Have you ever used a personal trainer?

[SuperChief]

Long story short, my wife and I are both starting a new journey w/ fitness and food. We're seeing a dietician soon to get some help with the food part, but we've also been considering getting a personal trainer (either one for both of us or separate - either option is on the table).

Does anyone here have experience with one? What are some good questions to ask to make sure I get the "right" one? Any tips to set us up for success in this process?

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Buy the original P90x DVDs and do the program at home with your wife. All you need is a pull-up bar and some dumbbells. You can hold each other accountable for showing up every day. Those DVDs are probably 15 years old by now, but if you do the program and the diet that comes with it for 90 days there's no way you won't be in great shape. Did it the first time over ten years ago and it changed my life. Still do it every now and then, on week 11 of 13 right now in fact.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

Buy the original P90x DVDs and do the program at home with your wife. All you need is a pull-up bar and some dumbbells. You can hold each other accountable for showing up every day. Those DVDs are probably 15 years old by now, but if you do the program and the diet that comes with it for 90 days there's no way you won't be in great shape. Did it the first time over ten years ago and it changed my life. Still do it every now and then, on week 11 of 13 right now in fact.

P90X is awesome. I did it with my wife, off and on, for a number of years.

Ab Ripper X is the real deal.

Their Plyometrics workout is the real deal.

And you'll be doing so many goddamn pushups and pullups you'll have no choice but to get in shape.

When i was in peak P90X shape was when my strength to weight ratio was at its best. I had graduated to one-arm pullups and was doing them with relative ease.

THESE days, while mostly using traditional dumbbell/barbell exercises, my pull-up game has fallen off a cliff. It's probably what i struggle with the most right now.

[ToxSocks]

I can say that i physically LOOK better today with the workouts i've been doing.

But back when i had finished 180 days of P90X, i had the best strength to weight ratio i ever had in my life. Much better than it is today.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I can say that i physically LOOK better today with the workouts i've been doing.

But back when i had finished 180 days of P90X, i had the best strength to weight ratio i ever had in my life. Much better than it is today.

First time I did it I went from 203 lbs to 178 in 90 days, and that was with putting on a lot of muscle. Shocking to me at the time that I had that much fat to lose. Put me in the best shape of my life without a doubt.

[Bearcat]

p90x worked okay without great results, but I'm sure some of it was diet and some was not following it to the letter.

To compare though...

- p90x pull ups: Literally "just do a million, or as many as you can.... use a chair if you need to!"
- A better way, IMO: If you can't do one pull up, start by hanging from the bar. When you can do that for so long, scapula pulls, then negatives, then pull ups.

I personally cheated far too much because I couldn't do a few at the time, much less 10+ sets in one workout.

- p90x arms: Annihilate your biceps with 20 sets, some at 8 reps and others at 16, and others just do as many as humanly possible!
- A better way: 5 sets a couple times/week with actual breaks.


It worked well for me as a pure n00b for a while.... didn't realize how bad my core was when I started (back pain doing push ups, much less their core routine). Plyo is insane and would probably still kick my ass today.

It's basically the opposite of the "work smarter not harder" that I try to follow these days, and I much of it ended up being endurance and cardio training for me, as well as getting into better shape without really seeing the results in the mirror.... I never really felt a ton of progress with it and got burned out easily.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Kind of the same experience Bearcat. If I don't follow the diet to the letter I basically tread water in terms of weight while shifting some fat to muscle. But man, if you follow the diet to the letter the weight really melts off starting in the second month. Super heavy on protein, I remember falling asleep trying to finish chicken breasts at night. Seemed like I was shoveling (good) food in my face all day, but the pounds were flying off. Haven't really followed the diet that closely this current round. Haven't lost any weight, but haven't gained any while putting on some muscle.

I still use a chair on about half of the pullups, otherwise I can't do the reps I want to.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

Kind of the same experience Bearcat. If I don't follow the diet to the letter I basically tread water in terms of weight while shifting some fat to muscle. But man, if you follow the diet to the letter the weight really melts off starting in the second month. Super heavy on protein, I remember falling asleep trying to finish chicken breasts at night. Seemed like I was shoveling (good) food in my face all day, but the pounds were flying off.

I still use a chair on about half of the pullups, otherwise I can't do the reps I want to.

Yeah, as far as fat loss (which is 99% in the gut for me), it wasn't until I started counting calories that I'd see a difference... I simply can't eat at a deficit like that without tracking, especially since it's so easy to overdo it on putting extra cheese on something or BBQ sauce, etc.

As far as muscle building, I've never really tracked up... I saw far better results on the bodyweight/full body routine and didn't track food any better than when on p90x. I definitely could in terms of tracking overall weight and progress and maximizing calories for muscle building, but as long as workouts don't stall out, I'm happy.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

p90x worked okay without great results, but I'm sure some of it was diet and some was not following it to the letter.

To compare though...

- p90x pull ups: Literally "just do a million, or as many as you can.... use a chair if you need to!"
- A better way, IMO: If you can't do one pull up, start by hanging from the bar. When you can do that for so long, scapula pulls, then negatives, then pull ups.

I personally cheated far too much because I couldn't do a few at the time, much less 10+ sets in one workout.

- p90x arms: Annihilate your biceps with 20 sets, some at 8 reps and others at 16, and others just do as many as humanly possible!
- A better way: 5 sets a couple times/week with actual breaks.


It worked well for me as a pure n00b for a while.... didn't realize how bad my core was when I started (back pain doing push ups, much less their core routine). Plyo is insane and would probably still kick my ass today.

It's basically the opposite of the "work smarter not harder" that I try to follow these days, and I much of it ended up being endurance and cardio training for me, as well as getting into better shape without really seeing the results in the mirror.... I never really felt a ton of progress with it and got burned out easily.

That was exactly my experience. Just annihilate every muscle group.

With my current regimen I am feeling much better, and it feels like it is much more sustainable.

I still remember how hard it was suffering through p90x in the beginning. I think if you are training naive it is very hard to persevere through.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Just take Lews advice it's worked for me

Looks like you got blue balls

[Brody Wa]

Lifting weights and cardio is very simple.

Day 1 Chest Triceps
Day 2 Legs
Day 3 Back Biceps
Day 4 Rest day

Cardio every other day

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Brody Wa

Lifting weights and cardio is very simple.

Day 1 Chest Triceps
Day 2 Legs
Day 3 Back Biceps
Day 4 Rest day

Cardio every other day

It’s easier than that. Here is a plan for the whole year

Month 1: weights and cardio. Make sure to have a diet and drink water.

[SupDock]

Something to keep in mind, is that you build muscle while resting, not while exercising. Taking ice baths and ibuprofen have shown to interfere with hypertrophy, so they are best to avoid. Also, sleep is absolutely critical for muscle growth.

[luv]

As a female who has used one, I highly recommend it. One thing I learned from mine is to not be hesitant to lift weights. I was always intimidated by seeing the guys that were usually on that side of the gym, but once I got more familiar with form, I didn't even pay attention to anyone else. Also, he reassured me that lifting weights don't really "bulk up" women unless they intend for it to. It's a more efficient way to burn calories. He set out a workout schedule. I weighed in once per week and took measurements once per month. I worked with weights, resistance machines, treadmill, row machine, ropes, etc. My workouts were lower weight, higher repetitions. Once every five weeks, I had a strength week. This was higher weight and lower repetition, to see where I was at. Typically, once going back to my higher rep workouts, my weight would be a little higher than it was before. Same with cardio and HIIT workouts. He gave me guidelines on what to eat and when, but he never dealt too much with it as long as my weigh-ins and measurements were looking good. Having a personal trainer also gave me someone who held me accountable and pushed me when I needed it. Best thing I could have done.

I don't think it's so much what you ask your trainer. I think it's more what they ask you. I had one before him who only ever had me do stuff with an exercise ball and do some cardio. He moved on to someplace else, and my new trainer asked me what my goals were, what my fears were in the gym, etc. He picked up on my insecurities, and pushed me to overcome them. You should be comfortable with your trainer. Don't be afraid to tell them anything. Trust that they know how to get you to where you desire to be, and, if you're not seeing the results you would like, talk to them about why.

[luv]

Originally Posted by Brody Wa

Lifting weights and cardio is very simple.

Day 1 Chest Triceps
Day 2 Legs
Day 3 Back Biceps
Day 4 Rest day

Cardio every other day

Personally, I do not suggest scheduling cardio on leg day.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by luv

Personally, I do not suggest scheduling cardio on leg day.

Really you shouldn’t combine cardio and strength training at all, if you can avoid it. If you have to, do cardio last.