I was a 150lb personal trainer before I started grad school and changed careers. I was giving unsolicited advice all the time at my university gym even though I didn’t work there. I’m sure I came off as a major douche-nozzle, even though people thought I worked there. And I did this all because these BS certificates made me feel like I had the credentials to do so.
LOL and I was way worse off, struggling with 275 squat, 205 bench, and just starting into 315 territory on deadlift - damn who did I think I was?? On a side note, I think getting certified to be a trainer was one of the worst choices I made business and fitness wise.
How come? Hasn’t helped you at all, or something?
Trying to be a personal trainer in a commercial gym didn’t get me anywhere, and I didn’t have any knowledge/results to show for. All my stuff was super generic because it was from the textbook or company materials. I started with some BS cert called NESTA, which was literally $250 and a weekend workshop. I realized that I didn’t really know how to make a program or fill out a one hour session, so I spent $1000 on NASM CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Later on, my company stopped accepting NASM and wanted me to get ACE. I quit around this time.
I later on got floor hours and taught a weekly class during grad school at a local YMCA, so it wasn’t a complete loss. But time, effort, and money wise, I could have made better decisions. I think I should have spent more time getting to where I needed to be to be taken seriously in fitness.
As for fitness decision, the money I spent on certifications would have been better invested working with a knowledgeable coach. I feel like I learned more off youtube than anything in a NASM, NESTA, or ACE textbook. And I think working with a proper coach would have taught me what proper coaching looks like. After I started working a higher paying job, I’ve worked with different coaches and figured out what I like. Money was tight at this time, but I could have spent that $1250 better.
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Read the person.
Some people will get butt hurt if you throw out advice, some will welcome it with open arms.
…[Gosh, these squats don’t feel right, but this is only my 2nd time squatting at the gym. Surely this is the type of place where if someone had advice that would help me, they’d quickly step in…]
I’ve thrown out advice with many different reactions. I even told a dude at the gym that he smelled…“you smell” were my exact words.
His response?
[Sincerely] “oh Thanks for letting me know, I had no idea”…
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Well sometimes hand on experience sometimes trump what you might read in a text book…at least in some cases. As you know since you brought up working with a established coach’s.
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When I was 13yo I was trying to lift at the local Y by myself. Two old dudes in their 50’s are benching 4 plates minding their own business.
I didn’t even know that warming up was a thing and just start trying to move the heaviest stuff I can manage.
After about 5 reps I get stapled and go to start the roll of shame and they lift the barbell off me.
“What are you doing kid?!”
“Uh… I dunno.”
“You should asked for help if you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing”
“Help”
Lol
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…I bet they were only in their 30’s…you only thought they were in their 50’s.
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I wish I was given advice on how to squat, bench and dead lift when I was 19.
Years of training on and off have been a waste of time. I’m 27 now and I’ve only been making progress over the last year or so.
Then again, if some approached me the wrong way at that age, I would have told them where to go…