This person obviously has no idea
Free weight dangerous, how?
They should just quit now, nobody with a brain would hire them.
-
Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.
About becoming a personal trainer
- Thread starter Kyle Aaron
- Start date
This person obviously has no idea
Free weight dangerous, how?
They should just quit now, nobody with a brain would hire them.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Hulk - And that sort of gym appeals to me, too! However I am old and crippled and need the softer approach
The other concern is that a good trainer will have insurance in case of client injury. Insurance companies will only insure qualified people who are members of their professional associations. Now, you may say that insurance companies don't know shit. However, they make profits from successfully judging risk. So if they refuse to insure, it's because they think the chance of having to pay out is too high, the risks are high. Since they are not bankrupt, we can fairly say that in general they are good at judging risk.
So I would approach with caution training under someone who scorns all qualifications. Obviously you (Hulk) are experienced and can use your own common sense; I'm speaking generally here.
In general, I think it's true to say that young people will tend to be more clueless than older people. However, each person is an individual; there are idiot 40 year olds, and very switched-on 21 year olds. One of the teachers was talking about "looking the part" as a PT. We agreed that it helped. He mentioned another teacher who is overweight, and said, "does he look the part? does this make it harder for you to take him seriously?"
I replied,
"I understand that most people would ignore what he says because of his size. But I try to keep an open mind. You don't always know that person's history. Say he's 20kg overweight, should I ignore him? But hey, maybe he used to be 50kg overweight, so if I want to ask him about fat loss, he'll have a lot to tell me. Or maybe he had a knee reconstruction three months ago. Who knows? Take the time to get to know someone, and only then judge, that's what I say."
"Yes, but clients won't do that. They'll judge instantly."
"Of course. But I think that's more because they're looking for excuses to not do anything, oh but the PT is fat so what does he know? I'll just eat some chips and watch tv instead."
He laughed.
In general, Hulk, what a good PT can offer is that combination of book knowledge and life experience that makes any person good at their job. It's easy to find people who say only book knowledge matters, or only life experience matters. Generally, whenever a person has only one of those two things, they say the other isn't important. Funny that
It's my guess that most of my classmates will not go on to become PTs. Or if they do, they won't last long. Many are unfocused, not really sure why they're in the class; as with physical training, so with education - if you don't know where you're going you probably won't get there. Many have fixed ideas and aren't open to all kinds of training, so will have difficulty with clients - "no, do it my way, what you want to do is stupid."
But of course many people's experiences change them, so perhaps some will find focus and open their minds along the way. You never know. As I said above, you have to give people a fair chance. That includes fat PTs, unqualified guys in their garage, 20 year olds with a certificate - everyone.
The other concern is that a good trainer will have insurance in case of client injury. Insurance companies will only insure qualified people who are members of their professional associations. Now, you may say that insurance companies don't know shit. However, they make profits from successfully judging risk. So if they refuse to insure, it's because they think the chance of having to pay out is too high, the risks are high. Since they are not bankrupt, we can fairly say that in general they are good at judging risk.
So I would approach with caution training under someone who scorns all qualifications. Obviously you (Hulk) are experienced and can use your own common sense; I'm speaking generally here.
In general, I think it's true to say that young people will tend to be more clueless than older people. However, each person is an individual; there are idiot 40 year olds, and very switched-on 21 year olds. One of the teachers was talking about "looking the part" as a PT. We agreed that it helped. He mentioned another teacher who is overweight, and said, "does he look the part? does this make it harder for you to take him seriously?"
I replied,
"I understand that most people would ignore what he says because of his size. But I try to keep an open mind. You don't always know that person's history. Say he's 20kg overweight, should I ignore him? But hey, maybe he used to be 50kg overweight, so if I want to ask him about fat loss, he'll have a lot to tell me. Or maybe he had a knee reconstruction three months ago. Who knows? Take the time to get to know someone, and only then judge, that's what I say."
"Yes, but clients won't do that. They'll judge instantly."
"Of course. But I think that's more because they're looking for excuses to not do anything, oh but the PT is fat so what does he know? I'll just eat some chips and watch tv instead."
He laughed.
In general, Hulk, what a good PT can offer is that combination of book knowledge and life experience that makes any person good at their job. It's easy to find people who say only book knowledge matters, or only life experience matters. Generally, whenever a person has only one of those two things, they say the other isn't important. Funny that
It's my guess that most of my classmates will not go on to become PTs. Or if they do, they won't last long. Many are unfocused, not really sure why they're in the class; as with physical training, so with education - if you don't know where you're going you probably won't get there. Many have fixed ideas and aren't open to all kinds of training, so will have difficulty with clients - "no, do it my way, what you want to do is stupid."
But of course many people's experiences change them, so perhaps some will find focus and open their minds along the way. You never know. As I said above, you have to give people a fair chance. That includes fat PTs, unqualified guys in their garage, 20 year olds with a certificate - everyone.
Last edited:
Why do we need all these personal trainers?
They sure weren't around 20-30 years ago, not anywhere near todays quantity anyway.
The main reason would likely be from bad diet habits rather than lack of physical activity.
So do we need personal trainers for diet purposes?
They sure weren't around 20-30 years ago, not anywhere near todays quantity anyway.
The main reason would likely be from bad diet habits rather than lack of physical activity.
So do we need personal trainers for diet purposes?
Z
Zarkov
Guest
Hi Kyle,
I'm starting to think like the guy in your last post.
Was walking home last night, and suprisingly came across a new gym, if you could call it a gym.
All he had was kettlebells, oly bars, bumper plates, bar racks for squats, chin up bars and some gymnastic rings, also a couple of big tyres strongman style.
It's similar to a crossfit style set up.
He opened up 6 weeks ago and it's only a small, old, dirty place, his equipment costs were about $2000, as he's on a tight budget.
However, this really appealed to me instantly, as there is purpose and function in the training, competing with each other, and members get personally coached, only $240 for 3 months.
The guy hates personal trainers, even has a sign on he door telling them not to come in.
I'm definately going to join asap, only 300m from my house too
I have my own personal gym 170sqm with pretty much every strength training piece of equipment available, but this just seems to appeal to me more.
What can all these under 21 year olds offer to their clients?
They obviously don't have much life experience.
How can they guide others when they haven't got the life experience themselves?
How was business for him?That is exactly the type of place I would set up.
Maybe with a bit more and better equipment to bring a few people in but that is the type of place I`d love to try.
katie
New member
Good luck with joining this gym - it sounds fantastic!
I'd love to do crossfit but in Sydney the crossfit gyms are very expensive for some reason. it seems to cater for an exclusive crowd, hence the prices are high.
is this gym in sydney?
Sorry for the hijack Kyle....
Zarkov, he's only been established in the new place for 6 weeks.
He has existing clients, but not much money.
Pretty much got sick of and kicked out of training others in gyms/public places.
Katie, it's a little south of you, in Caringbah, Sutherland shire.
Yes, crossfit is quite expensive, I don't know why either as they only use basic equipment.
Zarkov, he's only been established in the new place for 6 weeks.
He has existing clients, but not much money.
Pretty much got sick of and kicked out of training others in gyms/public places.
Katie, it's a little south of you, in Caringbah, Sutherland shire.
Yes, crossfit is quite expensive, I don't know why either as they only use basic equipment.
poopoohead
New member
WORD!!
I never used a PT, found my own way and do not regret a single second.
Ive talked to heaps of PT's and watched alot of them and most of them dont know jack. Most of em are scrawny or fat or love themselves in front of people.
Ok maybe one session showing you how to use all those dumb machines could help.
I got a good mate who's a PT, he says " money for jam. "
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Sigh. It's so lovely to share my experiences and then have people pop up to tell me it's all a waste of time and everyone involved is a useless idiot. That's not a "threadjack", Hulk, that's a threadcrap.
But I'll treat it seriously anyway, because that's just the way I am.
It's the same reason we need masseurs, counsellors, chefs, barmen, tax accountants and so on. We don't really need them.
We can give each-other back rubs, talk to our friends about their problems, read recipes and cook, buy and open our own drinks, and do our own tax returns.
I mean, have you ever paid $30 at a restaurant? For something like steak and chips and chocolate cake, things that anyone who can read could make for themselves for about $5?
These are all things we can do for ourselves, if we're willing to make the effort. But most of us aren't, so we pay someone else for their expertise.
When you make all your own dinners and never go to pubs and represent yourself in court and do all your own taxes and fix your own car and learn to play the guitar so you can never buy music anymore and all the rest, then you can ask why people hire personal trainers.
Even then, the answer will be, "okay, you a genius workaholic of self-reliance, but not everyone is."
But there were also more people working on farms, as labourers, in factories doing manual labour and so on. We had more people doing jobs which involved physical work. Now we have many less. Not coincidentally, we have more unfit and overweight people.
Because people aren't employed in the agricultural and manufacturing industries, they have to be employed in the service industry (like all the jobs I listed above). And because they're not doing physically active jobs, they get unfit and overweight, and if they want to get fit and lean, have to be physically active as a hobby.
Once I worked in a sheet metal factory, using a pneumatic gullotine to cut 2-8mm thick sheet steel. Commonly there were sheets of 2m x 4m, a forklift would come and drop it on rollers, and I'd have to push the thing in, mark it up with chalk, and adjust it so the cut had a tolerance of +/-2mm. That was a lot of shifting around of 100-400kg of metal.
I also took a pushbike to and from work.
I didn't need a gym membership then, nor a personal trainer. I was strong and fit. But then I went back to cheffing, and took the train to work, and what do you know, I lost muscle, became unfit, and put on weight. Then I needed a gym membership and/or a trainer.
So that's how it is: people are less physically active in their jobs, which makes them unfit and overweight; and because people are more specialised in their jobs, they get other specialists to do things for them.
Lots of people do very little physical activity at work or outside it.
I used to have a friend who changed jobs every six months. Every job he went to the boss was an arsehole, all his co-workers were stupid and lazy, he was the only competent one there. But... the common element to all your dysfunctional relationships is you. Nobody can get along with everybody, but if you get along with nobody you might want to do some self-reflection.
Many times before I've met people who claim to have all the answers, and everyone just rejected them because...
"You can't handle the truth!"
But bollocks to that.
A sign saying, "PTs not welcome" says to me that's a person with a closed mind. "I've got nothing to learn, I know everything already." Which might be true - but I doubt it. So be cautious in that gym, and combine your own book knowledge and life experiences with your common sense to make sure you're getting good training and not risking serious injury.
But I'll treat it seriously anyway, because that's just the way I am.
For their expertise.
It's the same reason we need masseurs, counsellors, chefs, barmen, tax accountants and so on. We don't really need them.
We can give each-other back rubs, talk to our friends about their problems, read recipes and cook, buy and open our own drinks, and do our own tax returns.
I mean, have you ever paid $30 at a restaurant? For something like steak and chips and chocolate cake, things that anyone who can read could make for themselves for about $5?
These are all things we can do for ourselves, if we're willing to make the effort. But most of us aren't, so we pay someone else for their expertise.
When you make all your own dinners and never go to pubs and represent yourself in court and do all your own taxes and fix your own car and learn to play the guitar so you can never buy music anymore and all the rest, then you can ask why people hire personal trainers.
Even then, the answer will be, "okay, you a genius workaholic of self-reliance, but not everyone is."
And there weren't so many masseurs, counsellors, chefs, barmen, tax accountants and so on.
But there were also more people working on farms, as labourers, in factories doing manual labour and so on. We had more people doing jobs which involved physical work. Now we have many less. Not coincidentally, we have more unfit and overweight people.
Because people aren't employed in the agricultural and manufacturing industries, they have to be employed in the service industry (like all the jobs I listed above). And because they're not doing physically active jobs, they get unfit and overweight, and if they want to get fit and lean, have to be physically active as a hobby.
Once I worked in a sheet metal factory, using a pneumatic gullotine to cut 2-8mm thick sheet steel. Commonly there were sheets of 2m x 4m, a forklift would come and drop it on rollers, and I'd have to push the thing in, mark it up with chalk, and adjust it so the cut had a tolerance of +/-2mm. That was a lot of shifting around of 100-400kg of metal.
I also took a pushbike to and from work.
I didn't need a gym membership then, nor a personal trainer. I was strong and fit. But then I went back to cheffing, and took the train to work, and what do you know, I lost muscle, became unfit, and put on weight. Then I needed a gym membership and/or a trainer.
So that's how it is: people are less physically active in their jobs, which makes them unfit and overweight; and because people are more specialised in their jobs, they get other specialists to do things for them.
I don't think you realise how physically inactive most people are. You know about the 10,000 steps thing? 10,000 steps is just an hour and a half of walking, it's not much. But it's what they're getting people to aspire to as a minimum.
Lots of people do very little physical activity at work or outside it.
A PT is not qualified to write anyone a diet plan, that's a nutritionist or doctor's job. A PT can only give general advice, like "eat more fresh fruit and vegies, less chocolate and beer, don't smoke."
To me, that's a sign you need to keep your eyes open and be cautious.
I used to have a friend who changed jobs every six months. Every job he went to the boss was an arsehole, all his co-workers were stupid and lazy, he was the only competent one there. But... the common element to all your dysfunctional relationships is you. Nobody can get along with everybody, but if you get along with nobody you might want to do some self-reflection.
Many times before I've met people who claim to have all the answers, and everyone just rejected them because...
"You can't handle the truth!"
But bollocks to that.
A sign saying, "PTs not welcome" says to me that's a person with a closed mind. "I've got nothing to learn, I know everything already." Which might be true - but I doubt it. So be cautious in that gym, and combine your own book knowledge and life experiences with your common sense to make sure you're getting good training and not risking serious injury.
Last edited:
Kyle Aaron
Active member
I think I've mentioned it before, but it's a fair question which deserves an honest answer.
At the moment, I aim to be hired by a gym, and while there I expect that most people will pay to get advice they then ignore, and when they fail to get results due to lack of effort, it'll be my fault not theirs.
Some people will pay to learn enough and be motivated enough to get them on the right track in their first year of physical training, so that they can look better, and/or feel better, and/or perform better in their day-to-day lives and recreational sports.
After that first year they usually won't need any more help, since they'll know and have motivation enough to maintain that level. People wanting to do professional sports and the like will need advice and help after that first year, but I don't see myself dealing with them. Some will reach that level in a few months, others will take a couple of years.
In this way I hope to take ordinary people and help them grow in skills, confidence and self-reliance. It feels good to help people stand on their own feet, so to speak. That's always when I've been happiest.
While doing the physical training, I think I'd like to do a nutritional certification, so I can back the training advice with detailed diet advice; this ties in with my current chef profession. But I have to see about that at the time.
Fair answer?
Ask your new trainer the same sort of question - "why do you do this?" - I'll be interested to hear his answer.
At the moment, I aim to be hired by a gym, and while there I expect that most people will pay to get advice they then ignore, and when they fail to get results due to lack of effort, it'll be my fault not theirs.
Some people will pay to learn enough and be motivated enough to get them on the right track in their first year of physical training, so that they can look better, and/or feel better, and/or perform better in their day-to-day lives and recreational sports.
After that first year they usually won't need any more help, since they'll know and have motivation enough to maintain that level. People wanting to do professional sports and the like will need advice and help after that first year, but I don't see myself dealing with them. Some will reach that level in a few months, others will take a couple of years.
In this way I hope to take ordinary people and help them grow in skills, confidence and self-reliance. It feels good to help people stand on their own feet, so to speak. That's always when I've been happiest.
While doing the physical training, I think I'd like to do a nutritional certification, so I can back the training advice with detailed diet advice; this ties in with my current chef profession. But I have to see about that at the time.
Fair answer?
Ask your new trainer the same sort of question - "why do you do this?" - I'll be interested to hear his answer.
Last edited:
poopoohead
New member
Dude, you cant let that shit get to you.
If I did that I would never have been able to pull myself out of all sorts of hell.
Eaiser to just give up and simply just roll over a die.
Take critisim and listen too it. instead of being offended bout what Hulk said, think why does he feel that way, whats caused it then endevour to make sure you add that to your appoach to your new life as a PT. Use it to be a better PT then these drop kicks who give PT's a bad rep.
You have a great oppotunity coming but you gotta take shit on the chin.
Go heavy, get big, go hard,
THE PAIN IS JUST WEAKNESS DIEING!!!!
If I did that I would never have been able to pull myself out of all sorts of hell.
Eaiser to just give up and simply just roll over a die.
Take critisim and listen too it. instead of being offended bout what Hulk said, think why does he feel that way, whats caused it then endevour to make sure you add that to your appoach to your new life as a PT. Use it to be a better PT then these drop kicks who give PT's a bad rep.
You have a great oppotunity coming but you gotta take shit on the chin.
Go heavy, get big, go hard,
THE PAIN IS JUST WEAKNESS DIEING!!!!
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Thanks, poopoohead, but when I want your opinion I'll give it to you.
poopoohead
New member
The good gym owners will give you advice, spot you and correct bad or poor form and wont charge you for it. That is what a membership is.
PT is for people with little to no expereince and are more likley to go off track without a PT. A good PT'er should be able to motorvate and be able to communicate well enough with the client so the clien realises if he goes off track then its his fault and YES he has wasted hi or her money.
AZZA
PT is for people with little to no expereince and are more likley to go off track without a PT. A good PT'er should be able to motorvate and be able to communicate well enough with the client so the clien realises if he goes off track then its his fault and YES he has wasted hi or her money.
AZZA
breebreerocks
Member
The guy with the kettle bell gym sounds dodgy. For a gym to have kettle bells, the trainers have to be qualified to a certain level in kettle bell instruction or they can not get insurance. At the FF I train at, they keep them chained up because of it. The risk involved in cross fit gyms is high, they require constant supervision, hence the cost. If that guy is not insured and you get hurt, you are screwed because you will have to sue him for expenses or pay it out of your own pocket.
As for more everyday looking PTs, ie PTs that are slightly overweight or older, they actually have the advantage of being less threatening. I have been seriously overweight and there is nothing more intimidating than some really hot person who has never been overweight approaching you.
I have a PT and looked at becoming one. Do I need a PT? No. Has it helped my results? Absolutely. But do I really need to be able to deadlift 90kgs and learn Olympic lifts to tick all the health boxes that would keep my doctor happy? No. I would weigh less if I stuck to some light body weight exercises and walked for 45 mins a day. But I love it so I keep paying out the $$$.
As for more everyday looking PTs, ie PTs that are slightly overweight or older, they actually have the advantage of being less threatening. I have been seriously overweight and there is nothing more intimidating than some really hot person who has never been overweight approaching you.
I have a PT and looked at becoming one. Do I need a PT? No. Has it helped my results? Absolutely. But do I really need to be able to deadlift 90kgs and learn Olympic lifts to tick all the health boxes that would keep my doctor happy? No. I would weigh less if I stuck to some light body weight exercises and walked for 45 mins a day. But I love it so I keep paying out the $$$.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Not sure whether you mean Hulk's guy or my classmate - I don't know if the guy used kettlebells at a gym or at home.
Either way, you're quite right. "Trainer" is a title like "counsellor", in that anyone can call themselves it, but only people with certain qualifications who are members of a professional association can get insurance.
Now, certainly there are going to be unqualified people who will be great and never injure anyone, and there will be qualified people who are idiots - I've seen qualified PTs having 40 year old obese people lug truck tyres down the beach, they must have watched too much Biggest Loser.
But as you say, an unqualified person won't get insurance, so that's how people who are professionals at assessing risk assess things.
It's a funny thing about PTs' looks. Nobody expects the football coach to be a better kicker than anyone on the team, or the sprinting coach to be lean and quick. I think the difference is as I said earlier: -
- sports coaches deal with people who want to change in a certain way, but PTs are dealing with people who are often looking for excuses not to change -
- and the size of the PT's bum or belly offers the trainee an excuse. "Well he's a professional fitness guy and he can't manage it, so I..."
Either way, you're quite right. "Trainer" is a title like "counsellor", in that anyone can call themselves it, but only people with certain qualifications who are members of a professional association can get insurance.
Now, certainly there are going to be unqualified people who will be great and never injure anyone, and there will be qualified people who are idiots - I've seen qualified PTs having 40 year old obese people lug truck tyres down the beach, they must have watched too much Biggest Loser.
But as you say, an unqualified person won't get insurance, so that's how people who are professionals at assessing risk assess things.
It's a funny thing about PTs' looks. Nobody expects the football coach to be a better kicker than anyone on the team, or the sprinting coach to be lean and quick. I think the difference is as I said earlier: -
- sports coaches deal with people who want to change in a certain way, but PTs are dealing with people who are often looking for excuses not to change -
- and the size of the PT's bum or belly offers the trainee an excuse. "Well he's a professional fitness guy and he can't manage it, so I..."
I think I am in no danger of ever being really hot, so my career should be safe there at leastbreebreerocks said:
Last edited:
CaT_SPeW
extra crispy
breebreerocks
Member
Yes Hyjak, it is sad. Although I don't miss my constantly bruised forearms.
poopoohead
New member
i hear ya Bree, I think what your saying is right. however If I were an overweight person looking to use a PT I would probably want one the was over weight but is now fit looking, through going the hard yards. that person I would listen too.
I hope you are reaching your goals breebree I know its harder for those of use fighting the mad bulge. Ive watched my family do it for years.