Please don't stop the music....

I just recently had one of those troubling, mind-boggling training sessions I never thought could ever exist in just three days of interaction.

Girls, don’t ever sign up for a personal training under the name of Mr. Sam Santos of Fitness First Eastwood branch. Though I doubt after reporting my complaint, he would expect to be regularized still. Nonetheless, for everybody’s safety and peace of mind, I am compelled to tell you the story.

It was last March 31, 2008, Monday when I happened to be working out at my own pace, alone, as I always do, when Mr. Sam Santos approached me and asked me about my workout regimen and other related stuff. In my great longing for the past years to lose the pounds, I thought I’ll give it a shot just listening to what he has to say.

He presented himself well, made me feel like a mass of lard so that he’ll be my hero and sign-up to be one of his clients, which I instantly did with a price tag that I pray to God I’ll forget about and convinced myself that it was an investment on healthy living, which supposed to be equally worth it just like any other accessories I ought to have.

First session was last Wednesday. It started a bit weird when he didn’t even weigh me just like what the show, The Biggest Loser should be doing before starting the training session to measure the success or failure of the whole training process. Instead, he goes on selling himself for me to sign up for another two months, which I said I’ll decide on after the 30 pre-paid sessions have been consume. (Duh!)

But that’s not what makes him indecent though. It was the in-between reps dirty talk and lustful looks he throws at my face as I work out. I’ll narrate the details in bullet hoping that I’ll be able to recall all the “juicy” ones before revealing my breaking point.

This is a compilation of what he asked me (in bold) in the last two sessions in no particular order.

• How’s your cleavage? (He is supposed to introduce me to CHEST exercises – not cleavage exercises)
• Do you have a boyfriend? (I answered none)
• Follow Up: Do you want to apply to be my girlfriend? (I said no thanks and I asked why he is not married – he looks like he is – no offense)
• He replied: Why are you interested in me? I have a long story. Perhaps you want to grab some coffee and I’ll tell you all about it. (I replied, no, just making a conversation and didn’t bother to respond to the coffee invite)  
• Do you want to make a deal? (I said what deal?)
• Follow Up: If we hit your target weight loss in 3 months, you’ll marry me. (I said, yeah, in your dreams)
• Why do you wear either a loose shirt or with a jacket? As your instructor, you should wear tank tops so I can easily gauge the progress. (uh, that’s why we have a weighing scale.. right?)
• During stretching, I forgot about the first step which is to touch my toes and went on with spreading my legs and he said: Ikaw naman, mahilig kang bumukaka kaagad (I sense double meaning especially with his lustful look staring at my face from the mirror)
• After the workout, I said my thanks and asked for the next schedule of the session when he said: Mamaya na yan, dito ka muna (in the dark and alone, mind you) kwentuhan muna na tayo. (I said, no, I have an early trip tomorrow, I gotta get home).
• Of course he is incapable of reading between the lines and instead, asked this inappropriate question: Tutal, along the way ka naman, hitch naman ako sayo. Baba mo nalang ako sa Marcos Highway. (What am I supposed to say? He knows I’m headed home, so I regretfully said yes out of my good nature of being courteous and polite)

Now here is the breaking point… he sent me an SMS to meet me outside the club and when I got there, with no hands to spare since I’m carrying two bags and a cellphone, he walked up right to my face and kissed me on my cheek. It was no “beso beso” kiss. Up to this day, I can still feel his wet lips lingering on my cheek. I was so shocked and unable to speak… I just walked faster, processing what happened in my mind and not to react immediately by slapping him or whatever.

Then he called my attention and suggested that we take a shortcut to the parking lot. When I took a good look to where he is headed, the place was so dark! I firmly said no and that I prefer taking the main route. He insisted and I insisted back and kept walking with 2-3 meters apart from him. I just don’t know what to do or say as I think things through. He eventually dropped his suggestion after arguing with me for almost a minute and followed me.

We got to the car and I plan to limit the conversations as I was already convinced that I’d give Fitness First a call and report him when I get home. I drove in silence and he babbled a lot of things that I didn’t mind since I told myself that this will be the last time I’ll be talking to him.

We arrived at the destination and to a greater surprise he leaned over for another kiss! OMG! Could this be sexual harassment already?

I just slid back and he kissed the air and some of my hair along with it. Then he left the car. I was so shocked. I wanted to cry. I went home and told my sister about it. She is so furious and demanded that I report the bastard or else she’ll tell on my dad and so help him God.

The next morning, I called Fitness First and reported the incident, not in detail but just to demand that I wanted Sam replaced as my instructor and it’s up to the management to reprimand him in the way they see fit. Sam texted me the same day and I quote:

“gudmorning. na offend ba kta kgbi? im sorry, wg m naman ako cmplain please. mwawalan ako ng work. blik n naman ako sa pg aararo ng bukid kpg ngka ganun. sory tlga. pleas”

I never replied.

To cut the story short, a senior trainer in the name of Mike Capati took over Sam’s pending sessions with me. He assured me that this would not be taken lightly. I had my first session with Mike today and this is what I have to say about him.

Mike is a professional, far from what I experienced with Sam. Not a single personal question asked. He explained the purpose and benefits of everything we did in between reps, instead of asking unnecessary questions. Not to mention that he motivated me well in finishing the sets. Whew! It was a hard training, now totally worth every peso, just the way it should be.