Personal Trainer

[Che]

Che, most gyms are meat markets, you could get the same thing without paying for it just by having guys check you out!

That is funny, Frans! I meant like muscles here and there from unrolling hay bales and such....not BUFF 'oh, baby' kind of I'm working out and getting hot and sweaty and 'ain't I something' kind of musculature. Not quite the same, I'm afraid.

Just a few days ago, I was telling my daughter I used to visit a gym about 4 nights a week after work. I wore a backless leotard over footless tights, and did aerobics to fast pumping rock music with a bunch of other women. Lean and mean, or so I thought. I'm trying to remember if I wore a cool headband or not.

I quit talking when she had that 'OMG I'm going to throw up look'.

Ha!!

 

[Blinky]

[...]

Just a few days ago, I was telling my daughter I used to visit a gym about 4 nights a week after work. I wore a backless leotard over footless tights, and did aerobics to fast pumping rock music with a bunch of other women. Lean and mean, or so I thought. I'm trying to remember if I wore a cool headband or not.

I remember chicks like you. Lemme guess, usually by yourself, in muted colors like black, white, grey, maroon, maybe a splash of red, perfectly but not obviously coordinated? I mean, as opposed to the very obviously coordinated electric blue/fuchsia with leg warmers crowd. They wore the headbands, the cool headed types didn't need to.

The aerobic classes were in the same room as the air-dynes... I rode my bike about 12 miles to get to the gym and then in the name of warming up, I'd ride the damn Air-dyne for 30 or so more minutes just watching women move... discretely of course.

I quit talking when she had that 'OMG I'm going to throw up look'.

I get that a lot lately no matter what I'm talking about.

 

[Che]

I remember chicks like you. Lemme guess, usually by yourself, in muted colors like black, white, grey, maroon, maybe a splash of red, perfectly but not obviously coordinated?

Wow. I'm impressed. I didn't know I was a 'type', though.....maybe if there'd been the internet back then, I'd of known. BTW....always kept to myself...black cotton, both pieces....or sometimes the top thing and loose lack cotton running shorts.

Yeah, I saw you guys too.....the excercise room was in the center and a track running around it. Lots of rubbernecking going on.

We did get a few males in, but they never lasted. It was harder than it looked.

 

[squisher]

Interesting thread.

My wife manages the personal training department at a all womans gym. The sales have grown exponentially since she has taken over, very proud of her. This year, after 2 years of running the department sales are up over 1000%!!!

$60/hr is average from what I know of the industry. It's in high demand and growing like wildfire. My wife and her team of trainers help people by improving their physical condition and empowering them. Everyone is quite highly trained and very professional. My wife is very knowledgeable on diet, exercise, anatomy, injuries, ailments. You name it.

I beleive there's value there from watching and knowing about it from her side of things. My wife does/can train as much as she wants, she's in extremely high demand to the point where she doesn't take any new clients herself unless it's a special case. She also has a 24 session minimum otherwise she won't even consider working with someone herself. Currently she has a team of five full time and a couple part time trainers that is rapidly expanding.

Obviously I think personal training kicks ass, but I don't go to a gym myself.

 

[Burnham]

Squish, what I think you mean is, YOUR personal trainer kicks ass.

And I bet she does, too.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Squish probably stays out of shape for that reason . Oh that hurts!...call me lard bucket

 

[Jonseredbred]

Its in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Blinky]

[...]

We did get a few males in, but they never lasted. It was harder than it looked.

I tried actually doing an aerobics class twice. The first one made me sore but it wasn't so bad... the second one was an ab workout and it almost killed me. Never again.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cardio is most important. Don't let the fate of Issac Hayes deter you!

 

[scottwojo]

I tried years ago to get a trainer so I could strengthen my back. I couldn't get one that would work with me and my degenerative disc. They didn't want the liability.

You want to do endurance training. Lower back with weights. I do 2 sets of 25 reps then 100 reps for the third rep. Then I do ab Crunches on the machine 25, 25, then 100.You want a weight that is not your maximum. My Max on the lower back is 168, so I would use 146 or so. By the time your done your lower back muscles are throbbing. Endurance is more important than strength for us. And you would do this type of training everyday. Lower trunk endurance is awesome.


Hey, I got that too. A bulging disc. Need pain blocks for it. I have been working out since Dec 6. At the YMCA they are having a Biggest Loser contest. $50.00 a month which includes several team motivational meetings, and more importantly, 1 hour a week with a personal trainer one on one.

Like I have a chance, I might be 15 pounds over weight and the more I work out the more I will likely gain. But usually they charge $150 a month for personal training. Sweet deal, I get 3 months of Personal training for $150. That's $300 savings.

What gets me is stress. When overwhelmed I do not feel like working out. I started out going 7 days a week, now I am at every other day.

Since Dec 6 have lost 15 pounds or so.

Scott.

 

[scottwojo]

Oh and the personal trainer thing should only be a temporary thing. Learn and then go on your own.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

It all depends. Alot of professional body builders have trainers! It's a different thing here, I'd reckon and maybe your friend isn't as familiar with the gym or workouts as other people, or they just lack the confidence to go out on their own.

For professional BBer's it's about having a dude watch your progress, make objective observations on lagging body parts, lend their experience on building and bringing up lagging parts...say a guy has lagging calves, which is very common. Well, they're lagging for a reason. A trainer can come in and make changes in diet, form, frequency, etc.

I say add a voting option- "Meh, it's up to them as long as they can afford it."

 

[Blinky]

Ed Viesturs was the first American to summit all 14 of the world's 8000 meter peaks. He's a professional climber and uses a trainer regularly. I think he said the guy not only focused his workouts on mountain climbing movements but drove him harder than he would drive himself... and when you talk about Ed Viesturs, that's really saying something.

The guy was sponsored and everything but still, he had no other source of income and it lightened his wallet every time he worked out with the guy.

So that's the flip side... for some people, it's worth it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You want to do endurance training. Lower back with weights. I do 2 sets of 25 reps then 100 reps for the third rep. Then I do ab Crunches on the machine 25, 25, then 100.You want a weight that is not your maximum. My Max on the lower back is 168, so I would use 146 or so. By the time your done your lower back muscles are throbbing. Endurance is more important than strength for us. And you would do this type of training everyday. Lower trunk endurance is awesome.


Hey, I got that too. A bulging disc. Need pain blocks for it. I have been working out since Dec 6. At the YMCA they are having a Biggest Loser contest. $50.00 a month which includes several team motivational meetings, and more importantly, 1 hour a week with a personal trainer one on one.

Like I have a chance, I might be 15 pounds over weight and the more I work out the more I will likely gain. But usually they charge $150 a month for personal training. Sweet deal, I get 3 months of Personal training for $150. That's $300 savings.

What gets me is stress. When overwhelmed I do not feel like working out. I started out going 7 days a week, now I am at every other day.

Since Dec 6 have lost 15 pounds or so.

Scott.

You want a strong back? Do sit-ups.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Ed Viesturs was the first American to summit all 14 of the world's 8000 meter peaks....

.....without supplemental oxygen!

 

[squisher]

Oh and the personal trainer thing should only be a temporary thing. Learn and then go on your own.

That opinion is based on??? Anyone who is looking for performance out of their body, bodybuilders(like Jeff mentioned) athletes of all types use trainers. If you're looking for the ultimate in benefit and results use a trainer.

Here's an example.

Cutting trees isn't rocket science, so shouldn't a homeowner just go to the library for a couple of books, or do a quick google and then just get 'r done themselves?

Think of ailments/conditions of the body or a desire for a higher level of performance as being akin to more and more difficult problems with a tree. Time to call in the professionals.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That opinion is based on???

The average, normal person that wants to lose pounds but doesn't know how to do it - NOT a BB or an athlete. I agree with Scott! Let them teach you, but don't linger forever under their $60 an hour wing.

 

[squisher]

It is for the rich, just like fine treework vs nescessary removals.

The fat middle class person is the nescessary removal = pay for a few sessions and look after yourself

The fat rich person is the fine pruning pruning/long term tree care = client for life.

 

[squisher]

Oh and the personal trainer thing should only be a temporary thing. Learn and then go on your own.

That opinion is based on???.

The average, normal person that wants to lose pounds but doesn't know how to do it - NOT a BB or an athlete. I agree with Scott! Let them teach you, but don't linger forever under their $60 an hour wing.

And if that opinion was based on the average, normal person. Then that should've been specified. I dislike blanket statements, that is why I was questioning it.

 

[scottwojo]

And if that opinion was based on the average, normal person. Then that should've been specified. I dislike blanket statements, that is why I was questioning it.

Thought we were all normal average people and the thread was begun with that intent.

Yeah, if you are a competing athlete at higher levels you should have a coach or a trainer.

But if you are a schmuck softballer who plays after work on weekends, you do not need a coach or trainer. If you did want to become better at soft ball you would maybe take on a temporary coaching or training session. You wouldn't keep a trainer forever unless you were mental.

 

[squisher]

That's ridiculous man. Lots of non pro athletes have trainers steady forever, and from the fact that they're usually highly successful rich people I wouldn't nescessarily class them as mental.

If you were having trouble paying your mortgage or putting food on the table then yes having a personal trainer would be mental. If you're raking in 100+/year and like working with a trainer, go for it. The benefits are countless.

I can agree to disagree with you.

 

[Blinky]

Please tell me tree men don't play softball.

 

[squisher]

I sure as hell don't!

But I do drink beer!!!

 

[scottwojo]

That's ridiculous man. Lots of non pro athletes have trainers steady forever, and from the fact that they're usually highly successful rich people I wouldn't nescessarily class them as mental.

and normal?

 

[Canuck]

Can't see how its possibly a ripoff. I voted for awesome trainer. If they are good enough to have you friend wanting to train with them 3 times a week then they must be awesome.

I don't get when people think its so weird or wrong when some one else does something that they wouldn't do. Get over it, if somebody wants to spend there hard earned money on something that they feel is worth it and they enjoy then more power to them. I like to spend money building my wine collection. I'm sure that a lot of people on this site would think thats a waste of money. Doesn't mean theres anything wrong with it just different strokes for different folks.