Quote:
Originally Posted by pnutbutrsangwich
I need to get back in the gym. I took a month off and now I'm totally lost. Would it be best to hire a trainer for a few sessions to get going or are there other online resources that can put together a good program for me?
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There are some very good and competent trainers out there, but the bulk of trainers that you will find at the big chain gyms (24, Bally's, LA, etc.) are only helpful if you've never stepped into a gym before and need basic instruction . . . especially given how much you'll be paying. Case in point, I recently went shopping for gym membership, and at this one gym I asked this chick (who was the office manager and a trainer) if members were allowed to do cleans. She had no idea what a clean was until I literally demonstrated the movement to her. Obviously, most trainers are more knowledgeable than her. However, too often will you see "master trainers" with little applicable knowledge despite having fancy degrees in kinesiology and what not.
If you need instruction on how to safely perform basic exercises, consider consulting a trainer for a few sessions. Otherwise, if you already know how to perform exercises and is just looking for a routine, you're better off looking at websites such as t-nation and bodybuilding.com (as it has already been advised). I also highly recommend the book "The Poliquin Principles: Successful Methods for Strength and Mass Development" by Charles Poliquin. It's a great text covering the fundamentals of weight training and more. I have an electronic copy of this book somewhere, so if you're interested, PM me and I'll dig it up for you.