I recently relocated to SC and joined Omni, a gym close to my home. I paid in full, up front, because it was cheaper and I earned an additional six months on my one year membership.
At the time I joined the gym, I was told I would get two free sessions with a personal trainer. I did not realize this meant if I needed professional fitness advice beyond two sessions, I would have to pay for it because the gym contracted with Beyond Fitness, a company that, from what I have seen, cares only about selling personal training packages.
I first met with a trainer April 10 and he seemed to be in a hurry to leave for the day. He showed me a number of machines very quickly (I didn't even do a full set on any piece of equipment) and wrote nothing down for my future reference. I didn't go back to the gym for several months.
I finally returned July 30. I met with a different "trainer" and learned the first "trainer" had been fired for not doing his job. The "trainer" I met with July 30 has a business degree, but told me he played football at Furman, has been an athlete all his life and has been involved in physical fitness all his life. I prefaced the workout by explaining that I had both hips replaced in the past 1.5 years and cannot do certain exercises, such as squats, which apparently went in one ear and out the other because he proceeded to demonstrate two different exercises involving squats.
The actual physical session was grueling and ended with standing calf raises. I had told the trainer I had not worked out in several months, yet he instructed me to do 100 calf raises. I could barely walk the next several days. I expect to be sore when I have not touched a weight in some time and go work out, but this was beyond normal muscle tenderness.
Workout ended, the sales pitch began. I swear it was like dealing with a telemarketer. I was told repeatedly that I "needed" a personal trainer. The more I said no, the more persistent he became. I was basically told that, without personal training sessions, my chances of losing weight or becoming healthier were slim. I told him all I needed was for him to write down what I need to do and how often I need to do it. He reluctantly jotted down some basic instructions and told me, "I don't usually do this for people."
He instructed me to work out two body parts per session, beginning with 12 reps, add weight and do 8 reps, add more weight and do 6 reps. I seemed to recall reading more than once that to tone it's best to do a lot of repetitions with lower weight, contrary to what I was being instructed.
I was to have a follow up session the next week. I called the gym to cancel because, frankly, I didn't want to hear more of the same sales pitch for a personal trainer and I didn't think the guy I'd had before had a clue about how to train a woman who wants to lose weight and tone, not a jock who wants to bulk up. I was instead assigned a different trainer.
I met with the third trainer Aug. 4. I can't complain about his personal relationship skills because he was a good listener and, I believe, more in tune with what I want to accomplish. He told me he travels a lot to different gyms to train the personal trainers and then appoint a general manager. I once again got a sales pitch for personal training, although a much gentler sales pitch than before. He basically promised me that if I would buy a package of two sessions per week with a six month commitment, he would guarantee results.
I paid more than $400 to join the gym. I explained to the third trainer, as I had the previous one, that I didn't feel I should have to pay even more to get professional guidance. He told me the gym membership basically entitles me to the equipment only and the personal training sessions are how the gym makes its money. This was the first time it was explained to me that the gym contracts with Beyond Fitness. I told him I think that's a rip off and, had I realized when I first walked into the gym that was how business was done, I would not have joined.
I have belonged to gyms, off and on, since I was in my late 20s. I'm 47 now. I have never belonged to a gym that used contracted services. My most recent experience with my gym in Louisiana before I moved to SC was very positive. There was always at least one qualified trainer in the gym to answer questions, demonstrate how to use equipment and make sure members had good form. And guess what, the advice didn't cost a dime.
I was never told when I joined Omni that I would have to buy professional advice and assistance. I've been scammed and now I'm locked in for about another year.
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