I am going to go on a rant, and I am sure some of you will read this and say "I know EXACTLY what hes talking about." Here goes:
I come from a strength and conditioning background. For those of you unaware of what this really means (to me), it means that I have dealt with college athletic teams (mainly football) and studied under other teachers in my graduate program that have dealt with athletic teams, write on the NSCA board, have the same certification and "mindset" that I do, etc.
When I was in undergrad I was a personal trainer for my school. At that point in time "fitness" had already been a part of my life for years, and so I think to an extent I "knew" what I was doing and thus looking back, trained my clients a little different than I do now. My knowledge and progress really took off, however, when I went to grad school for an MS in Exercise Science conc. in Strength and Conditioning. It is really hard to explain, because for those who have never been "in" the inner circle, you won't be able to understand it. I got into olympic weightlifting, really learned the biomechanics behind how the body REALLY moves, had graduate level classes on periodization, witnessed studies on "functional" movements and EMG activity, etc. etc.
I think I have developed what I want to call "training elitist syndyrome" where I can't help but get personally "hurt" or annoyed when I see someone in the gym making a nasty face because someone is doing a squat with a decent amount of weight on the bar, or some 40 year old woman wearing a headband doing sets of leg abductors with a water bottle in her hand and talking about how successful her workouts have been. I feel like what I have been exposed to as far as lifting and science is SO FAR out of the realm of this horrible "fitness" field that continues to grow at an alarming rate that I am finding it impossible to work with people and at the end of the day not go home and sigh and facepalm.
I feel like I have already "met in the middle" as much as I can. Meaning, so many people get this idea that a "workout" gets them breathing hard. This makes the field of personal training way too easy. It's like I don't even have to use my brain anymore. The person I'm training would be happier with me and feel like I'm a better "trainer" if we did a circuit with short rest breaks of just a bunch of random **** thrown together than if I tried to apply periodization with core lifts and their variants planning for the long term.
People just don't get it. It almost feels like a conspiracy, and I know it isn't but thats how it legitimately feels. And I know how they feel, because I was there. People don't even realize that there are "other" things out there. You could take someone who has been lifting for years and show them someone doing a snatch and they wouldn't even have a clue what it is. Its like trying to describe an elephant to a cardinal.
People are inside their little bubbles, and if you are unfortunate enough to have your bubble popped, then you will hate life. Because you won't be able to relate to anyone other than the people that have been there as well, ever again.
I am actually embarassed to be connected to people that do all of this balance and "core" "functional" type training. It's not that its "wrong" per se but trainers these days don't even know why they do it sometimes. They just think thats the way it is. My clients aren't happy with me if they aren't "tired" enough and then complain to me when the workout was "too hard" and they were sore for a few days. People complain about how their shoulders are weak and then after weeks of getting them stronger they want to do other stuff because they feel that IM the weird one for doing what I'm doing.
Its very hard to explain, and like I said, you won't know what I mean unless you've been there yourself. Try taking a client that someone else trains for a day (if they are sick, out of town, etc) and see what they say when you don't do 50 sets of crunches and make them pick up a weight that makes them struggle before they get in double digit reps. They will make you feel like YOU'RE the bad one because its different.
|
-
09-10-2010, 08:09 AM #1
I hate my job sometimes and want to get into another field
-
09-10-2010, 08:49 AM #2
Sounds like you need to get out of the environment you are in and work somewhere else. I have been through the same thing you're experiencing, in fact I'm going through it right now because I relocated cities, so while I rebuild my practice at a commercial gym I have to watch trainers with a weekend certification do BOSU/Ball work for everyone and plyometrics with people who have no business doing them.
The only thing is that your training will stick out - and likely in a good way - for anyone who actually wants a good, solid knowledgeable trainer. Make yourself stand out and don't accept any clients who just want to sweat or lose 10 pounds - go after the higher level, advanced clients who want someone who really knows what they are doing. When I do consults with some people, I tell them that they are better off with other trainers because I don't get motivated by those people and they are better off with someone else who will make them happy. Are they getting the best workout? No. Will they probably get hurt in the long run? Yes. But you can't show people that until they realize it by seeing your clients' results vs their own.
Sell yourself as a much more advanced trainer and the right clients will come along. Or, another choice is to find another, smaller facility where they actually care about knowledge and will attract people who will pay more money for that knowledge.
-
09-10-2010, 09:10 AM #3
- Join Date: Jul 2004
- Location: Palos Hills, Illinois, United States
- Posts: 1,071
- Rep Power: 563
Wow, that certainly is an egotistical/elitist attitude, but you're clearly not cut out for this field. I'd suggest working with professional athletes since normal people who are trying to simply get a good, healthy workout and could care less about being olympic level lifters "annoy" you so much.
Then again, what would I know, I'm not in the "inner circle"...
-
09-10-2010, 10:00 AM #4
u missed my point entirely. im saying its impposible NOT to feel egotistical about training when you've been around olympic weightlifting and powerlifting and strong athletes in a research situation as well as a practicle situation. i don't want to be a personal trainer associated with all the other bs you would find in a "fitness center" because frankly that takes no skill at all and even personal trainers that do that sh%t just do it because they dont even know any better and havn't experienced other styles first hand. theres a difference between teaching someone how to do a damn bicep curl on a ball vs. programming a 6 week short macrocycle to get a legit 1rm for a 50 yr old male to have percentages to work off of to help him get stronger.
it would help if certifying bodies required a Bachelors in the field to even take a certification test, but the only one I am aware of that does is the NSCA CSCS certification.
-
-
09-10-2010, 10:14 AM #5
and another example.... spending 2 months on analyzing bar paths for a clean and jerk and then having to go to a gym and strap some stupid velcro strap around some 40 year old ladies leg and have her do leg exercises on a cable machine makes you want to blow your brains out. if you havn't been there then you might not feel where I'm coming from.
I had a client who I've worked with for awhile ask me if we can try the "Body for Life" program instead of what we've been doing. Apparently instead of a high volume basic program with dumbells set to his personal goals and needs, he wants to do a cookie cutter routine by some douchebag that knows how to market a product to make thousands of dollars and waste my time. Hes dropped bf % by 6% (according to dexa scans) and has fixed his shoulder issues and has a more efficient CNS yet isn't satisfied because his abs still aren't showing. So as a result he wants to do **** on bosu balls and half ROM on everything because thats how it shows it in the damn body for life book.
-
09-10-2010, 10:23 AM #6
I know exactly what you mean op!! I can't wait till I open my own studio up to get away from all the bullsh*t. One of my clients who has had a past trainer yesterday asked me if we were going to do anything with the bosu ball. I said no we don't use the bosu balls if body composition is your goal. She said her past trainer pretty much did everything on it lol. She also said her other trainer didnt make her squat so low(parallel) It's sad how many sh*tty trainers there are out there.
However, I have stuck to the tried and true method of training, push, pull, squat, deadlift, HIIT, complex training etc... Really fast pace athletic training is great for weight loss. I have my weight loss clients box, pull sleds, oly rings, ladders all sorts of athletic type training. Its keeps me and the client entertrained. Some of my females training for weight loss outlift the guys at the gym lol, especially in the deadlift. And business could not be better my clients results are excellent.
I have no idea how some trainers don't go insane due to boredom. I'd blow my brains out walking from machine to machine, and doing hip thrusts and supermans on the gym matts for an hour with every client. And of course lots of tricep kickbacks.Last edited by Mr.ILL; 09-10-2010 at 10:30 AM.
A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer
N.E.S.T.A Fitness Nutrition Coach
HOMER: [holds Lisa's suitcase] Somebody's traveling light.
LISA: Meh. Maybe you're just getting stronger.
HOMER: Well, I have been eating more.
Squat:560-Raw 565-wraps
Bench:365-Raw
Deadlift:555-Raw
Front Squat-405x2(Raw) 465x1(Wraps)
-
09-10-2010, 10:58 AM #7
-
09-10-2010, 11:03 AM #8
-
-
09-10-2010, 11:46 AM #9
-
09-10-2010, 01:47 PM #10
You need to get over yourself. It's not about you it's about the client.
Not everyone has the goal to have the body of an olympic lifter.
Most people get personal trainers to either become healthier or change their appearance. Change their appearance doesn't necessarily mean a swoll vein bursting muscle head. It most likely means a leaner more fit looking version of themselves.όλα ή τίποτα
Link to my latest log http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=158637713&p=1171760983#post1171760983
-
09-10-2010, 02:00 PM #11
-
09-10-2010, 02:03 PM #12
-
-
09-10-2010, 02:06 PM #13
-
09-10-2010, 02:12 PM #14
-
09-10-2010, 02:15 PM #15
-
09-10-2010, 02:16 PM #16
-
-
09-10-2010, 02:18 PM #17
Here - I am a professional athlete (baseball) but I am a CPT as well. When I am working with athletes, especially college athletes their needs and wants are always different then when I am working with non-athletes.
I have my baseball players squat clean and deadlift but if I am working with a student who is a non-athlete very rarely will i have them do any of those three exercises unless they are preparing to try out for a team.
OP I understand your point about people not caring to understand the methods behind the exercises but that is just the nature of the business. The trainers who DO understand will ultimately be better trainers than the trainers who make up workouts for the sake of making a workout.Last edited by Smoko; 09-10-2010 at 02:29 PM.
όλα ή τίποτα
Link to my latest log http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=158637713&p=1171760983#post1171760983
-
09-10-2010, 02:29 PM #18
OP, do what you know is right and your clients will see results. People trust me as a trainer at the gym because they see what my clients can do and how they look after training with me. Although some probably think I'm crazy haha. If you love teaching oly lifts then teach them. A lot of my weight loss clients snatch and clean kettlebells. Get creative. I love my job more than life itself. I do know where you are coming from. I love training athletes, my style of training for weight loss is very similiar to athletic training just not as such a level of a competetive athlete. I've had people ask my weight loss clients "what are you training for?"
A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer
N.E.S.T.A Fitness Nutrition Coach
HOMER: [holds Lisa's suitcase] Somebody's traveling light.
LISA: Meh. Maybe you're just getting stronger.
HOMER: Well, I have been eating more.
Squat:560-Raw 565-wraps
Bench:365-Raw
Deadlift:555-Raw
Front Squat-405x2(Raw) 465x1(Wraps)
-
09-10-2010, 04:04 PM #19
-
09-10-2010, 04:05 PM #20
-
-
09-10-2010, 04:27 PM #21
-
09-10-2010, 07:15 PM #22
-
09-10-2010, 07:45 PM #23
I understand what you are saying. I am not a trainer yet but have been hitting the weights for 18-years with no major gaps. Anyways, it is as if people have no respect for the ones that train hard and actually change their bodies. The other day a guy was going for a belt only 600lb squat. During the lift, he let a little extra omphhhh! And this fat terd and his buddy were looking and sneering at him when he did it. I looked at the two terds with whatever disgusted look I had, and they got the picture real quick. I never look down on anyone in the gym, I think the obese lady in the gym has some guts to get in there and do something. Nevertheless, on this day I looked down on these two terds.
To me it is like, ok train how you want, but do not sneer at us who train hard and train the way we do. People need to realize that all the crap they see around them started with BB’s, power lifters, Olympic lifters, and endurance athletes etc. Real training equals real changes. Now, I understand the de-conditioning of our population calls for different training protocols, but do not sneer at the people that have built something.
-
09-10-2010, 07:47 PM #24
-
-
09-10-2010, 08:55 PM #25
- Join Date: Jun 2009
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Posts: 9,486
- Rep Power: 0
I know trainers and coaches who have trained and coached elite athletes, and physiotherapists who've worked with national sports teams, and now they work with ordinary people with ordinary goals - and they're perfectly happy.
It's not your environment or your background, it's you.
Originally Posted by HitItHard
He might start off pulling 40kg and pressing 20kg. Give him six weeks. With the One True Perfect Routine, perhaps he could pull 120kg and press 40kg. With "just do more in every session" he might make only a pull of 90kg and a press of 30kg. But that's okay. He's stronger. He's not preparing for a lifting meet six weeks from now. There's no hurry. It doesn't have to be perfect, it's just good. And good is good.
Originally Posted by HitItHard
Originally Posted by Mr Ill
Originally Posted by Smoko
The routine should be appropriate to the client's capabilities and goals. Not everyone is initially capable of the big lifts, nor does everyone have the goal of maximising their Olympic lifts asap.
Poor trainers work the clients according to the trainer's goals, not the client's. I see this all the time, some runner or cardio bunny trainer gives people lots of cardio work, regardless of the client's goals. Or some bodybuilder meathead trainer gives everyone 12-18 exercises per workout, all high-rep isolations. Or as in this case, a strength-focused trainer gives everyone the big lifts, and some Olympic lifts.
All those are crap trainers. If your routines don't address the capabilities and goals of your clients, then you're a crap trainer. If I go to a restaurant and order pasta and the chef gives me steak, it doesn't matter how damn good the steak is, that ain't what I ordered.
It's about the client. Not you. If you're so awesome at your job of being a strength and conditioning coach for a sports team, then you should have no trouble securing employment as one. Go do that, leave the ordinary gym-goer to the trainers who actually care about and respect them.
-
09-10-2010, 09:34 PM #26
-
09-10-2010, 09:38 PM #27
you are still missing my point. i never said I do the olympic lifts with any of my clients. i simply said, that after being exposed to what is perhaps the most in depth and scientific training styles, everything else seems worthless. you start to notice just how retarded society and the people within it are when it comes to bettering themselves.
example:
you take a college course on something like "the sky." you learn that the sky is blue. You not only learn that the sky is blue, you learn why its blue, what is contains, how a blue sky effects other things in the environment.
then every lay person around you starts telling you the sky is green. people in conversations talk about the green sky. you turn the tv on and there are news stories talking about the green sky. you see infomercials selling special sunglasses to cut out the glare within the green sky. people ask you questions about the sky, knowing that you have studied the sky, and then dont believe you when you tell them it is blue; because what they are told all around them is that the sky is green.
you get to a point where you just want to say "fk it" and quit. I'm not claiming to be a great trainer, I'm not claiming to know more than anyone, I'm not claiming I'm the best lifter out of all my friends. I'm just saying that once you have studied this kind of thing in depth, everything else just seems.. soo..... bleh.
-
09-10-2010, 09:48 PM #28
i think he is saying that if you can squat that much then chances are your core is going to be pretty damn strong.
which has more carryover? example: do you think someone who can squat that much is will be more efficient with stability movements when compared to someone who strictly does stability movements and then tries to squat heavy weight? which will be better at the opposing persons training style?
I'm not trying to start any fires here. I'm just trying to say that once you realize how efficient closed chain compound movements can be (and have witnessed the data collection to support the idea) that getting an old lady to do leg curls or lunges just seems so elementary and easy.
or if someone insists on doing certain exercises, and you meet them in the middle, they go home and tell their friends what they did, then those friends get the idea that that is the most efficient way to train the body. this is basically spreading disinformation, and there is nothing you can do about it. and its annoying when you see it all around you
-
-
09-10-2010, 09:59 PM #29
Personal Training is my career, my lifestyle. This is not a job
People hate their jobs (keyword in your title), while other people love their career. Careers are totally different from jobs
The reason why you hate it, is because it's a job to you. If you made a career out of it, and love it, then you wouldn't have an issue.Mastering Yourself Makes You Fearless
-
09-10-2010, 10:58 PM #30
- Join Date: Jun 2009
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Posts: 9,486
- Rep Power: 0
It may seem worthless to you, but it's not worthless.
What's important is that a person gets their body moving, and moving faster and for longer and against more resistance today than they did yesterday. If they do that, then their strength, fitness and quality of life will tend to improve. All the rest is commentary.
Originally Posted by HitItHard
Originally Posted by HitItHard
You have all this knowledge? Excellent. Now show it. Show it by your work with your clients. Help them achieve their goals - their goals, remember, not yours. If you've the knowledge of how to help them achieve their goals, and if you're being paid for it, then only reason not to help them in their goals is that you have contempt for them.
I find it always helps my day-to-day happiness and career prospects if I don't have contempt for everyone I work with.
Similar Threads
-
18 and want to get into body building....
By jrp859 in forum Teen BodybuildingReplies: 4Last Post: 11-11-2008, 08:26 AM -
hey guys... starting high school in a month and want to get into shape
By readyforworkout in forum Teen BodybuildingReplies: 30Last Post: 08-04-2007, 11:14 AM -
me and my brother want to get into bodybuilding...
By johnnyboy1000 in forum Teen BodybuildingReplies: 13Last Post: 01-03-2007, 06:47 PM
Bookmarks