Personal trainer or no?

[Chris]

At my gym I can get a trainer for 425$ a month. Thats 3x a week training

are they worth it? The only reason i am thinkinga bout one is to get over the slump I'm currently in. I feel like i'm not pushing my self hard enough


Anyone use one?

Chris

[Seth Manson]

Totaly not needed, and overpriced.

P90X + Shakeology. Thank me later.

[ottopottomouse]

Depends whether you need someone to motivate you or not.

[TheSquealer]

Every gym is the same. They make 1/2 their money from membership sales. 1/2 their money from personal training sales. They have daily sales goals and you are just a number. Some gyms like Ballys even allow personal trainers to sell personal training sessions based on what they feel the client can pay... meaning it could be 20.00 per session or 90.00 per session and at the same time, 1/2 their staff might not even be certified to train people at all and even though you might end up paying 90.00 per session, you get nothing for that money. I've seen cases where at least 1/2 the personal training staff had no certifications and a few of the trainers were fresh out of prison.

If you feel the need to pay someone to count for you while that guy stands there, texts his girlfriend and is looking around trying to figure out who the next sucker is that he can corner and sell more personal training sessions to so he can hit his goals and get a bonus,.. then pay 425.00 per month. It's highly unlikely that you aren't going to feel like you got fucked over.

[SomeCreep]

No, not worth it.

[elmy]

all is only in your head, don't need any trainer

[CarlosTheGaucho]

Depending on experience, it can be greatly benefitial in terms of exercising technique.

Although I have some experience in lifting weights, anytime I trained with a friend of mine who is a trainer he found lots of minor mistakes in technique I'm doing that cause muscular imbalance.

Of course, as mentioned above, it has to be a motivated professional. If your main concern is to overcome stagnation simply the right training partner could do the job.

I'd probably ask for a test session and go from there.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by TheSquealer

Every gym is the same. They make 1/2 their money from membership sales. 1/2 their money from personal training sales. They have daily sales goals and you are just a number. Some gyms like Ballys even allow personal trainers to sell personal training sessions based on what they feel the client can pay... meaning it could be 20.00 per session or 90.00 per session and at the same time, 1/2 their staff might not even be certified to train people at all and even though you might end up paying 90.00 per session, you get nothing for that money. I've seen cases where at least 1/2 the personal training staff had no certifications and a few of the trainers were fresh out of prison.

If you feel the need to pay someone to count for you while that guy stands there, texts his girlfriend and is looking around trying to figure out who the next sucker is that he can corner and sell more personal training sessions to so he can hit his goals and get a bonus,.. then pay 425.00 per month. It's highly unlikely that you aren't going to feel like you got fucked over.

i dont think my gym works like this - this is not a national chain gym. Just a regional chain owned by a local guy. They dont ever try to sell me the trainers they just have a sign and ona table with a book with the trainers bio's

Originally Posted by CarlosTheGaucho

Depending on experience, it can be greatly benefitial in terms of exercising technique.

Although I have some experience in lifting weights, anytime I trained with a friend of mine who is a trainer he found lots of minor mistakes in technique I'm doing that cause muscular imbalance.

Of course, as mentioned above, it has to be a motivated professional. If your main concern is to overcome stagnation simply the right training partner could do the job.

I'd probably ask for a test session and go from there.

I have motivation to go to the gym every day but i just feel like im not pushing my self enough.

I think i may need a workout partner or something

[bronco67]

Waste of money, and half the time I see them doing stupid bullshit like making a fat person do sit ups and side bends.

[Shap]

I've had a personal trainer for the past 2 or 3 years. It's the best decision (health wise) I've made. I love it. I can't say enough good things about it. It's helped me improve my diet, keeps my workouts fun and motivating, pushes me far beyond I could push myself (it's impossible to workout as hard by yourself with no work out partner), and really helped some nagging injuries I had (specific workouts to deal with them). It's important to find a trainer you like, that's the only thing I suggest.

My guess is those saying no have never used a trainer and most probably don't even workout

[Shap]

I should add doing the exercises properly is another huge benefit of a trainer. Now that I know what i'm I cringe when I see most people's form when doing a deadlift

[PR_Glen]

normally I would say no, but it would depend on how much you know about training yourself. If you have more questions than answers when you are in the gym currently, and you feel like you are doing something wrong having a good trainer can definitely help with that. If you know what you have to do and just need someone to push you? Find someone at the gym to work out with instead. Someone with the same goals would be ideal.

Don't become dependant on either though, if you do then as soon as they leave, get hurt, or start slacking then you will fall off track. Try to maintain a form of independence still even if you are working with someone or it just ends up being another excuse to skip a workout.

[Dwreck]

Originally Posted by Seth Manson

Totaly not needed, and overpriced.

P90X + Shakeology. Thank me later.

What's Shakeology?

[TheSquealer]

Originally Posted by Chris

i dont think my gym works like this - this is not a national chain gym. Just a regional chain owned by a local guy. They dont ever try to sell me the trainers they just have a sign and ona table with a book with the trainers bio's




I have motivation to go to the gym every day but i just feel like im not pushing my self enough.

I think i may need a workout partner or something

In that case, i don't think it would be a bad idea. It's good to have structure, someone correcting form, pushing, going over your diet and tailoring your training to your goals. Always try to turn it into a learning experience and try to find someone who is qualified and that has some knowledge to pass on.

If it was a chain gym, i would say "absolutely not" - they are all fucking scumbags of the highest order.

When it comes to partners, that's the worst idea of all in my opinion. It almost never works that 2 people come together religiously and stay on point. Someone is always late, has to skip a day etc. I learned long ago to NEVER tie my success to the behavior of someone else because it will lead to distraction, inconsistency and ultimately, failure.

If you want results, pay for someone who is worth it, to stand there and push you hard and hopefully teach as they go, or learn to push yourself hard.

[Ross]

Do it. I did a 6 session special with a Trainer at my gym and it was amazing, the results in the 3-4 weeks I had him blew my mind. The price after the 6 session special was $60 an hour which I was fine with but when he told me there was a minimum of 38 sessions I told him I wasn't comfortable paying $2200 up front.

He agreed but said unfortunately it was the Gyms rules and it was the only way, so I left it. I do plan on getting him back in the next 2-3 months but I'm really hoping the Gym will change their policy and just allow me to pay monthly for the sessions I book that month. I don't want to feel locked down by pre paying them for 38 sessions. I want to be able to cancel if need be. I'm not living in my own country, never know if something may change that requires me to leave.

[ajrocks]

You do need a personal trainer at least here and there. But the ones that work for the gym, well, they suck. Find a private person to help you out. The gym trainers just stand and count reps for you. Most of them know shit all.

[Sophie Delancey]

I got a few sessions when I started up and then sporadically when I needed the boost. That said, ultimately I'm more of a class person than a gym person, but for someone who loves the gym and wants to get the most of it, it's a good investment if you find the right person.

[Lykos]

Offcourse they are,i couldn't make it without trainer to push me!

[96ukssob]

I have one, but he comes to my house. some at the gym at idiots and not worth the money.

for me, worth every $$

[GTS Mark]

Originally Posted by Shap

I've had a personal trainer for the past 2 or 3 years. It's the best decision (health wise) I've made. I love it. I can't say enough good things about it. It's helped me improve my diet, keeps my workouts fun and motivating, pushes me far beyond I could push myself (it's impossible to workout as hard by yourself with no work out partner), and really helped some nagging injuries I had (specific workouts to deal with them). It's important to find a trainer you like, that's the only thing I suggest.

My guess is those saying no have never used a trainer and most probably don't even workout

I completely agree with you 110%

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by Dwreck

What's Shakeology?

an expensive knock-off of www.takechargefood.com

[NickB.]

well worth it a personal trainer.....
I had one for 3 months or so...

Went from 265 lbs to 225 lbs gained some serious muscle as well
To lose weight quick, a personal trainer that can train you boxing is the best way to go

[AnimeFevers]

I would say its worth it if you can afford it, when I was working out 4 days a week I had a good friend of mine as my gym partner to motivate me, the difference between a personal trainer and a gym buddy is the personal trainer will be 100% reliable while the gym buddy wont. :D I lost count how many times I had to go to the gym on my own because my gym partner couldn't make time for it.

[BareBacked]

I would say people really out of shape should start with one.
Same can be said for people who are in really good shape..
haha

[BareBacked]

Originally Posted by BareBacked

I would say people really out of shape should start with one.
Same can be said for people who are in really good shape..
haha

That being said. I think if you get the right trainer he is going to push you and you are going to push yourself harder.

[Petra]

After a few years of being in a lifting slump, I finally broke down about 15 weeks ago and hired one for 2x a week. It's a very expensive decision but 100% worth it in my book.

What I've found is we're creatures of habit and unless you're super disciplined to the point you'll push yourself to your real limit, we never reach our true potential. We always stop short.

Mine is kettlebel certified (and this is a russian exercise that's a special sort of torture) and is currently teaching me all sorts of routines and moves. I'm flabbergasted how far I've gone. I went from a 8kg bell to 20 in about 12 weeks. My endurance and strength is increasing and inches and pounds are decreasing. ;-)

[_Richard_]

i'd shop around but if you're just starting out or like a 'different opinion with training' it might be a good plan

[Shap]

the key is research. I took a month researching, watching and planning which trainer I wanted to work with at my gym. It's really important to find someone that is knowledgeable and works well with you.

Btw the comment that personal trainers at big gyms suck is bs. I'm at a goodlife. I've worked out with 3 different personal trainers (mind you the top 3 at this goodlife) and they all kicked ass. There are good trainers everywhere. Just research and pick the right one for you

[Shap]

Also, it's your health if you get someone you don't like switch.

[CurrentlySober]

YES!

Get a PT for just a short period. Then use and abuse him lol

Have him correct any bad habits, pick his mind for info, and get extra motivated for a month...

A change is as good as a rest

[xNetworx]

Everybody is different. If you feel you need one and can easily afford it, go for it. Just don't sign any long term contracts

[dyna mo]

if i were shopping for a personal trainer the 2 big concerns i would address are

1. what is my exact goal, where do i want to be in 90 days? bigger, leaner? motivation is secondary because if your trainer is thinking lean, you want mass, 90 days later you've been motivated and not accomplished what you want.

b. question the trainer's exercise philosophy. do they rely on wieder principles, or complex movements? are the routines anchored with a squat or deadlift? to failure or not to failure?

[JamesGw]

Don't get a personal trainer from your gym. The might help motivate you, but they're not really going to give you good or the best advice. If you want to learn about exercise, check out www.exrx.net.

If your issue is motivation, then I suggest investing in a real certified trainer. Ideally, you'll want someone with a CSCS. They might be more expensive, but they're also MUCH more knowledgeable. My concern with someone who works at the gym is that they might give bad advice - I've seen people with NASM certifications who were total dimwits. You don't want them having you doing squats on the smith machine or something. Shearing forces on the knees =

Good luck!

[2intense]

Originally Posted by SomeCreep

No, not worth it.

i agree ,not worth it

[TheSquealer]

Originally Posted by Shap

Btw the comment that personal trainers at big gyms suck is bs. I'm at a goodlife. I've worked out with 3 different personal trainers (mind you the top 3 at this goodlife) and they all kicked ass. There are good trainers everywhere. Just research and pick the right one for you

There can be good trainers anywhere. But big chain gyms in the US are more focused on fucking you over than caring about anyone's goals or getting clients results. I'm talking about the big ones in the US Bally, 24hr fitness, LA Fitness etc. They all operate the same, they have sales goals that are very aggressive and no one can afford to actually care about the client, or even whether or not they can even afford the personal training package. That's why there is a contract. That's why its almost impossible to get out of a contract. The point is simply "be careful"... nothing more. It's a very dirty business built largely on fraud and shady business practices and that's why big chains are losing their asses right now and why things like boot camps and small personal training studios and small group studios are killing it.

They almost all force personal trainers to sell personal training. Always a big dissapointment for people who just want to work people out and later find that they have to be rockstar sales people as well or they can't have a job. Most personal trainers are severely disappointed with their career choice before they even really get started training people. But then again, since many personal training certifications are open book tests and just a few week course, most haven't lost anything either. The majority of those that stay, use the gym to poach clients to do their own thing, training people outside the gym.

I am sitting right now next to an LA Fitness. Their monthly overhead is $300,000.00. That means everyone who works in that building is fucked 100% until they hit that number. I think they usually only hit 65% of their goal right now. This means shitty salaries with no bonuses. They need 300-350 new members per month and need to sell $2200-$2500 in personal training everyday (this particular gyms goal). If you think for a second that ANYONE in that $10,000,000.00 building gives a shit who they screw or how they hit their sales goals, you're mistaken. If they don't hit their sales goals.. they all make no money. They are ruthless and they will scam their own grandmother if it means hitting their sales goals and closing a single deal. Their job depends on it. The General Manager of the gym is out all day, everyday sneaking into apartment buildings and putting flyers on doors because he has to. This is a 50 year old guy with a 150K salary, sneaking around like minimum wage grunt because he has no choice. I know every tactic. Every sales trick with fitness. I know exactly who these people are and where their head is at. I know how much pressure they have to hit their goals and I know how quickly people are demoted or fired for having a bad pay period where they didn't hit their goals. At the end of the day, they want your credit card at any cost and they are praying to god you don't show up to use what you paid for... after all, its pretty hard to fit 15,000 paying members in a building that has a 500 max occupancy. I have a gym as well and have tons of clients now who have personal training packages that they've never used. In some cases they've paid $4000-5000 and never used it.

Bally's is much worse than LA Fitness. 24hr has noticeably toned it down (i heard because of a class action lawsuit).

I've been to smaller chain gyms that were much better ran than the large ones where the trainers and staff were very courteous, helpful, friendly and experienced. All i was saying was "be careful" - large chain gyms are a nightmare and out to fuck people. Just because someone happened to not get fucked, doesn't mean that's not the case.

Again, the message was simply "be careful" - the horror stories are many. The success stories are few. Search online for reviews for any major gym and you can see at a glance what I am talking about. When you have 1000 bad reviews on a site and 250 of those are the employees themselves or ex employees slamming the company, there's clearly a problem with the business and how its run.

[CurrentlySober]

Originally Posted by 2intense

i agree ,not worth it

Sorry. Its only 'NOT WORTH IT'... If you CANT AFFORD IT...

Money to spare? WHY THE FUCK NOT?

[ladyontop]

they won't teach you anything you can learn from youtube read the book by tim ferris the 5 hr body it costs less and will work better

[L-Pink]

Maybe try it for a month. See if the guy is any good. Use what you learn the next month working out alone.

[Choopa Phil]

you cant go wrong with the RIGHT trainer, however most trainers I see in the gym have their clients doing things they shouldnt even be attempting. your best bet is to read up on a few different types of workout programs, something like a strength training 5x5 routine is great to start. Google Mark Ripptoe's 5x5 program, go to bodybuilding.com and search the site for all the exercises, they have videos of everything type of exercise performed. Thats good enough to get you started. the amount you pay for a trainer you can pay for another car, its highway robbery IMO

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by TheSquealer

boot camps and small personal training studios and small group studios are killing it.

is this true?

[dyna mo]

also, in my experience, personal trainers can overstep their boundaries (and their knowledge) and give VERY poor nutrition advice.

[BareBacked]

All trainers should be smoking hot chicks.
Well they are training straight men I mean

[TheSquealer]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

is this true?

Sure. The economics are great. You can charge $300.00 per month for working them out with a fistful of crap from Sports Authority in a park. There are boot camps popping up everywhere in all cities charging retarded rates - 250.00 - 300.00 per month for 3 sessions per week, and outdoors at that. I think that in itself speaks volumes about the failure of gyms. Group fitness studios, small personal training studios etc. Those places are spreading like wildfire and all the large chain gyms are suffering dearly for it. Large gyms rely on selling the facility itself and all its amenities. With that comes massive overhead and people really don't tend to respond to all that stuff. I mean people who lift, lift. They typically don't care about basketball courts or swim pools. People who care about basketball don't tend to lift etc. The economics of a large gym are terrible and the cost of trying to be all things to all people is very prohibitive. I love racquetball. BUT.. what a fucking waste of real estate in a gym. 800 sq foot where only 2 people can use it at a time? You can put 16 people in a group class in that same space and charge them $150.00 a month for a 30-40 minute class. 10 classes a day X 16 people X 150.00 per month.... X a multiple of 2 or 3 since no one is coming every single day and you have some real money for little overhead and are better maximizing revenue per sq ft.

I can't give you exact stats. I don't pay much attention to the growth of those small businesses in correlation to the decline of large chains. The large chains are all hurting.

I am personally very grateful for large gyms. They did 2 very good things for us..

1) they got people familiar with the high cost of personal training
2) they fucked those clients over

That leaves the doors wide open to anyone with any sort of personality and business sense to step in. And when you have 2-3 large gyms in a 5 sq mile radius... that's a lot of dissatisfied clients who still are willing to pay for results and service and who are looking for an alternative.

[PR_Glen]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

if i were shopping for a personal trainer the 2 big concerns i would address are

1. what is my exact goal, where do i want to be in 90 days? bigger, leaner? motivation is secondary because if your trainer is thinking lean, you want mass, 90 days later you've been motivated and not accomplished what you want.

b. question the trainer's exercise philosophy. do they rely on wieder principles, or complex movements? are the routines anchored with a squat or deadlift? to failure or not to failure?

excellent questions to ask for a seasoned gym goer that's for sure. however, most people who need a trainer wouldn't even know what a lot of that means.

weider for life ;)

[bronco67]

Basically, anyone can educate themselves on the same shit personal trainers know. It's just a matter of whether or not you need someone to make you work out harder.

I don't even put a lot of trust in what they know. Just today at LA Fitness, I was at the squat rack -- to my right was a trainer with 3 fat ass clients. He had them all on a mat doing crunches and all of this elaborate core stuff. Even a dumbass like me knows those fatties should be doing some cardio.

They don't need a trainer for that.

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by TheSquealer

Sure. The economics are great. You can charge $300.00 per month for working them out with a fistful of crap from Sports Authority in a park. There are boot camps popping up everywhere in all cities charging retarded rates - 250.00 - 300.00 per month for 3 sessions per week, and outdoors at that. I think that in itself speaks volumes about the failure of gyms. Group fitness studios, small personal training studios etc. Those places are spreading like wildfire and all the large chain gyms are suffering dearly for it. Large gyms rely on selling the facility itself and all its amenities. With that comes massive overhead and people really don't tend to respond to all that stuff. I mean people who lift, lift. They typically don't care about basketball courts or swim pools. People who care about basketball don't tend to lift etc. The economics of a large gym are terrible and the cost of trying to be all things to all people is very prohibitive. I love racquetball. BUT.. what a fucking waste of real estate in a gym. 800 sq foot where only 2 people can use it at a time? You can put 16 people in a group class in that same space and charge them $150.00 a month for a 30-40 minute class. 10 classes a day X 16 people X 150.00 per month.... X a multiple of 2 or 3 since no one is coming every single day and you have some real money for little overhead and are better maximizing revenue per sq ft.

I can't give you exact stats. I don't pay much attention to the growth of those small businesses in correlation to the decline of large chains. The large chains are all hurting.

I am personally very grateful for large gyms. They did 2 very good things for us..

1) they got people familiar with the high cost of personal training
2) they fucked those clients over

That leaves the doors wide open to anyone with any sort of personality and business sense to step in. And when you have 2-3 large gyms in a 5 sq mile radius... that's a lot of dissatisfied clients who still are willing to pay for results and service and who are looking for an alternative.

appreciated! reason i inquired is i've been spending a lot of time in downtown los angeles and i've checked- there are 2 exercise facilities in the 14 square block area known as the historic core. this is where most of the live/work spaces and converted lofts are located in dt.

one of the exercise spots is a cross fit garage- hardcore crossfit guys only, i'm sure you know the type. the other is like you mention, they posted a cheap flyer in the elevators and they are doing group led p90x/kettle bell kinda op, 3x a week @ $345/month.

there are no big fitness centers here, there's a ballys several blocks away

[TheSquealer]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

appreciated! reason i inquired is i've been spending a lot of time in downtown los angeles and i've checked- there are 2 exercise facilities in the 14 square block area known as the historic core. this is where most of the live/work spaces and converted lofts are located in dt.

one of the exercise spots is a cross fit garage- hardcore crossfit guys only, i'm sure you know the type. the other is like you mention, they posted a cheap flyer in the elevators and they are doing group led p90x/kettle bell kinda op, 3x a week @ $345/month.

there are no big fitness centers here, there's a ballys several blocks away

Forgot about cross fit. That's also popping up everywhere... I have friends now bragging about their Cross Fit Certifications. I don't like it because I don't want to atrophy to nothing. I would rather keep my size. But definitely intense and great for people who want to be really lean.

These places are definitely putting intense pressure on large gyms, the economics are much better, its easier for small people run it as a successful business and there are more and more small places being ran more seriously and growing into large franchises like Fitness Together.

[SallyRand]

Originally Posted by Chris

At my gym I can get a trainer for 425$ a month. Thats 3x a week training

are they worth it? The only reason i am thinkinga bout one is to get over the slump I'm currently in. I feel like i'm not pushing my self hard enough


Anyone use one?

Chris

You're kidding, right?

With all the free info out there about how to pump it up, you got to hire some guy to lead you around?

Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????????

[Strap On Princess]

They work great if you get one that fits your personality