Think I'm gonna get in trouble???

[Terry Monk]

One of my best friends calls me today. Says he's had it with being overweight (he's 6' and about 285 or so, uh that's not muscle folks) and joined up at a gym.
"Good for you bro"

He goes on to tell me the same ol' story that we've all heard:

He is there first thing in the morning (5am) on their opening day. Already paid his dues, etc. Asks what he needs to do to get on a program to lose some fat. Who does he need to see? The guy behind the counter ( ) says "That's me" He goes on to tell him that to lose weight (oh boy, I can see where this is going already) he needs to get his heartrate into the 120 area (uh, based on what there genius? - I laugh to myself) and sticks my buddy on the treadmill. At my buddy's size just a faster paced walk is all it takes to get his rate up to 120 (and again I laugh to myself, this HR is measured by what? The treadmill? )
So anyway, my buddy says he needs my help.... he's been on the treadmill for 2 weeks now and hasn't been able to find that original guy ever again. yeah I know, is this beginning to sound familiar to anyone?

He asks me if he pays for (or just "gets" me) a one week membership will I come up and train him? Even offers to pay me, but you all know how the buddy system works so there's no charge.

I told him I'd work up a program for him and get back to him later this weekend to set something up. Now I'm wondering how this new gym is going to take to an outsider coming in and training one of their members in their gym? I'm in for a ass chew'n aren't I?

I asked my wife her opinion and she said my buddy fully asked and has been trying to ask their people and no one seems very interested in helping since they got his initial money. If I've got a week's membership, I should be able to train however I want. I'm smart enough to know that's not exactly how it's going to go down. I mean they don't want to be liable if my buddy gets hurt under my tutelage so I'm in for a fight aren't I?

I suppose I could simply go in and "just" workout with him using the routine I come up with and just kinda "guide" him along????

Thoughts?


*edit* oh, BTW - the gym never even bothered to make sure he got a doctor's approval before doing anything. That's the first thing I told him he needs to get before I'll help him out.

[Leigh P.]

I actually have been in your shoes to help out a friend, really its not big deal if you keep it casual.

Go in with your buddy, pay the guest fee or get their week trial membership whatever and just show him the goods. As long as there is no exchanging of money then there is no problem, period.

If you aren't taking money then your aren't providing a professional service or claim.

[Cynic]

WTF!? You and your best friend do *see* each other right? This is not the case of a best friend who moved to North Dakota 10 years ago, right?

So your friend sees you and asks the guy behind the counter for advice.

Tell him to get NROL and/or Afterburn. Push him toward NROL and tell him to come here.

[Terry Monk]

Originally Posted by Cynic

WTF!? You and your best friend do *see* each other right? This is not the case of a best friend who moved to North Dakota 10 years ago, right?

So your friend sees you and asks the guy behind the counter for advice.

ha! I know, I know..... Actually, unless our group of friends gets together we don't see each other that often. He's one of my closest friends and whenever we talk we pick right back up like no time has passed but we really don't see each other very often. He actually lives in a small suburb of my city which is about 25 miles away so it'll be a drive for me each night.

[Lost Dog]

Good for you, GR.

In the guy's defense, even though you know who to ask, it can be embarrassing. Not only to ask, but you know that once you ask, you're admitting that you're going to try to change your lifestyle. What if you have doubts about your ability to stick with it? What if you think you might fail? The last thing you want is to feel like a failure in front of your buddy.

I've had a couple of people ask me for help. I gave them my copy of TAP and bought a new one for myself. I think that helping them with the routines and exercises in a book can put them at ease. If they fail, the book didn't work, not the routine that I came up with. Just putting them at ease like that can help them get more into the swing of things.

[Irishdazza]

I'd go for a coffee somewhere (maybe a bananna or muffin as pre work out nutrition as well as the caffeine!!!), talk him through the workout and what the reasoning behind it is then go to the gym....that way you'll only really have to correct his form as you workout - not so obvious.

[Snake_eyes]

I don't think it should matter too much, i have helped a friend of mine thorugh a workout before with no hassle from the gym staff or the trainers there, i think you should do it, and besides your not turning a profit or anything in doig this its just a friend helping a friend. I don't see a problem in this at all

[Jason B]

Is this like a small, exclusive gym or something? If it's a big public gym nobody's going to care. If someone does say something, tell them to fuck off we've already heard their advice and it sucks.

[Kevin Larrabee]

Send him here: turbulencetraining.com

or have him buy NROL. Those are the two best places to start. And with CB, you know he will answer any questions that your friend has.

[K Manley]

Yeah as long as you don't take money for it there is absolutely nothing the gym can call you on. And congrats to you for wanting to give a little back and help a friend out. Training friends can be frustrating though and I'd say to have fun playing the trainer when you guys are working out together. in my experience friends feel comfortable approaching you for advice but they also feel pretty comfortable with ignoring your advice. Show him what 'gym mode' is for you and tach him that 'gym mode' gym rat is someone that you're going to want to listen to, even if free time gym rat is a laid back guy.
Just my personal experience but you gotta wear a bit of a different mask when passin it on to make sure it doesn't fall on deaf ears.

[Terry Monk]

Originally Posted by K Manley

Yeah as long as you don't take money for it there is absolutely nothing the gym can call you on. And congrats to you for wanting to give a little back and help a friend out. Training friends can be frustrating though and I'd say to have fun playing the trainer when you guys are working out together. in my experience friends feel comfortable approaching you for advice but they also feel pretty comfortable with ignoring your advice. Show him what 'gym mode' is for you and tach him that 'gym mode' gym rat is someone that you're going to want to listen to, even if free time gym rat is a laid back guy.
Just my personal experience but you gotta wear a bit of a different mask when passin it on to make sure it doesn't fall on deaf ears.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that post. Very good point.

[K Manley]

Shugart did a great piece on the phenomena of friends alternately asking for and ignoring your advice called Proximity Bias. I would seriously even consider taking payment from him (but don't tell the gym that of course), people do respect info more when they have purchased it. When I was a trainer the only difference between the advice I gave to friends for free and to clients was the price tag and how much they adhered to it. He'd pay more to get a trainer that likely wouldn't care half as much about his results.
Now of course you don't have to keep the money, a week or two after you stop training him buy him something with the cash he gave you. NROL, MR, some supplements, heck an ipod nano loaded with workout tunes. Something he'll like and something that will motivate him to keep pluggin away at the six week point when initial motivation fades.