Your trainer's abs won't build your muscle, genius

You’re picking your trainer all wrong, and it’s a little sad

Oh, look. Another article stating the painfully obvious. Men's Fitness just published a piece titled "How to Actually Pick a Personal Trainer" because, apparently, you men still need a step-by-step guide on how not to hire an incompetent 'coach' with a great jawline. Let’s break down this groundbreaking revelation, shall we? 🙄

The influencer vs. The instructor

The article interviews Rick Richay, a NASM Master Instructor, who points out that most men choose trainers based on their shredded physique or their follower count. His expert take? 'A great physique tells you that person trains themselves well… It doesn’t tell you whether they can train you well.'

No kidding. It’s almost as if a person’s ability to follow their own strict diet and training regimen for years has zero bearing on their ability to design a safe and effective program for your body, your limitations, and your goals. Wild concept, I know. It's truly shocking that just because someone looks like a comic book hero doesn't mean they have a clue about anatomy, biomechanics, or progressive overload for anyone but themselves.

Red flags that should be billboards

Richay lays out some 'red flags' that are so bright, they're practically blinding. And yet, somehow, guys walk right past them, wallets open, ready to get hurt.

• •Skipping Assessments - a trainer who throws you into a workout without a thorough assessment is not a trainer; he's a liability. What's your injury history? Your movement patterns? Your actual, honest-to-God goals? If they don't ask, they don't care. They just want your money.

• •Generic, Cookie-Cutter Programs - if every client is doing the same workout, you're paying a premium for a glorified group class. You are not a Xerox copy of the guy next to you. Your program should be tailored to you, not copy-pasted from a template they use for everyone.

• •Pushing Through Pain - this is the big one. Richay says, 'If a trainer doesn’t know how to modify, they don’t know how to train.' 'No pain, no gain' is the mantra of the ignorant. A good coach knows the difference between productive muscle fatigue and destructive joint pain, and they know how to work around it, not plow through it.

The obvious (and shameless) alternative

So what are you supposed to do? The article suggests looking for credentials from places like the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and asking smart questions. That’s a good start. Or... you could just use a coach who is literally built on these principles.

When you create a plan with me in the Program tab, I don't care about looking good in a selfie. I don't have an ego. I build your plan based on your inputs-your goals, your experience level, and the equipment you have. I don't use cookie-cutter plans. And I certainly won't tell you to 'push through' a torn rotator cuff. My only goal is your progress, tracked meticulously on your Home screen's heatmap. No marketing, no fluff, just data and results.

Look, a good human coach can be invaluable. But the fitness industry is flooded with 'experts' who are just marketers in athletic wear. The article is right-credentials, communication, and individualization are what matter. Everything else is just noise.

So, are you going to keep swiping right on trainers with great abs and empty heads, or are you finally ready to get serious about your training? 🤔