You should never pay anyone to train you unless its a Powerlifting/bodybuilding/strongman coach. Trainers are garbage and don't know what the fuck they're doing. They don't study bodybuilding or strength training to get their certification. All they study is muscle names, joints, and how the body moves. Theyre about as qualified to teach you how to lift as your 6th grade biology teacher.

You wasted your money on that clown. You would've been better off hitting youtube or coming here for advice. If youre not some old fuck with arthritis, you should be hitting your free weight compound movements and avoid machines. The good ole bread and butter around here is starting off with strength training to establish a solid foundation for muscle building. Start yourself off on a Reg Park Beginner 5x5. Run it for a good year and half, and THEN go for the bodybuilding stuff.

not really a scam he just sucks

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being a pt is more about looks and charisma

I have now used 9 personal trainers in my life. I would never say the first 8 were worthless, I showed up and lifted and definitely had more muscle and overall health than if I didn't have a trainer at all.

That said, my current trainer (competitive power lifter) is better than all of them combined. I had 8 straight trainers never have me touch the bar to my chest when benching. My squats weren't deep enough. Etc. Doing things correctly is hard, but worth it.

He has different programs (we're doing X for three weeks then Y, after which your max will increase by 30lbs).

I've always been above average strong - and like I said, I got some value just from having someone schedule sessions and stick plates on the bar. But, if you find the right trainer who knows what he's doing, it is a night and day difference.

I would ditch the trainer and save the money. There are lot of guides around here detailing good weight lifting programs. You really only need to hit the gym 3 days a week and make sure you set clear goals and stick to them. Get some fractional plates (1.25 pounds, and 2.5 pounds) and use them every time so you are increasing weight until you reach your goal. Just be sure to tune your diet to your exercise goals. If your cutting you won't gain muscle so you will need to level off your exercises until you reach your desired weight/body fat ratio. If your bulking your going to have eat more than usual to put on a decent amount of muscle in a reasonable amount of time.

Send /u/GayLubeOil a PM and hire him. Ditch the trainer.

What did you tell him you were after? If it was "I want to look better and be fitter, maybe lose some fat and gain some weight" or something equally washy, then he's achieved that for you and you can now move on. Either by telling him your goals have changed and you want him to update your program or by getting a new trainer

Machines and curls help you look good with your shirt off. Women like touching big arms, curls give you big arms.

Deadlifts have changed my fucking life, but they certainly don't give the obvious changes in aesthetics that come from doing isolation work.

Do yourself a favour, drop the PT for a few months. Grab a reliable routine that you know you can follow. I personally recommend nSuns 531 which you will find in r fitness. Then you can decide if you are improving more with him or without him.

I hit a plateau on coordination, mobility, strength, conditioning and I don't really look better in the mirror than 4 months ago.

This is what your trainer should be there to address. A good trainer will see the lack of progress and adjust the program, or constantly be using periodization to make sure that the long term goal is being worked towards.

If you've been stagnating for four months and they aren't doing anything about it then he's just sucking your money away and you should find a new trainer. Figure out what your end goal is and find a trainer who shows long term client results doing that (and can prove it) - not just some trainer at your local gym.

Get going on free weights ASAP. The machines are forcing you into unnatural movements and you'll either get hurt or not make any progress after a while which is what it sounds like happened to you.

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TBH I think you would be better off ditching your PT and using that money to join a gym that's got free weights and guys who can check your form for you. Get on a good PPL program.

Have you told him what your fitness goals are? If you mention interest in a trainer and the first thing they ask you isn't "what are your fitness goals" then stay away.

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