Saving Face: How do I tell my gym I don't want a trainer?

[ChaChaYen]

When I enrolled at my gym they said they'd include 2 free training sessions. I really prefer to work out on my own, but I figured I would never schedule the sessions and they'd disappear as easily as they came.

Now, I'm getting called several times per week by a trainer at the gym asking me when I can do a session. Every time I visit the gym the staff asks me to schedule a session, and when the trainer is working he interrupts my workouts to ask if I'm ready to train a variety of different things with him right then. Yesterday another gym employee stood near me while the trainer was trying to convince me to train. When I gave an excuse why I couldn't do it, he said okay and walked a few steps away, consulted with her for a minute, then came back and proposed another type of training- almost like the staff member was pressuring him to get me to train immediately.

I'm always polite and explain I'm busy with work at the moment, maybe I'll schedule next week, etc. but they don't seem to get the hint. I don't want to tell the manager that I'm not interested in training because I don't know if that would make the gym and the trainer himself lose face. I have a pretty good relationship with the manager so I'm comfortable talking to him directly if necessary.

How do I tell them I'm not interested in training without offending? (Side question: Why the hell are they so persistent about it?)

Thanks

[CharlieH]

Tell them you are working hard on your own fitness program right now and cant break the cycle to enter into different ideas/method/routine, so will let them know when you are finished and you would be happy to consider their involvement later.

[ChaChaYen]

Tell them you are working hard on your own fitness program right now and cant break the cycle to enter into different ideas/method/routine, so will let them know when you are finished and you would be happy to consider their involvement later.

That's a very reasonable idea. I like it.

[simon43]

Repeat after me:

'Thank-you. I do not want a trainer'

There, that was easy, wasn't it?

[Bender]

Repeat after me :

"mai mee taeng"

That should solve your problem

[wow64]

You are paying for it.. At fitness first at least..

They say its free but read the contract its included in the joining fee... Ask not to have it and its cheaper.

Sent from my c64

[arunsakda]

The only reason they are so persistent is the trainers and reception staff need to push personal training sessions to get spiffs/commisions and that is why they are there. Go to the manager and let them know you are absolutely not interested, and you don't want to waste anybody's time. These people are absolutely relentless and will not let you alone! (Only thing I can compare is a used car salesman). There is a nice gym near my condo I would have joined but just popping by to enquire I could see that I appeared as a cariacature of a ferang pigeon to fleece and the offers and promos would not stop and it turned me off even joining.

Edited October 29, 2015 by arunsakda

[kannot]

Repeat after me:

'Thank-you. I do not want a trainer'

There, that was easy, wasn't it?

Beats me why people want to make things so difficult

[Aussieroaming]

Load 450kg onto the bench press, call the personal trainer over and ask him to press a few sets so that you can watch his form.

[kannot]

Load 450kg onto the bench press, call the personal trainer over and ask him to press a few sets so that you can watch his form.

or deform!!

[saakura]

Load 450kg onto the bench press, call the personal trainer over and ask him to press a few sets so that you can watch his form.

A good coach/trainer need not necessarily be a top class player. In Fitness First and some other clubs, new members are given 2 or 3 free Personal Training sessions, you are at liberty to decline the offer. For beginers who do not know where to start, it provides a valuable introduction. For Personal Trainers, it gives them 2 or 3hrs of close interaction with a client to try and entice them into buying more lessons. I have found them polite and friendly. I declined after my 3 free sessions and later bought some lessons from a different trainer in the same branch. I am still very friendly with the first trainer. I think you are just making an issue out of nothing. Edited October 29, 2015 by saakura

[thrilled]

I'd just tell them I wasn't interested in it.I would also say if they didn't stop talking to me about it I would leave and find another gym,

[kev78]

Just flex in front of him and say "really"?

[ClutchClark]

The only reason they are so persistent is the trainers and reception staff need to push personal training sessions to get spiffs/commisions and that is why they are there. Go to the manager and let them know you are absolutely not interested, and you don't want to waste anybody's time. These people are absolutely relentless and will not let you alone! (Only thing I can compare is a used car salesman). There is a nice gym near my condo I would have joined but just popping by to enquire I could see that I appeared as a cariacature of a ferang pigeon to fleece and the offers and promos would not stop and it turned me off even joining.

Aren't pigeons "plucked" ?

Personally, are you reslly that busy that you can't spend an hour with someone weight training?

I wish I was that pre-occupied.

I find it enjoyable to get a free training session because there is occasionally something new to learn and I have been a fitness enthusiast since the first Universal weight machines were introduced. The old one-stop shop that was a big cube with every exercise available.

[Suradit69]

Repeat after me:

'Thank-you. I do not want a trainer'

There, that was easy, wasn't it?

Saving face is more of a problem for farang than for Thais. As said, just say you don't want a trainer. Why should they read your hints if you can't just say you want to work alone?

[fey]

i have never been comfortable with male trainers either

just not my thing looking at another mans balls while i work out LOL

simply just ignore them and dont say anything. avoid eye contact.

thats not going to lose face or be as rude as it would be in the west. they would just find it odd and get the message.

[arunsakda]

The only reason they are so persistent is the trainers and reception staff need to push personal training sessions to get spiffs/commisions and that is why they are there. Go to the manager and let them know you are absolutely not interested, and you don't want to waste anybody's time. These people are absolutely relentless and will not let you alone! (Only thing I can compare is a used car salesman). There is a nice gym near my condo I would have joined but just popping by to enquire I could see that I appeared as a cariacature of a ferang pigeon to fleece and the offers and promos would not stop and it turned me off even joining.

Aren't pigeons "plucked" ?

Personally, are you reslly that busy that you can't spend an hour with someone weight training?

I wish I was that pre-occupied.

I find it enjoyable to get a free training session because there is occasionally something new to learn and I have been a fitness enthusiast since the first Universal weight machines were introduced. The old one-stop shop that was a big cube with every exercise available.

Yeah, I thought about pigeon "plucking" too late to edit. I am happy to work with a trainer. Used to do it in the states. I think the sessions are worth it, all the Hollywood types have personal trainers. But it got expensive. A gym there also welcomed me to bring one guest anytime, until I found out the quests were "required" to take a sales tour which was always a waste of time for said quests.

The Gym I mentioned here in Chiang Mai has similar high pressure sales tactics with English speaking "Pretties" who could just as well be flogging off-plan condos.

Edited October 29, 2015 by arunsakda

[Mr magoo]

are you for real?

[arrowsdawdle]

The answer is simple. Smile, nod, and keep repeating "Mai kow jai" regardless of what language they speak. Don't forget to smile a lot. If you know German, Spanish or another Slavic or European language you could ask them involved questions as well.

[ClutchClark]

just not my thing looking at another mans balls while i work out LOL

The gyms I have always gone to require members to wear gym shorts.

[chicowoodduck]

I always tell them I'm a convicted killer and pick up a 20 lb dumbbell and start screaming...."I want to kill my ex trainer!" Seems to work pretty well at the moment...?

[mmh8]

so persistant since they make their money on selling personal training . ever since fitness first disvoecred the mcdonalds business plan of fiteness industry this is what all gyms try to emulate.

I like to guess their body weight, then clean and press or snatch it repatedly and ask them to take the challenge. I tell them if they can show me how to improve my numbers I will employ them.

not paid yet, did have one big chap attempt to clean 80 kg or so, was quite ammusing to watch him try to get it above his belly.

[elgenon]

The trainers I have observed at my gym tend to teach poor form. They also help the person too much. I guess that makes the client feel they are doing a lot more weight. But then if they try it w/o a trainer they are doomed.

When I signed up I said I was too busy that day and I gave them a bogus phone number. But only had a trainer come up to me once while training. I would speak to the manager.

[robblok]

i have never been comfortable with male trainers either

just not my thing looking at another mans balls while i work out LOL

simply just ignore them and dont say anything. avoid eye contact.

thats not going to lose face or be as rude as it would be in the west. they would just find it odd and get the message.

Wow bit homo phobic i guess, usually a sign of hidden desire towards men.

Men train different from females, so a male trainer often has more experience in how to train an other male. There are not many top notch female trainers.

Is it that hard to say no to someone ?

[robblok]

The only reason they are so persistent is the trainers and reception staff need to push personal training sessions to get spiffs/commisions and that is why they are there. Go to the manager and let them know you are absolutely not interested, and you don't want to waste anybody's time. These people are absolutely relentless and will not let you alone! (Only thing I can compare is a used car salesman). There is a nice gym near my condo I would have joined but just popping by to enquire I could see that I appeared as a cariacature of a ferang pigeon to fleece and the offers and promos would not stop and it turned me off even joining.

Aren't pigeons "plucked" ?

Personally, are you reslly that busy that you can't spend an hour with someone weight training?

I wish I was that pre-occupied.

I find it enjoyable to get a free training session because there is occasionally something new to learn and I have been a fitness enthusiast since the first Universal weight machines were introduced. The old one-stop shop that was a big cube with every exercise available.

Yeah, I thought about pigeon "plucking" too late to edit. I am happy to work with a trainer. Used to do it in the states. I think the sessions are worth it, all the Hollywood types have personal trainers. But it got expensive. A gym there also welcomed me to bring one guest anytime, until I found out the quests were "required" to take a sales tour which was always a waste of time for said quests.

The Gym I mentioned here in Chiang Mai has similar high pressure sales tactics with English speaking "Pretties" who could just as well be flogging off-plan condos.

If you train with a trainer worth his salt you will learn something new. When I first started training I could have done with some good advice the trainers back then were not good. Now I don't need one after all the years of training. I do however instruct friends once in a while. I got my own gym with all the right stuff for my workout but I do miss out on the social contacts because of it.

There is so much to learn about working out and foods that good advice from a trainer that speaks good English could really help you a lot. Some people also preform better when someone is pushing them. Back when I still trained at a gym I trained with a friend and we were close in strength so we often competed against each-other and that helped us put extra weight on the bar and grow.

[teacherpaul]

Sorry, why are you so concerned about offending them? You are the customer. You come first, not them. Just tell them straight - you don't want a trainer. Not rocket science, is it?

[fey]

The answer is simple. Smile, nod, and keep repeating "Mai kow jai" regardless of what language they speak. Don't forget to smile a lot. If you know German, Spanish or another Slavic or European language you could ask them involved questions as well.

an even better answer is to goto a local thai gym which can be found in almost any neighborhood. no trainers there, and people dont bug you while your working out. pay your 30 baht and do your thing.

you should not have to explain to every dick and harry who happens to be working that day how you dont need a trainer. thats not why he's there and it ruins the mood in a workout.

Edited October 30, 2015 by fey

[realenglish1]

They are trying to sell you training services Just tell them you don't want them and they will stop

[1FinickyOne]

This is not a big face saving issue - just politely say that you are not interested and do not want the service…

if you keep making time excuses they will keep coming back…

[samsensam]

my gf gets bugged by personal trainers all the time when she's at the gym. they disturb and annoy her, i've told her to be more assertive with her 'no' but being thai she's hasnt...

not being thai you should have no problem politely dealing with the situation.