Regarding personal trainers

[wildcat90]

Way to go weekiat. Shameless way of self-promotion. I used to respect you man. Ive read your blog since 2010 when you used to be on the other forums and thought you were a humble, cool guy who had some really good reads. Now, not anymore eh?

Really? Dayummm. Oh well, I'm still a human and need money to survive. Sorry if I came out arrogant and un-cool. Peace.

The internet is a great resource from everything from nutrition to training protocols. There is absolutely no need to get a personal trainer unless 1. You have previous injuries and your physio recommends you a weighttraining program for rehab. 2. You are in your 40s with money to blow. 3. You're a f*king loser with no motivation to even do research and go to the gym (the moment you dont have a PT, you'll be back to square 1 essentially)

Firstly, why i say you dont need a PT, is because everyone is different. YOU have to find out what works for you. Whether you respond well to heavy stimuli, volume, cardio etc. Trainers LOVE to distinguish themselves, saying how special you are as they personally 'customize' and calculate your macros, meal plan, training protocols... ... Yeah, google does the same for free. Youtube has tons of tutorial videos on all your various lifts and you dont have to pay a cent.

What i'm not saying is all trainers are bad. I'm just saying there are better ways to spend your money. The fitness industry is already full of contradictory information. Which basically all boils down to what works for someone, may not work for you. No one would know you better than you know you. Motivate yourself, find that inner beast, go out there, lift some heavy ass weight.

Peace.

Partially agree with you lah. Having a personal trainer has its advantages. One thing, there are many tom, dick and harrys providing different info online, many contradicting. IIFYM vs strict dieting, keto vs high carb diet, etc. We all can learn maths from Khan Academy too. Why need private tutors? We can learn how to play the guitar via youtube videos, why need need music schools for that too? The thing is, there is an added advantage of someone being there, looking at how u do things and correcting you and answering your questions immediately. EDIT: Even at my level, I do seek the advice of local and Malaysian champions. There is only so much info that is reliable on the Internet.

I started bodybuilding very young too. And cause Imma broke ass kid, I couldn't hire someone to guide me. I did exactly what you wrote, Google and read and read. I made tonnes of mistakes along the way and learnt even more from them. And honestly, even up to now, I have to admit, I have loads to learn. So, if someone has the money to cut their learning curve shorter and save years of mistake, I think it's pretty damn worth it for them. Spend some money, do it right from the beginning or waste a few years to learn. Trade off. Everyone's personal choice.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Lol Weekiat.

Based on your signature, you claim to be a PT with 11 years experience, but you're currently 23 years old right? So that would mean you've been training clients since you were 12 years old?

I don't think having a hobby at an adolescent age equates to "experience" in a field such as personal training.

Maybe train 12 people for 1 year...

 

[xerref]

IIRC kebinu used to provide PT at clubfitt gym. very affordable rates too.
got another fella, louis ling also.

 

[Jakpie]

Really? Dayummm. Oh well, I'm still a human and need money to survive. Sorry if I came out arrogant and un-cool. Peace.

Partially agree with you lah. Having a personal trainer has its advantages. One thing, there are many tom, dick and harrys providing different info online, many contradicting. IIFYM vs strict dieting, keto vs high carb diet, etc. We all can learn maths from Khan Academy too. Why need private tutors? We can learn how to play the guitar via youtube videos, why need need music schools for that too? The thing is, there is an added advantage of someone being there, looking at how u do things and correcting you and answering your questions immediately. EDIT: Even at my level, I do seek the advice of local and Malaysian champions. There is only so much info that is reliable on the Internet.

I started bodybuilding very young too. And cause Imma broke ass kid, I couldn't hire someone to guide me. I did exactly what you wrote, Google and read and read. I made tonnes of mistakes along the way and learnt even more from them. And honestly, even up to now, I have to admit, I have loads to learn. So, if someone has the money to cut their learning curve shorter and save years of mistake, I think it's pretty damn worth it for them. Spend some money, do it right from the beginning or waste a few years to learn. Trade off. Everyone's personal choice.

So if i were your client? How would you know what routine is best for me then. What diet should i undergo to lose fat then? How would you know if my body responds well to IF/keto/carb cycling/highcarb lowfat then? And if i wanted to bulk up? Some people respond well to GOMAD, others just get fat. Is there anyway to really ascertain your customized diet and training plan is legit? Yes, everyone started out somewhere. But you do realize the ones who do well in this game are mostly the products of their inner motivation. You can never truly learn unless you stand on your two feet. Cmon, how many kids have you actually seen with a crap deadlift snap their backs in half. Probably zero.

Regarding your personal training, what makes you so sure you quote-unquote give twice the value at the same price. And you guarantee results in 2-4 weeks? Sounds kinda fishy. But if i had to choose between working in the fitness industry or be a used car salesman, i'd have to take both.

Btw, nice removal of one entire paragraph. Its ok if you want to use your credentials as an accomplished bodybuilder. But you know what it takes to get there. If there's one thing that this industry already has enough of, its false hopes, lying to the kids, the ignorant, the naive.

 

[wildcat90]

So if i were your client? How would you know what routine is best for me then. What diet should i undergo to lose fat then? How would you know if my body responds well to IF/keto/carb cycling/highcarb lowfat then? And if i wanted to bulk up? Some people respond well to GOMAD, others just get fat. Is there anyway to really ascertain your customized diet and training plan is legit?

Well, for beginners, I would start with a basic routine with the major lifts. No isolations yet. Most of my clients wanna bulk, so I recommend 1g of protein/lb of bodyweight. Carbs, depending on tolerance. I follow Layne Norton's style of bulking, adding a lil carbs every week and doing HIIT so those carbs are partitioned to the muscles, not fat. Then as weeks pass, I tweak the diet and training here and there according to how my clients respond. The longer the training, the better, cause I will know my client's body better.

But you do realize the ones who do well in this game are mostly the products of their inner motivation. You can never truly learn unless you stand on your two feet. Cmon, how many kids have you actually seen with a crap deadlift snap their backs in half. Probably zero.

Well, so.... why not we don't send our children to school and let them Google and learn things on their own?

and I have not seen kids snap their backs, but I have seen these. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153365786170553&set=vb.172598879460281&type=3&theater

Regarding your personal training, what makes you so sure you quote-unquote give twice the value at the same price. And you guarantee results in 2-4 weeks? Sounds kinda fishy.

For the exact quote, "I charge the same as MOST personal trainers but I offer twice the value." Most personal trainers don't offer detailed diet advice. Some do, of course. But most don't. "NOTICEABLE results in 2-4 weeks" 4 weeks, you will notice a change in your body/strength. 6-12 weeks, others will notice it. Gimme a week. Gonna post up a client's before and after photos soon. He's 47 and had knee problems btw. Now he does sprints.

Btw, nice removal of one entire paragraph. Its ok if you want to use your credentials as an accomplished bodybuilder. But you know what it takes to get there. If there's one thing that this industry already has enough of, its false hopes, lying to the kids, the ignorant, the naive.

I removed the paragraph cause I wasn't replying to it la! Like also wanna mention is it? -_-"

And yes, I know. I always remind kids that building a great physique is not easy, but worth it.

 

[terencegzh]

Tks! So the best way is to drop weights? Cos I'm thinking if I don't challenge myself hard enough, I won't see results.

@xeonboy you could also try using tempo with compound lifts instead of doing dropsets. i can help design for u a tempo training plan if you want and send to you or just post here.

 

[xeonboy]

@xeonboy you could also try using tempo with compound lifts instead of doing dropsets. i can help design for u a tempo training plan if you want and send to you or just post here.

Hi! Would be great if you can post the tempo training plan here. Never heard of this term before LOL

 

[stoneblackdragon]

anyway, i think xeonboy should still start with stronglifts/starting strength + chinups.

 

[xeonboy]

Ok, quick question. See image below:

Does anyone know how much the bar alone weighs? 10 KG?
This is one of those smaller size bars at the clubfitt gym racks, not those olympic barbells.

*PS*: Strange thing is, I tried the non-assisted normal chin-up and pull-up yesterday. Can't do 1 single pull-up, but can do about 2 chin-ups!!!!
Means my lats are weak as hell.

 

[stoneblackdragon]

usually 6kg.

 

[stoneblackdragon]

how old are you again?

 

[xeonboy]

6 kg? I see....I'm 29 lol

 

[terencegzh]

Hi! Would be great if you can post the tempo training plan here. Never heard of this term before LOL

Here's what a tempo training plan will look like. But let me explain the rationale for this training plan. What tempo training is is that it gives u the maximum TUT (time under tension) because u are slowing things down. Research have shown that a TUT of 40-60s is ideal for each set to incorporate the most muscle fibres. So what do i mean? Let's take a look at an example. Let's say we are training legs.

1) Squats 40X0 - 10sets
2) Stiff-legged deadlifts 31X0 - 10sets
3) Leg extensions 3020 (S1) - 3 to failure
4) Hamstring curls 3020 (S2) - 3 to failure

The above is what i have actually done before and the intensity and volume are definitely there. So what are the numbers? There actually represent parts of the motion and i'm just gonna talk in layman terms.

The first digit represents the negative part of the motion. So for squats, when ur in the motion of squatting down, take 4secs to do that to reach the end of the motion. The 2nd digit is for the end of the motion. So for squats, ur not gonna pause at the bottom of the motion. The third digit is the part when ur going up. Notice it's a X here. What does the X mean? It just means ur gona explode up and take as little time as possible to come up. The last digit once again is the end of your motion which u are not going to rest there.
Similarly, apply this concept to the rest of the exercise which have their desired tempo.

However, for this kind of training, the weights used are of key. Too heavy and u'll find urself unable to complete the workout. Too light and u'll find it too easy. It's easier if you know your 1RM but u seem pretty fresh to strength training so perhaps u might want to go bb.com to find a calculator or something to estimate ur 1RM from there. Then u'll take 60% of ur 1RM for each exercise as the weight u'll do for each set. U can try this out for 6 weeks and see how it goes, although u might want to build a foundation before jumping into this. Also it is not compulsory to stay at 60% of 1RM. if u feel it is too heavy, drop the weights. Too light then increase it. Listen to your body and all the best brahh!

 

[Jakpie]

I agree with stonblackdragon. OP, just go with stronglifts.com or Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. They are complete workouts based around your fundamental lifts and the websites all provide how-tos and FAQs on diet and such. Beginners don't need all these mind boggling hulahula every rep also count in seconds. You get your base strength up first then talk about volume training. Everyone knows that guy who does supersets, dropsets, circuit sets, giant sets... volume all day errday but looks the same all day errday also.

 

[stoneblackdragon]

Yea man,

Build your foundation first, maximize your time. and finally get the body you want, it will take some time. but need to be consistent with your training and diet, no more jumping from one program to another

http://youtu.be/lVHsahS_v64

http://youtu.be/4nzUD0s5QsU

http://youtu.be/KnKn23mH-Ks

 

[Bear943]

Here's what a tempo training plan will look like. But let me explain the rationale for this training plan. What tempo training is is that it gives u the maximum TUT (time under tension) because u are slowing things down. Research have shown that a TUT of 40-60s is ideal for each set to incorporate the most muscle fibres. So what do i mean? Let's take a look at an example. Let's say we are training legs.

1) Squats 40X0 - 10sets
2) Stiff-legged deadlifts 31X0 - 10sets
3) Leg extensions 3020 (S1) - 3 to failure
4) Hamstring curls 3020 (S2) - 3 to failure

The above is what i have actually done before and the intensity and volume are definitely there. So what are the numbers? There actually represent parts of the motion and i'm just gonna talk in layman terms.

The first digit represents the negative part of the motion. So for squats, when ur in the motion of squatting down, take 4secs to do that to reach the end of the motion. The 2nd digit is for the end of the motion. So for squats, ur not gonna pause at the bottom of the motion. The third digit is the part when ur going up. Notice it's a X here. What does the X mean? It just means ur gona explode up and take as little time as possible to come up. The last digit once again is the end of your motion which u are not going to rest there.
Similarly, apply this concept to the rest of the exercise which have their desired tempo.

However, for this kind of training, the weights used are of key. Too heavy and u'll find urself unable to complete the workout. Too light and u'll find it too easy. It's easier if you know your 1RM but u seem pretty fresh to strength training so perhaps u might want to go bb.com to find a calculator or something to estimate ur 1RM from there. Then u'll take 60% of ur 1RM for each exercise as the weight u'll do for each set. U can try this out for 6 weeks and see how it goes, although u might want to build a foundation before jumping into this. Also it is not compulsory to stay at 60% of 1RM. if u feel it is too heavy, drop the weights. Too light then increase it. Listen to your body and all the best brahh!

A question about TUT. What if instead of slowing down the reps on the eccentric. I just lower it under control but increase the volume so that I get in the equivalent TUT. would it be better, worse or make any difference?

Also this chap has trouble lifting just the bar. Would a 4 sec eccentric really be wise at this stage?

 

[terencegzh]

A question about TUT. What if instead of slowing down the reps on the eccentric. I just lower it under control but increase the volume so that I get in the equivalent TUT. would it be better, worse or make any difference?

Also this chap has trouble lifting just the bar. Would a 4 sec eccentric really be wise at this stage?

which is why i told him he might not want to do this yet bcos he's still quite fresh

 

[Bear943]

which is why i told him he might not want to do this yet bcos he's still quite fresh

It is quite evident that he is a rank beginner so why confuse him with the TUT talk in the first place?

A question about TUT. What if instead of slowing down the reps on the eccentric. I just lower it under control but increase the volume so that I get in the equivalent TUT. would it be better, worse or make any difference?
Also this chap has trouble lifting just the bar. Would a 4 sec eccentric really be wise at this stage?

Really curious on your take on the parts in bold. Thanks.

 

[galapogos]

Really curious on your take on the parts in bold. Thanks.

The difference is that with the tempo he suggested, you're getting a lot more tension in the eccentric portion, which would cause a lot more DOMS.

 

[BradLee]

That day overheard a personal trainer talking to his client i presume, that he was once a powerlifter and back then his max for BP was 5 plates!!! not sure if it is per side or what. But he said now he is only into bodybuilding not doing so heavy just going for the pump.

Wah dunno he BS or what 5 plates!!! and what he meant by going for the pump?