Advice for a new Personal Trainer ??

Stu Robertson

Stu Robertson

Stu Robertson

Associate
Joined
14 May 2013
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2
Hi

First post. I recently qualified as a Personal Trainer with the plan being to carry out 1-2-1 sessions primarily in clients homes. I am seeking two bits of advice from any PTs out there ...

1: Because of an operation I have on my head a couple of years ago I can't drive a car until January - and so visit my clients by bicycle. Obviously this means I'm very limited with what I can carry. At the moment, as well as MP3 speaker and BP monitor for new clients, I am carrying a kettlebell and mat in a backpack - my programmes focus strongly towards plenty of body-weight exercises. Can you give me your opinion on what kit you would suggest I hooft about with me? (perhaps resistance bands - or would they not be suitable / appealing for male clients looking to build strength - no sexism intended).

2: I am 37 and qualifying as a PT was a complete career/lifestyle change for me - turning my back on my 15+ years corporate experience. 37 is not too far from being a 'pensioner' in the Personal Training industry. I'm fit as a fiddle and eat healthy and balanced - but would you suggest any supplements I should be taking to aid longevity and reduce the chance of injury?

I hope someone can reply with their opinion. I'll look forward to hearing back.

Stu.
 
If you are having clients who want to gain strength then you need them in a gym or somewhere with some weights. A kettlebell won't cut it ;)
 
Stu Robertson said:
Can you give me your opinion on what kit you would suggest I hooft about with me? (perhaps resistance bands - or would they not be suitable / appealing for male clients looking to build strength - no sexism intended).
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I don't mean to come across as a **** but surely as a PT you should know what sort of kit you'll need.
 
tom_e said:
I don't mean to come across as a **** but surely as a PT you should know what sort of kit you'll need.
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Since when did PTs know anything? ;) :D

OP: whilst tom_e has a fair point, you are going to struggle to do anything than mild conditioning work with clients if you can't access real weights. Yes, there are some very good BW exercises that can be done, but none will get your clients massive or particularly strong.
 
I strongly suggest you disregard everything you've learnt about training and nutrition, and set about acquiring knowledge that will allow you to offer actual value to your clients.

Unless of course you are looking to buy into and exacerbate an increasingly vapid industry who's sole concern is extracting money from people who don't know any better at the expense of their fitness and well-being.

In which case, buy some ankle weights.
 
you should be able to fit a power rack, reclinable bench an oly bar plus 200kg of weight in your backpack.

if its an xxl backpack you could throw in a rower and a treadmill too.






















either get a job in a gym or buy your own gym (srs)
 
Ok, I'm genuinely curious. If you are a 'recently qualified' personal trainer, what did they teach you?!

The things I'd expect to be taught to a personal trainer are three things:
  • Any lift, and correct form. All those covered in Supple Leopard plus probably a few more, and maybe some side stuff (cardio, kettlebells etc...)
  • Nutrition. I don't care how much exercise you do, you need to know nutrition. Supplementation would be covered here.
  • Stretching, mobility etc...
I wonder how you don't necessarily know the answers to your questions already? I think your questions are normally quite reasonable for your average Joe, but it just puzzles me how you don't know these but are going to be giving advice to others regarding exercises if you don't know something that's relatively easy to obtain, and can be found on these very forums if you do a bit of searching through a few threads.

If you have a predominantly kettlebell workout, I don't really have an issue wih that. I know some people here will, but depending on your target market, I don't have a major issue with that factor.

For reference my general basics of what you need to pull off a decent bodyweight workout are:
  • A pull up bar (there would be a problem mounting this in someone's house)
  • A set of resistance bands
  • A foam roller
  • A set of Olympic Rings

If you want to be looking into a supplementation, if you get a decent amount of work you're going to be need to eat a lot, and need your diet sorted. A massively popular supplement on here right now is OAKG. But frankly, I avoid anything I haven't read papers on myself.

Honestly, I really don't know how someone who can advise someone else on exercise but doesn't know the answers to your question already. That isn't necessarily your fault, and may be a result of how easy it is to become a personal trainer, but dear god, please please please do some more research.

kd
 
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icecold said:
I strongly suggest you disregard everything you've learnt about training and nutrition, and set about acquiring knowledge that will allow you to offer actual value to your clients.

Unless of course you are looking to buy into and exacerbate an increasingly vapid industry who's sole concern is extracting money from people who don't know any better at the expense of their fitness and well-being.

In which case, buy some ankle weights.
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I 'qualified' as a PT when I was just over 20. I did my gym instructor (L3 & 3) along side my degree and PT modules after I graduated. I developed my real passion, lifting & nutrition, whilst I was at uni.

I had been lifting for 2 years before starting any professional qualifications and had been lifting for 3 by the time I finished, with respectable ratio's & figures for bench/squat/deadlift.

The qualifications didn't really teach me much that I didn't already know except for the physiology/anatomy side. A lot of nutrition syllabus is out dated.

Don't get me wrong it's a good grounding, I can't deny that but 'continuous professional development' is often thrown around in any profession and the fitness industry is probably the industry with the fasted moving pace around.

There are things that only experience can teach you so would advise attending some additional classes/course/coaching for lifts & conditioning. Being able to spot potential signs of injury, improper form and causes of both of these is vital.

You don't need to know it all, there's so much to learn, but I would seriously be spending my first two years acquiring as much knowledge & experience as possible.

I never really got in to the profession but can always fall back on it should I need and it's still one of my main passions in life.

CPD will turn a 'meh/good' PT in to a great PT/Trainer.
 
^ I completely agree.

But the "little knowledge" you gain in these basic courses (up to level 2 I'd say) are far too easily turned into a dangerous thing.
 
Psycho Sonny said:
you should be able to fit a power rack, reclinable bench an oly bar plus 200kg of weight in your backpack.

if its an xxl backpack you could throw in a rower and a treadmill too.
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Xxl will have pockets, a blow up swimming pool should fit in one. Sorted.
 
Many thanks for your insightful answers.

Perhaps a little foolish to seek knowledgable / intelligent answers on a general forum rather than a sport specific one.

Thanks again - I'll let you get back to your doubtless failed relationships, inadequate real-life social skills and generally unhappy lives (as the average sarcastic forum poster is defined by the American Institute of Psychology) - probably in your parents houses.
 
Stu Robertson said:
Perhaps a little foolish to seek knowledgable / intelligent answers on a general forum rather than a sport specific one.
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I mainly lurk this section of the forum but I have to say you'd be very foolish and ignorant to dismiss the wealth of information that gets posting in this section daily.

Go over the Bodybuilding.com forum and it'll just echo much of what you've already heard in this thread.
 
Stu Robertson said:
Many thanks for your insightful answers.

Perhaps a little foolish to seek knowledgable / intelligent answers on a general forum rather than a sport specific one.

Thanks again - I'll let you get back to your doubtless failed relationships, inadequate real-life social skills and generally unhappy lives (as the average sarcastic forum poster is defined by the American Institute of Psychology) - probably in your parents houses.
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I wish you all the best with your new career, a man and his kettlebell.

Your punters are going to get hoooooooouge!

:rolleyes:
 
Stu Robertson said:
Many thanks for your insightful answers.

Perhaps a little foolish to seek knowledgable / intelligent answers on a general forum rather than a sport specific one.

Thanks again - I'll let you get back to your doubtless failed relationships, inadequate real-life social skills and generally unhappy lives (as the average sarcastic forum poster is defined by the American Institute of Psychology) - probably in your parents houses.
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Many thanks for being a douche.

Perhaps a little foolish to come on here telling us you're a qualified PT then asking basic questions that any decent PT would know the answers to.

Thanks again for confirming to us that too many PT's are washed up 30-somethings with little interest in delivering proper results to their clients but instead looking to line their pockets whilst going through a mid-life crisis due to the mental scars from being bullied for being fat as a child.
 
Stu Robertson said:
Many thanks for your insightful answers.

Perhaps a little foolish to seek knowledgable / intelligent answers on a general forum rather than a sport specific one.

Thanks again - I'll let you get back to your doubtless failed relationships, inadequate real-life social skills and generally unhappy lives (as the average sarcastic forum poster is defined by the American Institute of Psychology) - probably in your parents houses.
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