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I decided to try this personal trainer thing again last week. I haven't had success with it yet, but I thought now it is time to try again.
I have tried a few angles over the past several years:
Trainer 1: didn't have the right chemistry, but I did learn proper deadlift form, how to use the rowing machine, and about farmers carries
Trainer 2: didn't make more progress than I had on my own. I learned a few new exercises, but I wanted to do more with the big lifts, and the trainer was more like Tracy Anderson. Not a good fit.
Trainer 3: I did a few sessions. It seemed like a good fit at the beginning. Then I realized it was too crossfit for me. And I realized I don't like what I will deem as type A workouts. The training style works well for other people, and one of my friends trains at the same place (everyone has the same philosophy there)
This time around, I feel like I have way clearer goals than I have in the past. I have learned more about myself and my workout goals. The goal of this round is to get proper form for big lifts. And build up the right foundation to make those happen.
I am two sessions in, and we have done a mix of all sorts of things. We'll see how things go! I know the initial stages are like the courting to figure out how you connect, and level set expectations.
So what are your tips to make sure your training is effective and useful for you?
So what are your tips to make sure your training is effective and useful for you?
Make your goals and expectations known clearly from the get go, ask as many questions as you need to be comfortable, ask about their training philosophy, what goals some of that person's other clients have met successfully and what their plan is to help you to achieve those goals.
The Mr. has a friend who has been a trainer for 20-ish years, and a few years back he set me up with her to get started in the gym. She's very good at what she does, so I worked with her for a couple of months, and since then I just check in for a session every so often. What I like is she doesn't just park me at the treadmill and the circuit machines, but instead focuses on free weights and workouts that I can do at home with the equipment I do have.
My neighbor does. She is 74. Had one for 3-4 three years now. She is in phenomenal shape and can hold her own with new members half her age. Trainer promotes her as an example of what can be accomplished with proper training.
She was very much out of shape prior to working out.
I've been working out in gyms for the past 20+ years. One thing I've learned is that the good trainer to bad trainer ratio seems to be about 1 to 5. I see a lot of them with different clients, different ages, etc. putting them through identical workouts and then even see them do the same workouts.
There are some very good ones, no doubt. But it sounds to me like you're already experienced enough to know how to train and motivated enough to do it regularly. I think your money could be better spent.
I work as a trainer and concur there are way more bad than good ones. I would say to the trainer "I want to learn good form for these two lifts and want to get stronger at them." So if they have you doing a bunch of bull**** circuit training when you want your squat and bench press to get higher, they're not doing what they're supposed to.
Now if they have you spend the beginning of your session squatting and then doing lunges and side planks or starting with bench and then doing push-ups and farmer walks, they're working on your form as well as increasing overall strength so your squat and bench gets better as well. They might end the session with some "fun" stuff like battle ropes, sled pushes, kb swings, etc just to keep it interesting and/or help burn some extra fat, but the session should mostly be comprised of practicing the big lifts then supplementary stuff after.
I've been working out in gyms for the past 20+ years. One thing I've learned is that the good trainer to bad trainer ratio seems to be about 1 to 5. I see a lot of them with different clients, different ages, etc. putting them through identical workouts and then even see them do the same workouts.
There are some very good ones, no doubt. But it sounds to me like you're already experienced enough to know how to train and motivated enough to do it regularly. I think your money could be better spent.
I would like to get form down on a few things to get over the "fear" of the weight room. Don't want to have cardio filled training session. No treadmills for me! Doing some jump roping or rowing to mix in with the weights? Sure! I also like the idea of TRX.
So far I've done squats, rows, lunges and presses! All on path with what I need to work on. If I find the right trainer, it is meant to be a short term thing to firm up a plan, maybe 3 months. Then back to on my own with occasional check-ins.
I don't use personal trainers. Without trying to sound pompous, I frankly know more than 90% of the trainers out there so I would stand to gain next to nothing from them. If I met one of the other 10% (I know they exist even though I haven't personally known any) I would probably consider it. Same goes for if I ever decide to get into Olympic Lifting, evening on just a recreational basis.
The two times I even considered using trainers in the past were pretty much disasters.
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