I worked as a personal trainer for a “health club” for four months at the beginning of the year. I used to train 4-5 times per week but after about a month into the job I started to lose interest.
By the time I quit, it went down to zero interest in the gym.
Has anyone else experienced this phenomena after a period of “overexposure”?
Loss of motivation can oftentimes be a sign of overtraining. Take a week off. During this time, examine your training, set some goals, etc. See how you feel when you come back.
[quote]AlbertaBeef wrote:
I worked as a personal trainer for a “health club” for four months at the beginning of the year. I used to train 4-5 times per week but after about a month into the job I started to lose interest.
By the time I quit, it went down to zero interest in the gym.
Has anyone else experienced this phenomena after a period of “overexposure”?[/quote]
your probably just burnt out. just stop going to the gym, go out drinking and when one of your friends say, “your shrinking” you know its time to get back in.
Lifting’s not for everyone.
You don’t hate strength training; you hate your working environment. Go back and read this post from December; think back to that enthusiasm.
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=862482
I actually laughed out loud at your “I’m going to go out and change the world” attitude. It’s admirable, but it’s like putting Leonardo Da Vinci in a fingerpainting class. You’re exactly what commercial gyms expect: an enthusiastic young guy whom they can suck dry for a few months until he quits. You fell right into the trap, I’m sorry to say.
I’d say your life cycle in that business is up; get out NOW.
The secret to success in this industry is finding people who aren’t trying to do things better; they need to be looking to do things differently. You can’t make something that is inherently corrupt and flat-out shitty “better.”
Alwyn Cosgrove, Joe DeFranco, Jason Ferruggia, and several others have done things differently, and they love their jobs and are outrageously successful. We’re doing things differently in the facility we’ll be opening in less than a month, and there is no doubt we’ll be successful, too.
Get out, take a break, rediscover your passion, and then seek out something that feels RIGHT - not “better.”
I wish someone had given me this advice five years ago.
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
You don’t hate strength training; you hate your working environment. Go back and read this post from December; think back to that enthusiasm.
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=862482
I actually laughed out loud at your “I’m going to go out and change the world” attitude. It’s admirable, but it’s like putting Leonardo Da Vinci in a fingerpainting class. You’re exactly what commercial gyms expect: an enthusiastic young guy whom they can suck dry for a few months until he quits. You fell right into the trap, I’m sorry to say.
I’d say your life cycle in that business is up; get out NOW.
The secret to success in this industry is finding people who aren’t trying to do things better; they need to be looking to do things differently. You can’t make something that is inherently corrupt and flat-out shitty “better.”
Alwyn Cosgrove, Joe DeFranco, Jason Ferruggia, and several others have done things differently, and they love their jobs and are outrageously successful. We’re doing things differently in the facility we’ll be opening in less than a month, and there is no doubt we’ll be successful, too.
Get out, take a break, rediscover your passion, and then seek out something that feels RIGHT - not “better.”
I wish someone had given me this advice five years ago.
www.ericcressey.com[/quote]
Good post, Coach.
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
You don’t hate strength training; you hate your working environment. Go back and read this post from December; think back to that enthusiasm.
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=862482
I actually laughed out loud at your “I’m going to go out and change the world” attitude. It’s admirable, but it’s like putting Leonardo Da Vinci in a fingerpainting class. You’re exactly what commercial gyms expect: an enthusiastic young guy whom they can suck dry for a few months until he quits. You fell right into the trap, I’m sorry to say.
I’d say your life cycle in that business is up; get out NOW.
The secret to success in this industry is finding people who aren’t trying to do things better; they need to be looking to do things differently. You can’t make something that is inherently corrupt and flat-out shitty “better.”
Alwyn Cosgrove, Joe DeFranco, Jason Ferruggia, and several others have done things differently, and they love their jobs and are outrageously successful. We’re doing things differently in the facility we’ll be opening in less than a month, and there is no doubt we’ll be successful, too.
Get out, take a break, rediscover your passion, and then seek out something that feels RIGHT - not “better.”
I wish someone had given me this advice five years ago.
www.ericcressey.com[/quote]
This is a great post!
Great advice, Coach!
I did quit the job about a month ago. Best choice I ever made.
For the summer I’m working a job for the city “restoring” vagrant camps in the parks. Lots more pay and, believe it or not, I feel 100x better about myself at the end of a day evicting the homeless and cleaning up their hypo needles and garbage than I did trying to sell people on training.
For now I just ride my bike every day and take karate 3 times per week.
My problem is that I used to live to lift until I started this job. It was a significant portion of my identity from age 14 to now, 22. Life was eat, sleep, lift; filling in any gaps leftover with school and homework as needed.
I don’t know what it is. I now hate being in “the gym”. It doesn’t matter which gym whether it’s the gym where I worked, the public gym by my apartment, the weight bench IN my apartment, or the gym at the University.
Does anyone have any ideas or strategies for getting back into it? Getting back my passion for it? I warm up and start lifting the weights and I just don’t seem to care.
Maybe I just need a new reason?
“A man with a reason why can endure any how.” – Nietsche (paraphrased)
I had just the same thing as you happen to me once. Be thankful, if your thirst for strength training has left you for a bit use the time to focus on something new that isn’t strength training. Take an activity that would of been incredibly hard to fit on a schedule when combined with strength training, something that taxes you in an entirley different way. A martial art, rock climbing, endurance training, there’s so much stuff to do out there be thankful you no longer have to fit it into a shedule with your lifting.
Oh but don’t be alarmed about losing the desire, one day I imagine you’ll see the weights, start lifting and just feel like training again, don’t force it but it will happen, as humans we all crave variety so take the oppurtunity to get some.
[quote]JMB wrote:
Lifting’s not for everyone.[/quote]
I agree. Give up! Then JB or I will steal your girlfriend 
[quote]AlbertaBeef wrote:
Great advice, Coach!
I did quit the job about a month ago. Best choice I ever made.
For the summer I’m working a job for the city “restoring” vagrant camps in the parks. Lots more pay and, believe it or not, I feel 100x better about myself at the end of a day evicting the homeless and cleaning up their hypo needles and garbage than I did trying to sell people on training.
For now I just ride my bike every day and take karate 3 times per week.
My problem is that I used to live to lift until I started this job. It was a significant portion of my identity from age 14 to now, 22. Life was eat, sleep, lift; filling in any gaps leftover with school and homework as needed.
I don’t know what it is. I now hate being in “the gym”. It doesn’t matter which gym whether it’s the gym where I worked, the public gym by my apartment, the weight bench IN my apartment, or the gym at the University.
Does anyone have any ideas or strategies for getting back into it? Getting back my passion for it? I warm up and start lifting the weights and I just don’t seem to care.
Maybe I just need a new reason?
“A man with a reason why can endure any how.” – Nietsche (paraphrased)[/quote]
Find yourself a good training crew; they’ll get you back on track.