Joined a new gym last night. Hilarious

[DoctorWho]

In fairness, she may be training for the circus.

Maybe she mistook the gym idiots videos as a how-to manual?

[MBasic]

I always bitch about the trainers at Lifetime fitness, sorry.

So today the one younger guy, who has been there a while now (most wash out in 6-12 months) is training a ~50 y.o. man.

He has him deadlift. Entire back is rounded over. This is par for the course . . . same ol' same ol' . . .

Here's the punch line. A third dude comes up to chit chat with the trainer, the trainer introduces his client to his friend as HIS DAD.

HIS OWN GODDAMN DAD!!! HE CAN"T TAKE THE FUCKING TIME TO GET HIS FUCKING BACK STRAIGHT.

OR

HE'S SUCH A GODDAMNED MISINFORMED UNQUALIFIED FUCKWIT THAT HE DOESN"T KNOW THAT A ROUNDED BACK IS BAD.

...and then he had him foam roll for a half and hour....no shit.

I thought there was just a certain amount of not caring with these trainers. Clients can't get into posisition. OR, they don't want to take the time with the client to spend time developing technique, kind of a lets-get-on-with-working-out-so-we-don't-have-time-to-fix-your-god-awful-form.

But now I think they honestly don't know what the fuck they are doing, moreso, than having clients do stupid shit to take their money.

(STUPID & IGNORANT) > (nefarious snakeoil salesman)
__________________________________________________ ______

edit: trainer was wearing a Lifetime Alpha^tm shirt

__________________________________________________ ______

edit2: I'm going to make a T-shirt that says "Beta as f#ck", or gamma

__________________________________________________ ______

edit3: Maybe a shirt that says "(nothing)", plain white, plain black letters "nothing" in parentheses.

[Kregna]

I always bitch about the trainers at Lifetime fitness, sorry.

So today the one younger guy, who has been there a while now (most wash out in 6-12 months) is training a ~50 y.o. man.

He has him deadlift. Entire back is rounded over. This is par for the course . . . same ol' same ol' . . .

Here's the punch line. A third dude comes up to chit chat with the trainer, the trainer introduces his client to his friend as HIS DAD.

HIS OWN GODDAMN DAD!!! HE CAN"T TAKE THE FUCKING TIME TO GET HIS FUCKING BACK STRAIGHT.

OR

HE'S SUCH A GODDAMNED MISINFORMED UNQUALIFIED FUCKWIT THAT HE DOESN"T KNOW THAT A ROUNDED BACK IS BAD.

...and then he had him foam roll for a half and hour....no shit.

I thought there was just a certain amount of not caring with these trainers. Clients can't get into posisition. OR, they don't want to take the time with the client to spend time developing technique, kind of a lets-get-on-with-working-out-so-we-don't-have-time-to-fix-your-god-awful-form.

But now I think they honestly don't know what the fuck they are doing, moreso, than having clients do stupid shit to take their money.

(STUPID & IGNORANT) > (nefarious snakeoil salesman)
__________________________________________________ ______

edit: trainer was wearing a Lifetime Alpha^tm shirt

__________________________________________________ ______

edit2: I'm going to make a T-shirt that says "Beta as f#ck", or gamma

__________________________________________________ ______

edit3: Maybe a shirt that says "(nothing)", plain white, plain black letters "nothing" in parentheses.

Of course they don't know what they're doing. What's really amazing is that people still see them as an authority on training

[Brodie Butland]

Of course they don't know what they're doing. What's really amazing is that people still see them as an authority on training

Yeah. I think that most trainers honestly care about the vast majority of their clients. But one problem is they don't know what they don't know, and they can't help if they don't know how. Blame the "big 5" personal training certs for this one, who have more or less been co-opted by The Literature and the latest exercise "science" (fads).

The other big problem is that many don't understand the concept of a measurable goal independent of aesthetics. "Being healthier" or "feeling better," for example, aren't measurable goals, at least in the long term. Sure, short term you may see things like significant weight loss, better lipid profiles, or more energy...but once you reach a baseline level of "health" or "feeling," what next? In normal PT world, "what next?" is invariably some nebulous concept of "fitness" that involves constant changing of exercises, balancing on bosu balls, and other things plucked from the latest garbage-in-garbage-out Ex Fizz studies, none of which provides an objectively measurable benefit.

One of the big selling points to the Starting Strength methodology is that it provides a goal (becoming stronger), the progression of which uses easily measurable and objective parameters (did the weight on the bar increase? did you do more reps?), that has significant carry-over to better functioning in everyday life. Someone who deadlifts 405 and does a modest cardio supplement will have an easier time moving boxes, shoveling the driveway, playing recreational sports, playing with the kids/grandkids, and doing chores around the house than someone who deadlifts under two plates and does a lot of "functional training" for "general fitness." This is why SS Gyms and SS Coaches are so damn busy...once a client sees the change in their lives after modest lifting gains, they become true believers--and then they recruit others.

[cutlet#]

I think I have been using it wrong - Album on Imgur

[Jr_Geezer]

I always bitch about the trainers at Lifetime fitness, sorry.

So today the one younger guy, who has been there a while now (most wash out in 6-12 months) is training a ~50 y.o. man.

He has him deadlift. Entire back is rounded over. This is par for the course . . . same ol' same ol' . . .

Here's the punch line. A third dude comes up to chit chat with the trainer, the trainer introduces his client to his friend as HIS DAD.

HIS OWN GODDAMN DAD!!! HE CAN"T TAKE THE FUCKING TIME TO GET HIS FUCKING BACK STRAIGHT.

OR

HE'S SUCH A GODDAMNED MISINFORMED UNQUALIFIED FUCKWIT THAT HE DOESN"T KNOW THAT A ROUNDED BACK IS BAD.

...and then he had him foam roll for a half and hour....no shit.

I thought there was just a certain amount of not caring with these trainers. Clients can't get into posisition. OR, they don't want to take the time with the client to spend time developing technique, kind of a lets-get-on-with-working-out-so-we-don't-have-time-to-fix-your-god-awful-form.

But now I think they honestly don't know what the fuck they are doing, moreso, than having clients do stupid shit to take their money.

(STUPID & IGNORANT) > (nefarious snakeoil salesman)
__________________________________________________ ______

edit: trainer was wearing a Lifetime Alpha^tm shirt

__________________________________________________ ______

edit2: I'm going to make a T-shirt that says "Beta as f#ck", or gamma

__________________________________________________ ______

edit3: Maybe a shirt that says "(nothing)", plain white, plain black letters "nothing" in parentheses.

The other day I had to demonstrate what a hook grip is to a trainer, who advertises himself as a powerlifter. He literally did not know how to do a hook grip deadlift.

[kanahan]

One-legged box squats except instead of a box it was a bench and instead of a barbell it was two small dumbells on the traps.

[Skander]

One-legged box squats except instead of a box it was a bench and instead of a barbell it was two small dumbells on the traps.

Just balancing there? That'd be almost as impressive as the balancing ball lady.

Incidentally I might have one of those in my gym- saw a ball resting in a plate in the Smith machine. I assume it was a circus seal.

[Kregna]

Yeah. I think that most trainers honestly care about the vast majority of their clients. But one problem is they don't know what they don't know, and they can't help if they don't know how. Blame the "big 5" personal training certs for this one, who have more or less been co-opted by The Literature and the latest exercise "science" (fads).

The other big problem is that many don't understand the concept of a measurable goal independent of aesthetics. "Being healthier" or "feeling better," for example, aren't measurable goals, at least in the long term. Sure, short term you may see things like significant weight loss, better lipid profiles, or more energy...but once you reach a baseline level of "health" or "feeling," what next? In normal PT world, "what next?" is invariably some nebulous concept of "fitness" that involves constant changing of exercises, balancing on bosu balls, and other things plucked from the latest garbage-in-garbage-out Ex Fizz studies, none of which provides an objectively measurable benefit.

One of the big selling points to the Starting Strength methodology is that it provides a goal (becoming stronger), the progression of which uses easily measurable and objective parameters (did the weight on the bar increase? did you do more reps?), that has significant carry-over to better functioning in everyday life. Someone who deadlifts 405 and does a modest cardio supplement will have an easier time moving boxes, shoveling the driveway, playing recreational sports, playing with the kids/grandkids, and doing chores around the house than someone who deadlifts under two plates and does a lot of "functional training" for "general fitness." This is why SS Gyms and SS Coaches are so damn busy...once a client sees the change in their lives after modest lifting gains, they become true believers--and then they recruit others.

I agree completely

These people who hire the trainers seem to start believing they're seeing invisible progress. Being 'fitter' or 'more healthy' is just something that happens if you turn up and do what the PT tells you - regardless of whether or not you get any bigger / stronger / perform any better. If you're going to build muscle it's quite obvious if you're failing or succeeding but fitness is some conveniently invisible immeasurable benefit that's released in your sweat.

Go to the gym and sweat - you'll be fit as a fiddle and if people question why you're still small and weak you smile smugly and tell them you're more interested in health, fitness and a functional body

[Banned_Pavel]

These people who hire the trainers seem to start believing they're seeing invisible progress.

Those trainers are salesmen, and they are good in positive reinforcement. I was observing one instructor in my gym and his client. He had the guy doing 65 lbs deadlift at the start. Now, about a year later, they are at 185, I think. That's tremendous progress compared to 65, right? Apart from the fact that the guy was capable of at least 225. And yes, they still do it with rounded back, and recently moved to trap bar.