So uh... is a personal trainer a bad idea?

[danielhv]

Ok, I've been doing great on my diet thus far. Over the past 4 months, I have changed my lifestyle pretty dramatically. I have gone from as high as 276lbs to now hovering around 241 - 243lbs. I eat good during the week, the weekends start out good but by sunday afternoon I've fallen... BUT, I dont overeat like I used to... I'll go to taco bell or something, but I won't load up on bullshit. So, THAT I need to work on.

Here's muh deal... I want to continue losing weight, I'd like to get down to ~215ish I think, depends on what I look like that low (29 yrs old, 6'4" tall). I have a free fitness center at the apt complex but the equipment is pretty lacking. I'm considering joining a gym. My goal is 215, and I want my body fat down around 10% or so. I feel like I'm making progress, but not as efficiently as I could. I really don't have a system, I just use the treadmill on incline and the stair step / elliptical with resistance, and do sit ups and push ups, and some BS weight lifting, but none of the weighs are a routine. I just do what I feel like doing and go home.

Is a personal trainer a waste of money? I guess I'm wanting to learn how to maximize my efforts so I can achieve my goals quicker...

[jdgregory84]

No. They're not a waste of money as long as you have a good trainer and do what they say. As far as your body fat goes, you're down 10% from what you used to be or are you saying that you're at 10% total body fat?

[danielhv]

No. They're not a waste of money as long as you have a good trainer and do what they say. As far as your body fat goes, you're down 10% from what you used to be or are you saying that you're at 10% total body fat?

I'm saying that 10% is my goal... Im around 22% now if I am doing the online calculations correct.

[Beenfetchedlately]

The answer is yes...most are a waste of money. The good ones don't work at gyms.

[dville_gt]

The answer is yes...most are a waste of money. The good ones don't work at gyms.

x100, i see trainers day dreaming while counting off their clients doing lifts with horrible form every single day or just walking them from machine to machine until their 30 minutes is up. do some research, talk to some of the folks at the gym who look like they know what they are doing, it really isn't that hard.

[dville_gt]

Oh, and get a real gym membership (despite what some will tell you, you need a good array of equipment and weight to have the most efficient workouts plus getting up and driving to the gym and being in that scene is a good motivator to push harder and you'll learn by seeing others) and clean up the eating, don't make it a means to and end but rather a lifestyle change, mon-fri shouldn't be different from sat-sun, you should just eat normal (read: clean) all the time.

[dville_gt's girl]

I would agree that are overall a waste of money. IMO Trainers for beginners are not a bad idea, however if you have the basics down, you know what good form is even the best of trainers can offer you what you would gain by doing some research and creating your own workout plan off based on workouts from say here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbmaintrain.htm

Way more than 1/2 the trainers at the gym I go to don't correct their clients on form and just let them do it however. They are on their phone or talking to friends etc.

While its not the end all be off of info, you can search workouts by bodypart and they have an app if you dont want to plan what you do until you're at the gym.

Diet>Working out 10x out of 10.

[jdgregory84]

Anytime that somebody blames a trainer for them not achieving their goals it's usually because the client is cheating on their diet or not doing the exercises that the trainer gives them to do when they're not with the trainer. Trainers are a great way to switch up your workouts, or if you have a problem with accountability it's good to have those scheduled appointments set with a trainer.

While there are definitely bad trainers, there are plenty of good ones as well. It's kinda like asking "Are mechanics a waste of money?"

[dville_gt]

Anytime that somebody blames a trainer for them not achieving their goals it's usually because the client is cheating on their diet or not doing the exercises that the trainer gives them to do when they're not with the trainer. Trainers are a great way to switch up your workouts, or if you have a problem with accountability it's good to have those scheduled appointments set with a trainer.

While there are definitely bad trainers, there are plenty of good ones as well. It's kinda like asking "Are mechanics a waste of money?"

spoken like someone who sells personal training

[jdgregory84]

spoken like someone who sells personal training

And somebody who has worked out with personal trainers and sees them get frustrated when their clients dont take stuff seriously. Like I said, there are some bad personal trainers. Just like there's bad advice about working out on the internet.

I speak from experience. Do you? Or is it more observation and assumption?

[dville_gt]

And somebody who has worked out with personal trainers and sees them get frustrated when their clients dont take stuff seriously. Like I said, there are some bad personal trainers. Just like there's bad advice about working out on the internet.

I speak from experience. Do you? Or is it more observation and assumption?

My best friend is a personal trainer and he knows his stuff, but with the low-pay and no benefits that is the norm in the personal training field, the best and brightest are not normally what you get, especially in the chain gyms that ultra screw their trainers. My point is just that if you are dedicated to your goals and have half a brain (and the ability to watch others and learn) you should be able to get by without a personal trainer. Would it be as good as having a great trainer, no, but would be better then some slack jaw daydreaming while counting you off through endless machine presses.

[jdgregory84]

My best friend is a personal trainer and he knows his stuff, but with the low-pay and no benefits that is the norm in the personal training field, the best and brightest are not normally what you get, especially in the chain gyms that ultra screw their trainers. My point is just that if you are dedicated to your goals and have half a brain (and the ability to watch others and learn) you should be able to get by without a personal trainer. Would it be as good as having a great trainer, no, but would be better then some slack jaw daydreaming while counting you off through endless machine presses.

I guess being in austin is different. Out of our 20+ trainers only a couple dont have at least a 4 year degree. Some have their masters in sports excercise on top of multiple certs.

[dville_gt's girl]

I guess being in austin is different. Out of our 20+ trainers only a couple dont have at least a 4 year degree. Some have their masters in sports excercise on top of multiple certs.

That is definitely not the norm at our gym, or several others I've been to. There are a few who know their stuff, but without naming names, people who "know" what they are doing apply, take a quick cert test and then claim to be qualified bc a piece of paper says so. I've seen numerous pt's just let their clients do 1/2 ass squats with a shit load of weight just so they could add a new personal best.

What it all boils down to is your commitment OUTSIDE the gym, because lets face it, you can in fact lose weight with a healthy diet that has a good p/c/f ratio for your current weight and activity levels. However, the reverse does not hold the same validity. You cannot go in the gym give it your absolute best 5-6x a week and eat whatever you want and see the same results.

[ceyko]

I think both sides have a lot of great points. However, for my wife - 2 personal trainers at the 24 Hour Fitness in Wylie changed her life. Things I could not teach her, they were able to and now she's a different person the last year. In a very positive manner.

[sc281]

I think both sides have a lot of great points. However, for my wife - 2 personal trainers at the 24 Hour Fitness in Wylie changed her life. Things I could not teach her, they were able to and now she's a different person the last year. In a very positive manner.

I'll bet they did.