I loved jillybeans post “My personal trainer is a two year old.” He’s probably better than the one I paid big bucks for (by the way do you hire him out?).
I had been working really hard for about 6 months in the gym and managed to gain 10lbs. That’s when I got suckered in to hiring a trainer.
In a sixth month period of time I went through 4 trainers because the gym can’t seem to keep their employee’s happy. With the constant turn over I felt like I was starting from scratch every 4-6 weeks. So on the first day with my fourth trainer we decided to work on biceps and triceps.
Before I go any further with my long winded complaint you need to know two things about me.
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I am not a wimp. I will always push myself further than I should.
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I have a very high pain tolerance, I mean freakishly high. I often injure myself because I don’t realize that I’m pushing myself to far.
So with that said everything was going fine the first half of our session I had even told him to up the weight several times. As we continued to work my biceps I got to the point were I physically couldn’t lift anymore. I have learned from past experience that this is when I need to stop. I told him it was to much and he continued to pester me about not giving up and to push through the pain. Seriously, what pain? There was no pain I just couldn’t make the bar move. After about 15 minutes of struggling with the bar he finally realized it wasn’t going to happen, and let me hit the elliptical.
On my way out of the gym I could feel that something wasn’t right. By the next morning I couldn’t straiten my arms. They were locked at a 90 degree angle and wouldn’t move. Once again it wasn’t because they hurt to bad to move, they just WOULDN’T move.
After 4 days with my arms stuck this way I went to a sports medicine doctor who had to physically straiten my arms. Now this is were the pain comes in. I can’t even explain how painful it is to have your arms (both of them) stretched. It took 3 months and hundreds of dollars to repair the damage my trainer caused. This is when I decided I never wanted to see the gym again.
I did go in and tell the manager that I needed a new trainer because I wouldn’t work with the other one again. She looked through her books and told me the only other trainer available at that time of day was my trainers wife. Um NO that isn’t going to happen. So I haven’t been back, and have now paid for the last 6 months for nothing.
I know I need to go back, and that I’m only hurting myself by not going, but I was MAD. So what do you think, am I just a big baby and need to suck it up and return to the gym? What would you do?
Go back, just don’t use a trainer who causes you severe injury (or any injury at all).
By not going to the gym, you’re letting them win. They get the benefit of your membership dollars and you get nothing. I would go back and tell everyone, everyone you meet there about your personal trainer fiasco.
If what you said about the turnover rate holds true, that trainer probably isn’t even there anymore. Has anyone used Better Bodies as personal trainers with any success?
OK so right after writing this post I did put on my running shoes and hit the gym. I took all my frustrations out on the poor elliptical machine, and feel totally better.
I did woos out on going up to the trainer counter and asking for a new one. I’m sure I will soon though because me cheapness is winning and I want my money’s worth.
Hmmm, I never thought of hiring him out.
I bet you could find a wealth of women who would let you dance with their toddlers on a daily basis for free. Some might even pay you to take them!
Jill/Jillybeans
omg! That’s awful….but I think you need to confront the manager again, and either get a new personal trainer, or get them to refund the money you paid. I’ve thought about hiring a personal trainer, but I really hate the gym and know that I would never keep it up long-term. I really want to get running again, but am having the hardest time scheduling it in. I am walking, and just trying to be active with the kids as often as I can, but let’s face it – the intensity of a walk with a 4 year old and 1 year old isn’t always what it could be. The physical intensity I mean, if being frustrated to the point you think your head will blow off burned calories, I’d be a stick!
Gaghk! I would be truly torqued! Glad to hear that you are hitting the gym in spite of the trainer… I think I would be likely to ask for my $$ back though…. in order to apply it to your freakin’ doctor’s bill!