Why 50% of Personal Trainers Suck -PART 1

[Firehawk]

How would you have obtained that knowledge if you haven't been there? Experience is irreplaceable.

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

How would you have obtained that knowledge if you haven't been there? Experience is irreplaceable.

I can only bench 300 but can tell you how to bench 400.


Lift heavy. Lift often. Eat lots of food. Repeat.

[Cort]

Originally Posted by standAPART

Lastly, I post on here because the last time I checked, there aren't that many fitness professionals on here that can provide good, solid advice. Every advice I hear is washed down crap from T-Nation or a Cell Tech ad. My website is for learning...and it is 100% FREE, you and everyone else has a CHOICE if you want to visit it.

You know, the funny thing is that most of the community here doesn't buy into Cell Tech, T-Nation, or read many magazines. I generally just lurk here lately, but I don't know what has lead you to believe that.

No one minds advice or argument, but when you decide to dismiss everyone else's opinions as garbage, as well as making false insinuations, without even taking the time to look at them it brings out some negative responses.

As for the squat/deadlift thing? I used to squat more than I deadlift, mostly because I simply didn't have a lot of exposure to deadlifts or powerlifting in general in high school. It took me close to a year training just to get my deadlift up over my squat. It happens. Oddly enough, not everyone pursues deadlifts. I think that's a mistake now, but I can see how it might happen.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

I can only bench 300 but can tell you how to bench 400.


Lift heavy. Lift often. Eat lots of food. Repeat.

And you need a trainer for that/ Gimme a break.

Truth is, you don't know what 400 feels like cuase you ain't been there. So how can you accurately tell someone what they need to be doing to achieve it? You ain't been there, you don't know. You can only guess, based on what you read. That's it.

Someone can lift heavy, lift often, and eat plenty, and never get there.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by Cort

You know, the funny thing is that most of the community here doesn't buy into Cell Tech, T-Nation, or read many magazines. I generally just lurk here lately, but I don't know what has lead you to believe that.

No one minds advice or argument, but when you decide to dismiss everyone else's opinions as garbage, as well as making false insinuations, without even taking the time to look at them it brings out some negative responses.

As for the squat/deadlift thing? I used to squat more than I deadlift, mostly because I simply didn't have a lot of exposure to deadlifts or powerlifting in general in high school. It took me close to a year training just to get my deadlift up over my squat. It happens. Oddly enough, not everyone pursues deadlifts. I think that's a mistake now, but I can see how it might happen.

I'm actually still hung up on his definition of a powerlifter, and the idea that there's an off season. I guess his "real" powerlifter friends told him that. I am still waiting for the list of these real powerlifters.

[abarlament]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

How would you have obtained that knowledge if you haven't been there? Experience is irreplaceable.

Because my surgeon who gave me a phrenectomy didn't have one himself.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by abarlament

Because my surgeon who gave me a phrenectomy didn't have one himself.

bad analogy, I'm sure he has performed them (or at the very least was taught directly by someone who has) in the past.

[Dan C]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Truth is, you don't know what 400 feels like cuase you ain't been there. So how can you accurately tell someone what they need to be doing to achieve it? You ain't been there, you don't know. You can only guess, based on what you read. That's it.

This isn't true. I agree that a trainer should have ample experience, but one does not need to know what any given amount of weight feels like to be able to help someone achieve that weight. All you need to do is know how to make progress.

Someone can be dumb as a rock, not know a thing about training and have more natural born strength in their pinky than you do in your entire body. If you can apply your knowledge to their abilities to help them reach their goals, then you will be successful as their trainer.

Ultimately, trainers are being paid for their knowledge not their experience, and though experience is probably the most valuable kind of knowledge in a general sense, your achievements in the weightroom is not what makes a successful trainer.

[Blaze]

I agree. Especially when it comes down the science of everything. If you know how the body works, how it respondes to certain aspects and so forth, you CAN help someone else get to where you haven't been. Some people just arent naturally as strong...and vise versa.
Experience can level you up there no matter how strong you are. For example, a guy who can bench 350 and has been training for 20 years, has alot more knowledge and experience then someone who can bench 400 and has been training for 5 years.

[maverick]

I'm not trying to be an ass at all, but how do you guys know? What you say makes sense in theory, but have you ever trained someone who outpaced you? I'd like to believe that in theory I could make someone bigger and stronger than me, but I never have so I don't know. I'm not insinuating, I'm just curious.

[Firehawk]

I see the points and tend to agree...still though, I'd rather have someone who's been there...

[Dan C]

Originally Posted by maverick

I'm not trying to be an ass at all, but how do you guys know? What you say makes sense in theory, but have you ever trained someone who outpaced you? I'd like to believe that in theory I could make someone bigger and stronger than me, but I never have so I don't know. I'm not insinuating, I'm just curious.

Yes, I have trained someone that outpaced me. He was short and stocky dude, had what you would call a "squatty" build... in several months time, he out-squatted me. Go figure.

There are a lot of factors that go into someone simply moving more weight than you. It DOES NOT mean they know what they're doing, or the best way for you to go about what you're doing.

[smm3]

Firehawk, I think that is the next step for personal training as an industry.

Trainers will begin (aka need to) to specialize. Kind of like a doctor; ortho, GP, cardiac, etc. (extreme comparison here, but give me a break).

When this happens all the poser trainers will be weeded out. You'll be able to find your powerlifting strength coach and your mom will be able to find her weight loss motivator.


Oh, and to the OP.

Instead of hating on your own industry, how about you educate these fine people on how to find a good trainer. That would be a little more productive, I think...

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Dan C

Yes, I have trained someone that outpaced me. He was short and stocky dude, had what you would call a "squatty" build... in several months time, he out-squatted me. Go figure.

There are a lot of factors that go into someone simply moving more weight than you. It DOES NOT mean they know what they're doing, or the best way for you to go about what you're doing.

Your ability to train, did it come of your own knowledge and research, or did you have some instruction? Not necessarily a certification, as we know most anyone can get one, but more like a mentor or someone that was on a higher level at the time that helped you learn. As a simplistic example, if you can only bench 300 and you want to train someone to bench 400, how do you know you are teaching the right thing unless you were taught by someone else who has? Its seems unless this is the case, your first couple trainees would be nothing more than guinea pigs for what that person would BELIEVE to be the right way to do things. Its easy to do research and think it sounds right, I know I've been guilty of it. I guess I'm wondering how you can truly sift through all the bullsh*t out there without a guide.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I see the points and tend to agree...still though, I'd rather have someone who's been there...

I agree 100%. The most important thing to look at when finding a personal trainer is their first hand experience and gained knowledge by actually having ACHIEVED the results themselves that you desire.

I would not EVER think of hiring a personal trainer who simply possessed an average build that you see every day walking through the mall, or even just an athletic type build. If I was going to hire someone to teach me how to train correctly, eat correctly and show/explain to me everything I need to know to build my physique and/or lose fat, then I would ONLY hire a competitive bodybuilder who has an exceptional track record.

WHY? Because they've been through hell and back. They have been through all the rigors and have gained/learned what it takes to be successful at building an exceptional physique and/or losing fat while preserving lean muscle. They are masters at this. I wouldn't care if this guy has a phd in nutrtional science or not, or even has a personal training certification or not....the fact that he KNOWS first hand how to obtain that type of physique is more than enough....pretty much all you need.

Nuff said.

Certifications on paper mean nothing. It means you read some text books, studied your ass off for a few weeks by reviewing material and memorizing some crap so you could pass a test and get a piece of paper saying you know what the hell you're talking about.

That's cool and all and it looks pretty, but it doesn't mean you can even come close to accurately explaining and teaching another person how to achieve their goals, because you have never achieved them yourself. If I had to choose between a certified personal trainer (who was certified under 4 different organizations and had a Phd in nutritional science and kinesiology but looked like the average joe) .... and a successful competitive bodybuilder, I would choose the competitive bodybuilder in a heart beat. I wouldn't give it a second thought. You've either experienced it for yourself or you have not. You can't effectively teach something you've never done or been through fully. It's that simple.