it. SWEET". Then they realize that, even with all their knowledge, their listening skills are poor, their teaching ability undeveloped, and they have no idea how to really understand how to work with a client's actual psychological make up. Personal training is SOOOOO much more than knowing how to put a program together, it is learning how to reach people and find the line between creating a progressive, challenging appropriate program for the client's goals, and actually implimenting a program that the client will do, mostly on their own.

    I have people all the time that want to ask me "just a quick question" and the answer is complicated. And to the MFP poster that said, "are we willing to share our knowledge?" Well, am I willing to sit down and explain everything I have learned and studied through the last 28 years? The answer is "no". And I charge my clients extra for the time I spend coming up with their new programs, not just the time we spend in a session. But I feel I explain this well.

    I offer free orientations every week, to answer questions. But when people want a program, they will pay me for my time and experience. Some gyms offer a free "personal training" session, and it irks me because they are not training sessions at all. They are machine orientations or consultations to try to sell real sessions. Chain gyms are notorious for this.

    BUT BOTTOM LINE.....please understand folks, if you want more guidance, be willing to find a good trainer and be willing to pay them. And yes, I will answer questions here, and if the answer is more complex, I will let you know when I think you need to get a trainer.
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
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    You can learn a lot more from just reading and doing a little research than what a personal trainer can teach you.

    ummm.....a lot of stuff out there available for "reading" and a "little research" is incomplete and is only that... information. Often one piece of information conflicts with another because the information comes from people trying to sell their book. Whenever I have posted anything on this forum, it has come from one of the research organizations that certified me. And even then, the client may still not know if what they are reading is appropriate for them. So while this may be true in some circumstances, I believe this can be a broad and potentially harmful and very unfair statement. I think people would have to do a LOT, not a LITTLE research to gain the knowledge I have as a trainer, and other good trainers have.... And even I still feel I have things to learn after 28 years.

    That's like people saying," well, I'll just read this financial column and learn as much as an accountant or highly experienced financial planner can tell me." Some people even believe that listening to radio shows or reading medical advice columns can take the place of visiting a doctor.

    I think that doing some research gives you the specific questions to ask of a service professional, and enable you to find a qualified one.
  • johnwhitent
    johnwhitent Posts: 648 Member
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    There is a lot of wisdom in what c2sky writes and I can't add anything to it so I won't try. As another poster said, like all professions there are good ones and bad ones. No single one represents all the others. A good one is worth a lot in a pursuit of fitness and health. I used a good one who was invaluable to me for a couple of years until I had to quit the gym. I hope to take advantage of his services again one day.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    Yes they may help you to some extend, but will they ever share their knowledge with you?

    My two sense on this matter.. Yes they will, if you ask the right questions. I have a Personal Trainer who is more then happy to sit down and answer my questions and give me his knowledge. He understands that I'm not made of money(told him this from day 1) and he understands that I'm doing what I can with what I got. So he's more willing to explain and share, without the crazy price tag attached to it.

    To OP:
    No, a personal trainer is not necessary but they are nice. I have one, and I like him a lot.
    Could I have lost the weight without him? Yea, probably.. but I wouldn't have been as motivated, or started weights.. I prob. would have been stuck in cardio only mode.

    I'm just going to quote this - I agree with it all. This is my experience too.

    I'd NEVER hire a trainer who said I could not lose weight without hiring one. That's BS.
  • butters1
    butters1 Posts: 1,540 Member
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    . Some gyms offer a free "personal training" session, and it irks me because they are not training sessions at all. They are machine orientations or consultations to try to sell real sessions. Chain gyms are notorious for this.

    omg. i have one of these tomarrow that i'm already dreading. I got the "free session" upping the membership with the gym to 2 years from a trial. the trainer wanted to pre-meet today at signup...so far the response i have is:
    ..apparently my problem losing weight in the 5 minute pre-meeting is that the doc put me on thyroid medication. i should be med free and the doc doesn't know what he is doing. i explained i have hashimoto's disease, but accordinging to the trainer if i research, he is sure i'll find i can "eat blueberries or something from gnc" instead of the meds.

    but he does have big muscles lol:laugh:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,720 Member
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    I agree that GOOD trainers know how to create programs that are specific to the individual but you have to admit, the majority of "trainers" out there (at least ones that are working for someone else's gym - and especially ones like the original poster referenced) are not tailoring their fitness routines for the individual, they're concerned with making a sale of their services because they work on commission. They're simply giving textbook advice that you could get from any website or individuals like yoruself who are helpful enough to share. But if you see a trainer doing really basic circuits with a client or showing them how to stretch - those are the types of tips/tricks you can observe and learn for yourself without paying the hefty prices for a personal visit.

    I actually did not have a bad experience with my trainer, he was a super nice guy and very helpful with certain things but like I said - it wasn't anything I couldn't have learned from him by just watching him with other clients. There were times when I would show up early to get some cardio in before strength training with him and would see him doing the same exact warm ups and circuits with another client as he did with me... and that client was in much better shape than I was.
    Then it sounds like his programs were "cookie cutter" ones.............meaning it's the same program for everyone. I'll agree that many trainers today are pretty "textbook" and you can find a lot of info for free online. But in searching for a trainer, you look for the one's in your gym that look like they are doing different routines for different genders, body types and abilities. I've trained one legged, one armed, diabetic, stroke, rehab, athletes, and of course your regular weightloss/gain clients. And each and everyone's program is different based on the goals of the person. I think it's important that if someone is going to spend money on a PT that they get as much info on them as they can before making a decision. Like you said, don't fall for the "sales pitch". Believe me that the same offer is there a week from now as it is today.
  • dannylives
    dannylives Posts: 611
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    "Without a personal trainer you cant lose weight" Hahahaha!!!! That's not true.
  • kcgslp
    kcgslp Posts: 212
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    YOU DON"T NEED A TRAINER!!!! He gets paid to convince you otherwise. Get some good videos. Try exercise.com to find routines keep track of your food here and rely on us for support. Thats it, thats all you need. Now go for it !
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    18lbs lost so far....no trainer, no gym. I run on my treadmill doing C25K at home and I also do basic strength building exercises such as situps, push ups, pull ups, tricep dips and various dumbbell arm workouts.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    the trainer at the gym only gets to keep his job if he keeps getting customers, if you want to benefit from a trainer (which does have many benefits) look around for someone that does just that, independent ones are just as qualified and educated, sometimes more so, and don't come with the hefty price tag because of the name of the gym on their shirt.......

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