I have started working out with this trainer and it’s been somewhat a month now. At the start he used to make some jokes where if you did an exercise on low weight, he would call it “ladies weight”. If I have to do push ups after an intense set of chest, I would lie down on my belly and attempt to do push ups using arms as per his instructions, he would call them “ladies push ups”
Last week, I wanted to do squats using the cushion on my neck as that has always been the norm for me, and he has previously told me I should get rid of the cushion to get used to the barbell weight, and when I wanted to continue with the cushion, he said “Sure if you wanna continue being like a bitch” and then laughed it off.
Today he was showing me some variation of cable chest flies and told me to bring my hands to my “dick level”
Other than these instances, he has actually been really helpful and keeps me pumped up and checks up on me.
I’m absolutely not sure if this is just how trainers are or this one is just an unprofessional one. So how are your personal trainers like?
7 comments
…dude, your trainer sounds like a dick.
Also, I never had a trainer per se, but I used to exercise with my Platoon Sergeant back when I was in the Army and he and I were cool. Then again, his major was literally exercise and sports science, so maybe that helped.
Never feel bad for where you are now. Exercise is a journey and you set where your destination is.
As for the squats thing… dude, dudes have literally blown their neck out being reckless with that shit. Don’t feel bad about using a pillow. This is about self-improvement, not hurting yourself. Your trainer is the real bitch here, tbh.
You are paying for professional services. They should be professional in nature. If your dry cleaners returned your clothes with stains, you’d go somewhere else. The same applies here.
If it isn’t the right fit for you move to a different trainer. Nothing good is going to come from this mismatched setup if you ignore it or if you tell him it makes you uncomfortable. You are paying for the time and expertise, and the gaps get filled in with chatter. My trainer and I talk shit to eachother consistently but we both enjoy it and it’s fun for us, and I respond positively to being pushed in a more brash way. It’s ok if you don’t. The trainers I know tend to be pretty benign, lots of them work for big corporate gyms who don’t tolerate that kind of stuff so they tend to be pretty sterile. You just got paired with a random one and it isn’t a match. Rip off the bandaid and deal with it quickly and formally and switch, it’s your money you’re spending. My trainer is agonized by clients he does not want to work with, lots because the personalities are awkward and some because they want to go easy and he isn’t built for that. You might be doing him a favor also tbh.
That guy thinks he is the shit. Probably unable to do the things he asks you to himself.
Trainers can be sadists. I’ve had some who were just plain abusive (as kids we would come back soiled with our own urine or blood), and I’ve had good ones. The good ones imo don’t have to use agressive language, don’t use intimitation of any kind, they know your body and mind and respect your limits.
I’d end it with this trainer. You need to be able to trust them to take you to your limits without breaking you.
> if this is just how trainers are
There’s about as much variation in them as in the general population.
I’d say there’s slightly less variation. Being a trainer pretty much requires buying into your own hype because the function of personal training expertise is very simple. If your head isn’t up your ass already, you’ll put it up there.
Source: Worked in fitness industry for 5 years
If it’s not a good fit, it’s not a good fit, find a new one.