I agreed to train twice a week with a personal trainer. Mind you it comes at a very hefty price. I told the trainer I’m a little insecure due to recent weight gain so I rather train around noon. I get anxiety being around to many people due to my weight gain , so he told me he takes anxiety meds so he understands. Which through conversation I found out he was lying, it was a sales angle to try to get me to sign up
First day was great, we did upper body and he really worked me hard. Second time he was constantly on his phone, and my lower body is fairly weak and I have lower back issues, im in my 40’s. I was a bit annoyed with the fact that I kept having to remind him about my lower back. I’m fairly strong but I felt he was making push way to much weight. Little rest time between sets. He then is asking me to come earlier when the gym is more crowded, im a push over so I came earlier. Third time he cancels or me due to a headache, second time he cancels again, we train one more time. I told him I get lower back issues when I do kettlebells, so we did some light work, he checked my form, all checked off. But then he said more weight, I strained my back!! …. All good, I stretched it out and I went home, next day I come to the gym and he seems to ignore me…. I warm up and text him that im ready. He had taken off! Told me he forgot! What??? Mind you this shit is expensive. More that what I was willing to pay. I felt shafted. His lack of note taking, phone usage. His lies to about his fake anxiety and other little shit he lied about to come across more relatable to get me to sign up to annoyed me.
I then spoke to the manager and told him, that I want to pay off the rest of my contract and be done with it. So I did. Mind you I’m a push over and never told the trainer I was annoyed by his lies, cancellations, time change and lack of note taking. Told the manager I want no contact with him, to leave me alone. I feel like an ass for not just talking to him first…yeah, yeah yeah I’m faggot, was I wrong?? It’s really awkward now at the gym haha
So… is this a spin?
There are way too many personal trainers out there to settle for lackluster service so you should definitely part ways.
It is important that they push you, but they should always be respectful of your physical limitations.
Good on you for trying to get in shape though my friend. Keep fighting the good fight!
Nah, man. You are good. Fuck that inconsiderate douche. You did the right thing. I wouldn’t have paid my contract though. But sometimes its cheaper in the long run to just cut and run.
Your money. You’re the customer. I would have asked for a new trainer.
It’s a UFC gym, so the manager said I have 8 training sessions left and they can set me up with a new trainer…. But I’m very hesitant due to the trainers being fairly young and don’t understand an aging body. I don’t recover as quick
Not a spin. Like I said I have pretty bad anxiety, I get anxious thoughts that make me rethink my actions and I feel a bit bad about just not continuing to train with him. But I was really embarrassed when I blew my back and he made me lay down in the middle of the gym and do some stretches. I felt like all eyes were on me. I couldn’t even do the stretches right due to my pain……
Specifically ask the manager for someone who has experience with clients your age
horrible trainer. drop him.
just read you already did. good on you. fuck that guy.
IMHO, there is a enough info out there to read that one can come up with a routine on their own. Hitting the gym early when it’s less crowded is always good.
he should be catering to you, sounds like he is stuck to his own approach. lifting is not a one-size-fits-all situation. much better trainers out there & it sounds like you’d be better off on your own instead of with him. He also shouldn’t be on his phone unless it’s an emergency.
Would you put up with crap service from a mechanic or contractor you hired? Why should you put up with crap service from a personal trainer?
You did the right thing. Find a trainer who is responsible. If you can’t find one at that gym then join a new gym or look for a routine on your own.
Remember OP, your paying them (they work for you) so complain or (if possible) ask for your money back.
There’s a lot of douchy personal trainers, all peddling information you could get for free from YouTube from better sources. A lot of them I see don’t even correct obviously bad form
One of my friends told me another guy I know who’s a PT was struggling and to do him a favor and pay for his meal plan and ‘custom workout plan’ he gave me a quote and I couldn’t believe how much he thought his knowledge and print out meal plan was worth. Eating a high protein diet, lifting weights and doing cardio is a real puzzler
Horizontal push and pull
Vertical push and pull
Squat-push
Deadlift-hinge
Higher intensity lower volume set rep protocol
Low intensity steady state cardio 3 times per week
Run a slight calorie deficit
Now you dont need a trainer
Fuck him.
I’d suggest you invest your time into researching how to workout so you don’t need a trainer. Tons of free content on YouTube for any type of exercise you’re interested in. If you want a trainer just to push you I’d recommend a female trainer 30 or older. Much more likely to be professional and organized. In my experience the type of man that becomes a trainer is usually lazy and doesn’t want a real job. Not all, but definitely the majority.
I’m just not sure why you paid for your remaining sessions. I would have told them to eat shit and give me back my money for the bad session I just had.
Can you talk to the manager about your concerns about your back and not wanting to be pushed too hard and ask him to recommend a trainer that he thinks would be a good fit?
You don’t have to criticize the last guy if that’s not your speed, just outline what you want in the next person.