Rant: a guy at my gym tried to sell me a 12 week program off his phone
Between sets, mid session, headphones in. Taps me on the shoulder. "Hey man, you have a good base, I could get you shredded in 12 weeks." Shows me his Instagram. 2,000 followers. Program is a PDF. 149.
I asked what was in it. "It's customised." I asked customised to what, he had not asked me a single question. He said "your goals". I said my goal was to finish my set.
I am not against coaching. I have paid for coaching. But the PDF-off-the-phone thing is everywhere now and it is always the same: a generic 4 day split, a 1600 calorie meal plan with the same chicken and rice, and "check in weekly" that never happens.
If you are new and someone does this to you: ask them what they would change about the program if you told them you had a bad shoulder. If the answer is not immediate and specific, it is a PDF.
Trainer here and this makes us all look bad. A real coach asks you 20 questions before they tell you anything. Injury history, schedule, how many days you can actually do, what you eat now, what you have tried. The ones who lead with the price have nothing else to lead with.