THE CONSUMER S GUIDE TO CHOOSING A GYM, PERSONAL TRAINER OR FITNESS PROGRAM.

Transcription

1 THE CONSUMER S GUIDE TO CHOOSING A GYM, PERSONAL TRAINER OR FITNESS PROGRAM. This is an educational service provided by: Nate Aye & The Golden Age Strength Club

2 Dear Friend, Choosing a gym or trainer isn t easy. Why? Because you re bombarded with misleading advertising, confusing claims, and simply bad information. From super- low prices, to high- pressure sales to unqualified trainers and near worthless methods. How do you ever find a qualified, competent fitness professional, or a well- run gym that doesn t have a meat market atmosphere? In this fact- filled booklet, you ll discover: How to avoid 5 biggest fitness rip-offs. 6 costly misconceptions about getting a lean, fit body. The 4 steps you absolutely must take in order to get in the best shape of your life. We wrote this guide to better help you understand gyms and trainers. Now, with this information, you can make an informed and intelligent decision. If you have any questions about getting the body you want, joining a gym, or training, you re invited to call us at We ve dedicated our business to educating consumers, and we ll be happy to help in any way we can. Cordially, Nate Aye Golden Age Strength Club

3 How to avoid 5 biggest fitness rip-offs. Rip-off #1: Make Sure to read the Fine Print. - Many gyms and fitness centers require members to sign contracts. While there is nothing wrong with that, cancelling your contract should NOT entail having to jump through hoops. If the red tape to cancel a contract is a mile long, take your business elsewhere. A gym that jerks you around does not care about your results, they only care about your money. Ask the trainer simple questions such as: What if I move or my job status changes and I can no longer attend, how can I terminate membership? If they give you the run around and you have to go through corporate, get the heck out of there. Rip-off #2: Beware of over aggressive sales tactics. - If the staff member or trainer starts sounding more like a used car salesman rather than a true Fitness Professional, RUN FOR THE HILLS! If they have to check with their manager 7 or 8 times in order to give you the best deal possible, you re being taken for a ride. A true fitness professional should consult with you, NOT SELL YOU! A professional coach or trainer will give an honest assessment based on your current level of fitness, exercise and medical history, goals, and lifestyle. Based on these factors, a

4 professional, honest, recommendation should be prescribed. Nothing more, nothing less. Rip-off #3: Supplement subscription nightmares Did you know, that the average personal trainer makes less than $30,000/year? Despite the fact that many trainers have college degrees and can charge upwards of $75- $100/hour! Therefore, it is not uncommon for trainers to supplement their income through recommending supplements and equipment. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. However, there are a few signs to look for to avoid a major rip- off when it comes to supplements. If the trainer claims you NEED the supplement to get results. Or, if they promote the supplements like they hold stock in the company, look out. Finally, many trainers promote supplements through various Multi- level Marketing companies. Such as Amway, Body by vi, and Shakeology, to name a few. These products typically promote an auto ship program. You buy the supplement once, and then every month you are charged and sent another product. These can cost up to $100 per month! Not to mention, the markup can exceed 50%!!!! The truth is, you could spend that money on nutritious food that will give you far better results than any pills, potions, or powders.

5 Rip-off #4: The hidden cost of cheap If the gym or trainer is cheaper than everyone else around, ask why? Maybe they have cut corners by not maintaining equipment or skimp on cleaning. Most likely, they are not a good coach or trainer. A cheap trainer is a desperate trainer, and a desperate trainer is more worried about their bills and less concerned about your results. The end result: a lighter wallet and a bigger waistline. Rip-off #5: No Guarantee on satisfaction or results. If a gym or trainer won t stand behind their service enough to offer a 100% money back guarantee, do you really want to do business with them? Only do business with gyms or trainers who stand by their service with a satisfaction guarantee. Imagine paying up to $500- $600 upfront to a trainer who lacks enthusiasm, is on his or her cell phone, and gets less- than- stellar results. In such a case, you would deserve a full refund. Sadly, most gyms and training centers don t offer such guarantees. Be careful!

6 6 costly misconceptions about getting a lean, fit body. Misconception #1: There really isn t anything new. Every exercise, program, or routine has been done before. There isn t a whole lot that is undiscovered. In addition, the more complicated the program, likely the more worthless it is. Unfortunately, many trainers want to overcomplicate things. Why? So that you become reliant on them and will keep shelling out big bucks for their services. A quality coach will teach you, so that you can succeed no matter what! Misconception #2: All personal trainers are the same. A personal trainer is someone who works in a gym, usually a corporate type health club. These trainers are paid a low hourly rate, work long hours, and must meet sales quotas. A personal trainer will most likely try to sell you a package of personal training sessions or classes. This is unethical and irresponsible. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds and gain 5-10 pounds of lean mass, and a trainer offers to sell you a package of sessions, just walk away. This trainer has just shown you that he or she doesn t give a crap about your results. He knows the turn over rate is so high, that he ll probably sell another 12- pack to someone else. You know why the turnover is so high?

7 LACK OF RESULTS A Fitness Professional will consider your goals and give you an honest idea about how long it will take to achieve your goal, as well as outline a clear plan on how to get you there. Not only that, a true fitness professional will strive to ensure that you not only meet your goal, but maintain and surpass it. Misconception #3: The gym with the lowest prices is the gym you should join. Maybe, but not always. Here are two important points to consider: Point #1: The price you see advertised may not be for the services you want performed. Before you decide to join a gym, decide exactly what you want to accomplish. If you just want to feel better about yourself by joining a gym, there are hundreds of health clubs out there. But if you want a program that takes your individual needs into account and gives you a plan to get from point A to point B, then you need to find a professional that is willing to LISTEN, ask questions, and advise you. Point #2: The price you see advertised may not be the price you pay. Many gym members found out that the price they saw advertised was not the amount they were charged. In addition, if you ve ever joined a gym, you may have been the victim of false or misleading advertising. You probably learned the hard way that some gyms offer a cheap price, as low as $10 a month, and then pressure you into paying a lot more once you get in the door. Some may even break the law by using illegal bait and switch tactics.

8 As in all businesses and professions, there are a few bad apples in the fitness industry. I take no pleasure in telling you this, but some are unethical and even dishonest. By their misleading advertising and false promises, hey cast a dark shadow over the entire industry. Then you ll find other trainers, professionals like me who work hard to earn your trust and respect. As a way of improving our profession, I ve dedicated my business to educating the public. The only way you can make an intelligent decision is by having all the facts you need, that is why I wrote this guide. Misconception #4: You need to do lots of cardio to lose body fat. While cardiovascular exercise, activities like running, cycling, and swimming, are important and offer many health benefits, cardio alone is not enough to get the body you want. In fact, cardio can make you fatter in the long run. You see, excessive cardio can cause you to catabolize or lose muscle- mass. When you lose muscle, you then lower your metabolism. The lower your metabolism, the fewer calories it takes to gain weight back, and the harder that weight becomes to lose again. When it comes to fat loss, resistance training is key. A combination of bodyweight calisthenics, and compound weight exercises combined with cardiovascular exercise delivers a balanced and highly effective approach compared to weights or cardio alone.

9 Misconception #5: Exercise alone is enough to achieve dramatic results. Sadly, this is just not true. Granted we all know one or two people who can eat whatever they want and still maintain a great physique, most of us aren t so lucky. The truth is, nutrition is actually more important than exercise. Think about it for a moment. Imagine you train in the gym 3 times per week for about an hour. That s great; you re making progress, but not fast enough. There are 165 hours in the week where you are not in the gym. You might train 3 times, and if you have breakfast, lunch and dinner, you eat 21 times. A professional trainer will place a heavy emphasis on nutrition. An ok trainer will hand you a meal plan that looks like a bodybuilder s contest diet. If you follow it, chances are you ll see good results. The truth is though, only about 1 out of every 10 trainees have the confidence and nutritional knowledge to effectively follow a meal plan like that. A great trainer will take a progressive approach towards nutrition, by gradually introducing new habits one by one, at a pace that you can follow and actually get dramatic results. Misconception #6: Any gym or trainer should be able to give you an exact price or quote over the phone. I wish this were true, but it isn t. Consumers often think that a membership or training program has a set cost. However, the individual needs of the client can dictate different costs. First, honest and reputable gyms/trainers price their services by either a monthly membership or an hourly training rate. If you need to lose weight, I would need to know exactly how

10 much you weigh, what your body fat percentage is, your medical history and finally, how dedicated are you to achieving this goal? Are you willing to train 2 days per week or 5 days? Do you need to lose pounds, or pounds? Do you have prior injuries or medical conditions? These are just a few of the things a fitness professional must take into account before making an honest and ethical recommendation and subsequent price quote. If you re thinking about joining a gym or hiring a trainer, I offer these four recommendations: Recommendation #1: Make a commitment to yourself to get in shape. The longer you wait, and the older you get, the harder it will be to get the lean and fit body you deserve. Recommendation #2: Write down your goals. Make a list of the things you want to accomplish, and be specific. I want to lose weight is too vague and will ultimately lead to failure. I want to lose 20 pounds in 3 months, is much better. It is specific, and has a deadline. This is a powerful step. Recommendation #3: Ask questions. The way to learn about a company is to ask questions. Here are the questions I suggest you ask: 1. What training methods do you recommend? 2. What type of equipment do you use? 3. How often should I train to achieve my goals? 4. How much experience do you have/what s your training background? 5. Do you have experience working with clients with similar needs to my own?

11 Recommendation #4: Once you re satisfied that you are working with an honest, competent professional, schedule a free consultation and ask for a specific, written quotation. A written quotation gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your services will cost no surprises. By following these recommendations, you ll gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you re want a cheap, no- frills gym membership, there are plenty of low- cost memberships out there, just pick up the phone book or do a quick Internet search. On the other hand, you can get some cheap equipment from Craigslist and train at home by yourself. But if you want a comprehensive program that s backed by a 100% money- back guarantee, I invite you to call me. I ll be happy to answer your questions provide you a cost estimate over the phone or give you an in- person consultation, with no obligation whatsoever. I can be reached at Or if you prefer, send me an with your name and phone number and I will contact you as soon as possible. Info@GoldenAgeStrengthClub.com Here s one final point: I know that many consumers are skeptical about gyms and trainers. Before I got into the business, I was skeptical too. So, in addition to dedicating my business to consumer education, I do one more thing as well. I guarantee my work. That s right. I fully guarantee the results of my programs. If you aren t satisfied, I ll refund every penny. No hassles, and we ll part as friends. Fair enough? As a matter of fact, add this question to the list: Question #6: Do you guarantee your work? Not very many companies do,

12 and it s important that you have this information before you make your decision. Thanks so much for reading. I hope you found this consumer guide helpful. If you have questions or comments, or would like to schedule your free, zero- risk consultation. Call me at or at Info@GoldenAgeStrengthClub.com On behalf of Golden Age Strength Club, I thank you for your kind attention. Yours in health, Nate Aye