Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Personal Training Sucks!

I had an email from a woman today (we'll call her Irene) who emailed me in a last-ditch effort to actually help her achieve some serious weight loss, fat loss and in order to help her get over a few serious medical conditions that have been plaguing her for the last 15 years.

Irene told me that over the last 7 of those years she has worked with no fewer than 11 personal trainers!

Now, I've got to admit, when a client tells me that they've worked with more than a few trainers my internal alarms start ringing 'are they trouble?' , 'will they commit?' and all kinds of things.

You see, my own clients are with me on average for 4-6 years so I don't really understand it when someone says they change around a lot.

Well, Irene told me why.

"Each and every one of my trainers made great promises about what I'd get from training with them. They charged me a lot of money up front and spoke to me about commitment and results. It all sounded great. Just what I was looking for.

Everything would work out well for 4 weeks or so, then the results would dry up and they'd lose interest in me.

They'd make me feel like my lack of results was my fault!

"Then she told me "I've come to the opinion that personal training sucks".

The thing is, though I wanted to stick up for my profession, I had to agree that, yes, most of the time the service that you get from a personal trainer really does suck!

There, I said it!

Most of the time there is no real assessment.

Most of the time there is no real understanding of what goes into winning the battle in the mind (the hardest bit)

Most of the time there's a total insistence on doing everything the hard way and even the WRONG way for the client.

Most of the time the client gets a restrictive nutrition program that cuts too many calories instead of a SUPPORTIVE nutrition program that helps the body to improve.

Most of the time the meaning of the word 'client' is forgotten and instead 'customer' is used to describe the same thing.

(a client is one who is under the care of another whilst a customer is one who enters into a transaction)

Most of the time, when the client fails to get results, the trainer blames THEM instead of taking responsibility.

Most of the time personal training and personal trainers suck!!

BUT NOT ALL OF THE TIME!

There are some fantastic people out there who will not only provide good service but even GUARANTEE RESULTS in specific time frames.

Some will even charge you one price for the results... regardless of the time taken.

The real trick is finding them right?

Check in tomorrow and I'll tell you how.

To your success

Dax

1 comment:

Fenella said...

The trainer can do so much. It is a two way journey. You need to understand, work and angage in a serious attempt at a life change. It is hard and I have been through some trainers.Many did not understand my recovery from a severe eating disorder.
I had a brilliant one who i worked with for 3 years and lost 6 stone -he went back to Colorado where he has a family and I lost a true mentor. Since then No one has come up to scratch. No one to power walk and take no bull, no one to check out my breathing, no one to check how I cook my broccolli, and care that I genuinely do change to a happier, healthier me......some need more motivation than others. However a trainer is there not to do the work foryou but to work with you to achieve the maximum potential. It';s hard and painful and at times I cried as I was pushed to the limit but the results spoke for themselves.
Afterwards I would smile and say thank you with a glow in my heart.
Fenella