I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with the way my personal trainer sessions were handled at my gym, but in typical passive aggressive fashion I'll just complain about it here. :P

The sessions actually started off very well. As part of the deal I got when I signed up, I was given ten personal trainer sessions for a very reduced price. My trainer did a good job considering the limited time we had. It often seem rushed, but I understood since they were basically "free" sessions that it's not the same as private ones. It just seemed like something was missing, and I never figured it out until last night.

I had a call while I was in Spain to come in for some training. I assumed he was talking about my last few sessions out of the ten I had signed up for. I had never finished them, so I figured he wanted to get them out of the way. I was expecting him to have a talk with me sometime about whether I wanted to continue with him after the sessions expired, but it sounded pretty low-key, so I didn't care. Two weeks after I got back I set up an appointment and rushed off work early to meet him.

I was all dressed and ready for a session when I got to the gym 15 minutes early. I usually go a bit early to warm up so I don't waste any of his time. But after a walk around the gym he started to lay it on thick. I was asked to fill out another paper about my goals and stuff. I started to and wrote that I want to do a triathlon next year. I mentioned my back pain and whatever else I was thinking of at the time. The questions got a little weird, and I really didn't know how to answer them.

At that point I just told him that I'm looking to learn about a proper weight training program so I can continue on my own. I only need a few sessions to get me started and I can do it. Then came the pressure and negativity. He made it sound like I needed him to be there or I'll never do it, since he's never seen me at the gym, and especially not working on their circuit. I don't think he understood that I wasn't interested in it, because he kept bringing up the benefits of exercise. It sounded like a threat. If I didn't sign up with him I'd end up fat and sick or whatever he was saying. I didn't need to listen to it.

Oh yeah, the pricing. Forgot to mention that. He said he was given a promotion, which means he charges $10-15 more an hour. But big bonus for me was that he was allowed to charge at the old rate until the end of his grace period, which was the end of this week. He started off trying to sell me 35 sessions at once. Yeah, really. With a three month payoff plan it worked out to be more than my car payment.

When I complained about the price and said that I only really need a few sessions to get started he brought it down to 25 sessions for a somewhat reasonable-ish price. I really don't need that much, but he was insistent that he couldn't do any less than that. I certainly wouldn't want to pay that much money only to have someone be unhappy with what he got. That's when I understood what he's all about.

I was never given the tools to continue on my own. The way the sessions were set up wasn't to show me how to do stuff so I could do it on my own. It was treated more like "here, let me help you get through this confusing world of equipment." I was forced to rely on him so that I really couldn't do anything without him.

The pressure got even worse. He kept asking if I had the money on me, or if I liked to use cash or credit. Just trying to push me over the edge. Anything I said he seemed to have an answer for. He reminded me of this guy trying to cancel his AOL. I finally managed to get him to stop by saying that it's not a decision that I was able to make without thinking about. I wasn't expecting a sales pitch, and I needed time to think before I decided to spend that much money on something I might not need.

I had a price, but after that kind of pressure I wasn't going to tell him. I would have paid for a few weeks worth of sessions when I have time available for me again in August. I would have loved to have someone get me over the hump I'm bound to reach soon. But screw that. He didn't even care that I'm a morning guy and that he's not even there then!

I understand it's his job, and really that's the way he gets paid. I know without selling like that he'd make a lot less money, maybe not make his rent. Whatever. But what I don't appreciate is being shaken like a money tree after he's tried to play the friend role for so long. It's this split personality that makes me reevaluate the motives behind everything they've done since I signed up.

But really it's the gym - and I assume all gyms - who are forced to use these tactics to make money. It's sad really. I won't feel so bad about leaving at the end of the year if I want to anymore. If they weren't across the street I would be looking for another place already.