Experts say it's appropriate for a trainer or instructor to touch you — and when not to

Experts say it's appropriate for a trainer or instructor to touch you — and when not to

Morit Summers, an NSCA-certified personal trainer and owner of Form Fitness Brooklyn, witnessed an incident while working out at a local gym a few weeks ago that immediately got her blood pumping: A fitness instructor placed his hands on a client's waist, then guided her body through a side lunge, she says.

This type of interaction may seem like NBD to the average viewer, but personal trainers or fitness instructors touching clients — especially in a sustained, potentially suggestive way — shouldn't be the norm, says Summers. “I would never, ever — even though they might never understand how to do the exercise properly — put my hands on the client's waist,” says Summers. “We don’t need to touch our customers in this way.”

Unfortunately, what she saw is not an isolated case. Both Summers and her business partner Francine Delgado-Lugo, an NCSF-certified personal trainer, say inappropriate touching between trainers and clients can be commonplace in fitness rooms. The problem: People new to personal training may believe that physical contact is expected and necessary. “Once you are introduced to a personal trainer, you meet that person with the assumption – and most of the time correctly – that this person knows what they are doing and you trust them with your experience,” says Delgado-Lugo. “If this person has not been trained or guided in appropriate behavior, it could certainly make or break your expectations of what a personal trainer should do forever.”

Why some personal trainers turn to physical contact

Some trainers' tendency to touch their clients, trainers say, may simply be because certifying organizations don't provide guidance on what physical contact is appropriate — and when. To obtain personal training certification from well-known organizations such as the American Council on Exercise, the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine, aspiring trainers must have CPR/AED certification and pass a personal training exam. However, personal coaching lessons are usually not a requirement. “There are very few trainers who actually get the opportunity to gain hands-on training experience from other teachers,” says Delgado-Lugo. “The lion's share of CPTs don't have that experience, so they go into the gyms or on their own, start training clients, and they do whatever they want.” As a result, some trainers may not have learned how to teach clients through touch in a professional and respectful way, says Summers.“I think there are coaches who don’t know any better,” she adds.

The sexualization of women's bodies that already occurs in gyms may also be contributing to the problem, says Summers. “There are trainers who are just there to sexualize, and that’s a big issue in the fitness industry,” she explains. “I think a lot of people don’t even want to work with a trainer or go to a gym because of that.” In fact, about 28 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in gyms, and nearly 73 percent of those people have changed their fitness routine (think: spending less time working out, avoiding certain equipment or exercises), according to a survey of 890 women published by FitRated, a fitness equipment review site. Similarly, more than 15 percent of survey participants reported experiencing unwanted physical contact at gyms.

Whether it comes from other gym-goers or fitness professionals themselves, sexual harassment (including unwanted physical contact or touching) can increase the risk of anxiety and depression, as well as affect self-esteem, confidence, and psychological well-being, according to the journal Society and Mental Health. "You're there to get stronger. You're there to feel better in your body — not worse," says Summers. (Related: Women-only gyms are everywhere on TikTok — and they look like paradise)

Morit Summers, CPT

You are there to become stronger. They are there to make you feel better in your body – not worse.

–Morit Summers, CPT

When is touching by trainers actually appropriate?

The phrase “keep your hands to yourself” is the most important tenet of professional personal training, and using tactile cues should be a teaching method of last resort, says Delgado-Lugo. To help a client understand how to properly perform a movement, both Summers and Delgado-Lugo say they rely on verbal cues (think: "Hold your core tight like someone is going to punch you in the stomach") and if they feel the client needs more guidance, a trainer can demonstrate the exercise themselves. “What I've really strived for is both my ability to explain and my ability to demonstrate movement, and I rely on those primarily,” Delgado-Lugo says. "We're trying to teach clients to move independently and powerfully in their own bodies, so they need to be able to do that without being touched."

If the client still has difficulty grasping the movement pattern, a quick tactile cue - such as: B. tapping a muscle that needs to be activated or gently touching the rounded back of the person can be helpful. However, this should only be done if clear consent is given before any touching, says Delgado-Lugo. “When you touch your clients, do so with care, caution and permission, and at the end of the day, the person in front of you should move with body autonomy,” she adds.

Translation: Your trainer shouldn't guide your waist when you do a lunge, wrap his arms around your chest when you squat, or hold your wrists like you do during a bench press. “These are all sorts of things that kind of fall into that category of inappropriateness,” Delgado-Lugo says.

How to set boundaries with your coach

Whether you've had unpleasant experiences with trainers in the past or are a newbie who wants to make your boundaries clear from the start, Delgado-Lugo recommends talking to your trainer about his preferred teaching methods before starting training. “Then the ball is best in your court and you have the real advantage of being able to claim your own agency,” she explains. You might ask them, “How would you like to teach your clients how to perform an exercise correctly?” Or you can tell them directly, "I'm someone who is uncomfortable with being touched, so if you rely on that when teaching, that could be a problem for us."

However, most people don't know right away what type of learning style they prefer — or how comfortable they are with physical contact — so these conversations generally happen in the heat of the moment, says Summers. If your coach touches you in a way that makes you uncomfortable mid-session, don't be afraid to say, "I would prefer if you didn't put your hands on my body" or "Is there a way you can talk through me or show me what I'm not doing right instead of touching me?"

The same recommendations apply if this unwanted physical contact occurs during a group fitness class. If it happens, you could turn to the instructor and simply say, "I'm fine, thank you," suggests Summers. Or you can pull her aside after class and say, "I was a little shaken when you touched me in class today. Thank you for wanting to show me, but I'm someone who does better when you tell me something," Delgado-Lugo adds. If it feels too intimidating to approach the trainer directly with your concerns, consider speaking to the gym or studio manager instead, recommends Summers.

Having these conversations isn't always easy, especially for female clients, but it's important to learn how to advocate for yourself, says Summers. “[It’s just like] all sorts of things in life for women – we think we come across as shitty,” she says. “But all you’re doing is being in control of your own body.”

Francine Delgado-Lugo, CPT

We try to teach clients to move independently and powerfully in their own bodies, so they need to be able to do this without being touched.

— Francine Delgado-Lugo, CPT

If the situation does not improve after voicing your concerns, or you are rebuffed by the trainer, you may want to discuss the issue with the gym or studio administrator or even find a new trainer. "This is your time - you're paying for it - and you are the customer. So if your needs aren't being met, you're not getting your service in a way that suits you, then what is it that you're actually paying for?" says Delgado-Lugo.

However, the burden of creating a safe and comfortable fitness learning experience should not solely fall on the customer; Coaches should also know how to coach effectively without even touching each other, says Summers. “I think if coaches have a hard time coaching without touch, they need to educate themselves and actually improve their craft,” she explains. “Personal coaching – just observing the client and giving them pointers – is practical enough.” (See also: Nathalie Huerta Created a Safe, Affirming Fitness Space for the LGBTQ+ Community)

That means trainers should improve their ability to explain movements with language, since demonstrating the movement may not be entirely effective, says Delgado-Lugo. “Bodies are different – ​​your body might not move the way other people move, so it might not really translate,” she explains. "So take what you know about this movement that you're trying to repeat, [then think about] how you can really use words to help them figure out how to do it themselves."

More importantly, fitness trainers, especially early in their careers, should think about the impression they make on their clients and how they use or inadvertently abuse their power as an expert and service provider, says Delgado-Lugo. “It’s a hard question to ask yourself,” she says. “But if you start at that endpoint and really think about how to deliver your services professionally, you probably won’t end up doing inappropriate things.”