Western personal trainer or local personal trainer ?

[wahodges]

Hi,
I will hopefully be a fully certified personal trainer via the international sports science association within a few months. I have heard that most expats here are not fully pleased with the local trainers for many reasons, wouldmost expats feel ore comfortable and easier with a expat trainer?
Some feedback has told me that they push people into building muscles when cardio is more important to them and vice versa , some say the communication is sometimes difficult and many ohter reports.
I will be looking to coach and train mostly expats here so any feedback from this forum would be great.
cheers.

[OPT]

The ISSA certification will not be enough...

I would advise you to continue you education... through seminars, workshops, courses, reading.... beleive me, never stop learning.

check out www.ryanlee.com for some great info for trainers starting out.

[ksl]

To be honest all the documention doesn't prove much, theory is fine providing you can back it up, with practical training, with results, if I was to pick anyone, I would like to see a portfolio of your clients before and after results, along with references.

There are far too many commercialised people out there, and they are not needed, the competition is plentiful, you will see the difference in price, just by shopping around, and to be honest, unless one is thinking of competition. There is no need to spend big bucks, ever.

The problem with the industry is that it is so split, you will have to target your market carefully, and produce the goods.

Continued education, and knowledge is part of lifes progression to remain competitive.

[seasider]

I'm very happy with my local trainer, but then he works for a top hotel and is used to dealing with all nationalities. He wishes he could get me to do more cardio.

edited to add - I don't see the point of doing cardio with my trainer, I don't pay him to watch me on the treadmill. I do cardio in my own sessions.

Don't get too hung up on nationality.

[OPT]

I'm very happy with my local trainer, but then he works for a top hotel and is used to dealing with all nationalities. He wishes he could get me to do more cardio.

edited to add - I don't see the point of doing cardio with my trainer, I don't pay him to watch me on the treadmill. I do cardio in my own sessions.

Don't get too hung up on nationality.

This is a good point - any trainer that will stand there during the session and watch their client perform cardio is a poor trainer.

Also - for what reason are you doing the cardio?

[OPT]

To be honest all the documention doesn't prove much, theory is fine providing you can back it up, with practical training, with results, if I was to pick anyone, I would like to see a portfolio of your clients before and after results, along with references.

There are far too many commercialised people out there, and they are not needed, the competition is plentiful, you will see the difference in price, just by shopping around, and to be honest, unless one is thinking of competition. There is no need to spend big bucks, ever.

The problem with the industry is that it is so split, you will have to target your market carefully, and produce the goods.

Continued education, and knowledge is part of lifes progression to remain competitive.

Another good point - just because you have a certification does not mean you actually know how to train a client. That is why I feel that all certification courses should include a mentorship to teach the trainer these skills with actual clients.

[seasider]

Am happy to tell you but don't really want to hijack this thread. Will just say - I do need to lose a bit more weight, but health matters are taking priority. I have osteoporosis so need to do weight-bearing exercises, for which my trainer is great and very knowledgeable about health issues. I also have thyroid and liver problems so am advised not to overtrain, so don't always do both weights and cardio.

[wahodges]

thanks guys and gals for your replies, very new to this and its good to feedback from both clients and trainers. my current trainer is the very steep mount faber hill each morning, she is a relentless and sometimes unforgiving mistress, but excellent for a free cardio workout.

[ksl]

thanks guys and gals for your replies, very new to this and its good to feedback from both clients and trainers. my current trainer is the very steep mount faber hill each morning, she is a relentless and sometimes unforgiving mistress, but excellent for a free cardio workout.

Hill training is very effective, typical military training routine, along with forced marching.

Seasider, you should be on calcium supplement! and never drink coca cola, becuase the phosphorus acid, extracts calcium from the bones, according to Japanese research.

Thyroid & liver, i guess will effect your burning rate, along with age.

I myself have liver damage due to drinking to much, although a 3 year period, healed most of the liver, it will never be the same again, and I'm just under the yellow jaundice mark, a warning to all, and no I have never been a consciously a alcoholic, although if you have more than 2 or 3 units a day, you are a alcoholic, wheather you accept it or not.

I'm a binge drinker and always have been, I can stop whenever i want, although when I do start to party I never want to go home. Although much wiser these days and can drink water at a party with no problem, other than the ridiculus male comments, that the naive, like to throw around.

[wahodges]

KSL - you seem very knowldegable on a few subjects , may i ask what your profession is ?

[ksl]

KSL - you seem very knowldegable on a few subjects , may i ask what your profession is ?

I'm an ex professional, with a thirst for learning, anything that interests me, I have many interests, although i never profess, to be an expert in anything.

The word expert is but a word and proves nothing in my opinion, we all have abilities to learn and decide how much we want to learn, and there will always be people with more knowledge.

For me, it used to be adventure training, survival training and all outdoor hobbies, from orientation to endurance training, hunting and wild life is a passion, rather than killing, stalking the prey, is much more satisfying.

Electronics, mechanics, radios, helicopters, survival and multi-driving skills , i can thank the military for, DIY used to be my favourite passtime, I can basically do anything, I put my hand too, and will always go by the book, to make sure it's right, or better, I'm a perfectionist in my own right. So study is important, every time to keep upto date, with the changing events.

Like situps, are bad for your back, crunches are more effective, although I see hundreds of people doing them wrong, one needs to get the burning sensation for a good crunch, and believe it or not, all the equipment is standard and probably built to an average sized guy, with average long arms, although every human is different, so one must find what is right for you, when training on the machines, a little experimentation is required to get the most effective benefits, although a PT can point you in the right direction, he cannot feel, if you are getting the effect, you should be getting, so you need to search for it, with his guidance. that way you don't injure yourself.

My father used to be a boxing trainer, at the age of 9, I was handling what they called Indian clubs, like oversized bowlling pins, for exercise. Athletics I believe to be a genetic feature in my bloodline.

My only advice is to read up and study everything that is useful, not because you like it, but because you need to know it, or pay for it to be done.! Like welding and car mechanics, although most cars now have a electronic brains, you save lots of cash by knowing how to change them, and fault find.

Computers also, are very simple if you have the confidence to see how they work, strip them down and rebuild, I taught my son how to do it, now he has much more knowledge than me, when it comes to computers, including programming, so it's all about planting seeds.

Keep healthy and to reduce your living costs in the home by learning, you will always be able to survive, just as a handy man, doing the neighbours and friends jobs in the home.

Although quality of the work is the answer, do it by the book, and get a good reputation, is much more profitable, than being labeled a cowboy!( A person that probably knows how to do it, but cuts corners to rob you)

[meandfitness]

Hi KSL, i find all your answer very interesting. I am new here but just fate to see your post. Hope to see your post around still.

[fairy]

how much do you guys pay per session? i think most of the trainers are expensive!
all i need is someone to teach me how to start the machines in the gym, i really don't understand why they charge that much for a little bit of work. especially if they are just beside me pushing me further, i can get my boyfriend to do stuffs like that instead! plus, for free.

[wahodges]

Fairy - your right, the first thing i have noticed is that any personal trainer worth his money will not stand and watch you run while he tells about his last holiday or how big is biceps are. he should develop a plan for your treadmill, cycle aerobic work for you to test yourselof and then focus 1-2-1 with on the weights and other gym equip.