LA Fitness Personal Trainer Hard Sell

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lizziebeth1028
lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
in Chit-Chat
I like to change gyms every few years, a change up is good for motivation. So I joined LA Fitness this week. Nice facility, great amenities, can't wait to hit up some of the classes. As the LA Fitness employee (Marty) and I were almost done with all the paperwork, Marty excuses himself for a moment as I sign away. In steps 'Matt' to finish up the details...or so I thought. Matt is actually a personal trainer and is stepping in to shove uber expensive training sessions down my throat. He talks to me like I'm a novice in the gym. I have been working out since I was 19 years old....I'm 52 now. He says to me 'you're looking to loose about 20 - 25 pounds right'. I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

1- I'm 5'8" , 139 pounds, a nice healthy weight for a woman my age
2- Hello douchbag, not all women want to be anorexic shapeless sticks
3- no matter what size you are - any woman would have been offended by that statement

He sees he has made a gross mis-step and changes up tactics - 'so you want to get into shape for a special event?' My answer was YES LIFE! What an idiot, and he was so pushy and so assuming that women just wanted to be there to get skinny for an event.

Replies

  • Sublimely_Self_Righteousreused
    Sublimely_Self_Righteousreused Posts: 935 Member
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    I had to deal with the personal trainer selling point too when I joined LA Fitness. They seemed so offended when I told them I wasn't interested.
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
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    Omg, that is INFURIATING!!!
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    I use LA Fitness, and I have personal training sessions.

    When I signed up it was very pushy... I had intentions of getting session to begin with since I had them at my previous gym... but the guy that signed me up was like if you don't do this now, it will be XXX more down the line.. and it was a HUGE number.
  • KarenLipana
    KarenLipana Posts: 83
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    Im an LA Fitness member for 2 years now and the very first day i joined they keep on persuading me to sign up into a lot of things.
    what did i do...?
    I said "sorry......no english!" and i start talking jiberish with a mean look on my face... that stopped him.
  • _Peacebone_
    _Peacebone_ Posts: 229 Member
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    I am a member of LA Fitness--I wouldn't sign up for the personal training, but the classes are so much fun! I'm addicted to group fitness now <3 They keep you motivated for sure!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    It's annoying, I know it's part of their jobs to have to give you the sales pitch but the way that he talked to me was hilarious. He even had that used car salesman voice going on:tongue:
  • MyCoachNYLA
    MyCoachNYLA Posts: 158 Member
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    One of the reasons not to work for corporate gyms!!! I had that happen to me years ago where the sales people were so insulting.

    I ended up becoming a trainer myself for my own head at first, but then got into helping others.

    The funny thing is that do they think that you are going to be comfortable with them during a training session when it starts off like that.

    Know that there are really good trainers still out there so don't let that influence your judgment if you ever decide to get professional feedback.

    Thanks for the post.
  • timothyjkiser
    timothyjkiser Posts: 85 Member
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    All PT Session costs are ALWAYS negotiable! I always take the freebies when i join a gym, but never commit to PT right away. I have negotiated the sessions down to HALF the price they initially set...after-the-fact. The norm is around 25-30% off as an average I have found. Doesn't hurt to ask, especially if you are paying the Gym directly and not the actual trainer.

    Unacceptable...you should have slapped him!!!
    I like to change gyms every few years, a change up is good for motivation. So I joined LA Fitness this week. Nice facility, great amenities, can't wait to hit up some of the classes. As the LA Fitness employee (Marty) and I were almost done with all the paperwork, Marty excuses himself for a moment as I sign away. In steps 'Matt' to finish up the details...or so I thought. Matt is actually a personal trainer and is stepping in to shove uber expensive training sessions down my throat. He talks to me like I'm a novice in the gym. I have been working out since I was 19 years old....I'm 52 now. He says to me 'you're looking to loose about 20 - 25 pounds right'. I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

    1- I'm 5'8" , 139 pounds, a nice healthy weight for a woman my age
    2- Hello douchbag, not all women want to be anorexic shapeless sticks
    3- no matter what size you are - any woman would have been offended by that statement

    He sees he has made a gross mis-step and changes up tactics - 'so you want to get into shape for a special event?' My answer was YES LIFE! What an idiot, and he was so pushy and so assuming that women just wanted to be there to get skinny for an event.
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
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    Yes, that would be annoying as he!!.

    Glad to hear you caught on to it and were able to 'nip that in the bud'. Good for you!
  • MFPAddict
    MFPAddict Posts: 2,303 Member
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    What a total jerk. When I joined my gym, I had an option of a free session with a trainer to help establish some goals. No thank you. I would rather figure it out on my own than have to deal with a salespitch
  • goquiltersgo
    goquiltersgo Posts: 23 Member
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    Just be firm and say no. LA Fitness has great classes and what I like best is that they do not charge for each of the classes! In my area, the LA Fitness facility is the best one going and I never have to wait on machines. :smile:
  • susanofscottsdale
    susanofscottsdale Posts: 114
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    What a turn off!! Hopefully there are trainers reading this string and learning. Wouldn't a better sales approach be to ask questions and not to presume?

    There is a car wash chain in my area that drives me nuts for similar reasons. While they do an excellent job, but I have to deal with multiple aggressive sales people upselling a myriad of services. I keep saying "NO MEANS NO" and actually have felt violated in the process. My car gets very, very dirty before I return. It is seriously short-sighted and bad company management to create this customer experience.
  • mindyahart
    mindyahart Posts: 11
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    They signed me up for a great special of 24 sessions and you get 24 free for $324. What they did not tell me was that I was being signed up for a 12 month contract. It is my own fault for not reading the contract but $3500 later I was stuck. I ended up having to let my membership go because I am a single parent and can not afford $324 per month. I really enjoyed LA Fitness as a place to workout, there classes are great but I didn't appreciate the shady way they signed me up for training.

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