feedback on my instructor

K-town

Hi

I have recently joined the gym and on my first day they took my stats which are pretty awful

Last night I went to the gym for my instructor to work out a programme for me, I have been a member of gyms before and have read this forum for many months so whilst I am no expert I know something about working out.

So anyway for example some of stats are as follows (im a girl buy the way)

Height 5 6'- 5 7'
Weight 70 kg
Bodyfat 30%

Apparently I should be between 60-65 kg and I know my bodyfat has to come down.

My diet is ok, there are a few improvements to be made, in general I rty to eat protein-eggs,chicken, etc and wholemeal pasta/bread but I also have a sweet tooth but I am working on that

So anyway last night at the gym..............

went and spoke to the instructor and I suggested 20 mins cardio and at pretty high intensity but he said no i had to do 30-40 mins to get my bodyfat % down, so I agreed to that

but then the weights, like i said I have used a gym before though it has been some months since i have been in one but when i did use it i did do plenty of weights to try and 'tone up', he didnt ask me what areas i wanted to work on, how i felt about resistance v free weights or anything and he came up with 3 resistance machines i should be using-

leg press
chest press
lat pull down
and then he gave me some exercises to do with dumbells to work my shoulders, biceps and triceps

he came up with this in the office too we werent even walking the floor. he didnt advise me what weight i should lift, how many reps or how many sets. it just seemed so weird that i wasnt asked any of these questions. he seemd to know how to use the weights he spoke to me about body alignment when i am lifting dumb-bells (knees slightly bent, etc)

and then the strangest thing of all came at the end, he said that there is no scientific research about warming up before you begin your work out, but to definitely cool down at the end because it releases lacotic acid (im not sure if that is the exact name but it was defintely something beginning with 'L') as this helps with building muscle.

and finally he said something about my diet- i weigh 154 lbs.

if i want to lose weight i should multiple my weight in lbs *10 (1540cals)- this should be my calorie in take to lose weight

if i want to maintain i should multiple my weight in lbs *12.5

and to put on weight i should multiple my weight in lbs *15

with regards protein-

if i want to lose weight i should multiple my weight in kg * 1.5 (105) grams of protein i should be eating a day

if i want to maintain i should multiple my weight in kg * 2.5

if i wnat to gain i should mutiple my weight in kg * 5

is this all corect with regards my diet?

so anyway i am just looking some feedback on this, it seemed a unusual way to develop a work out programme for someone. I have another appointment next saturday with him to go through how i am finding the workout, but i think am going to ring them and ask to change to someone else.

thanks Kate

Hanley

I would say 10kcals per lb of bodyweight it way too low. 13-14 would be a better ballpark figure imo.

It is HIGHLY unusual that he didn't take you around the gym and show your the exercises too... And as for not giving rep and set guidelines... eh

Mikel

Serious question, what qualifications do you need to be a 'fitness instructor'?
granted, a lot of people here have quals and experience to burn, but generally I mean.

Sorry OP for hijacking your question, ignore me and carry on

rubadub

I would be doing weights before cardio, and not using any machines, just freeweights.

I would ask what the advantages are of using machines, and the advantages of cardio before weights.

Also how was your BF% measured, if it was a thing you step on or a thing you hold, then you would be best to discard those results, as they are terribly inaccurate, and when measured again it could upset you- as happened to another poster recently.

K-town

Also how was your BF% measured, if it was a thing you step on or a thing you hold, then you would be best to discard those results, as they are terribly inaccurate, and when measured again it could upset you- as happened to another poster recently.

it was measured with a machine that took my bodys water content and a few other things that i cant remember. the instructor himself said that clippers are more accurate but this was what they used in this gym. my bodyfat % is high, i know that just by looking at myself :Dso even if the machine was 1-2% out i dont really mind.

thanks for the feedback though

rubadub

K-town wrote: »

it was measured with a machine that took my bodys water content and a few other things that i cant remember. the instructor himself said that clippers are more accurate but this was what they used in this gym. my bodyfat % is high, i know that just by looking at myself :Dso even if the machine was 1-2% out i dont really mind.

thanks for the feedback though

The other poster had lost fat, it was obvious from his post he was doing everything right. But then the figure was wrong the second time, and he thought his effort was "wasted". Ask the guy if he can do it with calipers, and keep note of the figures, the actual mm measurements, since the formula used can give inaccurate results too. But in 6months time if the mm are down you know you have lost fat, even if the water meter yoke says otherwise.

Froot

rubadub wrote: »

I would be doing weights before cardio, and not using any machines, just freeweights.

Most of the time I would say it's better to start on the more easy to use machine weights but then again if the trainer was worth his/her salt they should have shown you the free weights first and shown you how to exercise properly with them because they do give you an all round better work out when you use them properly.

++++++++++++++++++

K-town wrote: »

it was measured with a machine that took my bodys water content and a few other things that i cant remember.

Did it look like a weighing scales with two metal plates where your feet go? If so it passes a charge through one foot wich is picked up at the other plate. Not that accurate because the charge will take the shortest route possible so it's not using your entire body to give a measurement, better than looking at you and guessing though

Tiriel

Your induction sounds a lot more detailed than the one I was given when I joined a gym last year! While I was taken around the gym and shown how to use the weights there were no measurements taken etc. My weight was noted alright, but that was it. So now it is very disheartening that I know I have toned up and gained muscle while losing *some* flab... I don't have any idea of real progress.

I think I will ask for a new assessment shortly. Do all gyms normally take measurements?! My bf% was never measured and I would like to do this using the calipers.. but not myself!! Any advice on how to approach the gym?

Malteaser!

Cork_girl wrote: »

Your induction sounds a lot more detailed than the one I was given when I joined a gym last year! While I was taken around the gym and shown how to use the weights there were no measurements taken etc. My weight was noted alright, but that was it. So now it is very disheartening that I know I have toned up and gained muscle while losing *some* flab... I don't have any idea of real progress.

I think I will ask for a new assessment shortly. Do all gyms normally take measurements?! My bf% was never measured and I would like to do this using the calipers.. but not myself!! Any advice on how to approach the gym?

During my assessment in the gym they took no measurements, not even my weight.

I just bought a measuring tape myself and have them all recorded in an excel sheet.

I reckon if your gym was going to do a bf% test they wouldn't use a calipers, just one of those machines, I've never been in a gym that measured bf with a calipers anyway!

sheldonparkgym

Having performed hundreds of fitness assessments over the past 10 years, I have come to the conclusion that BF% measurements are a complete waste of time for 99.9% of people, especially overweight people.

Here's why:

1) Someone who is overweight knows they are overweight and doesn't need to be given another statistic telling them this.

2) The actual methods used to measure BF% are often very inaccurate, especially where there are calipers involved. If you get 10 instructors to measure the bf% of the same person, you'd get 10 different sets of results. You'd be very surprised at how much they'd vary from each other.

3) In the same way that people (especially women) get hung up about their weight, they can also get hung up about their bf%. They'd be much better off concentrating on working hard in the gym, rather than constantly measuring for results.

In my opinion, the best way to measure your progress a combination of 4 things:

1) Taking standardised photos of yourself at regular intervals (e.g. every 2 weeks)
2) Notice how you're fitting into your clothes. If clothes that were previously tight are now much looser, it's fair to say you're losing inches.
3) Weighing yourself. While it doesn't tell you the ratio of fat to muscle on your body, it's a useful measurement when combined with 1) and 2).
4) Concentrate on improving your strength, aerobic fitness level and eating habits. If you do this, the mirror will show you the results you want on a daily basis.

--amadeus--

I don't know about the rest of it but he's flat wrong when it comes to Lactic Acid. It used to be believed that hard excercise led to a build up of lactic acid in teh muscles and that this was a performance limiter and led to the stifness and soreness you feel after a tough workout.

In fact there is no such thing as lactic acid in your body (there is lactate but thats a different thing). The fatigue associated with lactic acid is now thought to be cause by micro tears in the muscles (known as DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness).

See here, here, here, here and here.

Not warming up is personal choice - some people stretch, some don't. It hasn't been scientifically proven to make any difference to injury rates.

Hanley

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I don't know about the rest of it but he's flat wrong when it comes to Lactic Acid. It used to be believed that hard excercise led to a build up of lactic acid in teh muscles and that this was a performance limiter and led to the stifness and soreness you feel after a tough workout.

In fact there is no such thing as lactic acid in your body (there is lactate but thats a different thing). The fatigue associated with lactic acid is now thought to be cause by micro tears in the muscles (known as DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness).

See here, here, here, here and here.

Not warming up is personal choice - some people stretch, some don't. It hasn't been scientifically proven to make any difference to injury rates.

I always thought that the "burn" was a result of a lowered carnosine production resulting in not enough H+ ions which leads to a fcuked up pH balance. Low pH (well away from normal levels) indicates an acidic envoirnment.

Maybe someone else will shed some light on this..

sheldonparkgym

Hanley wrote: »

I always thought that the "burn" was a result of a lowered carnosine production resulting in not enough H+ ions which leads to a fcuked up pH balance. Low pH (well away from normal levels) indicates an acidic envoirnment.

If this were true, do you think it'd be possible to control the "burn" by loading up on carnosine and/or alkalising foods (e.g. green veg, "supergreen" drinks)?

Also, would vegetarians experience more of a burn than meat-eaters, considering that their diets are thought to be lacking in carnosine?

Hanley

sheldonparkgym wrote: »

If this were true, do you think it'd be possible to control the "burn" by loading up on carnosine and/or alkalising foods (e.g. green veg, "supergreen" drinks)?

Also, would vegetarians experience more of a burn than meat-eaters, considering that their diets are thought to be lacking in carnosine?

As far as I'm aware, Beta-alanine is being touted as the new super supplement to help control it. I don't know how well it works, anectdotal reports look promising, there seems to be alot of research going into it.

I've read carnosine taken on it's own doesn't work because it doesn't make it thru your stomach etc, but again, not sure how much weight any of this carries!

--amadeus--

Ahhh, I'm no use on the "burn", I'm a runner not a lifter!

I was answering the OP who said

K-town wrote: »

and then the strangest thing of all came at the end, he said that there is no scientific research about warming up before you begin your work out, but to definitely cool down at the end because it releases lacotic acidas this helps with building muscle.

Which is a crock, for teh reasons above.

In the old days lactic buildup was blamed as being a limiting factor when exercising to exhaustion (you'll still hear people talking about excercising "below the lactate threshold") and it is still blamed for post excercise stiffness, which is why a lot of people have post excercise rub downs and warm downs. Which may work, just without anything to do with Lactic Acid.

sunnyjim

Hanley wrote:

I always thought that the "burn" was a result of a lowered carnosine production resulting in not enough H+ ions which leads to a fcuked up pH balance. Low pH (well away from normal levels) indicates an acidic envoirnment.

Maybe someone else will shed some light on this..

The pH scale is somewhat misleading.

pH = -log[H+]

That H+ in brackets is the concentration of H+ ions in whatever solution you're measuring... Be it blood, plasma whatever.

So a low concentration of H+ will give you a high pH, such as 12 (obviously very basic)

Conversely, a high concentration of H+ gives a low pH (ie acidic)

You're right on the low pH indicates acidic environment part.

btw, this is where I leave. I have no clue on the rest of what ye are talking about, and that's a fact :pac:

edit: Actually, I just realised you never said what I though you did. Sorry, don't wana be acting the wannabe expert.

K-town

Your induction sounds a lot more detailed than the one I was given when I joined a gym last year! While I was taken around the gym and shown how to use the weights there were no measurements taken etc. My weight was noted alright, but that was it. So now it is very disheartening that I know I have toned up and gained muscle while losing *some* flab... I don't have any idea of real progress.

the reason my induction was so detailed was because my gym run a programme with bupa. Its £25 for a twelve week programme where they design a workout, take loads of measurements, etc and keep an eye on my progress for 12 weeks. (the £25 is in addition to my normal monthly membership)

Tiriel

K-town wrote: »

the reason my induction was so detailed was because my gym run a programme with bupa. Its £25 for a twelve week programme where they design a workout, take loads of measurements, etc and keep an eye on my progress for 12 weeks. (the £25 is in addition to my normal monthly membership)

ah ok!! that makes sense! I think I'll book in for a fresh assessment anyway though, think I've come to a standstill!!

rubadub

sheldonparkgym wrote: »

2) The actual methods used to measure BF% are often very inaccurate, especially where there are calipers involved. If you get 10 instructors to measure the bf% of the same person, you'd get 10 different sets of results. You'd be very surprised at how much they'd vary from each other.

Exactly why I got a spring loaded calipers, I measure myself so it is same person measuring in the same spot, with the same force each time. I also no longer use formulas, since they can also give huge variations, I think I was 8%on one and 18% on another at one point. I just track mm changes.

I also not the fit of clothes, not on paper just take notice, and of course use a mirror.