What to do about crooked trainers?

[ron]

Hey, how are you doing guys? Thanks for the beautiful responses to my other question. I have another question for you guys. I’m a very vulnerable guy, and it seems to me that people can see this when they observe me. I need to learn to defend myself, besides getting in shape.

But I’ve been to a few gyms and the guys I met over there were crooks. One of them, when I asked to see the contract for membership, lied to me and said “computer’s broken, sorry, can’t show you anything”. Then he started talking about totally different things. At the time I didn’t realize he was trying to control the interaction, leading me here and there and “dominating” the interaction. What should I do to dominate him instead?

And on another occasion, a trainer also tried a fast one on me. He called out to me by my first name and said he recognized me from somewhere. My initial reaction was surprise, but I took a good look at him and knew for certain that I didn’t know him from anywhere. I figured out that the only reason he knew my name was because he was standing near the front desk and saw my profile come up on the computer screen when I scanned my card to enter the gym. So he tried to deceitfully build rapport with me (pretend to know me from somewhere) and then tried to sell me something which I of course refused.

So my question is, what sort of attitude and behavior should I display when I walk into one of these places? I know that a lot of trainers, whether fitness or fighting, are looking for naive vulnerable greenhorns to rip off. I can’t just say to these dudes, “Don’t fuck me with me, or I’ll….” There’s got to be some way to present myself so that they don’t try to swindle me. I’d like to know what that is.

I think a lot of trainers see guys like me as easy prey for scams. We don’t know how to fight, don't know how to lift, and were never even on a sports team. I feel very vulnerable. I’ve looked at these trainer guys and they seem much more socially agile, good at lying, heartless, slick, etc. Who knows if they will even make a serious effort to train me once the papers are signed and we begin this stuff? I've seen chumps workout with trainers who look like they don't want to be there, though at first they were all smiles and handshakes. It seems to me these guys view clients as burdens once they've taken their money.

 

[topcat]

The first thing you should probably do is stop framing yourself as "vulnerable". That's a bad way to be in the world.

You're not disabled are you? nor blind? nor bedridden? I'm assuming you live in a fairly well to do country.

Making alot of assumptions here, but I'll go out on a limb and say that in the context of being an inquiring patron at a gym, you are in fact not vulnerable and have alot more power than you are willing to admit.

I'll explain..

These shady trainers, need you to give them your money in return for their services. You have something they need (your money).
The fact that they're using what appears to be underhanded, deceitful means to obtain this from you suggests their weakness.

This weakness being..

1. a shitty product that has to be sold with deceit

or

2. an inability to market said product in a way that makes a prospect want to commit enthusiastically.

Your power...

Is in the ability to recognize these weaknesses and respond appropriately to protect your time and money.

IE. walk away and spend your money on a better product.

...and with the internet and youtube, do you really need a personal trainer?

 

[ulrich]

I’ll also add that they’re just trying to sell you something.
It may be shit or it may be great… sure they are aggressive but I don’t think you can tell for sure without trying their products first.

I suggest you try to be less judgmental…
If you want to get far in life, sometimes you will need to be that pushy dude.

Don’t write them off until you walk a mile in their shoes.