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#1
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advice before I meet with a personal trainer
I've used New York Sports Clubs for a while, mostly for their elliptical machines and some of their nautilus machines (which they label their Xpress line (meant for beginners). Because I recognize that the Xpress line machines aren't optimal, I scheduled a session with a trainer to show me the proper way to use free weights and suggest a lifting program. I am essentially a free weight newbie.
When I spoke to this guy briefly on the phone, he asked if I would be willing to try other machines they have, as a transition to free weights. I said sure, I'll try whatever he recommends, but now I wonder whether I should just go straight to free weights. I can't find pictures of the machines, but the website here describes them as follows: Secondary - less stable pin-selected weight or plate-loaded weight independent movement unilateral converging cables stable base cables unstable base All of this is supposedly distinct from the "primary" or more stable machines I have been using. So my questions are: (1) Should I insist on learning free weights first, or are these machines a reasonable transition? (2) Regardless of the equipment I use, what exercises and movements should I make sure to learn? (3) Anything else I should ask this guy? Keep in mind that I assume that this guy has little advanced expertise, though perhaps I'm wrong about that. He didn't sound very impressive when we spoke briefly over the phone. I figure that so long as I learn the proper motions, I can always return here for advice (or links) about the actual routines I should use. |
#2
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
Insist on using free weights.
Ask him to teach you how to squat, deadlift, bench-press, military-press and row. Make sure he's squatting deep (past parallel). If he says no to any of these, laugh in his face and go to a real gym. Or hire an olympic powerlifting coach for a couple of sessions. |
#3
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
you could learn all of this stuff on your own and it would allow your workouts make more sense to you
at least don't hire him long term, hire him until you have an idea of what you're doing. |
#4
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
This is a weird exchange. You call him up expressly to find someone to check you off/teach you some free weight movements and he says, perfect!, I've got a special machine for folks like you.
edit to add: Maybe it isn't clear. I wouldn't give such a person my business. |
#5
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
[ QUOTE ]
This is a weird exchange. You call him up expressly to find someone to check you off/teach you some free weight movements and he says, perfect!, I've got a special machine for folks like you. edit to add: Maybe it isn't clear. I wouldn't give such a person my business. [/ QUOTE ] Agree. I'm finding it kind of hard to picture a useful transition of any sort too. In fact I think delaying the move to weights is a bad idea. You want to learn your balance and form and flexibility when you're still doing light weights, not when you're developed enough to be doing serious loads, especially the kind that can mess up your back if your form isn't quite there or degrades as you get tired. It sounds like all you'll be doing is building in either bad habits or patterns of neuromuscular coordination that simply won't apply. You don't want to get things like balance "almost" right. That does you no favors at all and is actually potentially harmful. Better to start at the beginning without any fancy sidesteps. |
#6
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
I'm not planning on hiring him long-term. But I do think I need hands-on assistance in learning proper form.
Do these people have any training whatsoever, or are they merely people who appear reasonably fit and like to workout themselves? |
#7
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
they probably took a weekend certification course...although there are solid trainers out there that are well educated (rare)...make sure he does what you want (free weights) and if he cant then don't pay him...
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#8
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Re: advice before I meet with a personal trainer
wynton, im not sure why someone needs to transition to free weights. if one is having difficulty w/ the weight amt doing free weights, the solution is use less weight rather than change the exercise.
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