Thread: Rant BY a personal trainer

^ Good points, Ponyboy.

I see this as similar to folks who buy the home equipment, or sign up at the gyms....and then stop working-out soon thereafter.

It does suck if someone is lazy and cancels and cheats on the nutritional plan, because some other folks (potential customers) may thinks it's the personal trainer, and it's not - it's the lazy, unmotivated, client.

Trust me, I have tried every excuse in the book......I am a very busy woman, a small child with CP, a very hyper active 4 year old, preschool, volunter work, parttime school, babysitting a two year old lil girl, a 5 bedroom house to keep clean, 3 cats and an iguana to look after as well as being everything else to my partner. I don't have time to watch tv, let alone read a book (I try to read once in a while). BUT.....I have committed myself to getting up at 6am, three times a week to look after ME! I think you should be brutally honest with people, it works. Thanks, you motivated me further.

I am by no stretch of the imagination a personal trainer, but I understand where you're coming from.

I've been working out for about a year. I started at 235 pounds (16.6 stone) of total fat. I worked down to 199 pounds and now I'm up to 220 pounds (with still a bit too much fat). People I know are really starting to see the difference and want me to tell them how to do it. I start talking about the hours I put in each week, sensible nutrition, and basic supplements. I keep it simple and sensible, but they come to the realization that it take effort and I watch lose interest even as I answer thiner question.

The short version: people suck.

I agree with you 100% on this topic, I wish to a large degree that I worked for myself because I have a few clients who's asses I would fire, I know other PT's who have a written clause in their contract which indicates that this will happen if a client doesn't adhere to the program or falsifies information. Hell even some effort towards their goals would probably keep me satisfied, after all for some people it really is difficult, however I feel that a few clients are just flat out wasting both mine and their time.
So far 90% of my clients are actually really putting forth the effort, I have a few who admittedly could do better - that's fine and one who is a complete waste of time, he books four sessions a week and shows up for two at most, quite often none, he trains for about 2 - 3 weeks in a row and then takes several off and when he does train he usually cuts the sessions short because he says he's tired or burnt out, he doesn't exert in any way shape or form and bitches and whines constantly about his lack of progress, he is a lazy fuck. In his case he is only there at all because his dad purchased the sessions for him because he is so out of shape. He also recently confessed to me that he eats at fast food restaurants at least five times per week... it's extremely frustrating and hard at times to be professional when all you really want to say is 'stop wasting my fucking time you spineless pussy!' (I think this would be considered rude by some?!
Anyway I feel for ya ponyboy and it's nice to read a post by a PT for a change about some of our frustrations.

I just fire people. If they don't want to work...I fire them. They cancel, they cancel and they cancel again. When they call to reschedule a session I just never call them back. to bad for them. That is all you have to do. No need to get worked up about it. that or you may be to nice to them. i have no problem telling people what i think and putting them in their place. if they don't like it they will find another trainer and i can fill their slot with someone who wants to work.

This is a problem I came across when I was doing PT mostly and only doing research on the side. Not much you can do about it at that point, but now that PT is a part-time thing for me I send their asses packing if they cancel on a regular basis.

A buddy of mine does have that written into his contract with clients and it goes something like "You must use a minimum of 2 sessions per week unless an alternate agreement between you and the trainer is made prior to beginning sessions. The trainer's discretion is used in the event of extenuating circumstances. If you fail to meet this requirement, your remaining sessions will be void."

He obviously allows people to train once a week, but if you are intending to train 2+ times a week and you skip sessions, the trainer gets screwed. He also requires a minimum of 8 sessions be purchased at a time.

I always see Personal Trainers "working" with people, and getting them to do 100 sets of situps and bicept curls with 5 lb dumbells so they can get "cut."

bicept curls are my favorite exercise. In fact, bicepts is my favorite muscle group. Where precisely are the bicepts?

Yep, all of those really come clean with it....and all of them could make 1000 more excuses. Like you said you have to want it first to get it.

Originally Posted by ponyboy

I'm sick and tired of clients who proclaim that they want to get started and see some results and then cancel appointments week after week claiming that work is too busy and they don't have time. People sit down, set goals and then do absolutely NOTHING to work towards them. What these people don't seem to realize is two things: one, you're not going to get any results if you don't do anything to work towards them - I can't wave a magic stick and make you lose weight or relieve your problems. Two, my reputation is based on your results! How do you think it looks if you book time with me, constantly bag off of your times that we have booked, get no results, and then people ask you what happened? Do you think people blame themselves? Of course not.

I actually had a woman who hadn't lost any weight in her first month say she wasn't happy after we set her up with a program - full workouts in detail along with a nutrition plan that was simple and totally manageable - she cancelled four appointments in a row (once a week over four weeks) and claimed she didn't have time to exercise. And this is on a program she could do at home OR at the gym that would take her less than 45 minutes to do properly and I asked her to do it 3 times in a week. Hmm. There are 168 hours in a week and I asked you to use 2.5 of them to exercise. I'm quite sure you spent more than that EVERY NIGHT watching TV. And as for eating properly there is no excuse there. You have the choice to pick up the donut or take an apple with you to work. People don't change because really deep down they just don't want to.

It is very hard somehow for people to be accountable to themselves and admit that they have done nothing to better themselves. It is much easier to blame the person who was trying to help you.

Actually, the thing I'm really sick and tired of is people who claim that work makes them too busy. I have two jobs and I run a business. Everyone here on this site is probably busy too but we all still manage to find time to work out on a regular basis. I have worked in a corporate environment and I know how much time people waste every day doing absolutely nothing. And then they claim that they are "crazy busy" all of the time. Here's a news flash: NO, YOU'RE NOT. You can either choose to better yourself or take the easy way out and continue to sit at a desk all day surfing the internet and sitting in "meetings" that accomplish nothing. Sit down and write out what you actually do every day and how much time you waste on the phone, internet and doing things like watching TV. It would astound you.

Then they get defensive when you confront them about it. When I ask my clients how much TV they watch a week the numbers would astound you. God forbid you ask them to turn off the bloody television and do something even the slightest bit useful like read a book or exercise. People think one hour a day devoted to bettering themselves is this huge sacrifice. These are the same people that waste my time and their money hiring a personal trainer. From now on I'm going to be a little more strict when it comes to taking on clients because these excuse ridden "too busy" people are absolutely driving me up the wall. Blame yourself for looking and feeling the way that you do, because you're the one that got you that way - not me. I'm going to start being brutally honest with people and telling them exactly what I think. Maybe I can change some attitudes.

Rant off.

MAN i ain't gonna read all that

Thanks for reminding me to reschedule with my trainer. I'm lucky in that my trainer and I have a fairly good working relationship in that he knows my work can be unpredictable and my hours long so we always book late appointments, but I know he doesn't like to stay late so when I can come in early I call to see if he has earlier times available. However, just because I may work 12+ hours a day, 5 days a week doesn't mean I don't go to the gym for a workout. It is not uncommon to see me at the gym anywhere from 7pm to 9pm or later (thank god gym open to 11pm mon thru thurs). Even though I only work with my trainer once a week, he sees me at the gym during the week and more often than not asks me when I last took a day off from the gym.

The key ingredient between my trainer and I, is communication. I made it clear from the start what I did for work, what my work hours were like and said can we make this work.

Originally Posted by HANK-VISSER

MAN i ain't gonna read all that

It's almost like work...

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

bicept curls are my favorite exercise. In fact, bicepts is my favorite muscle group. Where precisely are the bicepts?

Sorry my typos just got me 0wn3d.

Originally Posted by P-funk

I just fire people. If they don't want to work...I fire them. They cancel, they cancel and they cancel again. When they call to reschedule a session I just never call them back. to bad for them. That is all you have to do. No need to get worked up about it. that or you may be to nice to them. i have no problem telling people what i think and putting them in their place. if they don't like it they will find another trainer and i can fill their slot with someone who wants to work.

I can't fire my clients, my gym won't let me... trust me if I could I would! lol

Originally Posted by BritChick

I can't fire my clients, my gym won't let me... trust me if I could I would! lol

how wont they let you? I just go to my manager and say...."this person isn't going to work out in my busy schedule. PLease give them to someone else." and they do.

You should put a Nazi clause in your contract where you can show up at their home or workplace and drag them by any means necessary to the gym, but if you have to they pay extra.

I totally agree that these flakes are frustrating. Everyone wants the "magic pill" to burn fat and build muscle, without having to work for it. I'm not a trainer, but if I were, my very first session would contain this statement: "You'll only get out of this what you put in. If you are not 100% committed to following the proper diet, showing up consistently and on time, and following my instructions on proper form, then I'm not the trainer for you."

Originally Posted by ponyboy

God forbid you ask them to turn off the bloody television and do something even the slightest bit useful like read a book or exercise.

Originally Posted by eastbaylifter

I totally agree that these flakes are frustrating. Everyone wants the "magic pill" to burn fat and build muscle, without having to work for it.

And thats all we need are a bunch of Sara Goldfarbs running around.

Originally Posted by P-funk

how wont they let you? I just go to my manager and say...."this person isn't going to work out in my busy schedule. PLease give them to someone else." and they do.

LOL Because they keep firing trainers and I amthe trainer right now is one of the reasons!!!
The worst part was that the gym got paid if they were a no show but I didn't, I did finally manage to get that one cleared up by threatening to leave so I now at least get paid for the no show appts.

Originally Posted by BigDyl

I always see Personal Trainers "working" with people, and getting them to do 100 sets of situps and bicep curls with 5 lb dumbells so they can get "cut."

Not that this is directed twoards anyone here. It is something I see alot at the YMCA though.

this is why im a freelance trainer
screw gyms they can go deep throat ron jeremy
nobody cuts into my profits!

I trained introductory clients at Gold's in IL...Just got my ISSA certification (which is wayyyy overpriced) .

Does it really matter how lazy or hypocritical your client is as long as you get paid...

I only have two right now and one is another girl at my univeristy... I call her out on diet all the time. As long as she pays she can drink and eat pizza and complain to me all she wants

Originally Posted by lnvanry

I trained introductory clients at Gold's in IL...Just got my ISSA certification (which is wayyyy overpriced) .

Does it really matter how lazy or hypocritical your client is as long as you get paid...

I only have two right now and one is another girl at my univeristy... I call her out on diet all the time. As long as she pays she can drink and eat pizza and complain to me all she wants

Guess it doesn't matter until people start to wonder why your clients are not progressing which then makes you, the trainer, look bad.

Originally Posted by Devlin

Thanks for reminding me to reschedule with my trainer. I'm lucky in that my trainer and I have a fairly good working relationship in that he knows my work can be unpredictable and my hours long so we always book late appointments, but I know he doesn't like to stay late so when I can come in early I call to see if he has earlier times available. However, just because I may work 12+ hours a day, 5 days a week doesn't mean I don't go to the gym for a workout. It is not uncommon to see me at the gym anywhere from 7pm to 9pm or later (thank god gym open to 11pm mon thru thurs). Even though I only work with my trainer once a week, he sees me at the gym during the week and more often than not asks me when I last took a day off from the gym.

The key ingredient between my trainer and I, is communication. I made it clear from the start what I did for work, what my work hours were like and said can we make this work.

Devlin you can come to my house and work out anyway you want. Fuck a PT they charge to much....LOL

Originally Posted by Tough Old Man

Fuck a PT they charge to much....LOL

Yeah, you can fuck PT for free.

Thanks Tough, but your place is a tad bit too far away. Agreed they can charge too much, but I got a reasonable package deal for one year and I'm seeing results. The biggest thing the trainer did for me was get me back into a general workout routine. Plus since I lift alone normally, its nice to have one day when I lift with a partner so I can go to failure.

If only some of the IM members were closer

Why don't any of you guys get any money up front. I sell packaging equipment on a 30/50/20 basis. 30% down payment, 505 prior to ship and 20% net 30 from ship date. Why don't you just get a percentage up front to covere your time? Make the rest progresive. Then you are paid if they show or cancel on the first visits..