@kingshellie I've worked out with my best friend a few times and he knows I don't mind touch, but he's never touched me to give me a form cue; it's really not necessary. It makes a lot more sense to give a verbal correction / hint first and consider touching only later if someone still isn't sure but also if they've said it's ok to be nudged a little bit.
Imagine if you're learning how to drive and the instructor just puts your hands on the wheel to correct positioning, or moves them for you.. weird.
@kingshellie It’s completely fine to tell the coach you don’t want to be touched, i’ve told yoga teachers this in the past and it’s completely normal. Tactile cues are taught as part of the crossfit courses but obviously without knowing what the touching involves it’s difficult to know if this is appropriate. I don’t know why someone would ever tactile cue your upper thigh muscles though, hips maybe but mostly this sounds weird.
@chriatopher Tbh the only person I let spot me on squats/ bench press is my boyfriend. Rest of the time I just stick to a weight I know I can safely fail.
This trainer did spot me once to try help me squat heavier. I just told him I’d prefer to just stick to a weight I can handle by myself. But that’s the only time I’ve really spoke up tbh
@kingshellie I’m a personal trainer and sometimes do have to touch my clients( while teaching how to do the hip hinge for example, sometimes people only get it right with physical cues)
@kingshellie I coach something that is not CrossFit and will occasionally touch a client to adjust something if they’re not understanding my verbal explanation - but only after I ask permission. Getting flush behind someone, especially without asking sounds creepy to me
@kingshellie My trainer is my boyfriend and he literally doesn’t touch me at all during our workouts. So, someone who could get away with touching me inappropriately knows that’s not the time and place for it. Even in our home gym he’s a pro when it’s workout time.
I've been doing CrossFit for 8 years and I can't recall any coach ever touching me or anyone else, unless it's to MAYBE to help with getting over the rings or bar on a RMU/BMU but this is very rare and only with someone I know super well (i.e. my BF and my best friend are a coaches and they might do this with me if I asked).
@kingshellie I’ve been at a CrossFit gym for 12 years and I can’t recall a trainer ever physically touching me or any of the other members when giving cues. If they did it was very minor/not memorable. Now when I take something like Pilates or yoga it does happen on occasion but it’s totally fine and not creepy.
@kingshellie usually, people dont start touching people without both parties being okay with it. id get a new trainer, but if you want you could try asking him to stop doing that and make sure he knows that boundary
@kingshellie As a Male trainer it’s weird it’s this frequent. I find 9/10 times there are better easier ways to correct form than to touch an area in fact I really only find I am touching a person if they have some sort of injury that we are evaluating and obviously every trainer should be asking before touching a client and IMO explain what they are doing and why before hand. Ex: “Would it be alright if I put my hand on your shoulder blade? I want to see if it’s elevating the way it should be or if that’s what’s causing your issue.”
There are the occasional circumstance where a client just is struggling with verbal and visual ques and the physical que really is required but also majority of that time physical contact isn’t required and I personally prefer to use a piece of equipment to physically que like a foam roller if I’m able to. I personally was trained if you have to touch someone do it with a closed fist if possible that way there is no wondering if it’s professional or not and everyone is happy and comfortable
I think I haven’t had more physical contact than a handshake/fist bump with 85% of my clients and for the 15% I can probably count how many times a physical que has been necessary.
@kingshellie I'm a male trainer, who has almost entirely had female clients.
Always, always, always ensure your client is comfortable with/has consented to anything about to happen to their body. Especially in a situation where intent might be nebulous.
I would suggest talking to them, and if it doesn't resolve, talk to the owner or head coach if there is one. Some people truly are clueless, but if the behavior doesn't immediately change clueless is no longer an excuse.
@kingshellie Trainer here- female who trains all females but the basic etiquette is the same. Trainers should always ask if it's okay to touch before giving physical corrections. Please tell the trainer you feel uncomfortable being touched or he'll keep doing it, as inappropriate (but possibly innocent) as it may be.
