Article: How To Tell A Personal Trainer Sucks

[The Press]

You can view the page at http://anabolicminds.com/forum/conte...-Trainer-Sucks

[Facetoface]

Good advice, although I would say that in a trainers appearance if they seem unnaturally big (20-22 inch arms etc.) be wary that they are most likely unnatural and use it to get a lot of naive clients who want to look just like them, just like all the supplement ads show bodybuilders who on a lot more than whey protein and creatine to sell the product. Look for an all-around physically fit trainer who is going to be much more knowledgeable in building muscle with nutrition and programming as well as fat burning, target hr, posture correction etc etc...

[VS91588]

I work for NYSC as a personal trainer and many of the trainers have certifications in ACE or NASM and they don't know sh*t. Those certifications could be obtained at home, taking the test on a computer. Pretty much an open book test. I on the other hand have a Bachelors of Science degree in Physical Education and a certification in Strength and Conditioning. The reason why I say this is because alot of the trainers in my gym are not athletic at all and told me they just started working out when they got the job in the gym which I was shocked about because I been working out since I was 15 and always had a background of knowledge of exercise and nutrition before attending college for my degree. I'm not saying you have to look like a bodybuilder but they are just clueless. Having a certification honestly does not mean you have knowledge.

[jbryand101b]

Ace and w/e that other one listed was, aren't respectable certifications.
I would even say nasm isn't very good.

If everyone has it how valuable can it be?
It isn't.

[jbryand101b]

Good advice, although I would say that in a trainers appearance if they seem unnaturally big (20-22 inch arms etc.) be wary that they are most likely unnatural and use it to get a lot of naive clients who want to look just like them, just like all the supplement ads show bodybuilders who on a lot more than whey protein and creatine to sell the product. Look for an all-around physically fit trainer who is going to be much more knowledgeable in building muscle with nutrition and programming as well as fat burning, target hr, posture correction etc etc...

Some of this is good ( the last part ) but the beginning is total crap.

[Hyde]

Good advice, although I would say that in a trainers appearance if they seem unnaturally big (20-22 inch arms etc.) be wary that they are most likely unnatural and use it to get a lot of naive clients who want to look just like them, just like all the supplement ads show bodybuilders who on a lot more than whey protein and creatine to sell the product. Look for an all-around physically fit trainer who is going to be much more knowledgeable in building muscle with nutrition and programming as well as fat burning, target hr, posture correction etc etc...

Juice doesn't build muscle if you don't know how to lift or eat enough. So it would still be safe to say the trainer still knows how to build muscle, you just won't be building nearly as fast as he can on the bottle.

[grandroid828]

Good advice, although I would say that in a trainers appearance if they seem unnaturally big (20-22 inch arms etc.) be wary that they are most likely unnatural and use it to get a lot of naive clients who want to look just like them, just like all the supplement ads show bodybuilders who on a lot more than whey protein and creatine to sell the product. Look for an all-around physically fit trainer who is going to be much more knowledgeable in building muscle with nutrition and programming as well as fat burning, target hr, posture correction etc etc...

So a man that uses aas isnt knowledgable in fat burning, target hr, posture, etc? Brb gonna call jay cutler, ronnie coleman, arnold, and every person youve ever looked up to in this sport. Steroids arent magic. The only magic about them is their impeccable ability to turn people who dont know crap about them into idiots.

[12345]

Ace and w/e that other one listed was, aren't respectable certifications.
I would even say nasm isn't very good.

If everyone has it how valuable can it be?
It isn't.

I agree. I'm certified through ACE and I don't believe these certifications all that valuable.

The best trainers at my gym are the ones who have extensive backgrounds in athletics, university education (exercise science, physics, biomechanics, etc.), take it upon themselves to further their knowledge by constantly reading new studies and articles, don't become complacent or satisfied with their current knowledge, and are open to learning new things yet have a solid understanding of the fundamentals.

Trainers without real-life experience in the fitness or athletic world simply don't have the critical-thinking skills to solve an unexpected issue with a client. Exercises, workout sessions and especially entire programs rarely go exactly according to plan. Good trainers can think on their feet and come up with a solution to a problem quickly. Certifications don't teach you that.

[VS91588]

Ace and w/e that other one listed was, aren't respectable certifications.
I would even say nasm isn't very good.

If everyone has it how valuable can it be?
It isn't.

Yeah exactly. Because its so easy to obtain. I think a degree in Physical Ed, Exercise Science, Kinesiology are more repeatable than a certification

[cgozz]

If a personal trainer has either a certification or a degree, if he or she does not live a fitness lifestyle chances are they will know very little about the fitness arena. A good personal trainer knows their craft. A piece of paper is just a piece of paper. One can have all the degrees or certifications and still suck. One must be passionate about what they do. There are doctors who suck and get sued and they have degrees. So in the end if you don't love what you do or are passionate about your craft chances are you are going to suck at what you do.

[BLaQz]

This is an awesome article, but for people like myself who have been in the business for less than 5years that was mentioned in the article, you are doing them a disservice... If my clients read this, even with their results they might question me for no good reason... Just because people believe things that sometimes don't apply to them... Don't want to ruffle any feathers here, it's just like asking someone for 5 years experience for an entry level position...

[Facetoface]

So a man that uses aas isnt knowledgable in fat burning, target hr, posture, etc? Brb gonna call jay cutler, ronnie coleman, arnold, and every person youve ever looked up to in this sport. Steroids arent magic. The only magic about them is their impeccable ability to turn people who dont know crap about them into idiots.

Haha, touche, well of course those guys know their **** the most, have tons of money/time to invest into themselves and of course they also use AAS. That combined with genetics is why the typical bacne having gym rat will never come close to looking like them.. I guess I was trying to say that I've known trainers who use steroids which is all good, and many are awesome trainers but it is an advantage in pulling clientele, over a trainer who might know their **** better but doesn't look as big. Steroids are not magical but if someone is on a weekly gram test /grtren they can get by to do a lot less and will get a **** ton bigger. I know this. I was just making an obvious statement in my opinion in regards to the article saying you should always size up the fitness level of your trainer which I definitely agree with, but a naive person might think they are better off going with the most muscular trainer which is not ALWAYS the case in my opinion.

[seanghetto]

Juice doesn't build muscle if you don't know how to lift or eat enough. So it would still be safe to say the trainer still knows how to build muscle, you just won't be building nearly as fast as he can on the bottle.

Juice does build muscle weather you workout or not.
A study was done where half a group was given AAS and worked out and another half was given AAS and did no physical training at all. The group that worked out gained 7lbs of lean mass and the group that didnt work out gained 5lbs.
If you raise youre levels of test you will become more muscular whether you work out or not because it is a hormone. Thats why some guys are naturaly more muscular than others.