As personal trainers, dietitians, sports nutrition specialists and group fitness instructors, we deal with a lot of people on an everyday basis. We love our jobs, but some of the things our clients do, and even say can drive us crazy! What our clients have to remember, is that when we ask you to perform a specific exercise, or ask you to include something specific in your diet, there is a REASON behind it! Yes, that means we have actually put some thought into it, and most importantly it’s for your benefit! Crazy right? So, here are the top pet peeves from some of the players in the industry- take notes people!
David Sandler: Director of Science and Education, iSatori with over 25 Years Industry Experience. He is also a University Assistant Professor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Author, Columnist and Advisory Board Member
People who don’t wash their gym clothes
Guys on the juice who spend more time trying to convince you that they are not
Walking in front of me and other people who exercising
David Sandler
Nick Tumminello : Coach Nick Tumminello is the owner of Performance University International, which provides hybrid strength training & conditioning for athletes and professional educational programs for fitness professionals all over the world.
Nick Tumminello
When clients ask to be manually stretched. I tell them "you can go get a massage - this ain't a treatment session; it's a workout."
When clients ask me about how to treat their aches and pains. I say "that for a physical therapists to evaluate." My job as a trainer is to give you exercises that work-around your areas of pain and limitation.
Having to consistently debunk all the fitness, health and nutrition myths the clients are being told by the media, when they ask "so and so (insert media outlet or celebrity) said... why don't we do that?"
David Martin CSCS : David Martin is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) Level 1 Sports Performance Coach through (USAW), and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the ACSM.
David Martin CSCS
1) I ask clients to come in 10-15 minutes before session start time to perform their prescribed warm-up, however, some will show up AT start time or several minutes after thus cutting into training time.
2) Most people don't understand the value of hiring a quality trainer, and how much planning and knowledge is actually involved in designing a program for them.
3) Clients will sometimes sandbag their rate of perceived exertion during a workout on certain exercises. I constantly find myself asking them how hard/heavy an exercise or weight feels based on how they perceive it.
Michael J. Ormsbee, PhD, CSCS, CISSN: Founder, Ormsbee Fitness Consulting Assistant Professor, Dept. of Nutrition, Food, & Exercise Sciences, Florida State University . Faculty member, Institute of Sports Science and Medicine, Human Performance Lab
Michael J. Ormsbee, PhD, CSCS, CISSN:
http://mikeormsbee.com
Clients saying they have no time to workout, eat well, etc
Clients complaining that something doesn’t taste good (even though they never tried it…ever!)
Saying that eating well costs too much (not as much as candy bars and coke)
Chris and Erik Martinez
Chris and Erik Martinez run Dynamic Duo Training- a world class online training and nutrition consulting business.
DnamicDuoTraining.com
Eating too much in one sitting-physiologically, how much food do you think you can consume in one meal before any body fat is stored? (Your body stores fat at every meal)
Thinking there’s a magical weight loss diet. Keep looking for it!
Freaking out when hitting a plateau- hitting a plateau in training or dieting isn’t always a bad thing because when you hit a plateau it’s actually a good thing. It means your body made the proper adaptations it needed to and in order to break a new plateau it needs a new stimulus to adapt to again.
Orestes Sampson is a Certified Muy Thai Instructor, S.M.A.C. Program Creator, Kettlebell and TRX Instructor. He also holds training in Wing Chun Kung Fu, Wresting, and Brazilian Jujitsu.
http://www.newtons-method.com/
(Don’t try and get in a fight with him)
Orestes Sampson
Extremely short attention spans.
Clients who hold their breath ALL the time
The person who you ask specifically to go lighter on a technique, and they proceed to grab the heaviest weight possible.
Maria Sollon Scally, MS, CSCS, PES
Maria Sollon Scally, MS, CSCS, PES Maria is the founder of GroovySweat and the creator of Plyo Pilates™, a unique blend of exercises that fuses Pilates, Yoga, Martial Arts, and Dance into one powerful and inspiring workout! GroovySweat is the embodiment of my lifetime passion for fitness and travel.
1) Clients will direct you to train area of their body they want to work, but when you give them an exercise(s) that they need and will target the muscles, they decide they don't want to do it!
2) Exercises are meant to be performed in good form to accomplish results. Pay attention to the way you move your body positions after being corrected 10+ times every workout if you want results!
3) Working out takes energy and motivation. Don't just do a motion to move, do it with intent even if it is a few good reps! We cannot make you workout- you have to want it too!
Liza M. Scott MS RD CISSN CPT
Liza M. Scott MS RD CISSN CPT
Liza is the founder of Sila Voli Fitness. As a Registered/Licensed Dietitian and Personal Trainer, she helps people make positive lifestyle changes in order to become healthier, and live a happier life.
Last but not least…here are my top 3!
Not trying during your personal training session. You have one hour, get the most out of it. If you want to be lazy and not work, stay home.
During your training session/nutrition consult…Put your phone away, and do not take it out until we are done. Focus!
When other people, who have no nutrition knowledge- give crazy nutrition advice. Please stop.