Regarding personal trainers

[xeonboy]

Hi all,

Just wondering, but do those freelance personal trainers cost a lot less than those full-time in-house trainers from gyms (Genesis, Fitness First, Gold's Gym etc.)?

Also, do these freelance personal trainers do meal plans / nutrition plans for you?

I'm considering looking for one, especially those that have proven track records in helping hardgainers bulk-up fast. The personal training sessions in those gyms are way beyond my budget.

Tks!

 

[jokerk]

what happened to mike chang?

 

[xeonboy]

what happened to mike chang?

LOL Jokerk, that was funny

I'm considering a personal trainer for the reasons below:

1) Correcting me on proper form. Some of the exercises like the bent-over barbell row and deadlift seems to be quite complex to achieve proper form. I saw the youtube vids where there's so many steps to position yourself before lifting. I realized my deadlift form is kinda off.

2) I'm starting to wonder if the Six-pack-shortcut thing is suitable for me.
In Phase 2 of the routine (I'm in Phase 1 now), Mike says to workout 6 days a week. Problem is: if workout 6 days a week every week, I don't think my muscles can recover fast enough at all.

3) A personal trainer can also give me tips on what to eat practically. IMO, it's just not practical to eat those healthy meals ALL THE TIME. You alienate people over time (colleagues, friends & family) and when I see guy eating super clean food all day (salad + chicken and berries), makes me want to puke.

4) Also, a trainer can also customize the workout plan better for me.

Tks!

 

[stoneblackdragon]

why don't you just go to stronglifts 5 X 5/ starting strength, start with the empty bar, eat right.
Take videos of yourself and post online for free form check?

 

[hiei02]

that amount of $$ can be spent eating. woots.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Aiya everyone's disposable income is different what.

If you can afford it, join genesis or ritual or one of the boutique gyms. If you can't afford it, then you probably can't afford to waste your money on globogym PTs either.

Lastly, seems like you are trying to kio sai. If physique development was really so easy to shortcut, whether via mike Chang or a PT, everybody would be walking around jacked.

 

[xerref]

What's your height and weight?

Calories intake?

Post a pic?

also;
Does metabolism vary between two people? | Examine.com FAQ

Metabolic rate does vary, and technically there could be large variance. However, statistically speaking it is unlikely the variance would apply to you. The majority of the population exists in a range of 200-300kcal from each other and do not possess hugely different metabolic rates.

Are you truly a hard gainer? or just not eating enough?

 

[jokerk]

I was impressed with this Genesis gym client's progress.

Probably the most inspiring transformation this year.

Chih-Hoe went from 150+kg to 79kg in about 18-20 months. No fad diets, no quick fix solutions. Step by step changes that yield massive results. He went from untrained and with multiple health issues, to dead-lifting 140+kg for multiple reps.

He trained 3-4x/week. Wonderful work ethic and a pleasure to work with. The Genesis Team wishes him well!

if you're not motivated enough to learn it on your own, this sounds like a place worth your money.

 

[sazuro]

There are quite a number of knowledgable freelance trainers in this forum. Some may be geared towards strength and conditioning, some rehab, physique etc.

Post your current physique, lists your expectations, budget etc.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Okay I have to clarify my earlier statement - not all globogym PTs are bad. But I'd say that around 3/4 of them are less knowledgable than the ones at boutiques. If you can get a good reference, then by all means go ahead.

 

[xeonboy]

Hi guys! Tks for the advice.

What's your height and weight?
Calories intake?
Post a pic?
Are you truly a hard gainer? or just not eating enough?

1) Height = 165 cm. Weight = 59 KG (taken last week).
Originally weight was 50 KG at Jan 2013, then rose up to 55 KG due to bigger tummy, now 59 KG after exercising.

2) Calorie intake: Not exactly sure. Too complex to count per meal or per each food item.
Breakfast is usually bread and milk / milo.
Lunch is always hawker food due to work (chicken rice, thai fried rice, vegetable rice, yong tau foo etc). I rarely eat fast food.
Dinner is always mom-home-cooked food (normal chinese dishes). My mom uses a lot less salt and oil than hawker food, so I assume its much healthier.

3) My pic is below. Sorry for the bad quality. Camera sucks. No DSLR.

Would like some comments on my body LOL

Since gym-ing, I've seen a little bit of gain in my upper arms, but as you can see, the front torso area is very skinny and bonny. Also, in the side view pic, you can see that I've a pot belly bulging out LOL (skinny fat?)

4) I think I'm a hardgainer. Never got fat since young. Never exercise for past 15 years, sitting at home playing video games all day last time and ate junk food hoping to get fat but nothing changed.

Hopefully with these info, you guys can have a better idea.

From Sazuro:

Post your current physique, lists your expectations, budget etc

Physique listed above.

My expectations:

1) reach 65 KG. Not sure if that's considered normal for a 165 cm guy.

2) I don't need 6 pack abs or look super-buff-and-toned like many guys in the gym. I just want to be overall more meaty on front and back so that I don't look skinny and frail (50% bigger arms and 2x - 3x the current torso mass, especially upper-torso)

3) My other big goal is to build bigger lats. Currently no lats. I want a V-taper body lol.

4) Make belly flatter. Don't need 6 pack abs. The HIIT cardio I've been doing for the past 1.5 mths show zero results although it's very intense for me.

Budget: $100 per month max. LOL Really can't afford more than this as my salary has to be used for other crucial stuff.

Tks!

 

[sazuro]

Hi guys! Tks for the advice.

From Sazuro:

Physique listed above.

My expectations:

1) reach 65 KG. Not sure if that's considered normal for a 165 cm guy.

2) I don't need 6 pack abs or look super-buff-and-toned like many guys in the gym. I just want to be overall more meaty on front and back so that I don't look skinny and frail (50% bigger arms and 2x - 3x the current torso mass, especially upper-torso)

3) My other big goal is to build bigger lats. Currently no lats. I want a V-taper body lol.

4) Make belly flatter. Don't need 6 pack abs. The HIIT cardio I've been doing for the past 1.5 mths show zero results although it's very intense for me.

Budget: $100 per month max. LOL Really can't afford more than this as my salary has to be used for other crucial stuff.

Tks!

Thanks for the info. I'm going to be crude, but honest. Coming from a PT's perspective, there's probably a lot of underlying issues you need to sort out - mobility, flexibility, activation, proprioception etc.

Based on your points, I'll answer them individually.

1) Generally speaking, easiest consensus is you should be about 10% bodyfat at 65kg (visible abs, but not shredded/ripped) with a height of 165cm. This would apply to general gym-goers, not athletes/bodybuilders etc who have their own applicable agenda. I would go further and say that you should be above 70kg at 10% bodyfat, but that's because I'm into aesthetics.

2 and 3) Your main goal should honestly should be to lose fat at the moment. This would increase insulin sensitivity and make it easier for you to gain quality mass when you go through a legit recomp. Newbies generally build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, but this period doesn't last long. You also need to realize that physique building is very much an illusion.

Want better v taper? Lose your love handles, build your shoulders and upper lats. A small waist is key to having a prominent v-taper. For those with predisposed child-bearing hips, wide lats and boulder shoulders are even more important.

4. Fat loss is generally about calories in VS calories out. Either you're not training optimally or your diet is "crap".

Budget : You're not going to afford quality PTs at that rate, honestly speaking. You're better off being self-sufficient. Read as much as you can about nutrition, training etc. Check out my program thread that has been stickied and select one that fits your schedule/needs.

It is very possible to reach your objectives on your own, you just need to be more self-reliant.

 

[XanderBuilt]

$100??

Buy gym membership. Someplace not super crowded and ability to do super sets and the like.

Trawl stickies on T Nation, Intense Muscle. If you don't understand look it up. Read as much as you can.

Pick a program and DO IT TILL YOU STOP PROGRESSING NOT IF YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN?!

Fix your nutrition. Even if that means hiring someone just for nutrition. If they don't understand macros, allergies and the like find someone else. I am most unimpressed with local talent. Look up Shelby Starnes, John Meadows and again in T Nation.

Stop labeling yourself Hard Gainer. It's not a cool title.

 

[XanderBuilt]

Saz, are you awake doing midnight cardio? Freaking Dorian.

 

[sazuro]

$100??

Buy gym membership. Someplace not super crowded and ability to do super sets and the like.

Trawl stickies on T Nation, Intense Muscle. If you don't understand look it up. Read as much as you can.

Pick a program and DO IT TILL YOU STOP PROGRESSING NOT IF YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN?!

Fix your nutrition. Even if that means hiring someone just for nutrition. If they don't understand macros, allergies and the like find someone else. I am most unimpressed with local talent. Look up Shelby Starnes, John Meadows and again in T Nation.

Stop labeling yourself Hard Gainer. It's not a cool title.

XANDER MAKES A RETURN!

You cannot go wrong with Meadows and Serrano. Permanent vascularity

 

[sazuro]

Saz, are you awake doing midnight cardio? Freaking Dorian.

Midnight cardio, I wish. Preparing training logs for my clients... Slept too much in the afternoon

 

[XanderBuilt]

Shelby is well worth it. Although more BB focused.

 

[sazuro]

Shelby is well worth it. Although more BB focused.

I think when it concerns fat loss and diet, Lyle Mcdonald is also a viable option.

 

[XanderBuilt]

Midnight cardio, I wish. Preparing training logs for my clients... Slept too much in the afternoon

Zyzz.

I think writing a single blog post busting myths is what needs to be done.

What I'm most unimpressed with is people want results without the sacrifice and hard work. "Everybody want to be big but nobody want to lift no heavy ass weight.".

ISYMFS.

 

[XanderBuilt]

I think when it concerns fat loss and diet, Lyle Mcdonald is also a viable option.

Can you hire him though?

I wanted to get Alan Aragon's book girth control.