What Would You Ask a Personal Trainer?

[Nich]

[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
lordstorm88 wrote:
What kind of questions would you ask a personal trainer?

Being a member of 24 hour fitness, I have four “free” sessions with a personal trainer. These sessions were technically paid as part of the enrollment package. $750 over three years, translate to $20.83 per month with an annual renewal price of $29.00 ($2.42 cents per month) on the four year and thereafter.

So basically what questions would you ask? (I can’t think of any at the moment, so I’m looking for some input. Thanks).

nothing really. T-Nation has taught me just about all i need as a beginner. even if he could teach me more… i doubt i’d gain more than say… 10% faster progress

well… then a trainer isn’t for you, but I find your answer a little naive. Trainers can really assist you with your goals.

Beginners to Olympic athletes use trainers. If you don’t know how to use a trainer, than the lack is in the client.

[/quote]

I would agree
I was in the same boat my trainer was very impressed by what I have learned on here and she gave me free-range to do what I was always doing
where she came in very handy was she gave me a few tips while I was lifting that I had no idea of.

its always usefull to have eyes looking in so to speak because alot of times what we think is right may not be.

plus it feels good when you have someone there telling you your doing a good job ,but heres a few things you can do to make that good job a great job.

also I find it very hard to work heavy enough without someone there that can load my plates,and spot me on those heavy lifts.

having a trainer is like having a work out buddy that may know what their talking about

[Breakzilla]

[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
Do what works whether it is just reading articles on here or hiring a trainer.
[/quote]

I’m pretty sure if you have the money, having a trainer is pretty much always always always the right answer. Just like ya said, you need to SEE the right forms and be taught them in person. Reading an article won’t make your back feel the right posture, etc.

Now to the OP I don’t mean to suggest just any trainer, just like everyone else said, it’s best to find a trainer who is experienced and can cater to your specific goals. In some cases that trainer may not even be anyone at your local gym, but could even be a very experienced friend or fellow gym rat.

[strawberrysunday]

I am highly appreciative of all the responses. And yes, I read each and everyone of them in detail, and will put them (and any subsequent posts) to good use when I meet with the trainer.

Continue thanks to everyone … including OctoberGirl, Petermus, earthshaker, blazindave, nichaaron, premium.fitness, Lift and Eat, schultzie, ninjaboy, lordstorm88, Breakzilla

[chutec]

I would argue that a trainer is another variable in the system.

If I went to a ‘fitness’ gym, I would expect the average trainer there to actually be detrimental to the average persons progress.

Most trainers are part of an organisation that has to apply to the lowest common denominator, government standards and the status quo. E.g I doubt very much your average trainer would let you do a snatch or clean for safety reasons.

This may be an unfair portrayal of personal trainers, but honest to god ive never met one who looked like the strength trained or bodybuilded.

for me the person I would look for would have two thing:

1. they would be where I want to be body comp wise.
2. They would be open to suggestion, and not immediately oppose anything outside of their own range of experience. They can admit a lack of experience, but they shouldnt reject anything through ignorance.

1 isnt as important as 2 for me.

If everyone else in the gym is using machines and pink dumbells, and you ask to do deadlifts and they try and dissuade you, then move onto the next guy.

[transition]

1. Qualifications
2. Industry Experience

To many trainers out there haven’t paid their dues and think they no how to train someone, I’ll admit i’m not awesome, i’m still trying to develop a method and an idea of how to train specific populations but its coming a lot faster with the knowledge i have behind me.

Yes i’ve been touted by many here at T-Nation as being unethical, in relation to “seeing a client”, aka shitting in my own nest but in all honesty lay your goals out to the trainer, ask them how they will go about achieving your goals and if you don’t like what you hear or something sounds a miss then ask for someone else.

Take care my friend.

[transition]

[quote]chutec wrote:
I would argue that a trainer is another variable in the system.

If I went to a ‘fitness’ gym, I would expect the average trainer there to actually be detrimental to the average persons progress.

Most trainers are part of an organisation that has to apply to the lowest common denominator, government standards and the status quo. E.g I doubt very much your average trainer would let you do a snatch or clean for safety reasons.

This may be an unfair portrayal of personal trainers, but honest to god ive never met one who looked like the strength trained or bodybuilded.

for me the person I would look for would have two thing:

1. they would be where I want to be body comp wise.
2. They would be open to suggestion, and not immediately oppose anything outside of their own range of experience. They can admit a lack of experience, but they shouldnt reject anything through ignorance.

1 isnt as important as 2 for me.

If everyone else in the gym is using machines and pink dumbells, and you ask to do deadlifts and they try and dissuade you, then move onto the next guy.[/quote]

I agree with what chutec says, but something i have to mention is, i no trainers who are 65-70kg marathon runners, who promote deads and squats and have a very profound understanding of the human body but arn’t nearly as big as a few meat head bodybuilders of which are trainers. Its really got to come down to knowledge in my opinion coupled with their ability as a coach, to coach and not just bark orders.

[chutec]

yeah thats why 2 is more important than 1.

However as a generic trainer I would think that being smaller than your trainee would mean that that trainee would always doubt you at least a little.

if your rep is good enough then this counteracts this I guess.

I agree with the other types of athletes being good coaches across the board, I was refering more to the higher probability that said ‘small’ coach was a ‘fitness enthusiast’ standard type of trainer who preaches about mass gain technique without applying his teachings to himself.

also be wary of people explaining how easy things will be with them.

[Lift_and_Eat]

[quote]transition wrote:
chutec wrote:
I would argue that a trainer is another variable in the system.

If I went to a ‘fitness’ gym, I would expect the average trainer there to actually be detrimental to the average persons progress.

Most trainers are part of an organisation that has to apply to the lowest common denominator, government standards and the status quo. E.g I doubt very much your average trainer would let you do a snatch or clean for safety reasons.

This may be an unfair portrayal of personal trainers, but honest to god ive never met one who looked like the strength trained or bodybuilded.

for me the person I would look for would have two thing:

1. they would be where I want to be body comp wise.
2. They would be open to suggestion, and not immediately oppose anything outside of their own range of experience. They can admit a lack of experience, but they shouldnt reject anything through ignorance.

1 isnt as important as 2 for me.

If everyone else in the gym is using machines and pink dumbells, and you ask to do deadlifts and they try and dissuade you, then move onto the next guy.

I agree with what chutec says, but something i have to mention is, i no trainers who are 65-70kg marathon runners, who promote deads and squats and have a very profound understanding of the human body but arn’t nearly as big as a few meat head bodybuilders of which are trainers. Its really got to come down to knowledge in my opinion coupled with their ability as a coach, to coach and not just bark orders.

[/quote]

Following on from this. I think a trainer should obviously look like he or she trains, but may not necessarily have the same goals physique-wise as you. This does not mean that he or she can’t help you achieve your goals however. You might want to be 220lb but the trainer, for whatever reason, might be happy at 180lbs. As long as they have the correct knowledge they will be of use to you.

Sometimes people pick trainers based on the fact they look jacked, but fail to realise that particular trainer might not have had to work as hard as the next person to get there. Just because they look great, doesn’t always mean they have put in the ‘time’ or have had to problem solve as much as someone who has had more obstacles to overcome. I know great trainers who weigh a buck fifty as they say and also ones who look fantastic but have the knowledge of a five yr old. Again it comes down to knowledge and application and not just looking the part.

Another benefit of a trainer is that although you might have time to train, not everyone will have time to devote to reading and learning. A good trainer can impart useful information to you while training you, so you have a walking library with you.

For example I have learnt lots about injury prevention and rehab etc from my own experiences, as I have taken the time to learn about things which have caused me problems. This has helped me with clients in knowing what to watch out for. I feel that my clients are paying for my lifting experience, so they don’t have to do the whole trial and error thing for themselves.

[chutec]

couple of points:

Most people who need a trainer would be stuck for how to assess them (as the OP).

So the only reason their physique matters is because its one of very few indicators about their probable potency for you.

With alot of trainers you wont really know if they are effective until after you see the results of weeks/months/years.

there are alot more poor trainers out there than good ones. And if having this 2nd opinion self assures you and its a correct opinion then thats great.

However if you question your deadlift form, and then a shitty trainer says its fine, what happens 6 months down the line after you have confidently deadlifted incorrectly into back problems?

The trainer might know how to deadlift properly, he might be able to demonstrate this for you.
If both the skinny and the muscular trainer both can provide you with apparently correct deadlift form, then your objective assessment would have you go with the person who would have looked to have dead lifted more/forlonger/to greater effect/.

This is simple - they are more likely to have successfully deadlifted to a greater musculature, and therefore have actual experience (injuries and all) upon which to reflect and share.

So whilst technically physique doesnt matter to a trainers form, it MUST contribute to the selection of said trainer, at least at a subconscious level.

I wouldnt take fat loss advice from a skinny person. Id take it from a former fat boy who is now slim.
The skinny person could arguably have better insight (he didnt get fat in the 1st place) but he lacks the transferable and practical experience of having done your task himself.

so ill re-iterate - doesnt matter to the quality of the trainer, but it matters in your perception of their impact for your goals.

[mt006]

The thing is you can do a bit of research on this site into what sort of exercises you would need for a suitable program to satisfy your goals (just to give you a general idea)

If the trainer doesnt include any of these you should ask why?

Some trainers (esp on inductions which this basically sounds like TBH) just spit out general plans for all new starters to a gym and if you want serious personal training these ones should be avoided…

1/2 hr session sounds a lot but once they have shown you the bike, the treadmill and the crosstrainer you wont actually have anytime left (this is what its like in the UK anyway due to insurance reasons)

[chutec]

mr006

thats pretty much my undertstanding of the Uk system.
If the person is part of a corporate gym, then they are bound by alot of rules that stop them straying from the status quo - even if they know better.

if the person is independant you would think that they would have more potential to innovate and actually produce non restrictive results.

However the reality is that these people dont have a big corporate engine to support/defend them if things go wrong with a client, and one idiot who mis uses an advanced exercise (or what the governing bodies regard as advanced) will ruin a solo trainers career/livelyhood.

So they will be reticent to commit to any advice which could come back to bite them in the ass.

welcome to excercise ball core training land.

If it were me id find an informal solution.

go to a better gym. if not that then try to find the non idiots at your gym (customers) and try and start a little group who train together.
No one is contrained because no one has a job on the line. If there are a few of you you can get multiple angles on the form/workout in question.

Of course without any professional input your group consensus could be flawed…but no more likely to be flawed by what you and a potentially poor trainer agree upon.

but for god sake if there are 3 or 4 of you grouped at the gym together dont do the following:

1. walked around huddled together, going from one ab machine to the next.
2. bring a GQ into the gym with you and all metaphorically wank over brad pitts pictorial.
3. dont touch the bar when someone else is doing a set. spotting doesnt mean helping.
4. if you must have someone touch the bar, at least have it be one person only.

I once saw three really skinny guys - one on either end of the bar and one in the usual spotter position.
then the 4th skinny guy racked up 110 KG and benched it for 2 (1/2) reps.
Lets just say his 3 friends got a good shrug/rack pull style workout that day.

this guy will now always be able to say that he can bench twice his bodyweight.

what a tosser.

[mt006]

lol chutec

You must have been to my gym before…

Groups of 14yr olds on the cardio machines

Groups of three/ four lads taking it in turns to grunt at the bicep/tricep curl machines

Theres one guy with balls who uses the seated overhead press to shoulder shrug instead by standing on the seat…

And once a month someone new comes in for one session whos built like a brickshit house just to see how bad the gym really is

[grillem69]

As a qualified PT I feel the need to jump in and defend our breed on a few matters here. First, i’ve been a trainer only 18 months, and absolutely consider myself to be still on my apprenticeship, even though i’m fully qualified. Someone made the point of good trainers continually learning, not just getting qualified then thinking its job done. That’s a massive point, and spot on.

I consider myself a very good trainer, in no arrogant way. I’m successful. Success being based on money. I make a good living, and am still finding ways to make more. This is because I have acquired, and more importantly, retained, a big (fully booked) client base. I have waiting lists. The reason I am in this position with my clients is because I have been very good at getting them THEIR results. The reason I get them great results - I learn, continually. I’m a sponge for knowledge.

I soak up every bit of useful training, nutrition, and health information I can, and filter out the tons of utter crap and myth that exist in the industry. Then I apply it. My personal training goals, are that of my clients. I’ve had to find out the best ways to get big, get strong, get fast, get lean, get fit, get powerful, get flexible, prevent injury, correct injury. So I learned and applied. I test everything on myself. Some is useless, some is ok, some is great.

After i find that great stuff, i pass it on to my clients. I get trained by a higher level. Trainers need someone to ask too. So I also train at a weighlifting centre, where qualified S & C and olympic level coaches teach me olympic lifts. I could teach a perfect DL, squat, or push press right now, but wouldn’t teach anyone a snatch or slit jerk, because i’m not 100% sure of it, yet. Yet.

Ok, enough of me, to lordstorm88 who says T-Nation is the be all and end all of training - sorry dude, it’s not. It may well be close to the be all and end all of training references, but this website is not in the gym with u assessing ur form from front, back, side, top and bottom. This website isn’t pushing u back on the treadmill, set on full incline, when u jump off because u think ur gonna throw up.

The trainer pushes u back on, u get another 100 metres, then u throw up. But u got that 100m. This website isn’t giving u forced reps on the Bench, with just the right amount of assistance, to ensure u exhaust and stimulate every last muscle fiber. This website isn’t running ahead of you to set up the next bar, saving u precious seconds between a superset. Nor does it sense u are having a particularly strong day, so sneaks some extra weight on allowing an un-scheduled PB lift, without u having to face the mental blockages of attempting such a feat.

I’ve seen the elation that comes upon realisation of this exact event. So, lordstorm88, yes i agree T-Nation is an awesomely comprehensive reference point, but please, have a good hard think before u again attempt to claim that a mere reference negates the worth of my profession.

[grillem69]

[quote]schultzie wrote:
I can teach Deadlift, Bench, Squat up to an intermediate level

I can teach Snatch, C&J, Power Clean, Powersnatch etc + assistance oly lifts at a utilitarian level (not competitive)

I can give nutritional advice for the general population

My hobby is fucking weightlifting, all weights, all the time, getting stronger

I read Tnation, Elite FTS, Crossfit.

I trust material from John Berardi, Mark Rippetoe, CT, Wendler & EFS guys etc.

 problem is that I'm about 180 lean, 5"10 and having been lifting for about 2 years, 5 months of it being olympic lifting coached by a Canadian national coach. 300 squat, 370 deadlift, dont know bench (injury)

I want to be a PT, would you hire me?

[/quote]

Oh and Schultzie, would I hire u? If I wanted to advance my oly lift capabilities & increase strength & size, yeah probably.

But remember man, in the fitness world, minimum 90% of clients, & therefore income, have weight loss goals, with increased fitness (CV fitness) usually as a secondary goal.
So in a hypothetical world, i’m your client:

“Shultzie, could u help me achieve MY goals, or would u be lost trying to operate those strange machines in the cardio theatre? Don’t use them? We run outside today? Great. Can u keep up?”
“I know u told me to train 2 extra times this week but i’m not comfortable coming here. I feel like everyone is looking at me.”
“Ok, u’ve told me your view of the best brand of protein powder and creatine, but I suffer from depression & low self esteem and eat for comfort late at night. Not that much, maybe just a block of chocolate or 2. Then some leftover pizza. Then some ice-cream. How do I stop this vicious cycle, schultzie??”

Wanna be a successful trainer? Then there’s your moneyshot.
Ponder that.

[Ratchet]

if they actually now proper lifting techniques then have them check your technique. better technique is always good and real people notice a lot.

honestly though, unless the trainer has either achieved the goals you want, or has trained people to achieve the goals you have. Don’t waste your time.

[Lift_and_Eat]

[quote]chutec wrote:
If both the skinny and the muscular trainer both can provide you with apparently correct deadlift form, then your objective assessment would have you go with the person who would have looked to have dead lifted more/forlonger/to greater effect/.

This is simple - they are more likely to have successfully deadlifted to a greater musculature, and therefore have actual experience (injuries and all) upon which to reflect and share.

So whilst technically physique doesnt matter to a trainers form, it MUST contribute to the selection of said trainer, at least at a subconscious level.

I wouldnt take fat loss advice from a skinny person. Id take it from a former fat boy who is now slim.
The skinny person could arguably have better insight (he didnt get fat in the 1st place) but he lacks the transferable and practical experience of having done your task himself.

so ill re-iterate - doesnt matter to the quality of the trainer, but it matters in your perception of their impact for your goals.

[/quote]

Chutec,

I can see where you’re coming from, I guess alot of people choosing a trainer base it on appearance as they don’t know enough about the science etc to make any other kind of judgement (if they did they prob wouldn’t need a trainer, or would need a different kind of trainer).

I guess the majority of the population would always go for looks in the same way that ppl keep going back to the ‘lose your gut in 2 wks’ diets, because they go for what they think is the most obvious choice.

I also know a trainer who shows his clients his own before and after pics, so they can see what he has achieved…maybe all trainers should carry those as well as their certificates

We have all seen big guys who were naturally built and may therefore have not done lots of deadlifting or whatever in order to get there. So I just think in the case of choosing a trainer that it is a case of ‘buyer beware’ as they say.

And yeah there are a lot of rubbish trainers out there (the structure of the fitness industry in the UK is alot to blame for this, but thats a whole other story), but there are also those of us who are good at what we do and strive to keep learning and improving (like grillem69 said he is doing).

At the end of the day you pay your money and take your choice, but the more questions you ask and the more research you do, the more likely you are to find someone who is right for you.

[Lift_and_Eat]

grillem69,

Keep learning, you sound like you are on the right path. Despite what many ppl outside the industry think, it is not the easiest job in the world.

[entheogens]

[quote]strawberrysunday wrote:
So basically what questions would you ask? (I can’t think of any at the moment, so I’m looking for some input. Thanks).
[/quote]

1. Where can I get a pair of those cute spandex shorts?

2. How many angels can stand on a bosu ball?

[chutec]

grillem69.

firstly for the record I tried to frame my posts to say that my opinions were my reflection on the majority, and not every personal trainer.

secondly, the part about your success gives a good example of the issue.
you list your success as measured by your financial achievements 1st and the customers’ results 2nd.

this isnt a stab at you, but its more an observation that in the commercialised fitness industry, the successful trainer is salesman first and coach 2nd.

anyone who really, really needs a trainer will be incredibly susceptible to the wrong kind of trainer.

I think the OPs post should be answered like this:

“are the trainers a product of their gym or independent? who trained them? is the gym part of a chain? does is have any Xs in the name or does the name sound motivational?
what does the gyms machinery and weight stations lean to? are their power racks? are their more smith machines than power racks? etc.”

I presume in the gym you signed up for the trainers were produced by the gym’s global mechanisms. If this is the case the trainers are all a reflection of the gym and vice versa. if said gym is more in favour of free weights and allows deadlifts, then you are more likely to find a proper trainer.

If your gym has 9 ab machines then im going to take a flying leap and guess that the personal trainers their are called Chad and have really white teeth.

If you suspect the trainer you have approached is more salesman than coach, ask him how hard it will be for you to reach your goal.
if he says ‘easy, super, fast, no problem, simple’ then move on.

if he tells you its going to be hard and hes going to kick your ass then at the very least he is a cunning salesman.

[grillem69]

Thanks Lift and Eat.

Excellent point Chutec.

Couldn’t have answered the OP’s question any better, ur right on the money.

There are exceptions to the rule though, I work out of a commercial gym, but have refused to become a product of it. As my gym orders more & more useless isolation machines, I generally get first use of the Power Rack, and happily make some space on the floor for my clients to deadlift, while onlookers swear to me that I must be harming their back performing such an exercise - “a machine lat pulldown is the best exercise”. I reply “yeah these are terrible for the back, and wait till u see me get my client swinging this kettlebell around!” (Joking, i’d never have any clients if was such a smart-arse to everyone else in my gym).

About me basing my success on the financial gain, I knew that’d come up. What I was trying to do was put things in that order to firstly explain my success as most people view it, money, then filter down to factors that made that so.
I could have just as easily said it in reverse. i.e. “i’m successful because I learn. Because I learn, I get great results for my clients. Because I get great results, I gain lots of clients, while retaining current clients. Because I have so many clients, I make good money”.

I
suppose I should explain it that way to somebody in the industry, and the reverse to somebody outside of it.
In all honesty, my personal biggest satisfaction, comes from the personal testimonials I receive from clients. I give them my own feedback questionaire after their first 12 wks with me, I ask for brutal honesty, they take it away fill it out in their own time, bring it back to me and it’s not discussed. Feedback so far has been overwhelming and very re-assuring. Ok, gettin a bit soppy now.