How to train women as a personal trainer

[the.gladiator1987]

HI everyone, im usually not on here where all the coodies are but anyway I just got my personal training certificate. Honestly it was a joke how I got it, but I am still certified and thats all the gym wanted to see to hire me. I have always been learning about fitness for the last 7 years, I know a lot about diet and training for men. Women are completely different to me.

I know for a womens diet we just reduce the calories 250-500 below maitneance, diet is pretty easy. As far as training goes there are just so many options and things to do! I know the first thing to do is to just have them moving around and doing anything in the gym and changing their diet, this will help at first. I know i can get quick results but when it comes time to keep giving results what do i do?

Do i start supersetting everything? Swicth up the exercises? Shorter time between sets so its more of a circuit training?

Also is it ok to just stick to dumbbell exercises or do i need my women doing deadlifts and bb squats? There are so many exercises for women its ruidiculous. Sorry for all the questions I appreciate all the help I can get.

Is this a good website? Strength Training Woman - Exercises, Routines, And Tools to Lose the Weight

Thanks again Have a good day ladies

 

[Smurfy]

it probably depends on her goals right?

circuit training is very popular and also highly effective

 

[musclemom]

You're the personal trainer, gladiator, valuable certification and training and all that personal experience. You're supposed to know what you're doing for your clients, and how to do it properly, professionally, safely, and with a critical eye to form and neither over nor underworking them, that's what you're supposed to get paid to do. There are also these things that you can buy, called BOOKS, that are filled with solid information. Here's the thing with the internet, never forget, you get what you pay for.

That being said, this is where I send all women beginning weight training.

stumptuous.com

She has an article, under starting, entitled "How to Choose a Personal Trainer" you should read it.

Finally, just like we tell all new women that come here, read the stickies at the top of the forum.

 

[heavydutyhit]

What makes you think that women should be trained differently than men? (I hope that you don't train all of your male clients with the same program.) Do all of your clients have the same goals?

Also, where did you get the notion that diet is simple for ANYONE, male OR female?

Here is a suggestion, as MM said, "Read the stickies." Also why don't you spend some time reading several of the threads here?

Here, the first one is "on me". You're welcome.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...uilding-training/training-females-638305.html

Just because you are certified doesn't mean you know the first thing about training people which is obvious from your questions.

With all due respect, I don't think you are ready to train ANYONE yet. You need to educate yourself with BOOKS! Buy books on the following subjects:

-Exercise Physiology
-Bio-Mechanics
-Kinesiology
-Anatomy/Physiology
-Physics
-Nutrition
-Bodybuilding (books buy Chris Aceto would help tremendously)

And don't just read them....., STUDY THEM!!!!!


Women should train NO DIFFERENTLY than men. Why? Well..., because they are human beings. We are the same species! The only main differences are sex organs and hormones. If the sexes were so different that they needed different diets and training routines, then they would also need different medicinal treatment for disease as well.

And reducing calories for females by 250-500? WTF? All diet protocols should be based on lean bodyweight. Period. It has nothing to do with sex, it has to do with the clients basal metabolic rate and activity level. Please look up the Katch-McArdle formula and the Harris-Benedict formula. Study them until you understand how they work, why they work, and how to properly use them.

If you are certified and you really want to do this for a living, then you must ask yourself. Are you going to be one of the trainers in the 98 percentile, or are you going to be one of the few 2% that actually know what the fuck they are doing.

EVERY SINGLE client needs an individual routine based on their genetic predispositions and personal goals, and an individualized diet based on basal metabolism, activity level, and personal goals.

Don't be one of "those trainers" who has an "assembly-line" style of training methodology and gives each male client the same shit, and each female client the same shit because you are too fucking lazy to do your job. These people are coming to you for help because they are clueless. They have been brainwashed by the media, and misinformed by the food companies on how to live and eat. It is your job to take the time to help them achieve a better quality of life and educate them on proper lifestyle decision making. If you do NOT do this for EVERY SINGLE CLIENT then you are a QUACK that is taking advantage of people in a vulnerable position. You will be no different than a snake charmer from the 1800's selling sick people a "magic tonic."

Please excuse me if I am coming off as abrasive or rude, and please understand that this is not a personal attack on you. This subject just happens to be something that I am very passionate about, because there are SO MANY personal trainers out there that are in a constant state of bewilderment with regards to proper training and diet protocol. I understand that you are new to all of this. So I am pointing out the problems in your chosen field so that you may hopefully avoid them, and have a more successful career. No offense meant.

I have always said that personal trainers should be required to have a college degree to be able to practice. I mean, physical therapists and nutritionists do. And aren't we practicing BOTH of those disciplines?

 

[Piper25]

The course is a joke and has nothing to do with reality IMO. My instructor even told me there is no proof high protein is needed for muscle gains and hardening you up. WTF...?

anyways, I know when I train woman I notice they hold on to and it takes longer for them to deplete or burn glycogen so I usually have them doing high reps and it usually works.
I have all my clients train different than men due to hormone indifferences and I also notice they hold on to muscle better than men.

When I started training I followed basic principles but you have to keep a serious log on each woman and you will notice after a while a lot of woman react the same to cutting. I have not ventured to much into woman bulking as I have yet to meet a girl trying to do that for bodybuilding purposes but, most woman you meet want to be toned and trim their thighs and arms up.

In reality a certificate means shit but if you research and keep a good diary you can become very knowledgable and make a good name for yourself. You might not become the next charles glass but you can make a decent living.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Thanks for the responses

I didnt say I was the shit but I know what Im doing. maybe not perfectly but ill get the job done for now, ill get better and thats what its all about.

I meant that the calories will be lower because girls dont need as much as guys. Theres just so many exercises for women that its hard to know which ones will work

 

[heavydutyhit]

i wasn't aware that there were "male exercises" and "female exercises". Would you please enlighten us?

rotflmao!

 

[SpyWizard]

I'll share with you, i know the how/why you did it....

Problem you are now feeling is that you will be found out by your clients..

I train women the same as men, with specific goals stated and a detailed plan to get there..

Women thus far have a serious brain issue with lifting heavier weights " I can't lift that much" so i have devised a way for them to be able to build very quickly up to the amount that they should be training at..

another goal is fat loss, how do we accomplish fat loss?? do we stop eating?? or do we build more fast twitch muscle and teach them how and when to eat..

Works well, right up until you find women with predominantly slow twitch muscle development then it's a whole new ball game..

Knowing the difference... well, the cert sometimes will teach you the how/why

And it's knowledge..

I train 15 yr old high school female athletes to 83 yr old men and everything in between.. If i catch another PT making this old man do 8 sets of 15 reps i will kick his ass in the parking lot.. I had 1 pt let go today for just such action.. I ended up having to perform stretching exercise with the man for an hour instead of making him stronger..

Oh, and i have a mobid obese man that is consulting with doc/nutritionist and is not losing weight.. trained with me 2x.. lost 4 lbs...

and i do not train to increase a persons' tolerance for lactic acid..

 

[SpyWizard]

You mean you don't literally grind your clients into the ground? THE HELL YOU SAY?!?!

Another thing that REALLY used to annoy the crap out of me about incompetent PT's: how they would beat the hell out of their clients who hadn't been remotely active in like 15 years, old injuries and 40+ overweight - yea, let's run the obstacle course!

IDIOTS!!!

All those clients who looked like they were about to drop dead.

Oi.

exactly, go figure....

Some clients come to believe in what and how i train, others just want to stand there and have me push them so that they hurt and sweat.... What i do?? i just don't train them more than 1x..

Those that come back keep me more busy than i want to be.. So yes, I'm happy..

 

[heavydutyhit]

You know what I get all the time? People who haven't been active AT ALL for years who want to do P-90X. I mean they are absolutely convinced that if they don't do P-90X they won't get results. The miracles of advertising.

 

[Jennsfitness]

Do i start supersetting everything? Swicth up the exercises? Shorter time between sets so its more of a circuit training?

Yes. That is the ticket. Swith it up, invent new programs and always keep her guessing and wanting more. You have to make your clients feel as though they can't do much of what you do, alone. Don't get lazy in your planning because that is what most trainers do and it turns into social hour.

 

[needtogetaas]

You are speaking as if the person who asked the question is a personal trainer.

He is asking the board to tell him how to train his FEMALE clients. He knows how to train his MALE clients. And he also knows everything there is to know about diet as it is so simple. It's just that there are too many exercises for THE WOMEN, where does he begin?

The thread was Originally made on the PT forum girl. I just moved it here.

One could pretty much asume if the thread was made about how to train (there woman) and it was made on the PT forum. That the guy must be a PT.

 

[heavy_duty]

HI everyone, im usually not on here where all the coodies are but anyway I just got my personal training certificate. Honestly it was a joke how I got it, but I am still certified and thats all the gym wanted to see to hire me. I have always been learning about fitness for the last 7 years, I know a lot about diet and training for men. Women are completely different to me.

I know for a womens diet we just reduce the calories 250-500 below maitneance, diet is pretty easy. As far as training goes there are just so many options and things to do! I know the first thing to do is to just have them moving around and doing anything in the gym and changing their diet, this will help at first. I know i can get quick results but when it comes time to keep giving results what do i do?

Do i start supersetting everything? Swicth up the exercises? Shorter time between sets so its more of a circuit training?

Also is it ok to just stick to dumbbell exercises or do i need my women doing deadlifts and bb squats? There are so many exercises for women its ruidiculous. Sorry for all the questions I appreciate all the help I can get.

Is this a good website? Strength Training Woman - Exercises, Routines, And Tools to Lose the Weight

Thanks again Have a good day ladies

Just because people have not trained their muscles since high school does not mean they're brain dead. They will very quickly figure out that you don't know what you're doing. Bullshit stinks in the gym too bro. Go back to school and get educated properly at IART | Clinical Fitness or SuperSlow » Welcome

 

[Piernes]

I am very sceptical of trainers quoting calories as we al know that not all calories are equal. It really depends on what those calories consist of that has a major influence over your results.

Also as many of you have said training is very goal specific, and also individually specific - what else does that person do, what is their exercise history etc etc. Everyone (be they male or female) respond differently to the same training and diet due to many factors.
well that's my 2pence worth anyway!

 

[chazk]

99.9% percent of women that hire a personal trainer are never going to be onstage in the bodybuiling arena.
They just want to get in shape , lose weight and shape the body . Thats goes for 99.9% of the men as well

Most people that are advanced in a certian sport ( even sport of bodybuilding )know what they want as in results and find a trainer that has the knowledge to give to them what they seek. Such as a strenght coach,fartlek distance conditioning coach,flexability training,sports nutrition,circut training , endurance training.

You really have to look at the woman ( and men )your training physically look at her body from head to toe, your would not want to get a person under a squat rack to find out she has severe lordoses and kyphosis ( lower back sway and rounding upper back ) you would work a routine that first strengthened her rhomboids and abdominals to help correct her bodys posture instead of squats that could make her over developed muscles in her lower back and rounder her upper back even more dominate.
Every single human is going to be different with different body mechanics.

I dont have any respect for personal trainers ( very little respect ) that are cookie cutters. In other wards take a online class or a week end course.
You really need a degree in excersize science to be giving advice to people in such ways it could harm them if you can not spot physical problems they might have or understand 100% how the body works ( not everyone knows they have a medical condition) or relizes they have spinal problems becuase they have never been to a doctors.
Its not alot of hours for a minor degree like 25 credit hours
as someone else suggested ether take the classes or buy the books and study them yourself.
basic books to start with I would suggest.
Kinesology ( movement of the body study )
physiology ( study of the mechanical , physical and biochemical functions of the body )
Anatomy ( study of muscle organs and connective tissue )

When a person comes to you with one shoulder 1/2 higher on the right side then the left , or a old injury that makes one hand stick out 1 inch further from the body then the other hand when the person is in a relaxed position.
The shoulder problem could be mucsle related from using the mouse all day in a fix poition for hours infront of the computer,would increasing flexability help, is it from a clavical injury froma old car wreck ?
the hand sticking out could be from a old broken arm that was in a cast for 6 months and never rehabbed correct.Would increasing flexability and strenghting in the unblanced arm first before you go any further help him during the rest of his/her training sessions, sure it would

When you get down to it I think some personal trainers that do not study the body how the body functions and do not perform fitness/body assesment test could very well be doing people more harm then good in the long run.

I have personally seen a trainer right now that has a client at the gym and subjets her to over head presses , everytime her should makes a loud pop every rep . Would a front lateral raise target the muscle with out cuasing this loud pop (could be connective tissue rubbing bone on bone we just dont know untill it is examined by a expert ) a issue that could be doing more harm then good performing this excersize. Does she send ask her to a get shoulder examined , maybe exrays , work out a routine to work around the popping.Tells her these exact words " the more you do it what ever is popping will eventually get worn in and stop popping ( I about shit my pants hearing that advice )" So every monday pop pop pop every rep and set why ? why cuase thats what she has everyone doing during their should work out 3 sets of 12 shoulder presses on the smith machine not knowing that everyone is different and might not be capable of doing that excersize due to body alighnment issues, injuries and so on.