Can I even lift bro?

Post date: 2019-11-12 02:51:26
Views: 158
I recently started working out with a personal trainer but she missed so many sessions I need to figure out how to move forward without her. I wanted to begin a starting strength program, but she expressed concerns that I wasn't ready for the most common beginner weightlifting programs. Should I begin a training program on my own or find a new personal trainer? Or something else?

Through a nearby college campus I have access to a good gym with very affordable personal training rates; the trainers are mostly students, but seem well-qualified for their jobs. I'm a pretty healthy woman in my mid-40s. I work at a desk but am fairly active (riding my bike most days, often walking, sometimes trail hiking or running), with strong legs, but a bit overweight and I haven't done any sort of weight or resistance training with any kind of consistency over my adult life. I realized it was time to get going with this, out of concerns for muscle mass and aging, etc. I find gym weight rooms intimidating and wasn't sure how to approach a weight training program, so I decided to hire a personal trainer, in large part so I wouldn't have to figure it out on my own.

And it worked, sorta! I met my trainer in August and we planned to meet twice a week to focus especially on strength in my core and upper body. I like her and felt like she was professional and using our time well. I was starting to feel stronger and a bit leaner. But she ended up missing several sessions, especially in October, sometimes cancelling with hardly any notice. She made at least one session every week, but we met twice a week (which was our plan) only about two times.

I didn't really know what to do when we didn't meet (she gave me a workout to do on my own but it's been too complicated for me to follow, which I did tell her). I finally learned enough to start improvising, but it was stressful and annoying and I felt like my progress was limited. When she cancelled again last week, I decided to take a new approach. I did some research and found a beginner weight training program. I suggested to her we drop back to once a week (based on her cancellation patterns, that seemed do-able) and that we shift to me pursuing this program more on my own.

(For what it's worth, she's dealing with some on-going health issues that contributed to the frequent cancellations.)

She has a background in lifting and told me she thought I'd hurt myself if I did that, that I wasn't ready for a high weight/low rep program because of my limited upper body and core strength and posture problems. She thought I was asking her to design a program for me unpaid, and she didn't like that either. The communication (via email) was a bit of a mess and I'm ready to move on.

However, now I'm not sure I should begin what I thought was a beginner program. I can start with another trainer at the college, but now I like the idea of working out on my own twice a week and with a trainer once a week, and I don't think the college's training program has any mechanism for coaching beyond the time you meet with the trainer, so I'd still be designing my own program. But based on what my trainer told me, I'm wondering if I'm getting in over my head even with beginner programs (ouch).

I'm feeling incredibly discouraged by my trainer's comments on my limits, especially since I am generally active, healthy, and injury-free. I don't know if she's being overly cautious or realistic and sensible. I want to keep my momentum but I'm stuck in indecision.

I could join another gym and hire a trainer and coach elsewhere, but that would add hundreds of dollars a month, which would be a financial challenge.

So, what do you think? Is there a good truly entry level program for me? Should I get another trainer through the college or spend a lot more and go elsewhere?
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