You should have cleaned his clock! He was probably jealous because you looked better than him and HE was a trainer. I’m a trainer and the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen a former co worker do was give a rail then girl 135lbs to squat with and tell her “O.K watch your fom and go for 10 reps” She had NEVER squatted before! The poor girl almost toppled over but she liked this “trainer” because she thought he was “cute”
He was later fired for an equally dumb offense.
[quote]Sxio wrote:
jehovasfitness wrote:
Nominal Prospect wrote:
If his knees were buckling inwards, then she may have been right…
Good point. Knees caving in wouldn’t be a good thing, especially with the light weight, only to go heavier. Unless, we’re misunderstanding what happened.
Yep. You and your friend sounds like idiots. The trainer was right, if his knees are going in then he’s not doing it properly and it sounds like you are both doing far too much weight.
Dickheads like you are a dime a dozen in the gym. This is a thread about stupid trainers, but I’ve see moronic things done everyday by stupid clients.
I don’t even give advice anymore because you get the smirk, and then the dipshit ALWAYS adds more weight and does more 1/4 reps. What, do you think my back gives a shit you have crappy form? It was your back I’m worried about.
Most trainers only goal is to stop people from hurting themselves.
But now, i don’t give advice to any guy under 30 as they, no matter what level of development they are at, always seem to think they know better.
[/quote]
I agree with this. I was under the impression that this guy knew what he was talking about. If his knees truly were turning inwards, the form was off. I also have noticed much more arrogance in younger trainers lately. Every single one of them seems to think they know what they are doing in spite of swinging the weight down until their backs nearly touch the floor on lat pull downs or nearly touching their hands overhead for lateral shoulder raises.
I keep my head forward and try to ignore most of it. Trying to help them is useless and for some reason, they will even think someone who outweighs them by 100lbs is less informed than them about lifting.
[quote]facko wrote:
wow…lol first of all his knees werent bending in…second he goes all the way down and does full yeps…third shut the fuck up bitch. That lady was stupid as shit…shes told me numerous times that when i bench i should bring the bar over my eyes down to my face then up…instead of down to my chest. And btw…leg presses are pretty useful and cant really hurt if they arent as long as you are doing squats and deadlifts too. [/quote]
Leg presses are great. Calm down.
Yeah you would think common sense would play a part. I think part of the problem at my gym is that free personal training comes with a membership. It is supposed to be a basic overview but the trainers that work for the gym are all very young and they dont get paid much. So they dont take things that seriously. They just fired another one because the first thing he would do is make the member do walking lunges with 25’s regardless of whether they had worked out before. The gym actually still has one law suit pending! Sad but amusing nonetheless.
A
[quote]josephxxl wrote:
You should have cleaned his clock! He was probably jealous because you looked better than him and HE was a trainer. I’m a trainer and the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen a former co worker do was give a rail then girl 135lbs to squat with and tell her “O.K watch your fom and go for 10 reps” She had NEVER squatted before! The poor girl almost toppled over but she liked this “trainer” because she thought he was “cute”
He was later fired for an equally dumb offense.[/quote]
Got a good point there X. When you are young you can get away with much more stuff. But a few years down the line they will wish they had listened when the after-effects start to catch up with them.
Another point is that I think it has become way to easy to get certified. To me, a ceritifcation doesnt mean shit if you cant apply what you know to your clients and get results. But give a certification to one of these young know-it-alls and there is no point discussing anything.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I also have noticed much more arrogance in younger trainers lately. Every single one of them seems to think they know what they are doing in spite of swinging the weight down until their backs nearly touch the floor on lat pull downs or nearly touching their hands overhead for lateral shoulder raises.
I keep my head forward and try to ignore most of it. Trying to help them is useless and for some reason, they will even think someone who outweighs them by 100lbs is less informed than them about lifting.[/quote]
[quote]Shadowzz4 wrote:
We are going to work on (Say the word hyper…then say the word trophy.) Repeat[/quote]
Haha I pronounced it that way for a while…
[quote]Amsterdam Animal wrote:
Another point is that I think it has become way to easy to get certified. To me, a ceritifcation doesnt mean shit if you cant apply what you know to your clients and get results. But give a certification to one of these young know-it-alls and there is no point discussing anything.[/quote]
This is so true. I got a job personal training last semester at my campus gym. During my first meeting with the other personal trainers one girl who was recently certified says, “I just got my certification and I still don’t understant what all the stuff in the book means. Like, I can remember what the book says, but I don’t know how to apply it. I am so screwed when I start getting clients.”
Needless to say, out of about 15 trainers, two of them were actually competent. I quit about a month later.
With the exception of high school and university I have trained at home for most of the years. Two years ago I decided to join a gym for a change of scenery. Until then most of the negative comments about gyms and trainers made on this forum were foreign to me. It didn't take long before I witnessed what most people at T-Nation complain about.
I watched a person being trained by the head personal trainer -a person who regularly appears on a local fitness program. You could tell that the trainee was a complete newb as he was approx. 5’ 10" and about 125 lbs and very uncoordinated. I heard the trainer tell the newb “OK, were going to train shoulders now” and proceeded to place him in front of a mirror on a swiss ball.
He then handed him two 2 1/2 lb dumbbells and tried to have him do lateral raises. The poor guy couldn’t even balance himself on the ball ! During the attempted swiss ball lateral raises this trainer was explaining that this exercise was “the best” for developing muscular shoulders. The problem with placing him in front of the mirror was that he could see all the people behind him smirking (myself included -it was hilarious to watch) and he was visibly embarrassed. At the end of his session he left, never to be seen again.
I had joined the gym for a year, but after witnessing events such as this, pretty much every time I went, I returned to the sanctity of my home gym after 5 months.
I belong to a fairly large club with 5 or 6 personal trainers walking around at all times. It is obvious to most that none of them have ever, and don’t intend, to train personally.
[quote]Go-Rilla wrote:
I belong to a fairly large club with 5 or 6 personal trainers walking around at all times. It is obvious to most that none of them have ever, and don’t intend, to train personally.[/quote]
The sad thing is, less than ten years ago, it was completely different. Most of the personal trainers in the mid 90’s looked like they lifted. Many even competed. They began phasing them out by the late 90’s and soon the average model for a personal trainer was any guy they could find who was small enough to fit into a medium tee-shirt with the logo on the front.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Go-Rilla wrote:
I belong to a fairly large club with 5 or 6 personal trainers walking around at all times. It is obvious to most that none of them have ever, and don’t intend, to train personally.
The sad thing is, less than ten years ago, it was completely different. Most of the personal trainers in the mid 90’s looked like they lifted. Many even competed. They began phasing them out by the late 90’s and soon the average model for a personal trainer was any guy they could find who was small enough to fit into a medium tee-shirt with the logo on the front.[/quote]
While attempting to have the music adjusted one morning I asked one of our
specialist, who happened to be eating a bear claw and drinking a coke, if he had ever worked out. Now I get the evil eye from all of the “trainers”.
Really bothers me too.
I used to workout at work. The trainer they had was for sport athletes, he tried to apply this to beginners and we’re talking over 30 something beginners. For example, if someone has never touched a weight in their life why the hell would you have them do DB presses on one leg? This is an advance technique and to say that Crunches is exclusive for core work on a swiss ball…
One day I was doing weighted crunches on a decline with 50 lbs, I had my earplugs on listening to my music and also to block out anybody interrupting me. Well this trainer started hollering at me, I’m known to ignore until my set is done, not to be impolite but you understand. Finally I pull my ear plugs out and ask him “You said something?” He asked me “What are you trying to achieve?” WTF I didn’t ask for advice, I guess he wanted to call me out in front of the crowd, since a lot of them ask me for advice.
So I said “Mass” and started to replace the DB on the rack. He then said “You can’t gain mass and stay lean at the same time.” “Thanks for the update.” I kept walking and then he said “Crunches on the ball is better for the core, you’re getting nothing from the declines.” OK, that was it I lost it and then went up to him, you see at the time I was 40 and this guy was in his mid 20’s I’m 5’ 8" and I was 212 lbs back then and 21% BF (No Mr. O, but looked alright) he was the same height and 160 lbs (I asked him his weight).
I told him “You want to talk about core work? How about OHP, standing not sitting, how about dead lifts, how about squats to name a few? How about I put on 10 lbs of LBW last year and how about adding 1.5” to my arms as well as growth for my entire body at 40!, I guess I don’t know much, look, gain some real muscle and we’ll talk some more."
Then he said “I’m CSCS certified, a strength coach and I work with elite athletes…” I cut him off “Look, what you fail to understand is that the people here are regular folks, looking to get into shape and could care less how complicated a routine is and balancing on a freakin’ ball like a circus bear, if they were getting results from you, they wouldn’t be asking my opinion would they?” I then went to take my shower. When I left this gym to workout at home 10 people quit because I wasn’t there anymore.
Home for spring break from school right now and I’m working out the local Golds Gym. I’m doing the leg portion of DeFrancos Westside for Skinny Bastards and I can’t find a glute-ham developer. I ask up at the desk and they direct me to one of their “trainers” so I ask him and he proceeds in directing me towards the leg curl machines.
So I ask him, “you don’t have a Glute-Ham developer?”, he proceeds in staring at me blankly until I describe the mysterious appuratus, “oh” he says, “all we have for that is leg curls”
Hi guys,
First let me say that I too am a personal trainer, but unlike the majority of the people who have been described on this thread, I actually have some idea what I am talking about. I also do a substantial amount of research on my own time and try to keep my knowledge up to date. I am also probably the exception in that I actually went to school and got a degree in Exercise Science, unlike many who just went and took a weekend seminar.
I can however empathize to a point with much of what has been said here. No, sadly many personal trainers really don’t know much, or they may have some academic knowledge of training, but haven’t put in the time to really gain experiential knowledge. Both are necessary to really train someone.
Ok, so I’d like to address a couple quotes that were cited.
Bauer97,
You wrote:
"Him: “Do you think your body can actually tell the difference between training with bands and bodyweight compared to dumbbells and barbells? It’s all just weight, I never train with weights”
Ok, well actually there is some truth to this statement. Now, am I saying that your body can’t tell the difference between a squat with no weight added and a squat using a barbell that weighs twice your bodyweight? Heck no. Obviously the resistance in the later exercise is monumentally greater than the resistance in the first exercise. Thus the second exercise will ellicit far greater strength/size gains.
However, as long as the resistance is equal there really is no difference from a biomechanical standpoint.
For instance, let’s take an exercise that works the lower back, we’ll use deadlifts. Now, let’s take a bodyweight exercise that works the lower back, we’ll use Giant Swings on the rings. Which is better? Depends. Which develops greater strength in the lower back? Depends. Both however place high amounts of stress on the erector spinae muscles, thus producing strength gains.
Here is the thing though. As a trainer I can ethically and with a good conscience take a 250 lb newbe, teach them the correct form of how to deadlift, and then have then perform deadlifts in their routine.
On the other hand, I could not take the same individual and teach them how to Giant swing on the rings (with a clear conscience anyways) because the stress would almost certainly cause injury. So, in such a case (and most cases to be honest) the deadlift would be the better choice.
Danmaftei,
Actually if one were to only look at the joint actions involved in a deadlift and a squat, they would appear to work the same muscles. However, due to the placement of the weight the leverage is significantly different and thus causes a difference in which muscles are emphasized. The same would be true of a front squat compared to a back squat.
One last point is in reference to who ever made the comment about the trainer believing that “functional strength” exercises must include a swiss ball and/or resistance bands. First, you are correct to laugh at such a statement, as it is most certainly not true.
My definition of functional strength is strength that is athletically functional. In other words without the balance, coordination, kinethetic awareness and ability to utilize the strength quickly (power), strength won’t do you much good in the real world.
Another thing that in my opinion distinguishes functional strength from pure brute strength (not mutually exclusive by the way) is that functional strength carries over to a wide range of activities. The larger the range of activities that the strength carries over to, the more functional it is.
Now resista balls (swiss balls, physio balls, whatever you want to call them) can be useful in adding a balance component to a lot of exercises. Does that mean that one should stop doing the foundational lifts (bench press, squat, deadlift, military press, pull-up, etc…)? No. Heck no. Any athlete (or person for that matter) would do good to incorporate those lifts into their workout (and if they don’t they must find an alternative exercise that will produce similar/equal effects).
However, I personally would consider a double bodyweight bench press done on a resista ball to be more impressive and “functional” than doing a double bodyweight bench press on a flat bench. Why? Because the former requires superior balance and coordination, while still exhibiting the same amount of brute strength.
Good training,
Sentoguy
[quote]facko wrote:
wow…lol first of all his knees werent bending in…second he goes all the way down and does full yeps…third shut the fuck up bitch. That lady was stupid as shit…shes told me numerous times that when i bench i should bring the bar over my eyes down to my face then up…instead of down to my chest. And btw…leg presses are pretty useful and cant really hurt if they arent as long as you are doing squats and deadlifts too. [/quote]
I’m really not buyin’ that a trainer told you to bench over your face.
When you do squats, movement occurs at 2 seperate joints, the hips and the knees. The body is supposed to fold like a jack-knife, the hips descending in tandem with the torso. When you do leg presses or squats on a machine, the upper body is supported, and thus prevented from folding. The movement is un-natural, and usually places greater than normal stress on the spine or lumbar musculature. That’s why there’s no reason to do leg presses. There are many different ways of squatting and deadlifting with free weights.
Back squats
Front Squats
Full, Parallel, High Bar, Low Bar
DB, BB, Cables, Trap-Bars
Front DL’s
Trap-Bar DL’s
DB DL’s, etc
No reason at all to use machines for squatting or pulling, ever.
[quote]Amsterdam Animal wrote:
Another point is that I think it has become way to easy to get certified. To me, a ceritifcation doesnt mean shit if you cant apply what you know to your clients and get results. But give a certification to one of these young know-it-alls and there is no point discussing anything. [/quote]
It isn’t easy at all. I just did it 2 weeks ago for ACSM. The reason I did it was because I recieved an opportunity to be hired at the gym where I now train.
I had been studying exercise physiology, nutrition, and related aspects of fitness for over a year. I considered myself highly knowledgeable before I began studying for the certification test, and still do now.
The test was difficult mainly because there are many formal procedures that need to be memorized which have little to do with the functional aspects of training. For this reason, I did not like the test very much at all. On those parts of it which dealt with training-related questions, I did well, and on the formal procedures, I did poorly, though altogether well enough to pass.
Considering my results with the test, and level of knowledge prior to taking it, I don’t think there’s any way that someone with little or no fitness knowledge could take it and hope to get a passing score.
In comparing the different certification agencies, I found that most of them seemed to operate on more-or-less the same criteria. So, while I ended up going with an agency that is generally considered top-tier, I doubt that the second-tier organizations are significantly easier to get into.
It ain’t easy to get certified. Lotta bullshit you have to memorize, if nothing else.
Hi Nominal Prospect,
I agree that if you pass the ACSM, AFAA, NSCA, or ACE certification tests, you have to know at least a decent amount about exercise science.
However, sadly many gyms don’t care who you get certified by, and almost none of them place certifications from the leading agencies above certifications from no name agencies.
And no, many of the “secondary” agencies don’t require the same degree of knowledge as the leading agencies. Do you know that there are certifications that you can take online? These little no name organizations are just in it to make money, they could care less whether their clients know anything. Thus, just about anyone can pass many of these tests.
These are the people who are certified and give personal trainers a bad name.
Good training,
Sentoguy
http://fittv.discovery.com/fansites/thegym/bio/ben.html
'Q: What’s your favorite workout?
A: My favorite type of workout is exactly what I prescribe to my customers–HIGH INTENSITY CIRCUIT-TRAINING. I always begin with a warm-up. Sometimes, I’ll even jog/walk to the gym. Once there, I’ll begin with an upper body move. Then, I’ll move to a specific arm exercise like a bicep curl. After that, I go immediately (no resting you freaks) to an explosive cardio move like jumps or step-ups on a plyo-box. Next, I start the whole thing over and repeat 3 to 4 sets. ROCK ON!’
Amazing.
Nominal. You’ll find that some clients, due to back or neck pain can’t do squats or deadlifts.
You may then find that there’s a use for the leg press after all!
1 Like
[quote]njworkoutguy wrote:
Home for spring break from school right now and I’m working out the local Golds Gym. I’m doing the leg portion of DeFrancos Westside for Skinny Bastards and I can’t find a glute-ham developer. I ask up at the desk and they direct me to one of their “trainers” so I ask him and he proceeds in directing me towards the leg curl machines.
So I ask him, “you don’t have a Glute-Ham developer?”, he proceeds in staring at me blankly until I describe the mysterious appuratus, “oh” he says, “all we have for that is leg curls”[/quote]
If you told me you were looking for a glute-ham developer I’d be a little puzzled too. I’d probably tell you to go do some RDLS.