The 5 Worst Types of Trainers

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I’ve been on a bit of a “ranty” mission lately with some of my blog posts and it seems it’s spilled over to my article writing as well.

With my latest article on T-Nation.com I discuss some of the attributes and characteristics I feel make for the worst type of trainer(s).1

Granted, anyone could write a similar article geared towards any profession2 …but it seems the fitness industry has an affinity for attracting some of the worst of the worst.

I had fun writing this one. I hope you enjoy it.

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  1. Even worse than the ones who spot a dumbbell press like THIS.

  2. Except for professional F-16 fighter jet pilots. They’re all cool.

Comments for This Entry

  • John J Brooks

    I was looking at this and it seems like these are the 5 aspects any successful trainer needs to have in balance: 1) The Entitled Newbie Coach - Enthusiasm and ambition. 2) The "Celebrity Trainer" - Marketing and business acumen. 3) The Jaded Old-School Strength Coach - Nuts and bolts, how to lift some damn weights. 4) The "I Know Big Words" Trainer- Academic knowledge: physiology, philosophy, and differentiated modalities. 5) The "Expect Everything To Happen Overnight" Trainer - networking, knowledge share. If all these things are in balance you have a professional. If any one is completely out of whack and you have one of the jackasses listed, but you need aspects of all of these in order to do the job.

    July 6, 2015 at 12:17 pm | Reply to this comment

    • TonyGentilcore

      That was a damn fine analysis John - never occurred to me to look at them through that lens. I definitely agree. Having all those attributes - IN BALANCE - would make for an excellent fitness professional. Thanks for that.

      July 7, 2015 at 7:14 am | Reply to this comment

  • Rachel

    I read this over the weekend and after nodding in agreement several times, went to check the author. Of course it would be my favorite blogger. :o) Good points.

    July 6, 2015 at 6:48 pm | Reply to this comment

  • Anja Skrba

    Hey Tony, This is interesting...see, the "Stop Being A Wuss and Squat" type of trainer I had a "pleasure" to meet only once in my life, but I find to be the worst ones those who are not listening to me what I say - If I say I can do more and he still keep making me do the same exercise - that's just it for me! I know my body. I feel it and I can tell that its ready for more. So add it on the list as no.6 -The "I Know Better Then You' type of trainers that lack of communication with their clients! Kind regards. Anja

    July 7, 2015 at 4:15 am | Reply to this comment

  • Kyle Schuant

    You forgot Mr Sleaze, the trainer who has sex with his clients, or keeps trying to.

    July 7, 2015 at 9:14 pm | Reply to this comment

  • Vince Hokia

    I'm 43 and when I workout, I do 8 sets of 15 to 20 reps in a moderate weight for ALL of my exercises. And I only rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets. I don't go too heavy since I don't want size, but am going for more definition. I WAS a certified personal trainer before for NYSC, but I was a victim of a huge car accident in Arizona. One that involved 11 vehicles. I have titanium now in a lot of my bones, so some exercises have become harder to do, but I'm still trying to get back in the shape I was in before the accident, especially since the doctors told me it was my fitness level that helped me recover as quick as I did. I also try to balance my weight training with A LOT of cardiovascular training.

    August 21, 2015 at 11:21 am | Reply to this comment

    • TonyGentilcore

      Sorry to hear that Vince, and I wish you a full recovery!

      August 25, 2015 at 11:54 am | Reply to this comment

      • Vince Hokia

        I am almost fully recovered already, at least physically! My only problems now is I cannot taste food and some short-term memory problems. The doctors credited my fitness level with my survival of the accident and fast recovery and when they found out that I used to be a trainer, they said I "must've been a tremendous trainer!" And I have to say that at least one of my old clients would agree. I was one of 2 trainers who helped a 520 lbs woman lose 160 lbs in just 3 months. I also helped an English student from Korea get into a high school in the US and he said I showed him some great exercises that helped him become the starter and highest scoring running back in his high school that he might now even get a college scholarship. And I trained a team of almost 60 people in NY on a dragon boat team win almost 20 medals and 7 trophies in 8 years of 4 times a year of competitions in different cities in the USA and Canada. And that was a team of people who were new to that sport.

        August 26, 2015 at 4:25 am | Reply to this comment

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