Which personal trainer would you choose?

[CovidCorvid]

I’m looking to lose weight. Had a taster session with two different trainers at the gym and really liked them both. Which do you think I might get better results with as I have no idea how to choose?

Trainer A was more of a traditional heavy free weights focus. So lots of deadlifts, squats, leg press, bench work with dumbbells. Really pushed me with heavier weights.

Trainer B was weights focused but mainly cable machine and also incorporated cardio stuff into the routine to get my HR up such as battle rope slams.

I did feel I was going to puke with trainer B and didn’t with trainer A. Which also means I enjoyed trainer A’s session a bit more.

Would it really make a difference which one I choose? Both the same price. A has slightly better availability. Do I just toss a coin?

I’d choose free weights over cable assisted so I’d probably plump for A.
Did either say anything about diet/nutrition? It’s all well and good exercising but if you live off crisps you’ll get no where fast 🤣

A will likely do you more good

Assuming you don’t have particular needs like post partum training or recovery after injury or significant illness check they have decent qualifications; I usually look for a sports science degree and level 3 PT and a S&C qualification would be a bonus but the easiest way to work out who is decent in the gym is to ask who the trainers go to for sessions. I also seem to work best for the sarky bastards that give minimal praise rather than the gushers.

A said if I carried on with him he’d get me on the boditrax fancy scales and monitor weight/composition. So I get the impression nutrition would come into it.

B asked about my diet. Gave me a much needed kick up the bum about cutting carbs and increasing protein and gave me some ideas of quick protein rich meals. And also said about using the boditrax scales.

They both have a degree in sports science, both over ten years experience, both level 3….possibly A might have said level 4?

Either will work. Cables carries less chance of getting it wrong and injury. Weights are particularly good when losing weight.

Which one could you tolerate telling you to keep going when you think you can't?

I would probably choose A - especially if their availability is a bit better. Are they up to incorporating exercises that you’re interested in? If I asked mine to do battle ropes or whatever he’d include them for me.

Yeah I'm sure if I said to A can we do stuff to get my HR up more he would.

I see a woman in my classes who uses B and she's dropped a load of weight.

Do they have Instagram? If so follow them both and have a look- it’s a great insight to their personality and how they are with clients.

Both seem like they’d be good and it’s just your preference really. I prefer free weights so I would go with A but one of my main things is if I ‘click’ and get on with them.

PT is ultra expensive relative to other exercise options, and if your main goal is weight loss your resources might be better used elsewhere, eg meal planning and food budget. Weight loss is mainly down to food.

Easy to do cardio in other ways, eg classes, gym or swimming, jogging.

A. Free weights tend to get better results overall than cable weights.

You could easily run yourself on days you are not with your trainer to get some cardio in. Or even a brisk walk would do this. A fitness tracker could track your progress there.

I could see the benefits of doing free weights with a trainer as supervision there would be useful.

@CovidCorvid

Yeah I'm sure if I said to A can we do stuff to get my HR up more he would.

I see a woman in my classes who uses B and she's dropped a load of weight.

As a previous poster said, most weight loss is down to diet rather than exercise, so which trainer she had won't have made that much difference.

I don't do any cardio whatsoever with my PT - it is all weights/machines. I can do cardio in my own time, so for that reason I'd go for A. It might seem the less fun, but it'll give you long lasting (but slower) changes.

I feel like PT is an incredibly expensive way to get fit, so I'm using my sessions to learn about how my body works, what I can push it to, and how it moves. I never in a million years thought I'd be doing deadlifts in the gym - but my body is changing!

Food wise, I'd increase protein but make changes once you're a month or so into training so it's not too overwhelming. The podcast Freedom From the Diet Cycle has been a revelation to me, too!

The best PT is the one you will actually go to. What works best to motivate you and which of them is more likely to convince you to keep going.

PT will be much more successful in loosing weight in combination with a change to your pattern of eating. Do you have any changes in mind?

I vote trainer a, if you felt like you might puke it means he pushed you to work hard and that is what you need. I wouldnt pay someone for cardio cos you ca do that yourself through running, cycling etc.

Weights will tone you up, make you stronger rand ultimately lose weight and keep it off because even a small increase in muscle mass means you burn more calories even at rest compared to those you have less.

If you do a quick blast of cardio before starting to lift you actually burn more calories so doing it beforehand is sensible, it therefore can't be replaced by doing it on a different day!

I might be reading you wrong, apologies if I am, but I get the feeling you'd like people to pick trainer B.

A, every time. You can do cardio stuff in your own time.
As a pp said, you seem to want people to pick B, but A will be more effective long term.

A. I get much better results using free weights and they are more versatile.

Trainer A as when you decide you don't need them any more it will be much easier for you to carry on doing free weights.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to go with A. Think you're right that the more of a free weights focus will be better and also the better availability.

I’ve lost 2 stone this year and although I have a PT who likes to jokingly take credit it’s down to my diet. The PT has helped with lots of other aspects - body shape, muscle definition, core strength etc and that’s from lifting weights. We mix it up though…. Some weeks it’s flipping tyres and other weeks it’s bar bells.

I'm hoping that having the accountability of a PT making me step on the scales every fortnight might make me stick to a diet a bit more...I have zero will power!

I do want to get fitter and stronger as well as losing weight. I cycle a lot and love cycling and I think being lighter and stronger will help me cycle faster.

@CovidCorvid

I'm hoping that having the accountability of a PT making me step on the scales every fortnight might make me stick to a diet a bit more...I have zero will power!

Thankfully my PT doesn’t weigh me 🙈 but I also have zero will power. My diet is shit. I am trying though! But I do love my PT sessions. I love my strength. And when I was proper focused I lost weight and my shape changed quite a bit. That’s what I want back! School run is now a 90 minute round trip (twice a day 😩) but I see it as exercise/cardio/steps that I don’t have to find time for.