Gym/ Personal Trainer

[TriciaMilitia]

Hey everyone-

Opinions and suggestions are appreciated.

I've recently joined a gym. I'm in good shape, but have no clue what I'm doing. I asked the gym about a personal trainer, and they had 3 or 6 month contracts. I was happy to sign up for once a week for 3 months- I figured this would get me to the point where I could take full advantage of all the contraptions the gym has without huring myself.

I met with the trainer for the first time on Friday. He showed up 10 mins late. He had no clue who I was- no one told him I had MS, and he did not know what it was. (I'm not holding this against him, just frustrating.) Otherwise, I liked him.

I meet with him again this Friday. I'll be interested to see if he's done any research on MS.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can tell him? Anyone with any experience with trainers? I've never joined a gym, let alone hired anyone professional to help me.
I've told him that I have balance issues, weakness/ numbness on my left side, and some cognitive issues. I'm not sure how he will translate this into the workouts he has me do.

Any help is appreciated.

[ffjosh]

I work out a lot , have known a few personal trainers and have heard some horror stories.

Becoming a personal trainer is easy. Take a few online courses and get a certificate.

With that said a lot of morons are personal trainers.
They have alot of what I call "bro science".

What kind of exercises are you wanting to do?
Lift weights?
Free weights?
Weight machiens?
Need a circuit?

Are you trying to lose weight or gain muscle? Both?

That will help me tell you what I would do lol

[TriciaMilitia]

I've heard it's pretty easy- I picture when Homer Simpson became a priest online and printed his little white collar out. (Woo-Hoo!)

My goal is to be strong. I don't need to lose weight- just gain muscle. I don't want to feel frail.

I'm interested in whatever- I haven't done anything like this before, so I'm happy to try it all. I'd like to get some sort of weekly routine down and seek help from a PT every once in a while to tune things up.

Thanks

[ffjosh]

Free weights are the way to go. They will work your muscles a lot better then machines. With that said however....

I would start with some machines. Get used to working out, pushing some weight around. Don't be doing 30 reps of each set. Do enough weight that your muscles fatigue somewhere between 8-12 reps. Anything over 12 add a little weight, anything under 8 take off some weight. This is a good for begginers to start.

Maybe do this for a 2-4 weeks, in this time it will get you used to going to the gym, hopefully meet a few people.

I would try to find someone who knows something about using free weights. Have them teach you how to use dumbbells, barbells ect. Its nice to have a workout buddy because you can have a spotter. Free weights always need a spotter.


Once you get used to this stuff here is a great begginers routine. Its what I started with before moving on. Its pretty awesome!

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

[Jules A]

My goal is to be strong. I don't need to lose weight- just gain muscle. I don't want to feel frail.

I'm interested in whatever- I haven't done anything like this before, so'm happy to try it all. I'd like to get some sort of weekly routine down and seek help from a PT every once in a while to tune things up.

Thanks

I think this sounds like a great goal and one that if he is a decent trainer will be able to adapt for you regardless of you having MS. I'm a big fan of working out.

I wouldn't be too disappointed if he didn't do MS research as long as he is thoughtful to the issues like balance that you mentioned. I hope you enjoy this experience and that it helps you stay strong!

[MsGymRat]

Your trainer

What bothered me a little was that he was ten minutes late.

I'm a nurse and most of my experience is in pediatrics and psychiatric nursing. I didn't recall anything I learned in nursing school about MS so I'm not surprised that your trainer doesn't know about it. I doubt he will research it or that research will increase his knowledge.

I had to read quite a bit about MS before i started comprehending it all after I was diagnosed in late Aug. 2012. My husband had a similar learning curve. We are both graduate students and we are not dumb but we were overwhelmed.

After my diagnosis I spoke to all of the trainers at my gym and none of them knew anything about MS either. None of them had any clients with MS either. Unfortunately, people with MS, not even mild or early MS, are flocking to gyms.

The only person at my gym who knew anything about MS was the owner. He had a best friend who died from it at age 48 and he shared that horrific story with me. His roommate had it for 30 yrs and was a former football player who could bench press heavy weights but would go into almost a coma at times related to MS as he described. I was flabbergasted to say the least.

I'm so glad you are starting to work out! I had a trainer for 2 1/2 yrs. My first relapse was after I'd had a trainer for about a year. I did not know my symptoms were related to MS. My doctor didn't pick up on it either. I just told my trainer my symptoms and she worked around it. I had difficulty walking, a swollen right hand, and numbness and tingling in my face. I lifted weights three times a week and did cardio three days a week throughout v

I'm a little glad I didn't know I had MS at the time. I think I would have babied myself at the gym and told myself I couldn't do x, y, or z because I have MS. I lost 14% body fat and I gained a lot of muscle.

How is it going now?

-Karen

[TriciaMilitia]

Hey!
Thanks for all the info and suggestions.

Gene the Trainer (I refer to him as Gene Gene the Dancin' Machine a la The Gong Show) didn't show up AT ALL on Friday. I went into the gym in the afternoon when I thought they would be more fully staffed- It was just the receptionist/ office manager. I told her the whole story, and she was angry on my befalf, which made me feel better.

She said she'd have Gene call me. I told her I wasnt really interested in talking to him, so she said she'd have the sales dude that originally helped me call me. Gene called me about an hour later. After much groveling, we agreed on 2 free sessions the next week in addition to our regular Friday sessions. I voiced all of my concerns, and he was very receptive. I figured I'd give him another chance- I go to the gym at 5 every morning regardless of if he meets me there or not.

Tuesday came. HE. DIDN'T. SHOW!

I called the gym that afternoon, and spoke with the same receptionist/ office manager. (I actually much prefer to speak to her- it seems the rest of the staff at the gym is 20-something guys that have a part time sales job for a free membership.) She was upset as well, but tried to convince me that this isn't typical for Gene. It seems to be pretty typical to me. He showed up late, left early, and didn't show up twice. Not once did I meet with him for the full hour that I paid for.

I've worked in HR for 8 years, and this guy wouldnt have a job for me. I don't know why this is acceptable to the gym.

Receptionist explained that it may be difficult for me to find a trainer that will be willing to meet me at 5:00 am. She's contacting another PT that contracts with the gym to see if she can do 5:00.

I'm about over it. I really wanted a trainer to help me get a routine together and teach me to do what I need to do correctly so as not to hurt myself.

I'll see what they do, and if they cant get someone to help me, they're in violation of the PT contract I've signed. I'll get my money back and continue to go to the gym every morning @ 5. I'll just need to do quite a bit of research and piece my workout together myself.

[MsGymRat]

Sorry to hear that

That is very unprofessional. There are trainers that meet folks at 5 AM. It's hard cause then they have to probably get up very early but they are out there.
Too bad you can't hire your own trainer who could work out a routine for you at your gym. Some gyms allow that.
I know there is no way I could have gotten the results I did without the trainer I had.
I was so intimidated when I walked in the gym. Everything looked like a mystery to me like the Trinity. and I, like you, didn't want to get hurt.

[Jules A]

Wow I'm sorry you have had these experiences.

I'm all for being patient but Gene would be history and if I had to join another gym to find a professional personal trainer so be it.

Don't let this put you off from your excellent plan to work on your physical fitness.

[sgrammied]

ffjosh

I am sorry you think becoming a personal trainer is so easy. My son teaches people to become a personal trainer. Learning of MS is not written in the course. My son does let his students know of people with MS. I have met some of his students. He is also a personal trainer. If he doesn't know of an illness he studies up on it. That is what GOOD personal trainers do. Is the course easy and on line? NO. He teaches in building with 4 walls.

[Kimmy92279]

Personal Training

I really think it is all in the personal trainer you are working with. I've had some bad experiences in the past myself but when I was diagnosed in January I decided that getting back to the gym and getting in shape was something I should do for myself. I found a trainer that I really like and he pushes me but not to a point where I can't take it. And I flat out said in the beginning that I was willing to push myself and work hard but not to the point of making myself miserable.

If possible, I would say try another trainer if that is the route you want to go.

Kim