Thread: Throwing in the Towel

Originally Posted by wilwn

edit: i suppose if it were a really really bad squat...

Yeah, if you squat, lose your balance, and fall through a plate glass window :P

So, trained her this morning, she called me last night and wanted to do today instead of Saturday and she actually brought it up.

Her: I would like to change up my training a bit, did you talk to Steve (My Boss)?

Me: Yeah, I did...We really need to talk about this. I understand when you train with him, that you like those workouts, you feel a bg burn in your lower ab region and you like that. We have discussed, at length, how a burn in your abdominals is not you burning fat. What you have to understand is that he is running a business, most people want to train and feel their abs for most of their workout. He hasn't done any of your assessments, so he doesn't know what you need. I have told you time and time again, that little bit of flab at the bottom of your abs is not going to come off from doing ab exercises, it's going to come off from what we do that burns calories. I know he gives you exercises that you feel a lot, but that is because they isolate each muscle, this is counterproductive to what you want to do. If something is wrong with your car and you bring it to the mechanic, do you tell him how to fix it? No, you let him do his job. That is all I ask.

Her: Ok, that sounds fine, one thing I would like you to do is to kind of guide me more when I am doing the exercises, keep your hands undermy arms, that kind of stuff.

Me: I understand what you are saying, but those little sways you have when bench pressing...the times you become off-balance when squatting...It makes absolutely no sense for me to position you for that stuff and hold you into position. Your body needs to see what is right. If you are grossly off I will move you, but if your elbow is an inch away from where it is supposed to be, that is something you can correct, and should do.

So, we came to our understanding, at least until he trains her again, I imagine.

Good job - hopefully she understands and is the better for it.

Probably not, we had the same talk when I got back from that camp. I honestly hope she justs asks to be trained by him, that will eliminate my need to train on weekends.

Originally Posted by wilwn

it's a scary thought, but i'm willing to bet there are a good number of personal trainers out there who actually believe in spot reduction.

You better bet your ass. The thing is, most of these certifcation exams you have to study for will indicate otherwise. It's like they totally fucking ignored what they read in the textbook because "common gym wisdom" dictates otherwise. Morons.

I have to have the same conversation with a client this evening.....I fucking hate trainign these people.

People really don't understand that when I train them full body style, that their entire body is being worked...so they ask questions about what exercises they could do to hit the back of their arms and shit.

I got a client who has lost over 20lbs now...and is showing a little definition in some places...and she thinks it is muscle growth...at one point her weight loss slowed and she asked my boss if he thought she might be putting on too much muscle mass...

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she works out once a week...and we do higher reps circuit style. She has seen almost no gain in strength whatsoever.....

And what do you guys mean when you "house" someone??

You better bet your ass. The thing is, most of these certifcation exams you have to study for will indicate otherwise.

Funny part is...some of these certifications information is way off...you know, the easy, crappy certs that everybody got off the internet in a couple weeks...I remember the test I took at the studio I work at listed exercises and whether they were for "size" or "definition"

Originally Posted by wilwn

it's a scary thought, but i'm willing to bet there are a good number of personal trainers out there who actually believe in spot reduction.

Ohhhh Maaaannnn. Now you tell me!!! Next thing you will start spreading rumors that the scholarly advice in the muscle mags is BS or some such thing.

Originally Posted by Phred

Ohhhh Maaaannnn. Now you tell me!!! Next thing you will start spreading rumors that the scholarly advice in the muscle mags is BS or some such thing.

as bad as muscle mags are, i think even they don't advocate spot reduction.

My boss has been weighing in on the scales at work for a little while now...when we first opened the studio he wanted to get cut....he started doing some cardio, tried to watch what he ate more often....

Then I noticed he started gaining weight again..."I thought you were trying to lose weight" i said..."I'm trying to build now" he says to me...(I'm thinking he gave up on cutting after like two weeks) and then just a second after that he says.....




"And then turn the fat into muscle."



He really said that....my boss....the guy that RUNS a fitness studio...

i hope you called him on that.

there is no way i would let shit like that fly.

stupid remards like that are reason enough to get fired.

Originally Posted by P-funk

i hope you called him on that.

there is no way i would let shit like that fly.

stupid remards like that are reason enough to get fired.

There is no arguing with the guy...if you back him into a corner with facts...he will just get pissed off and say he doesn't want to debate with me. And if I called him out everytime he said things like that....it would mean an argument EVERY TIME he opens his mouth. And I mean that QUITE LITERALLY.

His only focus is on weight loss by any means possible.

I really hate the fact that he is the person who taught me how to train people. That's why I would love to work with some real trainers in the near future and learn how it supposed to be done. How else can I learn to be a good trainer??

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

There is no arguing with the guy...if you back him into a corner with facts...he will just get pissed off and say he doesn't want to debate with me. And if I called him out everytime he said things like that....it would mean an argument EVERY TIME he opens his mouth. And I mean that QUITE LITERALLY.

His only focus is on weight loss by any means possible.

I really hate the fact that he is the person who taught me how to train people. That's why I would love to work with some real trainers in the near future and learn how it supposed to be done. How else can I learn to be a good trainer??

1) read everything! I make myself read atleast 1 new study each day as well as a minimum of 10 pages out of a textbook or a new article. I almost always exceed this by a lot.

2) you can take a look on nasm.org or nsca-lift.org and look for the trainer locator. find some in your area and get in contact with them. ask if you can shadow them on some sessions or get together and talk shop. most people are really cool about that.

3) Find a sports team in your area (college? pro? minor league?) try and do some intern work.....offer to work for free so you can learn.

4) look up physical therapy clinics and call and ask if they ever hire trainers to help rehab clients. there may be a job for you. if they don't, you can ask to come in and shadow and talk shop with them also.

5) talk to as many people as possible who are in the know.

You live in Birmingham Alabama...

Check out the campus Rec Center at the University of Alabama. Try and get a job there.....or contact the college athletic director about traingin to work with the strength and conditioning staff.

UAB Rec Center

this place is in birmingham and looks like a sweet place to work! They do NFL combine prep and sport specific training. I would call them tomorrow.

Originally Posted by P-funk

this place is in birmingham and looks like a sweet place to work! They do NFL combine prep and sport specific training. I would call them tomorrow.

It defininetly looks and sounds like a great place to work...but I am far from qualified....you forget how lacking I am in the knowledge and experience department!!

I think I see where you're goin....contact these people about training there and learning the things I need to, to be successful in the industry...thx so much for the help.

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

It defininetly looks and sounds like a great place to work...but I am far from qualified....you forget how lacking I am in the knowledge and experience department!!

I think I see where you're goin....contact these people about training there and learning the things I need to, to be successful in the industry...thx so much for the help.

1) don't worry about qualification. Call and ask. They will teach you and tell you what is expected. It will make you learn and get better.

2) If they aren't hiring, what I would do, is tell them who you are, your interests, what you do aned what you are studying. Ask if you can come down to the facility a few times and watch them test some of the athletes and train some of the athletes. watch, observe, learn, ask questions. it will help you out a lot!

oh, did you see the link I put on the page prior?

Originally Posted by P-funk

oh, did you see the link I put on the page prior?

yes, I saw that afterwards. Rec center might be a great idea, with possible great benefits for someone wanting to go back to school.....not to mention all the hott girls walkin around that mug.

I just need to hurry with getting my certification. Regardless of how good it is, it will open a lot of the right doors for me I think. All I have now is my company's cert.