Personal Trainers

[P-funk]

I was kidding.

All joking aside, it has become a lifetime goal of mine to acquire all the knowledge I can so that I can one day work with/for/close to someone such as yourself, someone I could train with and in essence, be trained by an elite fitness coach. It would be a dream come true.

lol...I wouldn't call myself an elite anything.

well.....

an elite dip shit, maybe.

 

[CowPimp]

liek Rob said....you are a salesman for yourself. even if you work at a chain gym, you are expected to go out and get clients and do floor time, etc....No one just gives you clients.

Working for a chain gym presents more problems, like they take a big cut of your money.

So then you go out and find a studio to train people and work for yourself (which is what I do) and while life is a little harder that way, you have to work more, you have to build up a base, etc.....you get to (a) train who you want and (b) make a larger cut of the money. It is just getting everything started and built up and staying on top of it that is tough.

Luckily enough, my gym just provides me with client el. It only took a few weeks before my client base was liveable. I'm at about 30 sessions a week right now (Which usually ends up being more like 25 when people drop or whatever), which is fine since I will be going to school in a few weeks.

However, I do get a shitty cut of the money. I get $20 an hour right now, and they get between $50-70.

trust me. it is not as easy as it seems. But, if you are good....the product sells itself. So, also factor into all the business stuff and training the clients the time that you need to spend reading, studying and educating yourself on things to stay on top of the latest research and educating yourself on special population clients. Unless you go the route of ONLY taking a specific group of people (like athletes.....like I am trying to do....again, takes time to build it up to just that) you are going to have to take general population clients. Most of these people don't walk into the gym in a fit condition or able to do anything! Most of them are deconditioned, have injuries, have movement impairments, have lower back pain. Then you get some that are sick...I have trained people with Multiple Sclerosis, Aids, etc....Then you get people who need re-hab. What do you know about that?

there is a lot more to it then that $24/hr.

Agreed. Then there is the motivation/slacker factor. There are a lot of people I train who just don't put forth the effort needed to make progress, and I am a very encouraging trainer relative to the rest. Those who I train 3 times a week and come consistently make good results. When you train a bunch of people who make no progress and just make excuses, are late all the time, and drop sessions all over the place it reflects poorly on you. It sucks. Sometimes you have to train people like that to fill your schedule though.

Training people with orthopedic problems is BIG. Lower back issues are number one. Shoulder and knee issues are pretty common too. Usually it is easily correctible. I trained a woman a few times that has a prosthetic leg, I've trained a guy with spinal cord damage that impaired coordiation and movement on one side in his upper body, I am training a guy now who has foot drop because a nerve was severed during surgery for cancer and he also had his hamstrings and glutes removed and reattached to remove a tumor so he has scar tissue and strength/coordination issues on that leg (Despite that, this guy is great to train; he busts his ass). It is a challenge with these people sometimes, but if you do a little learning you can make great strides toward making them function better in daily life, feel better, and achieve their goals.

 

[OneWheyOrAnother]

So much information!

 

[P-funk]

sounds like a good deal pimp. but, like i said...they are giving you the clients (great!) but they are fucking you in the ass on the pay (not so great). But you can make it work. Start a small outside business and work off of that and do both. that is how you make a great living!

about training people with "issues" or who are sick and making strides......

they are the best people to train because they don't fucking take it for granted. They know that they have to be there because it is vital to them and their everyday life and when they are there they don't fuck around. Not like these lazy ass whinning people that come in and bitch about gaining a pound because they ate like an asshole and drank like an asshole all weekend. The greatest client I ever trained had aids. He was amazing. his work ethic was incredible. Not only did he have aids but when he was young (13) he fell off his bike and shattered his elbow and back then (he was 54 when I was training him) they didn't have surgery to correct this so his elbow is fused at 90 degrees and can move between about 90 degree and 100 degrees of flexion....pretty much nothing! But man! He was awesome. he was the hardest client to walk away form in NY because he was such a hard worker and I knew that I was helping make his life and health better.

 

[Bakerboy]

Shit, you guys rule. It's nice to hear a few stories of people who are not going to the gym just for their own ego. When you feel healthy it's easy to forget all the people that struggle every day just to get out of bed. P that guy you trained who has AIDS sounds like a real warrior. I never want to complain about another workout ever again, shit, I'm a pansy, compared to how hard the above mentioned trainees work.

 

[P-funk]

Shit, you guys rule. It's nice to hear a few stories of people who are not going to the gym just for their own ego. When you feel healthy it's easy to forget all the people that struggle every day just to get out of bed. P that guy you trained who has AIDS sounds like a real warrior. I never want to complain about another workout ever again, shit, I'm a pansy, compared to how hard the above mentioned trainees work.

yea, he was no joke! at 52yrs old and 180lbs he squatted 335 for a double. he never let the arm hold him back either, he worked like a maniac in upper body lifts, doing whatever he could with whatever ROM he could. he was fucking ripped to the bone too....I mean peeled. Dude wa slike 7% BF (when I clipped him) and had veins like you wouldn't believe.

The woman with MS is another one. Nothing holds her back. She stands on one leg and throws a med. ball and tries harder then anyone ever. even on days when her balance is all messed up or she can't feel her foot or something like that. she doesn't let anything hold her back. i have to slow her down and make her rest so that she doesn't over heat because she just wants to keep working.

 

[viet_jon]

yea, he was no joke! at 52yrs old and 180lbs he squatted 335 for a double. he never let the arm hold him back either, he worked like a maniac in upper body lifts, doing whatever he could with whatever ROM he could. he was fucking ripped to the bone too....I mean peeled. Dude wa slike 7% BF (when I clipped him) and had veins like you wouldn't believe.

The woman with MS is another one. Nothing holds her back. She stands on one leg and throws a med. ball and tries harder then anyone ever. even on days when her balance is all messed up or she can't feel her foot or something like that. she doesn't let anything hold her back. i have to slow her down and make her rest so that she doesn't over heat because she just wants to keep working.

all of a suden, i don't feel so unlucky no more!

 

[CowPimp]

yea, he was no joke! at 52yrs old and 180lbs he squatted 335 for a double. he never let the arm hold him back either, he worked like a maniac in upper body lifts, doing whatever he could with whatever ROM he could. he was fucking ripped to the bone too....I mean peeled. Dude wa slike 7% BF (when I clipped him) and had veins like you wouldn't believe.

The woman with MS is another one. Nothing holds her back. She stands on one leg and throws a med. ball and tries harder then anyone ever. even on days when her balance is all messed up or she can't feel her foot or something like that. she doesn't let anything hold her back. i have to slow her down and make her rest so that she doesn't over heat because she just wants to keep working.

I love people like that. The one guy I mentioned that had surgery for cancer that left his mobility and balance surrounding his left hip trashed, and severed his nerve that controls his tibialis anterior is fun to work with and a real hard worker. People like him make the job that much better. I always feel good going into the session because I know he isn't going to bitch about the exercises I tell him to do, and he's going to do his best to get them done.

I've only been training him for a month or so now, but he's down 9 pounds of fat, increased his LBM, practically stopped drinking, has largely changed his diet (He's working with our nutritionist too), and does another couple days of spinning every week to supplement the weight training we do. He is totally receptive to everything I throw at him, and he is doing a Hell of a lot better off because of it. He already says that moving around is much easier, and I can see it when getting in and out of position on various stretches and performing certain dynamic flexibility exercises.

 

[PWGriffin]

Most of my clients are pretty normal. It is amazing to watch a sedentary person's work capacity double or triple. My boss does have one client who's lost a hundred pounds (NO SURGERY)

When she first came to us, her first couple sessions were "sit down in the chair....get up.....sit back down...get up." She was that bad off.



Oh I got another story....

Yesterday I had a first session with a girl maybe 28 years old and in good shape...we were doing circuits and when we made it back to dumbell rows I was like "alright, get to work!!" She pulled the weight up and proceeded to do a kickback with the same weight she had been doing rows. She made this god awful grunt and I was like " did you just do a kickback?" She said "yeah, this is heavy!!" And then proceeded to try another one with the same grunt. I was like "stop!, stop! What the fuck r u doin??"

Her form was fine, just the wrong exercise!!

 

[CowPimp]

Haha, that's a badass kickback.

 

[Tough Old Man]

Ok, so I'm a personal trainer at a private studio. The boss hires another trainer today and I'm pretty stoked cuz I think maybe this guy might know something I don't, maybe he's the real deal...just MAYBE we can carry on an intelligent conversation regarding resistance training.



Nope, not happenin. Dude is completely clueless.

He cracks open my dusty copy of "The encyclopedia of modern bodybuilding". I catch myself mentioning that the book is kinda outdated and has some misinformation in it. I glance over his shoulder to see a wonderful example, in which the book illustrates that a wider grip on the bench press works the "outer" pecs, and a closer grip works the "inner" pecs. I proceed to drop a little knowledge about how the muscle fibers in the pecs run longitudinally and that there is only a sternal and clavicular head and that there is virtually no evidence I'm aware of that one can isolate "regions" of a muscle...I go on to say that I wish I COULD work my inner chest more because I would like to have a more "filled in" look to my pecs....



He then proceeds to give me wonderful advice on how to really work those inner pecs.





My question is just how FUCKING easy is it to get some of these certifications?? Has anyone seen various curriculums for some of these cheaper, crappier certs? Are there some certs you literally just pay for up front and get ur piece of paper in the mail a week later??

Hey Mike tyson and Don king each paid $50K to get Doctrines.

Then what does he do. He bites the ear off Evander and has no fucking idea how to sew it back on. Does that tell you anything.

 

[wilwn]

hey pfunk, i was thinking about possibly pursuing a masters in kinesiology as well. i've completed one year of college and was wondering what kind of bachelor's degree would be best for that. i'm currently thinking about doing physiological science, though it is a tough major with all the premed kids in it.

 

[P-funk]

hey pfunk, i was thinking about possibly pursuing a masters in kinesiology as well. i've completed one year of college and was wondering what kind of bachelor's degree would be best for that. i'm currently thinking about doing physiological science, though it is a tough major with all the premed kids in it.

If you are looking at a masters, why not get an undergrad in exercise phys?

If you really want to try and make some money though, I would go with an undergrad in either exercise phys. or kineseology and a masters in physical therapy.

 

[AKIRA]

When I got certified, I still didnt jump into getting a job at a gym cuz of how much knowledge I was still learning. NASM is a great company and I learned a lot of material that I was flat out WRONG about AND NASM instructs you on specifics that you never knew existed.

BUT.

Theres still more out there. I learn something new everyday. I have put this certification to the test on clients that I train at their homes (best deal) and I love hearing good feedback from them, but I still dont feel confident in working at a gym I want to learn more and put more things to the test, even first hand. I am constantly asking "baby/newbie" questions as I know thats how I am going to hear them from clients. I want to be able to provide fast, knowledgable answers and foremost, I do NOT want to be one of those trainers in a random gym that doesnt know shit. You should see the trainers at my Golds, still incorporating fossil-like workouts, WITHOUT correcting a clients bad form. Seriously, this asshole in particuliar never tells a client to, for example, have a "neutral spine."

Until I have more confidence in the material I have learned and WILL learn, I will continue to train my clients at their homes and hold off in going to a gym, but Id say thats coming soon.

(I am just going to see what is required for lower back 'rehab' FIRST)

 

[PWGriffin]

When I got certified, I still didnt jump into getting a job at a gym cuz of how much knowledge I was still learning. NASM is a great company and I learned a lot of material that I was flat out WRONG about AND NASM instructs you on specifics that you never knew existed.

BUT.

Theres still more out there. I learn something new everyday. I have put this certification to the test on clients that I train at their homes (best deal) and I love hearing good feedback from them, but I still dont feel confident in working at a gym I want to learn more and put more things to the test, even first hand. I am constantly asking "baby/newbie" questions as I know thats how I am going to hear them from clients. I want to be able to provide fast, knowledgable answers and foremost, I do NOT want to be one of those trainers in a random gym that doesnt know shit. You should see the trainers at my Golds, still incorporating fossil-like workouts, WITHOUT correcting a clients bad form. Seriously, this asshole in particuliar never tells a client to, for example, have a "neutral spine."

Until I have more confidence in the material I have learned and WILL learn, I will continue to train my clients at their homes and hold off in going to a gym, but Id say thats coming soon.

(I am just going to see what is required for lower back 'rehab' FIRST)

Good luck with the back thing man, my back is hurtin a little today, I had my boss help stretch me out yesterday and I think he got a little careless.

Man the questions some of these people ask....lol.


And about Gold's gym trainers...yeah I hired one a LONG time ago. in 12 weeks I only put 30lbs on my bench maybe a little more.....this is while I was on a cycle of sust/deca. Looking back, I could've done that naturally with no trainer. The volume for the workouts was out of control. I once asked about the shape of my quads, what I could do to have more muscle closer to the knee.... he told to add a set or two to my leg extensions. Well that did the trick!!

 

[Yanick]

i would love to be a PT, it was hella fun...but the selling is not me (or atleast wasn't me, dunno bout now).

i always tell myself i should just give it a shot but i have so much shit going on between 2 jobs and school that i don't know how/when i'd be able to do that.

 

[wilwn]

If you are looking at a masters, why not get an undergrad in exercise phys?

If you really want to try and make some money though, I would go with an undergrad in either exercise phys. or kineseology and a masters in physical therapy.

i would, but UCLA doesn't offer exercise phys/kinesiology, at least, not as a major. i was thinking that physiological science would be the next best thing. any advice?

 

[AKIRA]

Good luck with the back thing man, my back is hurtin a little today, I had my boss help stretch me out yesterday and I think he got a little careless.

Man the questions some of these people ask....lol.


And about Gold's gym trainers...yeah I hired one a LONG time ago. in 12 weeks I only put 30lbs on my bench maybe a little more.....this is while I was on a cycle of sust/deca. Looking back, I could've done that naturally with no trainer. The volume for the workouts was out of control. I once asked about the shape of my quads, what I could do to have more muscle closer to the knee.... he told to add a set or two to my leg extensions. Well that did the trick!!

There are some good trainers there. Two to be exact...and maybe 3. The main trainer is a past Mr. Florida and he is good at what he does...for himself. He knows how to make himself look good, but others? Eh,, I am not so sure.

The 3 I am thnking of are 2 men and 1 woman. The two men actually provided health and fitness workouts, rather than bodybuilding workouts. The knowledge these guys know have me thinking they could provide bodybuilder instructions as well, but they prefer "functional strength."

The woman I am just assuming, to tell you the truth. When I compare her to the other 2 women trainers, I can see she has passion in her work versus the roided woman and the girl I would fuck. Shucks.

 

[rmcfar]

what sort of major would someone looking into sport specific training look into. i have my mind made up and i am doing my B.Sc starting next fall (07) and then will most likely move on to major in exercise sciences.

my main goal is not to be a personal trainer at a gym but to train athletes, most likely hockey players since 98% of canadians play hockey, and i know the sport from playing for 14 years.

im not sure what most NHL, NFL, and NBA strength & conditioning coaches have as far as education. if anyone could shed some light on this that would be great

 

[P-funk]

what sort of major would someone looking into sport specific training look into. i have my mind made up and i am doing my B.Sc starting next fall (07) and then will most likely move on to major in exercise sciences.

my main goal is not to be a personal trainer at a gym but to train athletes, most likely hockey players since 98% of canadians play hockey, and i know the sport from playing for 14 years.

im not sure what most NHL, NFL, and NBA strength & conditioning coaches have as far as education. if anyone could shed some light on this that would be great

if training athletes is your goal you need no major at all you need to:

a) know your shit

b) have a ton of conections

no one just gets hired into the NBA or the NFL or the NHL without knowing someone.


If you want to just work with athletes then be prepared to not make any money for a long long time while you build up clients and a reputation in that small niche.

Otherwise, get inline with the other ones like us that want to work with athletes and start training general population to make a living and hone your chops, work with a few athletes (who ever comes your way), study and learn as much as you can, and slowly build a reputation and a business......There are a ton of great strength coachs out there that work with athletes. You have to have something really special to offer to make a living JUST working with that population of people.

 

[rmcfar]

Thank you for the info.

And i agree that no or not too many trainers in the "big leagues" have made it to where they are without some sort of connections. I still plan to major in exercise sciences though because there are so many different directions you can go with the degree and if i do decide to train athletes or just general clients then i think it would benefit me in the long run.

 

[PWGriffin]

Thank you for the info.

And i agree that no or not too many trainers in the "big leagues" have made it to where they are without some sort of connections. I still plan to major in exercise sciences though because there are so many different directions you can go with the degree and if i do decide to train athletes or just general clients then i think it would benefit me in the long run.

keep in mind that to train the general population you need no degree whatsoever. An education could perhaps help tremendously, but I'm doin just fine right now with not very much college out of the way at all.

 

[CowPimp]

keep in mind that to train the general population you need no degree whatsoever. An education could perhaps help tremendously, but I'm doin just fine right now with not very much college out of the way at all.

Hell, I got hired without a degree or a certification, haha. I just knew the right person, and during the interview they setup hypothetical situations to deal with a few different clients. Apparently I did well enough that I got the job, though I did tell them the date I was taking my certification exam, so they knew I was getting one.

 

[P-funk]

Hell, I got hired without a degree or a certification, haha. I just knew the right person, and during the interview they setup hypothetical situations to deal with a few different clients. Apparently I did well enough that I got the job, though I did tell them the date I was taking my certification exam, so they knew I was getting one.

yes, most places will hire you if you are uncertified, as long as you get your cert within the first 2-3 months of working there (depending on the place)....some places even pay for it!

 

[PWGriffin]

Hell, I got hired without a degree or a certification, haha. I just knew the right person, and during the interview they setup hypothetical situations to deal with a few different clients. Apparently I did well enough that I got the job, though I did tell them the date I was taking my certification exam, so they knew I was getting one.

heh, me too. I met my current boss at a bar!! He had me take a test, let me use the study guide, and didn't even grade it....just printed my cert online....kinda scary huh???

Sportsplex and Fitness Together in particular have their own "certification" programs. IIRC.

 

[wilwn]

heh, me too. I met my current boss at a bar!! He had me take a test, let me use the study guide, and didn't even grade it....just printed my cert online....kinda scary huh???

Sportsplex and Fitness Together in particular have their own "certification" programs. IIRC.

nice.

 

[studen77]

I know at an la fitness in atlanta they've got several fat/chubby trainers, 2-3 with huge guts that look horrible - 'body for life' i think they call their program. Its a friggin joke. One of em' actually injured this lady not even teaching here proper squat technique..her back got all screwed up and I was there to see it.

When i was a beginner back in 2004 they had ONE guy there who was a true bodybuilder that I trained with for 3 months and it was great..killer routines etc. He got fired later on for taking clients outside their program though..

I'd never work with any skinny or fat trainer whatsoever. He doesn't even know the routines he's been 'taught' nor has he tried em.

 

[GoalGetter]

I know at an la fitness in atlanta they've got several fat/chubby trainers, 2-3 with huge guts that look horrible - 'body for life' i think they call their program. Its a friggin joke. One of em' actually injured this lady not even teaching here proper squat technique..her back got all screwed up and I was there to see it.

When i was a beginner back in 2004 they had ONE guy there who was a true bodybuilder that I trained with for 3 months and it was great..killer routines etc. He got fired later on for taking clients outside their program though..

I'd never work with any skinny or fat trainer whatsoever. He doesn't even know the routines he's been 'taught' nor has he tried em.

LA Fitness - Body of Change. I worked for them briefly. HORRIBLE company to work for. Like most of these bigger chain gyms - they don't care about your qualifications as a trainer, as much as they care about your qualifications as a sales person. There were SOME better trainers where I worked, but they didn't last long there. They have bigger fish to fry and more money to make elsewhere. In my opinion, and based on my observations while working for these types of places, the ones who do stay are not very good trainers or if they are, they probably don't think they can do much better elsewhere. Then there are those mediocre trainers who are such good salesmen that they end up in training management positions, barely training and doing a lot of sales instead. LA Fitness, Bally's, and the like -- you're more likely to end up with a shitty trainer who is a great salesman than you are with a great trainer. Again - just my opinion from having worked at these places and dealt with trainers and managers in those settings.

--------

I do have to disagree however, as far as hiring a trainer who "looks" the part because he MUST be a good trainer vs. a trainer who looks like he or she should hire a trainer themselves.

There are some phenomenal trainers out there who for a number of reasons can not work out due to an injury, or a health condition has caused them to gain a little weight, etc. They might be hella better and more qualified trainers than some of the ones who look like bodybuilders who probably take a bunch of steroids or (for the lady trainers) have had surgery and lipo and don't know glycogen from glycerine.

If you're going to hire a trainer you are better off TALKING to various trainers, asking to see some of their programs, watch them in action with other clients, etc. Just because someone looks like they can play the part of "hunky personal trainer" in a movie, doesn't mean they are any good as an real life trainer.

Injury and various health conditions are no excuse for OBESITY, as you can usually stay in relatively good shape by at least eating properly, but just because someone looks "normal" or a little on the chunky side doesn't mean they don't know how to get YOU to your fitness goals.

I am guilty of jumping to the same conclusion as you, don't get me wrong - I would not want to hire a trainer who doesn't look like he or she practices what they preach. Same as i wouldnt' want to hire a doctor who is obese or smokes, or a dentist with bad teeth. However, having been in this business now, and getting to knwo a lot of trainers from all walks of life, I have realized that some very good trainers are occasionally overlooked because they don't look the part. And i'm not saying they were fat trainers. Some were just skinny dudes or average looking people who dont look like they even know how to get to the gym.

 

[Martinogdenbsx]

that does not help much in regards to getting clients, as a PT you're also a salesman!

If u have an impressive physique your body does the talking though

 

[P-funk]

If u have an impressive physique your body does the talking though

if you look really good but suck as a trainer you may get clients....but you wont keep them. people want results more then they want a trainer that looks the part but doesn't know fuck all.