People who have used a personal coach/trainer:

Do you think you work better/harder when there's a friend next to you doing the same thing and pushing you to do better, or when there's a coach/personal trainer who has already succeeded beyond your goals telling you exactly what needs to be done?

can you. . .For the sake of the argument, Let's just say it cant be can't be done. Not by anyone.
Let me add.

It is NOT simply about busting your butt during each training session.
It's much more than that.

I reckon, no one really views yourself like other people do.
In other words, you have a distorted self-image.

We all do.

And you have a distorted view about what you need in the way of training. In fact, some, maybe even most, need the exact opposite of what they're feverishly striving for?

I think finding a good coach is key, the secret.

but what should we look for in a "good" coach?
Laying out what i just wrote above, that would be tricky.

I certainly think that having a GOOD coach or trainer pushes you harder and you tend to achieve results much faster and maybe more efficiently then training on your own, in general no matter how hard you think you train by yourself when someone else is there they will nearly always push you that little further.

I've been doing heaps of group fitness classes lately and, without a doubt, I have found them exponentially more rewarding and motivating that doing the same thing on my own. I love the team environment and the motivation it offers when you begin to struggle and tire and see others doing the same. We all seem to get more competitive and push harder as we fatigue with each given exercise. That's highly motivating and beneficial to one and all.

I basically do 3 x 1hr HIIT sessions a week and have really seen the gains in my fitness and stamina. I trust the trainers and I trust their exercise selection, but I draw more motivation from competing against the other participants than what the trainer says. And there's no way I'd allow myself to quit when everyone else is soldiering on. But there is no way I could find that motivation on my own and sustain it on a week to week basis. I don't think it matters if it's a good friend, strangers or a PT you're training with. It's hard not to want to push a little harder in such an environment.

No way. A coach is going to make me do things I don't feel like doing.

Why pay someone to force you to do unpleasant stuff? If they pay me, fine I'll have a coach.

I find it makes a huge difference, I lucky enough to have my training (injured ATM) as a free coach, lifetime experience in powerlifting, bbing and shotput. He actually trained Sonny Schmidt.
He is always changing my routines, correcting my form, focusing me in certain areas and kicking me in the arse when I'm not giving it my best.
You'd think that after 20 years I know what to do, but it's just not how it works.

How does it work then?

I would like a GOOD female coach to work with me and possibly kick my ass too.

Shrek said:

How does it work then?

Click to expand...

It works like this, patterns creep up on me.
I develop habits, comfortable habits, poor form habits, don't mix my heavy lifts with reps well, train the exercises I like more than need, motivation drops and I justify it.
He can see my weak spots much better than I can, after some time I'm convinced I'm training how I should but I just can't take a look at myself from a distance and revise to see what it all looks like.
I need a different set of eyes on me to point me where I need to focus.

forgot to add, Im coaching a kid ATM and he's progressing well, cos I watch him and focus him on what he needs.
But coaching yourself just doesn't work.

I've trained under a coach before, I've trained with a mate before and I've trained in a group before. Currently I train alone.

if I could get a coach again I would, but there is no one decent where I live and I don't like paying for substandard. As for training with a mate or in a group, sometimes it pushes me harder, sometimes it doesn't make a difference

I had a sprints coach who helped me so much as I had no idea how to get faster on my own. He'd worked with lots of NRL guys (jake friend, Mitch Pearce , willy mason etc) so I knew he had good credentials and really knew his stuff. I worked extra hard under him as I could tell it was helping.
Playing rugby & judo under coaches for years all had their own influence, depending on how they spoke and what experience they'd had themselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAhNyvTF5Uw

I'm sure you pick up a lot from a good trainer. They're rare though.

I reckon CT Fletcher would be an interesting trainer.

Good coach/PT will save you injuries that a mate might not. Go with a coach.

I've always achieved much more with a coach than on my own.