Monday, September 9, 2013

Should Your Hand Be There While Spotting Me?

WARNING: The information you gain from this post may come as a shock. If this post hits the nail on the head, I encourage you to share it. Let's get started......

If you have ever viewed a personal trainer (PT) spotting a client or if you have ever been spotted by a personal trainer, this post may raise some questions. I embark on this topic as a means to make you aware of what is professional and what is a bit too personal when it comes to training.

Personal trainers are great to have when you have fitness goals to reach. If you are a beginner when it comes to fitness, then a PT is highly recommended. If you need a boost in your current routine, a PT is highly recommended. They have a multitude of skill sets ranging from basic movements to advanced workout routines and PT's are very knowledgeable in their career field. If you have any questions about your body when it comes to getting fit, ask a PT for help. 

When it comes to being trained by a PT, there is a distinct difference between the professional PT and the "too personal" PT. I will start with the professional PT. He or she is one that takes the time to get to know you. Your goals become their goals and motivation. A professional PT will make sure you are doing what is right for in or outside the gym by checking in with you on the weekends when most of us tend to be more lenient with our intake and you tell yourself: I will just do extra cardio and burn it off tomorrow........ "Yeah right" subconsciously echoes in the back of your mind. A professional PT will make you feel as if he/she will give you a surprise visit when you are telling yourself "I'll just burn it off." Lastly, a professional PT will leave you with the knowledge needed to properly perform each exercise precisely and safely. 

The "too personal" PT on the other hand is one that makes you feel as if you have a buddy to flirt with. Quite frankly I have a personal vendetta against those guys. The too personal PT is one that loves to spot their clients especially when the client is performing a squat. Here comes the shocker. Have you ever noticed a PT's hand on your glutes when they spot your squat? If you have, you have been a victim of the "too personal" PT. The trainer's hand gently brushing your thighs or having his client sit on his lap to perform a "move," even a PT walking with their arm around a client's shoulders are all sighs of the "too personal" PT. Be aware and pay attention ladies and gentlemen. There should never be a hand on your glutes, squeezing your biceps, stroking your chest or in any other place that makes you question for one moment as to what that hand is doing there. If so, you are a victim of the too personal PT. 

On a more personal note, I am a professional personal trainer who has witnessed men and women trainers use their gifts to hit on clients. Men in most cases are more likely to go along with the flirting but that does not mean that it not considered too personal. A PT in general has a duty to motivate individuals in reaching their fitness goals, period. There has been too many personal trainers over the years that are "too personal" who have given professional PT's a bad name. Tight bodies is not what makes a PT a threat. Their personal motives and intentions make them a threat. It is my goal to educate my readers in this post about Mr. or Ms. Too Personal PT so that you can beat them at their own game and give the personal training industry back to professional PT's everywhere. 

Thank you for your time.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure there are many PT's who would hate this post.