3 Signs Your Trainer Sucks
You can be a successful trainer if you market yourself effectively but it doesn’t always mean that you’re a good coach or highly knowledgeable in the field.
Here are a few common traits of unskilled trainers you should probably try and avoid:
1. They assume that correlation implies causation:
This basically means that an individual will come to a conclusion when the only evidence is the correlation. They fail to consider all other variables that might have caused an effect.
To put this into a fitness context I can use the popular myth that eating after 6 pm makes you fat. This myth ignores the logic that people end up eating fewer calories because of the time frame as opposed to supporting the notion. The myth suggests your body doesn’t need the energy from the food you eat before bed so it stores it as fat.
In fact, weight management is largely affected by calories in vs. calories out.
For the average person (e.g. not an elite bodybuilder), meal timing is less of an issue as opposed to the total food consumed within a day.
A good trainer needs to be able to fully understand nutrition and how the body works in order to help you to achieve your full potential.
2. Reliance on anecdotal evidence:
This type of evidence relies on personal testimony or opinion rather than proper study-based evidence.
A good example: when a trainer tries to tell you that if you train your abs enough you will burn through all the existing belly fat. They base this assumption on the fact one of their clients has visible abs and they spend a significant amount of time training their core.
In reality, visible abs are the result of low body fat. Training your abs will get them stronger and potentially bigger, while a good diet and overall training routine will help you lose excess body fat, allowing you to see your abs.
A half decent trainer should be able to tell you that spot reduction does not exist and there’s no legitimate research to back it. If they tell you otherwise then maybe it’s better to look elsewhere for help.
3. They don’t practice what they preach:
Not every trainer will be at the peak of their physical powers for the whole of their life but they should have at least been at a high level at some point.
If you’re promoting yourself as a fat loss specialist but you have never seen your abs then how credible are you really? They might be able to help you progress but chances are somebody that walks the walk will be able to take you further.
The best coach may not have been the best athlete (and vice versa) but they need to have achieved some respectable level in the area they claim to specialize in.
Hiring a coach to simply counts reps and change the weights for you is a waste of money. Make sure you do your research to find a credible trainer to help you reach your goal and get you further than you could do so on your own.
A great coach can be life changing but a bad coach will just leave a dent in your bank account!
by: Rishi Haria, Lab Trainer
