Don’t let them waste your time or worse – your money.

Sometimes you just need a little extra motivation to pump iron your hardest in the gym. Having a workout partner can help but sometimes you need someone better than a friend or acquaintance – sometimes you just need someone who is paid to kick your ass.

A personal trainer is a great way to help you not only stay motivated but workout correctly and in a way that will maximize your potential for hard gains. But just because someone calls themselves a personal trainer doesn’t mean they actually know what they are talking about. Sometimes a trainer just plain sucks.

Don’t waste your money and your time. Check out these top six ways a trainer can ruin your workout so you can make sure your trainer doesn’t suck.
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The Trainer That Wants to Baby You

This might not go for the hardcore gyms – but sometimes you sign up for a personal trainer only to realize that you’re not actually training all that much. Someone who takes it too easy on you. Someone who is too afraid to push you – who thinks that your entire body will crumble if you’re actually challenged. Maybe the trainer is just easing you into it. Or maybe they’re just taking your money.

At the end of the day, if you don’t feel challenged – obviously something is wrong. Even worse, if you’re not tired then what are you even getting out of it?
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The Trainer That is Too Hardcore

Okay, so you don’t want some namby pamby trainer babying you through all your workouts. You want someone to challenge you and really kick your ass. But certain trainers might be too eager to get you to lift some massive weights.

Yes, a trainer should push you past your perceived limits but a trainer should also be paid to know what you are physically prepared to do. Some trainers are so obsessed with forcing advanced techniques on unprepared customers that it leads to bad form and possibly injury.

This isn’t an excuse to quit from your personal training program if you are whining about getting sore but don’t be taken advantage of either.
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The Trainer That Talks Too Smart

Part of the reason you are probably using a personal trainer is to learn new techniques and gain the benefits of the trainer’s expertise. You want to gain knowledge that you can use in your workouts moving forward. That’s great and all, but sometimes trainers just start rambling in technical jargon that is so in depth you don’t even know what they’re talking about anymore.

Gym goers don’t want to feel dumb or overwhelmed. If your trainer talks down to you with dazzling scientific knowledge – he might just be trying to make him/herself feel better. A trainer should always be helping you grow physically and mentally but also tuned to what best fits the customer.
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The Trainer That Refuses to Learn

Here’s the thing, time does not stand still. Fitness and health knowledge is constantly changing. What once worked for bodybuilders in the past may not work today with new information moving forward.

Maybe your personal trainer has had a tried and true method that hasn’t changed in the past 30 years. That might be fine. It’s possible this method is still effective. But it’s important to know that your trainer is aware and thoroughly understands all of the new information that is constantly being discovered in regards to weight training and fitness.

If the trainer is stuck in the past, how do you know you’re really getting the best workout possible? How can you bulk up with the best of your competition if you’re missing out on essential new techniques?

G.I. Joe said it best, “Knowledge is Power” – make sure your trainer has some.
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The Trainer That Isn’t In Shape

This one is the worst. There’s nothing worse than getting advice from someone who obviously doesn’t take it themselves. Kind of like a married person telling you the “right” way to be single. It’s infuriating. If your trainer is fat or out of shape, can you really trust them to get you in shape?

Do they need to look like a pro bodybuilder? Hell no. But they should at least look like know what they are talking about. If you’re an expert on training you should be able to get yourself in shape. How can you motivate someone else if you can’t motivate yourself?
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High Cost/No Results

This one may seem obvious – but sometimes people get so worked up about the self satisfaction of feeling like they worked hard that they don’t notice one major thing – they aren’t getting any results.

The point of working out and the point of a trainer is to transform your body into a stronger and more satisfying version of yourself. If you’ve been working with a trainer for months and look exactly the same – then something is definitely wrong. It’s one thing to waste your time and not see results but to also throw money at a supposed “expert” who isn’t really helping you at all – that’s a crime. If this is you, open your eyes and get yourself a new trainer – fast.

 

Is your trainer any one of these people? We certainly hope not but sound off in the comments if you want to vent about any crappy trainers you’ve had or seen in the gym. You can also give us your feedback on our Generation Iron Facebook and Twitter too.