Signs That Your Personal Trainer Is Bad, Weird or Both

Like all professions you have good trainers and bad trainers. The interesting thing about the personal training industry is it draws professionals from many different backgrounds ranging from steroid pumped neanderthals to fat kids turned fitness gurus. Regardless of their background you spend several hours of personal time with your trainer. This can be a really great experience if you have a great, personable trainer who is a good fitness professional. Working this closely with someone else can also be sort of odd if you have a poor fitness professional or are working with a dude who has a screw or two loose. Now I am not one to judge because I have my own personal quirks, but I feel I do a pretty good job of keeping business professional and respectable. To save you from awkward training sessions and uncomfortable conversations, I am going to share with you a few signs that your personal trainer isn't very good, is a little weird or maybe a bit of both. I will note these are all things I have actually witnessed as a trainer, a training manager and a gym employee.

Your trainer has purple hair. Not off to a good start here, do I need to even say anything else? Purple hair doesn't mean your trainer is bad, but it may be an indication they are a little off their rocker.

Your trainer takes personal phone calls on your time. This is just bad business. If your trainer often makes or takes personal phone calls while training this is a clear indication they have no interest in what you are doing or how you're spending your money. You're likely paying about a dollar an hour for their service, switch to someone who cares.


Your trainer has no certifications and insists they are useless. Sure training certifications don't ensure someone is going to be a good trainer, but they are certainly not useless. A trainer who gets certified and stays certified is required to attended continuing education classes, seminars and workshops. Over time, this typically results in an accumulation of sound scientific knowledge and good experience. If your trainer insists certifications are useless and he or she learned everything from tribal knowledge, you might want to consider working with someone else.

Your trainer never corrects your form. Even if you're a seasoned workout veteran from time to time you are going to break form when you are fatigued. If you go through an entire workout session with no coaching on your technique your trainer is either not paying attention or just doesn't know what they are doing. Even my most advanced clients require little tweaks and adjustments from set to set. No one has THAT good of form (except me).

Your trainer eats like crap, but tells you to eat clean. This isn't even fair in my opinion. Trainers should lead by teaching and example. If your trainer is eating McDonalds and Carl's Junior everyday and yelling at you about disciplining yourself, you should: tell them to discipline themselves first, then fire them for another trainer.

Your trainer treats you like a psychiatrist. We often develop good relationships with our clients, but if your trainer looks forward to your appointment so they can have you counsel them through life on a regular basis, you may want to tell your trainer to stick to just telling you how to workout and to consider seeking medical help.

Your trainer posts anime posters everywhere on the walls of their studio. One of the creepiest (but not the creepiest, that's coming up) things I have ever experienced. If your trainer turns his or her studio into a fantasy land of their deepest desires, cancel your membership, your sessions and perform a religious cleansing immediately.

Your trainer sits in your lap while you do triceps dips. Ladies and gentlemen this is true I have seen it with my own eyes, a male trainer sat in the lap of a male client while doing triceps dips and proceeded to brag about it. Gross...