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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:10:08
the trouble with the fitness industry (i thought) was the business model.
to teach group fitness classes you need to be certified, or whatever, from the gym. that means you need to demonstrate your ability to do the choreography routine with good form and stick to the script.
that means you need to pay a few hundred dollars, i think it was. for the instructors training pack that had the choreography for each track along with ther instructors commentary. then you had to memorise that and get fit enough to do it with good form (and look like you are producing great effort at times depending on the class) while simultaneously producing a coherent commentary.
there is much of the acting about it - I mean to say. because of the commentary requirement.
Then someone *ss*s you -- and then you are certified to teach that particular release. E.g., bodypump 34, or whatever. Then, I think the idea was that there would be a new release every 3 months, I think it was. So you would be teaching one and simultaneously training / rehersing the next release in preparation for it's roll out in the gyms.
I think that was the idea.
Then... Once you have got your certification they pay you... I don't remember very much. Not very much. I don't know how many classes you need to actually teach to make back the money you have invested already (to say nothing of your time). Once you do get a class to teach the gym tracks how many people come along to your class and they have specific parameters for you. If the class grown on your watch -- you likely get offered another class. If your class shrinks -- you are likely to lose the class.
And to work as a personal trainer... You have interviews and the like and they choose the people they want to work there. Then you pay them a lump sum as some kind of rent for using their equipment, basically, and having the rights to train people in their facilities -- where it is agreed in advance how many trainers there are in the entire gym. So... You might be 1 trainer of 22, for example. And then you pay them a cut of the personal training income you make. And they set the rate that you are allowed to charge.
Then most people want trainers before work (5-8) Lunch time (12-2) After work (5-7). So long days with big gaps in the middle while most people are at work.
How do you get clients?
You get your photograph on the wall and on the website. Maybe a short motivational statement. Sometimes you get more of a webpage etc to say something about your particular interestes etc. Maybe you are into powerlifing or maybe you are into helping overweight people discover exercise for the first time or maybe you are into general athletic type training or maybe you are a party guy or gal helping people get in shape / stay in shape for that scene...
Then you gotta walk the floor and make the connections. Train in the gym yourself. Become friends with the people who train the most like you so that you become part of that sub-group or set. Then you are a trainer that is an entrance point or access way to those people. For newcomers who want to become part of that tribe, I mean.
I don't know that I would be good at it. I don't think I'm particularly good at training people one on one. At telling people what to do. I don't know what's good for you. Sometimes I see something and think I could help / offer useful advice (but I don't offer unsolicited advice). But the usual sort of business as usual of 1 on 1 personal training... I feel awkward about it. It isn't my thing. Yeah. There we go. I suppose I haven't had much practice at it. I guess my trouble is that I find it hard to watch terrible form and you have to get good at watching terrible form as a trainer. By terrible I mean sloppy and suboptimal from a 1 rep max point of view. But of course people aren't training for 1 perfect rep. They are mostly training for fat loss so we want the repetitions up and so long as injury isn't likely to result the form can be as suboptimal as...
But it makes my eyes bleed. ingraining sloppy form.
Which means I'm not particularly suited to the enterprise, really.
Most trainers burn out. The gym burns through them. I suppose... To be fair... I don't know how much it is a bad business model on behalf of the gym. If there would be a better way they could look after their staff, I mean to say. Or if many trainers make bad mistakes on how to grow their business.
It does feel like a lot of a personality contest, I mean to say. And when you are new there is an element of 'fresh meat'. So apparently you get a lot of business when you start as a trainer as people want to get to know you and check you out. Then I guess many people get into a bad social scene (thinking that is what they need to do to retain popularity / grow in popularity) for their group fitness and to get more clients. Group fitness is a good way for the potential clients to learn to like you. So that's a real boon. And I think your actual income mostly comes from the personal training...
But a lot of people don't last long. I don't remember how many did not renew (pay another lump sum for continuation) after... I think it was after the first 6 months.
They did say things about how you could tell who was going to make it. You needed to be there in the gym from 5am whether you had clients or not. You had to be working the floor. Training yourself. Interacting with people who were training. So people would see you around and choose to hire you. They won't do that if you aren't around. They were saying the people who weren't there (with the most popular trainers) at 5am. At lunch time. After work. The ones who didn't get used to the hours and be there with smiling faces didn't last long.
And the ones who were too particular about their niche. Particularly about some young person fitness niche. It's like Dan JOhn says -- if you are training you don't want young athletes. You want people like me. why? because I have a gold card. And if you can help me towards my goals I will give that gold card to you.
Yeah.
Anyway, we will see.
I guess Les Mills probably would have been where I would have wanted to work if I wanted to be a trainer.
But I realised / learned that I was more interested in the specific activation sequence firings of more precise technique. For elite performance or for longer term balanced development and injury prevention. Physiotherapy seemed like a better move for me...
But I didn't finish the course. Get the certificate in personal training. Which is typically necessary (but likely not sufficient) to get to do that. It was one of those occasions wehre they invested so much in chasing down the kids who weren't attending who were high risk of dropping out etc. I mean someone was hired specially to go around rounding them up and so on. Encouraging them to get to class. warning them about them being on track not to pass etc etc. But when it came to me: 'oh, don't worry about her. she'll be alright'.
I wonder if I was the only person not to get the certificate.
My problem. Was housing. Like it always is. I didn't have a quiet place without a person around so I could properly rest / recover and also read / study.
Posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:21:28
In reply to business model, posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:10:08
My problem was that I thought people could tell the difference.
Many people don't know what they are talking about -- and they are certified. And many people do know what they are talking about -- and they are not certified.
I had this basic belief or trust that people could tell the difference between the people who knew what they were talking about the people who didn't know. That people could see the difference between people who knew what they were doing and the people who didn't.
I thought that there would be a meritocracy on hirings and firings and recognition and so on.
I genuinely thought that things were a meritocracy. So the certificiate was irrelevant / besides the point.
For things like philosophoy and personal training.
NOt for things like electrical work and plumbing. Obviously. Because of professional standards and regulation and...
I guess I didn't think that through enough with respect to personal training.
Anyway...
People think that I *couldn't* get the certificate because I didn't get the certificate. And when you consider all the things that most of the people who got the certificiate can't do (all the kids who got herded through because someone went and fetched them for class each day etc etc).. The fact that I didn't get the certificiate...
Means that people in NZ actually think that there must be someting really rather seriously very very wrong with me. I mean... When you look at many of the kids they gave the certificate to...
Oh, but don't worry about her -- she'll be okay.
That's always been the excuse as to why I am expected to live on disability crying for my basic needs instead of people processing my work and signing me off.
Posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:28:21
In reply to Re: business model, posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:21:28
It's because she doesn't want to join us.
That's why they think 'well then go live in your slum then or f*ck off and die we don't care if you don't want to live like us / with us / think you are better than us?? well then you deserve what you get....'
But it isn't about 'better than' it is about good fit.
It is nice to try different things and get to choose what you do.
Why didn't my teachers... Say 'Look. Just get the certificate. It shows people you have these basic skills like the ability to retain enough informationt and have enough literacty to write some basic examinations. Turn up to class on time. Stuff like that.'
To which I would have said: But I've proven all that already. I did a Bachelor of Arts with Honors and I wrote an MA thesis. I don't have to prove I have basic literacy to anybody. I don't have to prove that I can turn up to class on time.
And then they would have said:
'oh, but the University of Waikato will simply take their degree back. They will simply lie about what you did for them however many years ago. Recency wins! if you don't pass this certificate today then you will have a transcript that tells people that there must be something really seriouly wrong with you. maybe you have a hardcore drug problem or... that is what peple will think. if you fail this course (that everyone passes) at tech'.
It's not really about people being able to tell the difference or not... Because it's not that hard to assess that I can read and turn up on time and things like that. I've never had a problem with any of those things... It's about what it is that people think they can get away with. And about this momentum... THis ball rolling... Gaining momentum... On NZ coming to this belief that I'm an idiot incompetent who must not be allowed to do anything at all (certainly not allowed to complete work on time to international standards) I mean jeepers...
Posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:38:43
In reply to Re: business model, posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:28:21
And Physiotherapy...
There is no quiet place for silent study anywhere on campus.
You know the sound of people *trying* (but not succeeding) in studying? Rustling papers. Sighing.
But worse. All the chairs set up so that people were in eye contact with each other so that you were required to continually attend to continually attend to continually attend to other people. They could give you a little wave or a little kick demanding your attention. Little smiles and giggles and bumps on demand. That atmostphere is not conducive to focused reading or writing at all. Just when you start to hyper-focus someone senses it and immediately pulls you back out. It's a psychosis-inducing environment. Like if they were to simililarly prevent you from falling asleep.
And so that was the general atmosphere on campus.
And then I was informed that you had to act as models for each other. For physiotherapy stuff. There was no asking for volunteers informed consent about it. You were required to act as models for each other upon request. And that involved various states of undressing. And your being massaged and poked and prodded by everybody else in the class and all teachers as and when instructed to by those teachers.
And I decided it was not the place for me to be.
At which point they threw tantrums. And charged $10,000 to my student loan, I see. Again, that I thought I was 'too good' for them etc etc. That wasn't it. I realised I was a different sort of a beast, entirely.
I saw aspects or elements that made me sad. Seeing the training facilities available on the Millenium campus. Seeing what some of the researchers were engaged in. I went to talks... I asked questions...
Then University Administration started throwing tantrums that I was out of my place etc etc that I was a first year student (now again they are refusing to accept my previous transcript for previously completed degrees where I have been involved in teaching and research already. They refuse to accept that I have any of the skills or abilities that I actually have. Also skills or abilities that are already documented).
Then AUckland does the same. Advises me to take a 'language rich' option and fails me out. We don't value literacy and reading and writing. You don't get to have speaking rights!
Just these awful bullies who think that positions of power (teacher, administrator) are about the power to bully and torture people for as long as you can get away with it for... At which point they get their degree or certificate or whatever and flee...
Of course during the course the were psychophants and gave off the impression they wanted nothing more in life than to be just like them...
Psychopathy.
In other words.
Teh abbility to display one face to the world while something very different goes on behind the scenes.
Soem psychotherapist had this thing about that. Repression. Apparently it was lmited in usefulness / scope to a repressed society.
I suppose repression.
Suppression.Oppression.
Related.
Posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 22:38:23
In reply to Re: business model, posted by alexandra_k on May 26, 2020, at 19:38:43
sigh.
so. there we go.
apply to medicine.
declined.
i assumed they doubted my ability to succeed in science since I hadn't really done much science.
(but actually it was because i didn't marry and doctor and / or make a bunch of money for a church charity in nz).
i started exercise science at tech thinking it would be a nice ease-in to science aspects of sport science / gym stuff that i had learned informally in the gym from gym people and ex athletes and trainers... and from people online. from t nation. the contributors. the trainers in world class gyms around the world. from the posters. posting their progressions. offering their advice.
and i topped the class in physiology by a considerable margin becuase of the high quality textbook mostly (and i did find a place to quiet study at the start of the year)... and i LOVED IT. heaps. i was surprised... LOVED IT.
then the academic aspect of tech fell out for me. there wasnt' a quiet place to study anymore. i guess maybe other people were encouraged to try and do what i was doing. so the library became full of noisy people. but i didn't have a quiet place to study anymore. 'don't worry abotu her she'll be alright'. not true. i need to do quiet thikning and quiet reading or i start to lose my sh*t the way people lose their sh*t when they don't get REM sleep. it is like that for me. they didn't know. they thought 'you've learned enough! you can help the others through. no more quiet learning time for you!'.
they didn't know. to be fair. i had no way of communicating my need to them, etither. if i had my own accommodation it would have been okay. but i had a really great flatmate -- but he was a bit lonely unfortunately. so he would bang about at home in frustration when i didn't want to hang out with him... bad fit...
i did learn a lot at tech. i loved going to les mills for a work experience 4 days or whatever it was. with the manager doing motivational speels at us and saying about how they did try and support and motivate their trainers etc etc. and it was a really nice gym. and everyone seemed to *feel good* there. be upbeat. enjoying the exercising experience. and it was tempting to be part of that. and i wasn't afraid of the work aspect. i got up at ten to 5 to be at horseracing stables before. then downtime. then after lunch training. no evening session... to be fair... hur... but i know about being at work at 5.
but it was 1) i am not good at personal training. the 1:1. i'm no good at it. you need to be encouraging. and perfect is the enemy of the good. and people usually want to lose weight. up their metabolism. want to be encouraged to move around. and if you appear to be (feeling -- people are sensitive to that) disapproving of their efforts then that does not go down well. it is a buzz killer. perfect is the enemy of the good. i can't put on a happy face and be all 'great!' when someone isn't doing it perfectly. i know. it's a sad thing. i do genuinely respect their trying. but they are still making my eyes bleed. i make my eyes bleed. don't get me wrong. when i watch myself train i am very very critical. always with this vision of what i want to achieve / accomplish. the form i'm aiming for. the vision of the perfect 10. but i'm no good at helping motivate or inspire others to keep with or stay on the path to... well... anywehre at all, really.
it is not a good personality fit / match. personal training. nope. i know i could learn to do the 'stick to the script' show of group fitness instructor / leader. but that's just a way (financially) of people getting used to your voicing and hiring you for 1:1.
i don't know... hindsight... it is possible that i could sort of go 'well, why are you hiring me. what do you want from me?' and maybe they want me to show them how to do something... i don't know... i just think that other people in the class were much better at hanging out with others when training and the like. i was not a good or a natural personal trainer. i don't like telling other people what to do. ordering them about etc. i just don't... so... yeah...
so i thought about physio. because i thought it would be more book-learning academic knowledge focused than the sport science / personal training course i did at tech. so i thought it would fill that need.
but they made it clear to me that it wasn't going to be very book focused at all. the libary etc wasn't set up for it. there was going to be a lot of hanging about in groups.
so i realised... back to traditional university. medicine. medicine was the academic course. apparently. medicine is for the academically able -- right?
i was a bit worried about how i would do at university (compared to tech)... i got an A for anatomy and physiology at university. there we go. can do.
so they failed me out of my essays for population health. because... you know... you aren't allowed to write a traditional essay until graduate school -- and that's years away.
because medicine turned out not to be for the most academically able. not to be for the adult students who wanted to do it. it turned out to be for the children of certain speical people in society. children of doctors and senior administrators. and kids carefully selected for making those former kids look like the best kids that there are. and likely some peple who bribe their way in.
that's the best sense i can make of why teh director for medical admissions is a guy who gives expert testimony for ACC to deny individuals occupational injury / health claims in court. on sale for the highest bidder. that's what that says -- right?
they took most of the academic aspect out of medicine in NZ. that's why the USA stuff is nice. well developed textbooks and the like. but they take most of it out. take out the biochemisty. the genetics. the pathways. the mechanisms...
focused history (best way tot learn that is to read lots of them).
instead teaching...
unfocused histories. wehre everything may be important and it's impossible to do a consultation in 15 minutes.
beceause...
nobody finishes the clinical skills examination on time.
right?
This is the end of the thread.
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