So my personal trainer....

[Godot101]

didn't know the name of the exercises that she taught me the other day? I feel like I would be better off solo.

[Simmo0508]

Thanks for the update. Good post.


"Didn't not" know the names, would imply that she does indeed know the names. Perhaps you should seek tutoring instead of personal training

[Ragnar13]

In all serious, who cares about the name? Toe Touch. How many different movement/exercises can be called "toe touch"? I can think of at least 5. And some movements have multiple names depending where you are training. For instance, someone may call it a spiderman pushup and someone else calls it a Knee to Elbow pushup.

Do you want to train or do you want a vocabulary lesson?

[Godot101]

In all serious, who cares about the name? Toe Touch. How many different movement/exercises can be called "toe touch"? I can think of at least 5. And some movements have multiple names depending where you are training. For instance, someone may call it a spiderman pushup and someone else calls it a Knee to Elbow pushup.

Do you want to train or do you want a vocabulary lesson?

that's why I am asking here before I unfairly judge the personal trainer. In any other context a professional not knowing the names of the components of their professional would be viewed as incompetent.

[TheQuiet]

that's why I am asking here before I unfairly judge the personal trainer. In any other context a professional not knowing the names of the components of their professional would be viewed as incompetent.

I believe you're making a big deal out of a small issue (nomenclature).

[extremenergy3]

that's why I am asking here before I unfairly judge the personal trainer. In any other context a professional not knowing the names of the components of their professional would be viewed as incompetent.

You didn't really ask a question. The question mark in your opening post was improperly used. It was more like two statements. Also, it seems like you've made your judgement already. If that is important to you, then there's not much we're going to be able to do to change your mind.

[rdferguson]

Let's go through some basic movements:

squat
bench press
overhead press
deadlift
pull up
row

Now, on those 6 basic movements, every time you change details like grip (including hand placement, overhand, underhand, mixed, hook and other fiddly details), stance (feet close, feet shoulder width, feet outside shoulder width, sumo stance, toes in, toes out, heels down, heels up, split stance, 1-legged etc), or the equipment used (bodyweight, various machines, dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell, specialty bars (eg axle, safety squat bar, EZ bar, log), cables, chains, bands, balls), you are effectively doing a different exercise. So, from "squat" you might end up with "safety squat bar box half-squat with chains."

Right there you've literally got thousands of exercises. And that's from mainstream movements that don't require much thought. One of my favourite isolation exercises works the lower traps like nothing else (and given that the average person's lower traps have been napping for the last 20 years and don't plan on waking up for things like bench press, pull ups and rows, that makes it very valuable). It's kind of like a rear delt fly, but it's definitely not that. It's an isometric exercise, the weights go at your side rather than out laterally, and your triceps will probably give out before your deltoids will (although neither are the focus muscles). What do you even call that? A "static lower trap not-quite-fly"? I was never given a name for it, I was just told: "This works your lower traps," and with practice it does.

[mot1ve]

The real determining factor of whether a trainer is suitable for you or not is, whether their workout regiment is working for you. If they are leading you in the right direction, and you are seeing progress.

I do agree that if a trainer is trying to teach you a specific excercise and don't know the name of the excercise, it would definitely seem a little offputting.. But then again, you decide who trains you and whether their training is helping or not.

[2morrownvrcomes]

that's why I am asking here before I unfairly judge the personal trainer. In any other context a professional not knowing the names of the components of their professional would be viewed as incompetent.

Either you are a troll or you are going to be a difficult client to train

[jburr1991]

didn't know the name of the exercises that she taught me the other day? I feel like I would be better off solo.

There are several exercises that have many names that are commonly used.

It sounds like she was unprepared, as I always have the entire list of exercises wrote down as well as several alternatives if the client feels that the muscle group we are hitting isn't being hit effectively or can't perform a movement.

I honestly finish out the number of sessions you have brought with her and see what kind of results you have obtained. If it's working, her no name exercises are wonderful! If not, I think it would be best if you start to look elsewhere.

It's all about the results for the client

[shadow9041]

There are several exercises that have many names that are commonly used.

It sounds like she was unprepared, as I always have the entire list of exercises wrote down as well as several alternatives if the client feels that the muscle group we are hitting isn't being hit effectively or can't perform a movement.

I honestly finish out the number of sessions you have brought with her and see what kind of results you have obtained. If it's working, her no name exercises are wonderful! If not, I think it would be best if you start to look elsewhere.

It's all about the results for the client

I'd say it depends on if the exercise was one she had planned for you or if you asked to specifically work on something and she had you do the exercise in response.

If she gave you the exercise without any input from you then she was either unprepared or was trying to fill out the remaining training time.

If you asked to work on something specifically that's a completely different story and I wouldn't worry about it. If someone asks me for an exercise to work out a specific muscle group i can give them a bunch, I probably couldn't name some of them though.

[BroWhoLifts150]

Most personal trainers suck. If this one doesn't even know the names of exercises, he/she is clearly unexperienced, doesn't exercise/lift his/herself, and is incompitent and unqualified.
Fly solo imo

[Marly21]

solo cuz yolo bro, and never share your last rolo

[Ronin4help]

didn't know the name of the exercises that she taught me the other day? I feel like I would be better off solo.

There should be no doubt that you are getting excellent professional advice. When doubt presents itself, you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't at least shop around for new counsel.

[penafitness]

He doesn't sound like a very good personal trainer. You might as well be working out with a friend.