A blog documenting a new mom's journey through parenthood while trying to balance a demanding career, a desire to stay fit, a large close family and graduate school Sharing tips to get organized, and get fit as well as those special moments you get to have while raising a little baby.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Personal Trainers...Take Note
You are not the only ones at the gym. While I love what you do, I was one for a long time, I resent the way you are strutting around the gym with your clients as if you own the place. I'm all for you helping people achieve their goals. Really, I am but what I'm not a fan of is you having setup 3 separate work areas in a location at the gym that is meant for stretching and core work.
You have your own dedicated room. Why not use it? Why must you have your client, who now feels awkward, doing steps ups right in front of me? Literally, if your client had fallen, he would've knocked me over. Did I mention I was there first?
Everyone at the gym is good about taking turns and using the space that's available conservatively. Everyone that is except you. Had I not wanted to cause a scene, I would've called you out on it right there.
So let's make a deal. I'm going to keep doing what I do in as little space as possible but I need you to be aware of the fact that there are others working out around you. Teach your client good gym manners and use the personal training space or do what everyone else is doing, conserve space.
From one professional to another...thanks.
Ok, I'm done venting. I really wish I could've videoed this trainer at the gym yesterday. I was seriously appalled at how he spread himself out without any regard for others. He got away with it this time but next time I see it, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to bite my tongue.
Do you ever have run ins with someone at the gym who just doesn't understand gym etiquette? How do you deal with it?
Oh man, I have so many things I could say about the trainers at my gym. You've already nailed the gym etiquette part, but they also let their clients workout with terrible form and use the exact.same.routines. for nearly all their clients. It's ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteI get so mad when I see that! What is your client paying for?! Really!
DeleteThat's the worst! I've had trainers give me the stink eye before when I try to sneak in and use a small tiny space while they've taken over the rest of the gym. It's really frustrating and definitely lacking in gym etiquette. Of course, I usually don't say anything or I can be really childish and start being really obnoxious myself and purposefully get in their way. I know, very mature :-)
ReplyDeleteHa! I basically did the same thing. Just kept giving dirty obvious looks. ;)
DeleteI can't comment on the trainer aspect as I have the best trainer in the world and he hasn't done anything like that.
ReplyDeleteI did once have a girl swinging a kettlebell practically above my head while I was laying on the floor doing ab work. I moved over to get away and she moved with me. So annyoing!
Ha! The annoying kettlebell swinger! :) I have one of those at my gym too. She's an accident waiting to happen.
DeleteAhhh I see this all the time and it drives me BONKERS! The trainers feel like they can run the place and that those there working out without a trainer don't get priority. I got so mad one day because a trainer had their client using 3 pieces of equipment at once and blocking it so no one could use any of the 3 until they were done rotating between sets. I actually said something to the manager of the gym before I left. I reminded him that the people not using the trainers are just as important as those using them. He didn't seem to understand what I was saying, he's lucky I was able to bite my tongue because he responded with "maybe you could use a trainer and then you would get priority too".... I stormed out and very rarely go to said gym anymore.
ReplyDeleteWow! Good for you for speaking up. I'm going to say something to the gym owner. I think he needs to know.
DeleteYikes! I think you should speak up, but perhaps in a private moment.
ReplyDeleteYou're right! I think I'm going to speak to the gym owner. I know him and think I can talk to him about it.
DeleteTotally unprofessional behaviour! In my gym, the personal trainers are thoroughly trained in gym etiquette; we go out of our way NOT to interfere with non-PT clients as we don't want to create a tiered community. I would definitely bring this up with the gym manager.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, as a trainer, I wish that gym patrons would be similarly respectful of me and my clients; can't count how many times a patron has interrupted a session with a paying client to ask for advice and exercise demos...
Personal trainers drive me nuts. There were a couple at my old gym who I wouldn't let train me if they were the last trainers on earth.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the space issue, I've also noticed personal trainers hogging all the weights and equipment. Like hoarding the 8 lb, 10lb, 12 lb and 15 lb dumbbells + 2-3 kettlebells + a BOSU + a stability ball. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteGym etiquette and respect is so important. I'm glad to be in a gym that honours both of those things! I absolutely love my gym and couldn't imagine training anywhere else! :)
ReplyDeleteAMEN! I actually contacted my gym about some of this behavior and explained that I am a paying customer and a personal trainer should not take my weights away because they're training a client (yes that actually happened)
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that your gym has a separate room to train, while I think it is a cool concept, I appreciated being trained on the floor where my trainer taught me the etiquette in a gym. It sucks that this trainer couldn't do that.
ReplyDelete