Personal Training is a Rip-off!!!

img src: nobsstrengthsecrets.com

“Personal Training is a rip-off!” I first heard this in 2007. I was standing in a gym, within earshot of my clients. The person who’d said it was the owner of the gym: an overweight, former bodybuilder. To date, my clients & I are still shredded…and he’s still failing to get in to shape himself.

I’ve digressed rather.

“Personal training is a rip-off!” I’ve heard this sentiment expressed multiple times since and, generally by two types of people:
1. those who have ‘been around the fitness scene’ for some time (ie those who have accrued a decent amount of knowledge due to many, many years of trial and error).
2. those who have read ‘everything on fitness’ (ie those who believe they’re accrued a decent amount of knowledge due to having read a number of blogs, and/or subscribing to Dr. Oz’s videos).

Ask the former to compile a program for 5 different individuals, with different goals, and nine times out of ten you can expect to find a slightly tweaked version of a typical bodybuilder’s contest prep. This means: rice, broccoli, tilapia, chicken breast, peanut butter, steady-state fasted cardio, & a similarly-cookie-cutter workout.

Ask the latter to compile a program for *themselves* and, nine times out of ten, you can expect a mish-mash of south beach, paleo, with gluten-free options, no eating after a certain time in the evening, carb-ups (“cus carbs are essential man”), or absolutely no carbs (“‘cus carbs are evil man)”, and ‘cheat days’ thrown in with no regard to purpose.

Nine times out of ten, each of these individuals fail at the laid out tasks, because there is a distinct divide between being exposed to a plethora of knowledge, and being able to situationally APPLY said knowledge.

*steps out of rant mode*

*Reaches for a cookie*

*sips decaf latté*

Back on topic.

I have many peers who are artists by profession. Memes pervasive in the community regularly depict a customer querying why they should pay for said artist’s services and skillset.

Example A:

img src: 9gag.com

The personal trainer experience mirrors that exactly.

My thoughts on the matter?

Yes… There is a plethora of free info out there. A lot of it is right. A lot of it is wrong. If you feel confident in your ability to a.) Filter through and spot the correct info, b.) Aptly apply said info to your person, then go right ahead.

Hopefully it won’t take a decade of research, trial, and error that the average professional takes to become an expert at his craft.

And, hopefully, you’ll fight the urge to constantly message the Trainer (who you think is ripping the public off for daring to sell his/her services) to ask for opinions on why/where the diet & routine you hobbled together is failing.

Yes… I’m talking to you over there.

Yours in fitness,
-C. Springer
http://www.getnarked.net
http://www.facebook.com/NarkSide