Have you ever seen another Personal Trainer do something completely off the wall with their clients?
I’m not sure what you mean by “off the wall”….However, I’ve witnessed stuff I wish I didn’t:
-Personal trainers looking bored out of their mind, looking everywhere except their client.
-Trainers checking their cell phones while with a client.
-Clients asking for clarification on an exercise, only to get an abrupt response from the trainer (which does nothing to clear up their confusion).
-Clients performing exercises with poor (read: dangerous) form. And the trainer says nothing!
I won’t go on, but suffice to say it’s up to those of us who pride ourselves as professionals to put an end to some of the nonsense that still exists.
Oh Gosh yes! Not only “off the wall” but inappropriate and or incorrect, all ultimately dangerous! I’ve particularly noticed this in franchised fitness centers such as “SNAP Fitness”. I have occasion to travel amongst multiple fitness centers, and there is clearly a difference between what you see in franchised centers, private commercial gyms, and individual studio’s. Not suggesting all franchise centers are bad or that all studios are good. Just saying, yes I see a lot of “stuff” going on out there that I don’t want to be associated with.
Yes, I have watched people talk on their cellphone while working with a client. I’ve watched people not even watching the client and looking bored out of their mind. I have watched trainers make the absolute worst exercise choices for clients (overloading too much or too complicated.)
I’ve been in clubs where it was encouraged to over-push people and I wouldn’t do it. I’ve been in clubs where I’ve seen really great trainers as well. The profession has a lot of turn over, many people think it’s an easy job and decide they can do it. They have no idea how much work it is.
The bad thing is, it’s hard to erase a person’s bad experience with a trainer, making people not want to use another trainer, or maybe not continue exercising.