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In this day and age there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for trainers that disrespect their clients. Whether it is teaching improper form, talking on their cell phone during a training session or just plain not paying attention, you need to take action NOW!
As a client you are putting YOUR money, YOUR life and YOUR future in the hands of a stranger. Don’t victimize yourself because you are afraid to fire your trainer or tell them to pay attention to YOUR needs during a workout session. Always be in control of your life and your gains in the gym.
With the rise in social media and the continuous spread of top notch information on YouTube (ESPECIALLY if they watch ScottHermanFitness videos… haha), any trainer should be able to find what they need to help you reach your goals regardless of the level of their education.
With that being said, Justin from @HybridPhysiques and I hope you enjoy our video talking about horrible personal trainers and the bad habits that anger us the most!
If you have a horrible trainer a story of your own, be sure to tell us about it in the comment section below!
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31 comments
Should i warm up before i workout or is it enough with some warmup-sets? Should i do anything after i have worked out or can i just leave the gym? 🙂
Hey scott, I've been having shoulder pain doing bench press what should I do ? should I stop ?
I lift extremely heavy weights at my local gym 🙂 Personal research, YouTube channels such as yours, and advise from my friends helped me achieve some of my fitness goals. Thank you 🙂
Wanted to share a horrible trainer story regarding the use of the bosu ball: As I was warming up for my workout, I saw one of the trainers at my gym make his client stand on a bosu ball while holding a dumbbell in each hand doing tricep overhead extensions. The client was probably in his 60s with a big belly and barely any muscle who couldn't even stand on the bosu ball due to poor stability which was obvious and dangerous. The trainer kept telling him he needed to have correct form for his tricep extensions even though he wasn't even standing up straight on the bosu ball. It was unreal. I stopped doing what I was doing and just stared at the trainer with a "what's wrong with you" face. After I left the area, the trainer made him do shoulder presses…on the bosu ball. Horrible trainer indeed.
the amount of truth in this video is INSANE. this video was very very very much needed. the amount of personal trainers out there that are actually bringing people away from their goals is crazy. nice to see you guys share this message across to those who are in need of it and scared to say something about it.
I had a trainer for around a year, under his intense training, my body did start to look great and felt like I was achieving my goal. But I still left him at the end.
First, he did not teach me the proper form for most of excises, I found your video on YouTube and realized that I've been doing so many things wrong and he did not correct me at all, I just wonder how much time and money I could save to achieve my goal if he taught me the proper form from the very beginning.
Also, he wasn't tracking my process like my weight or size and even sometimes didn't remember if he has taught me the excise or not and I had to remind him…"Mmmm I've never done that, I don't know what that means so not to mention how to do it!!!"
Last…he tried to book me for a 3 days straight training on the first day I was discharged by hospital from a bad chest infection…so I said goodbye to him…haha~
Not saying he's a terrible trainer. I just felt I paid a person only to push me, counting reps, sets and time without giving me his professional knowledge…My mum can do it for free!! haha…
Great video Scott – I'm a personal trainer and was actually inspired by you. As usual I think what you have to say is great however there is one thing I do kind of disagree with you on and I'd be interested to hear your take on it.
It is your suggestion of having to stay absolutely on top of every clients weight and body fat percentage which I actually think isn't always entirely necessary although in the majority of circumstances I think it's a great thing to do. In my experience (although considerably less than yours) I've just found that there are a few people out there whom have been put off fitness and personal training from super regular weigh – ins and body fat checks; they would instead rather come to the gym and run through a few relatively straightforward cardio and weightlifting routines, focus on improving their numbers and have a chat about their day with me. They don't want a really challenging workout where they're absolutely nailed at the end or have to step on the scales every time we see each other. They would rather just get a little fitter and feel better about themselves without everything added. Of course we discuss their diet and their macros and I take a look at their my fitness pal and give them some pointers – but it is not the main focus.
I'd be interested to hear your take on this, and anybody else's!
Cheers
Tom
I had a trainer who strained my bicep muscle twice. After the third injury, I switched trainers, and he gotta upset. I was like dude, I'm getting injured- what did you expect me to do?! Another trainer tried to sell me protein supplements, at the gym. I'm aasdhae therapist and was taught that marketing products to your clients is unethical. Any thoughts about that?
And last- a question. My current trainer is great. Awesome energy, new workouts every six weeks. Great feedback. However, he doesn't do meal plans, and eating is my weak area. I spoke I him about what to eat before and he just gave a general statement. Unfortunately, I'm someone who needs to plan when and what to eat, or I'll either he junk or skip meals. Any suggestions? Should I talk to a nutritionist? Get a new trainer that does meal plans?
Thanks for another great video Scott. You've really helped me weed out all the BS I used to believe from other fitness channels!
Sorry for the long response But I am with you guys on this topic and am really passionate in this field:
For the gym I work at I sit the client down for like 10-15 minutes talking very briefly about our policies and most of the time it's more I'm asking about them (injuries, past surgeries, Exercise history, goals, and etc) after that like you guys said I'm giving them a workout right away ( If I have any additional questions I can ask them during the workout)
A trainer's job is to help the client out, I'm not worried if they only sign up with me for a short period of time. As long as I can give them the tools and knowledge they can use than I am happy to be honest. I also mention (as do a lot of my coworkers) stuff we would like them to do outside of our sessions (like come in on another non training session day/s to do a different workout or etc)
As for the guy who said his session was a full hour of cardio, that should have been the first sign to either switch trainers or just not come back. when the other trainer wasn't even focusing on him during the sessions he should have left right than and there!
Funny story about that Hungry guy, It's kind of like my current story. I've worked for a couple of gyms now and I was (2 years ago) a freshly certified trainer looking for a personal training job. No one would hire me as a Personal Trainer. I happened to run into my old Kinesiology instructor and she was like apply for the new fitness center that is being built on campus as she was going to head the PT department. Long story short I was hired and am honored to have a clientele base to work with everyday (I only get paid by session), each with their own struggles and challenges. Now the other gym I still work for wants me as a trainer only because she notices how busy I am but they don't have their clients interest at heart. Since I've been there (also for two years) I have seen no change in any of their trainers clients and barely any effort.
so very true.. a trainer spoil my shoulder as he did not know how to do a bench press, my shoulder on right side have come out and it used to hurt like hell ..i had to learn it online and now when i do i hardly feel that kind of pain. When i started with him , he used to super attentive but he always lacked knowledge and used to get easily peturb by any suggestions. My shoulders used to cry doing bench presses as my elbows and shoulders were on the same line . I had no idea and used t think it s an issue with my strength.
Bro,
Your advice is on point! I appreciate hearing other Trainers speaking the TRUTH. I been in the game for some time and I support your knowledge movement, keep it up. Trainers get so caught up in profit and forget to simply educate and change lives.
So much talking and saying little…quite annoying.
I have a personal trainer as well. I am not sure he is doing a good job or not. He will measure my body once a month. And most of the time he will focus on me in my session. However, he is always late for 5 or 10 minutes.
I'm a having a problem like this with a crossfit instructor. He learned my name only one month into the class and I got an injury in the second week. He doesn't stop looking at his phone either, it sucks
Great video
If your going to a commercial gym for a personal trainer….that is your first major mistake, do your research before contacting a trainer.
Is there a way I can show you the workout plan this trainer gave me? It is a 10 day split. I would like you to review the plan? I hope you response! Thank you
Hey Justin: Glad ya are getting better, I watched that video of the "incident" and it hurt me just looking at it. Scott: So I currently have a trainer and just haven't been getting the feeling that my goals of gaining muscle have really been heard. She keeps having me do cardio (which is important) and that's not really helping me build muscle. I have always had a hard time gaining weight and I have lost weight even with bumping up my food intake. I just cant seem to get across that I want to build muscle not just tone up because that I can do on my own. Any ideas?? Thanks for what yall do and please keep up the great work…btw love the Camaro!!!
I've been a member of the same gym for about 3 years and over the time I've seen many PTs with clients who are practising wrong form or doing some form of exercise in a wrong/dangerous way. There have been a couple of times where I've had to just step in and kindly give 'advice'. Rarely taken well so now it's kind of got to the point where you have to look and just wince as they get their clients doing God knows what. Good video!
That half ball comment.. I've seen people doing barbell squats (fairly heavy) in half balls and Swiss balls. No need whatsoever
What I'm most surpriced about is the fact that there is rarely any trainer that asks you what your goals are, how can you help a client if you don't know what he is looking for.
I have only met one good personal trainer in my life, but I have never paid for sessions. If you are truly interested in fitness and have time to invest I would recommend you google free personal trainer certification course. I did this and learned an insane amount of stuff that I have never even heard of, it will allow you to know what you are doing on your own so you can trust yourself much more than a trainer. Also check out many channels like Scott's and others, they can give you great advice on form and routines. Websites like Muscle and Strength, Bodybuilding.com, and Muscular Strength can give some great dieting advice and supplement advice if you believe in that. Calorie trackers are an amazing thing for people who are just looking to drop some weight, and not get insanely lean and ripped, I know for sure there are many great apps on the apple store, and google play store. Self knowledge is the biggest thing to fitness in my opinion because if you know what you are doing it makes achieving your goals that much easier.
Great video Scott! Do you have any advice for hiring & working with a trainer long distance?
13:40 is so true.. so easy to take for granted the wealth of free information on the internet. It's because of people like Scott why I've never needed a trainer, and I'm confident in the gym and comfortable with my diet, knowing that I'm doing the right things
Thank god ! I have fired a trainer because one they were basically bro science and two he didn't even know what macros are and how to do them ! Was on the phone and basically everyone just goes to him because he looks decent without a shirt on! For the love of goodness if I know more then you and you're the trainer ….time to run !
Scott, your freakishly like me, or at least this narrative you put on when the cameras rolling. Your workouts have worked far better than any YouTube channel, you've expanded my knowledge of human anatomy, such as with that mind muscle connection. Thanks Bitch😄.
Bosu balls might be good for sports like surfing or snow boarding.
Watching a personal trainer today with his client on the bench press. didn't take a bit of notice on the clients form (which in no offence was terrible), weight was obviously too heavy for the client and even worse the trainer was just standing round looking bored. no encouragement or advice on form what so ever.
When I was working out at a crossfix box in my town, looking back, they did not give dam rat's ass about how I progress. They seem to care more someone who is close to them. Also none of crossfire coach I met never ever asked how I progress, how much I lose my body fat, and so on. The only thing they asked was if I was going to pay next month payment. Well, other than that I have lots of reason I quit, but like Scott and Hybrid said in the video, not paying attention to their clients is a huge problem.
I see this shit at my gym. Our personal trainers there are horrible.
We have both kinds of trainers at my gym lmao. The one i was assigned just took my measurements and body fat, and told me to do lots of sets with heavy weights. But I also saw that trainer who had an English speaking client (I live in Québec, so most people have French as a first language) trying his best to speak good English and helping his client, who obviously had never worked out before, correcting him on everything he could, such as his back position when doing push ups even though he didn't really know how to tell him to have his back straighter.