Kicked out of my gym today

[Otis T Holbrook]

No, I'm not a personal trainer but for the past several months I have been training/coaching a female friend of mine twice a week. I am not charging her, just doing it because she is an attractive woman that I enjoy being around. A few weeks ago, the owner of the gym confronted me and said it looked too much like I was a personal trainer (Even though he knows she is a friend and no money is changing hands) He suggested that I "workout" with her to avoid looking as if I was only training her. I complied as best as I could.
Today he got on my case when I left the gym, told me it has to stop. I told him I thought he was being chicken shit and he said not to come back! Am I missing something? When did it happen that two adults can't workout together?

 

[oldfella]

No, I'm not a personal trainer but for the past several months I have been training/coaching a female friend of mine twice a week. I am not charging her, just doing it because she is an attractive woman that I enjoy being around. A few weeks ago, the owner of the gym confronted me and said it looked too much like I was a personal trainer (Even though he knows she is a friend and no money is changing hands) He suggested that I "workout" with her to avoid looking as if I was only training her. I complied as best as I could.
Today he got on my case when I left the gym, told me it has to stop. I told him I thought he was being chicken shit and he said not to come back! Am I missing something? When did it happen that two adults can't workout together?

Hey Otis, I can give you my take on this as I am a gym owner and trainer. He was obviously threatend by you. I have had other PT's come to my gym, now they did not tell me they were PT's but I have been around the block more than once. I make my living out of my gym and my clients. If I think my income is being put at risk I say something and usually work out a deal so I get a piece of the action. In this case he has not handelled the situation properly. I have never gotten involved with people training together. I keep an eye on things but I do not get involved, period. As long as they are paying their fees and stuff i let it go. Sounds like he is a little insecure and I'll bet he had other members ask if you could train them also. He just did not know how to deal man. I can say that sucks. The gym biz is a funny biz at the best of times. But to kick you out IMO was cold. he is the one that will lose in the long run. Find another gym bro, the owner of that one obviously had a problem with you from the story you just told. Make sure you take your lady friend with you!!

 

[edge250]

sounds like he is trying to tap that ass too and just eliminated the competition. j/k

 

[worldspan]

If there is a substantial amount of your membership at this gym left, take him to small claims court for its full value.

This will let him know in no uncertain terms you are not going to be fucked over. You will also be doing others a favor to whom he will try to do the same thing in the future.

Worldspan

 

[GoneForever]

Threaten with a lawsuit. He will back down in 5 seconds.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

A lot of the gyms in my area have "banned" private trainers so your story doesn't surprise me. He was probably thinking "if it looks like this guy is training people, then everyone else is going to want to train people here." They do it to "protect" their PT sales (which is ludicrous since the gyms I'm referring to don't hire certified trainers and seem to be involved in some kind of prison release program ) In the end they just wind up losing a steady monthly membership fee...

 

[musclehead33]

If there is a substantial amount of your membership at this gym left, take him to small claims court for its full value.

This will let him know in no uncertain terms you are not going to be fucked over. You will also be doing others a favor to whom he will try to do the same thing in the future.

Worldspan

this is what i would do to.i hate this dont train people at my gym stuff what is up with that.there is a lot of golds that are like that and yet we see charles glass and people like this gettin away with it i guess its all in who you blow err i mean know lol.peace

 

[Gunsmith]

I was talked to about this same situation once , I was helpijg a couple high school football players out with their weight training program and the gym manager came and asked to see my "paper work" for being a personal trainer I gave him a single bicep shot and he wasen't happy , the next day the owner told me that if I was going to be training people that he needed to be paid for it !!!

The kids dads came up to the gym the folowing day and demanded some answers , the owner told him that the gym had personal trainers that he could hire , both fathers were like look at those pussies , you think I want my boy to look like that ?

As a note , I was actualy doing the workout with these guys ,no differant than any other partner just that these were novice.

I', still at that gym and the owner has warmed up to me but he gets pissed when he ask new members what trainer they want and they point to me

 

[grumpy69]

I know it looks unfair, but it may have something to do with insurance coverage. If there is any chance someone is training another person at a private gym, it is a danger to the owner if anyone gets hurt. You are not covered on their insurance since you are not employed there. But it sucks that you were not training her and that happened bro.

 

[terryd5150]

If there is a substantial amount of your membership at this gym left, take him to small claims court for its full value.

This will let him know in no uncertain terms you are not going to be fucked over. You will also be doing others a favor to whom he will try to do the same thing in the future.

Worldspan

Did your membership contract include a clause that prohibited you from training others at this gym?

 

[Magnum]

He has no legal right. People spot each other all the time. Just because you come in to help your buddy out does not mean that you are a personal trainer. As long as you are a paying member what right does he have to tell you how to workout. For once I wish someone would take these guys to court, for real!

 

[STEVO 47]

What the hell's up with these gyms now a days.

 

[joeshow5]

Insurance requirements are becoming very strict. Its the same way at my gym. If you are training someone without a contract, signed waiver, and certification then you are gone. We have no choice (at my gym). Best thing to do is play it cool and pretend you are not taining them. If management finds out you are training then they have no choice. I deal with insurance problems all the time where I work. If our insurance ever gets revoked, then we are done, out of buisness. No other company will insure us.

Also, some people are just power-tripping dumbasses who feel insecure and threatened and kick you out for no valid reason.

 

[vadim_b1]

Whether he was training someone or not is irrelevant. Obviously the gym owner had some sort of a personal problem with the OP and was just looking for an excuse. OP, just find another gym, even if you sue and win, do you really wanna go back there?

 

[terryd5150]

Whether he was training someone or not is irrelevant.

It is very relevant.

Some gyms will allow only approved personal trainers, almost like having them as independent contractors where they receive money from the client and in return pay the gym a fee or commission (sort of like the way a board sponsor here operates) either as a flat rate or percentage of their earnings from training.


If this is the case the gym would probably have a clause in the membership contract that prohibited non-approved personal trainers or anyone soliciting other members for that purpose.

But after re-reading the original post, calling the manager chicken shit seems like a fairly good reason to be barred from the gym.

Would you call the Mods or the Board Adminstrators here chicken shit and not expect to get banned?

 

[vadim_b1]

Bro, but he wasnt charging anyone for the training. All he was doing is guiding a friend through a routine. Big, big difference there.

 

[Otis T Holbrook]

I can't find my origional contact, so I can't say one way or another if they had a " no training" clause, but again, I don't think I was truly training her by definition. (Splitting hairs possibly) My membership is/was month to month so I won't loose much money. Terryd5150, I didn't actually call the owner a chicken shit per se, I said I thought he was being chicken shit, again splitting hairs. I might seek a legal opinion, but as someone posted "Would I really want to go back if I won"? Probably not.

 

[STEVO 47]

But after re-reading the original post, calling the manager chicken shit seems like a fairly good reason to be barred from the gym.

Would you call the Mods or the Board Adminstrators here chicken shit and not expect to get banned?

My girlfriends sister inlaw is a member at my gym, But hasn't been there
in a while. She told me she wanted to start working out again and if I
could just help her a bit on the machines. I guess I had no idea how close
I was to being thrown out. Nowa days this bullshit with Law suits and
politicaly correct crap burns me the hell up. And as far as calling the
owner chicken shit, He'd been lucky to get that out of my mouth.

 

[oldfella]

It is very relevant.

Some gyms will allow only approved personal trainers, almost like having them as independent contractors where they receive money from the client and in return pay the gym a fee or commission (sort of like the way a board sponsor here operates) either as a flat rate or percentage of their earnings from training.


If this is the case the gym would probably have a clause in the membership contract that prohibited non-approved personal trainers or anyone soliciting other members for that purpose.

But after re-reading the original post, calling the manager chicken shit seems like a fairly good reason to be barred from the gym.

Would you call the Mods or the Board Adminstrators here chicken shit and not expect to get banned?

Again I'll chime in as a gym owner. If I catch any one in my gym training someone else for money, money that is by rights mine, I will bounce them out in the street quick smart!! I did not invest 250,000 clams to have someone else make money on my equipment, at least without me getting a piece of the action, but training together with someone is another matter. As i stated before I never get involved in buddy training as long as both buddies are paying members they are free to do what they want. I had a guy bring someone to my gym, he paid a casual fee and then proceeded to train this guy as client. he himself was not training but training this other person. After it became obvious to me what the deal was I approached him and asked him the question. I told him I wanted 25% of his fee to his client to use my gym, he told me basically to fuck off (not his exact words). I grabbed him by the arm took him outside and told him the state of play. I was incredibly offended and upset to say the least. I never laid a hand on him outside but he thought his life was about to end. I got my money and told him never return to my gym again. As gym owners it's all about respect for my gym, respect for me and respect for the dollars I have invested in a real gym, not some candyass fitness gym! I think the owner in OT's case was out of line, plain and simple. I will not allow others to come to my gym and take money out of my pocket. It's a sure way to end up in hospital. I side with OT, he was a paying member and so was his friend. The owner never should have gotten involved, period. If I were OT I would look into a damages claim for the embarrassment this owner has caused. I don't hire certified or other PT's. All of the ones I've seen are candyass pencil neck no legged mother fuckers that have not clue one about training or nutrition
and I don't even want them in my gym. Nuff said!

 

[Otis T Holbrook]

I realize I live in a fairly small town (About 50,000) but I received my gym refund in the mail today. I just got "booted" yesterday-damn this clown was in a big hurry to be rid of me! Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it.