Advice on personal trainer

I am actually a trainer as a side project here in NJ. I primarily work with powerlifters, high school, and collegiate athletes using what we would describe as "functional training" We have kids doing all of the big 4 lifts; cleans, presses, dl's, and squats but also integrate alot of tire flipping and workouts using unconventional objects. Something that sounds like it might be right up your alley is Crossfit. Its got a similar basis but on they're site they post daily workouts and have a variety of motivational sources for users. They do have facilities which I beleive run ~ 100 or so per workout, but its neat because you can also do it at home by yourself or with a core group of friends.

As for what you should pay for a trainer; anywhere between $75 and $125 per hour is reasonable based on their experience/ certifications/ and results. However, in LA you will def. run into overpriced trainers some approaching $300.00 per hour. Now, trust me being healthy and physically fit is very important, just not $300 an hour important so I can say I trained with the guy that has Will Smith as a client.

Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions, I'm relatively well versed on finding someone who will get you the best results...bc afterall thats whats the most important isnt it?

 

Motivation is an important thing... but I've never found that anywhere but in myself. I hate working out. I hate my gut worse.

I'd recommend listening to some music/ radio etc. while working out... and installing a fan to keep you cool while running on a treadmill to simulate running outdoors. I'm no expert, but if you can't do it for yourself, I think you'll find yourself stopping sooner than later.

7ish weeks, and -18 lbs later
(6'2" 284 starting weight)

 

Trainer or no trainer, if you're not eating right, you're not going to make much progress.

 

You will lose more weight eating more healthy and using the treadmill than you will with a trainer. If you want to lose weight, weights are good but a good diet and cardio can get you far.


I was 198 pounds at the end of December. I was eating fast food 2-3 times a day. I quit eating fast food and started eating baked chicken and rice, salmon and rice, baked potatoes, bananas, almonds, and anything else that's halfway healthy and drinking a lot of water. I got a gym membership at the start of February. All I do is ride the stationary bike 5 times a week for an hour at a moderate pace, occasional jump rope (once a week), and lift a little bit of weights if I feel like it after I get off the bike. I have lost almost 25 pounds in two months and am shooting for 165 at the end of the month or shortly afterwards. I feel like a ****ing champion compared to two months ago. I physically feel a lot better, I look better, and my mood and attitude is a lot better, confidence is higher. And the more I lose, the more motivated I get and it's just a big snowball effect. The hardest part is the first 3 weeks or so till you start seeing and feeling results.

December 2008 198#

Weighed in today at 175#

Goal: 165# by mid April at the latest

Good luck.

 

IMO gotta find some self motivation. Try going at it yourself for a few months, because if you can't motivate yourself the trainer won't help. After you've been at it on your own for a while and looking for more specific results then look into a trainer.

 

I hate working out and I have a personal trainer. I'm not really into the whole gym environment. I'm lucky I guess that I was able to reconnect with a trainer I knew years ago, but the kind of place he is I really like because it's just personal training. You go there, meet with your trainer, do your thing, and leave. I also do a type of workout where I go only once a week for a short period of time but he pushes me as hard as possible on weights. The theory is that you get the same benefit in that amount of time as you would in more workouts of a longer duration where you don't push as hard. It works for me because I barely have time to schedule in once a week. I also used to work out with a trainer three times a week in Florida and was in no better shape than I am now, so it seems to work.

Aren't you in California? I could give you the name of an AWESOME pilates instructor in Los Angeles if you're near there. Pilates may not seem like a manly kind of workout, but she has trained football players. It's a great form of exercise. I miss her classes so much.

 

Once a week is better than none. And better than a lot of people can say they do these days.

Also, if you're as busy as you seem to be that can be beneficial to your health as well. Constant movement is like a workout.

 

I just signed up for a personal training course. Spent a lot of time thinking over the past month and wrote down what I really loved to do and what I saw myself doing in a few years and the only thing I could come up with was exercising and training. Not to mention a big part of my personality loves to help people so it just made sense. Wish me luck guys!

Jerry, if you're still looking for a PT in a few months, you know where to find me

 

As a former client of a couple of personal trainers, I can tell you what you don't want: someone who charges you for 12 sessions and does them all in 2 weeks so he/she can move on to the next client.

The only benefit I got was learning a few new exercises, but a book would have been cheaper.

I concur. Find some exercise that gives you visible results, or listen to music. Or, chart your progress in a workout log so you can celebrate when you hit a goal.

If the gym is a negative experience you won't want to go. I actually look forward to it.

 

Wow. My wife is a personal trainer, the going rate in East TN is around $25/hour. That's if you're at the gym, in-home sessions are a little more, but nowhere near that.

 

You might want to look on the Testosterone Nation forums for folks near you, and see who they suggest. There's a bunch of agro fools on there, but some smart people too.

There's lots of "trainers" out there who don't know jack. It's not all that hard to get some of the certifications.

The best guys I know all work in small private gyms. I expect you don't want to travel to Fort Worth for training

 

$25 is really cheap. Mine is $40 and I think that's about what I paid in Tampa too.

 

I am 40 as well, about 185 pounds. I am in good shape, I used to be a competitive bodybuilder. However, with kids and work, I can't make into a gym anymore to lift weights, and the scene isn't my thing anymore.

I used to wrestle before high school and I loved it. There aren't too many schools for older men, so I've decided to take up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. My goal isn't to be a bodybuilder, just to stay in shape as I get older.

So perhaps you consider something aside from weight training or aerobics - might be fun and it's certainly different. FWIW, the place I am going to is about $100 per month, and you can go as many times per week as you want - that's a pretty good deal if you are looking at $75 per hour for a trainer.

 

The personal trainers at my gym are $35/hr. And they will waste your $35 by having you do lunges, steps and playing with big rubber bands. I rarely see them doing anything else.

 

The personal trainers at my gym spend their entire time training their clients while they're on their Blackberrys. It's downright disgusting, especially considering they're charging upwards of $100/hour.

 

I use a personal trainer and have been working out all my life. I like the amount of work put in without a lot of waiting for equipment. I can get in there and do a lot of stuff in an hour and be gone. He sets up the routine and gets ahead of me for set up of the next station. I am trying to change the exercises I do every 6 weeks or so. For years I did the exact same work out. It makes a big difference to change even though it is the same muscle. Diet is a real biggie for how you look. I don't think you can do enough to burn all the food you eat if you over eat and eat the wrong stuff. You can be strong as an ox but carry a lot of body fat. I was shocked to find out my body fat amount 7 months ago and have lowered it over 10% since then. I am in the healthy range now and with a little more work maybe I can get it into the excellent range. I think it is important to have a goal to work toward like body fat reduction. You must know where you are to change it and have a goal. It is my belief that the amount of body fat people have is a lot more than they think and much higher. I also like a trainer for a little inspiration and someone who says "slow down" or "get the full range".