What should you not say to a personal trainer?
Haylie Ondricka
2025-07-11 16:48:34
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: 16
You should not say weight loss, fat loss, nutrition and transformation to a personal trainer. Weight loss and fat loss are things that I will help a client with if they are truly important to them, but they’re never my sole focus when training. I don’t want them to be anyone’s only goal. I don’t find it a particularly healthy idea to focus only on the size of our bodies. I leave nutrition out of it simply because I have no qualifications to coach or advise on nutrition. I’m not here to fundamentally change your body in that way. I believe that the fitness industry as a whole ought to be way past the stage of using “before” and “after” photos to sell their services. Two images tell a very limited story. I don’t care how you’ve helped someone change their look unless you’re a hairdresser.
Meggie Upton
2025-07-04 03:53:44
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: 11
Don't say that everything has been fine if it hasn’t. If you didn’t stick to your diet at the weekend then be honest and say that. If you’ve been eating cakes, chocolate, crisps and biscuits over the weekend then it’s not a great thing, but if you then go and say that you’ve been great and on plan to your fitness trainer then that’s going to cause issues. They’ll generally be asking you because they want to help you and monitor your progress, not to punish you or make you work ten times harder in the gym because of it. If you’re not completely honest with them then they can’t help you. We’re there to help you to achieve your goals and get the body you truly want in life. But, we can only help you fix what we know is broken.
Otis Kunze
2025-06-27 10:34:26
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: 14
You should not say phrases like “If you can’t do a regular push-up, try a girl push-up as a modification” because it can be discouraging and sexist. Instead, say “If you’re working towards a no-knee push-up, continue with a modified push-up with knees on the ground.” Phrases like “Push harder, stop whining, let’s go!” can also be viewed as negativity, rather than a positive message of motivation. If you’re telling your client to push harder, they may actually injure themselves if they’re already putting out max effort. Instead, provide “safe” motivation by saying something like “Alright, you got this, give a little more if you can!” You can also use your personal relationship to help clients understand that you’re a team, and it’s not just a client-to-trainer relationship, by saying something like “Okay, we have 10 more reps here, let’s get through this together!” Statements like those are encouraging, motivating, and inclusive for both your client and yourself. Additionally, avoid saying “These [insert name of exercise] are going to help you lose that baby belly” because it offers no empathy to the mother who has just grown a whole human in their body for the past nine months. Instead, say “These [insert name of exercise] are going to help you strengthen that core!” to sound more encouraging.
Pete Abshire
2025-06-17 08:55:39
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: 11
I can’t do that. If we didn’t think you could do it we would not ask you to. Everyone is at a different ability and fitness level and we will only push you within your capabilities. If we believe you can do it, so should you. Why am I not making any progress is another thing we sometimes don’t want to hear, especially from the person who has not attended a training session in 2 weeks. If you don’t put in the effort and make changes to your diet and/or exercise, you cannot expect to see changes in your body composition. I want to look like him/her is not something we can help with, as we cannot change your genetics or sculpt you into your favourite celebrity. Can we do sit-ups today, I really want to get rid of this fat on my tummy, is a request we often hear, but you can’t lose fat from a specific body part by exercising it. I must not have worked hard enough last week, I wasn’t sore at all from my workouts, is not a good indicator of a workout's effectiveness, as exercise does not need to be painful in order to be effective.
Issac Trantow
2025-06-14 18:22:08
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: 7
You should not make up an excuse or lie about why you do not want to do an exercise.
Telling your trainer that you are not feeling the exercise or that you need to focus on a different muscle group is a good way to set a boundary.
You can simply tell the trainer that you are not interested in a particular type of training or that you do not feel comfortable with a certain exercise.
It is also perfectly fine to say no without giving a reason.
You can say that you would prefer to do a different type of workout or that you need to modify the exercise to make it more comfortable for you.
Saying no to a personal trainer can be challenging, but it is an important way to communicate your boundaries and priorities.
You should also be aware of your own boundaries and not be afraid to express them to your trainer.
Skylar Bergnaum
2025-06-02 00:12:01
Count answers
: 8
Don't lie to your trainer and tell her you like something unless of course, you actually do.
If you tell her you love burpees after just finishing 10 today, she will make you do 20 tomorrow.
Don't whine, personal trainers hate clients who whine and complain.
Suck it up and do the workout, unless of course, it really is well above your capability.
Don't try to impress your trainer, not only could this lead to an injury by you lifting more or running faster than you’re capable of, but he will see right through it when you show up the next day unable to do anything.
All of these things are insulting to your trainer, yes, you are paying her, but she is a professional and should be treated with respect.
Don't say this workout is stupid, negative attitudes never help anyone get through a workout.
Instead of insulting your trainer with a bad attitude, instead ask what the specific move is intended to do for your body.
Geez, if you’re answering your phone in the middle of a workout, there is something wrong, turn it off, get focused and don’t waste your trainer’s time.
Read also
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- How do you know if a personal trainer is good?
- How long should you stay with a personal trainer?