Gossip friend, not Personal Trainer!

by Leslie
(Michigan)

I am interested in becoming a personal trainer. However, one thing I have noticed from years of watching trainers at my health club is that most times the client is just talking away about this and that to the trainer, and the trainer is just there as someone to listen to the client. It seems to me that there is not much exercise taking place. Nor is the client asking questions about how to perform a certain exercise or what they should be doing to improve their strength and fitness level.

Is this a common occurrence? Do many clients just need someone to listen to their problems and day to day experiences? I find this a discouraging prospect for me in this field.

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Don't be a Rent-a-Buddy
by: Joe Bartovic NASM-CPT,pes

One of the worst excuses for a trainer is the "rent a buddy". It is important to care about what your client has to say, but keep them on task. You will outshine the other lazy trainers who will let their client talk away the session.
Joe Bartovic NASM-CPT,PES
Wow! Fitness
Middletown , CT

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Don't be an affordable therapist.
by: Anonymous

Some clients are non-stop talkers. I guess they just think P-trainers are much cheaper to talk
compare to $150/h therapists.
Lots of trainers don't have guts to stop those
chatter boxes because they don't want to lose clients. Sigh....

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Its part of the job!
by: perSAULnal training

I think you have to find a balance between keeping a good relationship with your clients and meeting their goals. Things going on in their lives are going to affect the workout so you should know what those things are. Thing such as deaths in the family, vacations, injuries exc. All these thing can affect not only the workout but your pay! I want my clients to look at me not just as a trainer but as a friend. When you have client that are your friends it make the sessions fun. One of the best perks is all the cool stuff my clients give me; gifts, trips, show tickets, they hook my up with people that can give my discounts!

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You must be a people's person to be a CPT
by: LC

Different people have different goals but one of the most important things will need to be a CPT is to be a people's person. If yo are not, you are dead. You will need to learn this skills. No matter how good trainer you are if don't have good social skills the clients will leave you.

Here are three examples of different people w/ different goals

Some people wants get fit and they will do the work.

Other people will go to the gym because they are stress out and they want someone to talk to and help them to exercise.

Some not athletic but social people need a trainer because they don't like to exercise and they need someone to push them but they talk too much. That means you do need to make sure they exercise.

LC

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Gossip friend, not Personal Trainer!
by: LW

Isn't there an entire chapter in the Personal Training books about communication and being a good listener? I think that lines up with listening and understanding the personal problems and issues that would hinder/help someone that's being PERSONALLY trained.

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Gossip prevention
by: Anonymous

This is what I do when I have a client who like to chatter... Circuit training maintaining a THR around 80%. Generally this prevents them from wanting to chat, and speeds up the results! The only thing I usually hear then is "I think I might throw up."

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Gossip friend, not Personal Trainer!
by: Anonymous

I'm also thinking of becoming a personal trainer and one thing that caught my eye/ear, was once I was in my apts. that I used to live in, working out. A lady came in with a personal trainer. They barely spoke one word to each other. That may be ok, but I felt that the trainer should have been asking questions about what he was having her do or not do, etc...
And let's face it. MOST women are merely gossiping/complaining machines.That's what they do best.
This is coming from a female and why I choose to not hang out with most women. Can't stand their drama.

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