Overweight gym staff
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I have the same reservations about security guards and police. If a guy is 100 lbs overweight, I really question his ability to do his job in certain circumstances, particularly those that require any sort of cardio like a foot chase or a tussle with someone resisting arrest.0
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No! it isn't rational. It's not logical. It's not based on anything that makes any sense at all.
Yes, people can choose whoever they want. If they think a guy with big muscles is smarter than a guy without them, they can and should choose the muscular guy.
It isn't smart and it isn't what "people" do. It's what some people do. Not all people.
I'd even guess that most people wouldn't do that. Most people would want the person who is smartest to instruct them, not the person who has the biggest muscles. I hope most people would, anyway.
Ofc its rational as has been said, the person who is in shape is able to show in an obvious way that they are able to get in shape. How does that not make sense. It may be superficial, it may be very basic but people do make decisions like that. Oh and do stop twisting things I never suggested it was all people. All things being equal someone who is in shape and giving advice about getting into shape has an advantage.0 -
Okay, so we'll not judge their fitness knowledge based on their looks. Now what?
1. Judge them based on what they know? Great, you're now in the epitome of Dunning-Kruger - if you actually had the skill to judge their knowledge, why are you hiring them?
2. Judge them based on past success? Great, now you're hoping they're not giving you their statistical flukes. Train 1,000 people and chances are at least 2 or 3 of them will have been in shape. You've now also gone from judging the trainer to judging his clients.
3. Judge them based on a friend's referral? Well you've got the possibility of number 2 above still. Also, now you're judging your friends fitness.
Actually, none of those, nor even the looks is the right answer. The truth is, most personal trainers aren't even about their knowledge, it is feeling - most of them are amateur therapists who happen to put you on a bench instead of on a couch.
I suppose my biggest concern would be how disheartening it could be. If someone's job is physical fitness and they can't succeed, what are the chances I'll ever do it?0 -
What about doctors and nurses then? Do they have to be in shape to give you advice?
If their advice is correct it shouldn't matter what they look like, just because they don't follow the advice themselves doesn't mean the advice is of any better or poorer quality.
Yes there advice is sound but I'd feel like they are only in it for the paycheck than caring about my actual health if they are overweight because they don't care enough about theirs.
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I wouldn't take swimming lessons from someone that doesn't know how to swim or art lessons from someone that can not draw a stick man.0
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BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
Therein lies a logical problem. If you are needing a trainer, you most likely do not have the tools to "logically" evaluate trainers.
So you resort to what you can actually verify - which is their own fitness level.
100% logical, under the circumstances.
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BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
If one is not willing to educate him or herself before making an important decision, then the consumer is opening him or herself up to disappointment at best, or worse, personal injury.
It is no different buying a house. If a consumer is wise, he or she does not go by the word of the agent who says there are no problems with the house before purchase. The consumer gets an inspection done. The consumer gets a title deed search done. The consumer checks the license of the agent involved.
What? Do you really approach hiring a trainer the same way you would a house? Fantastic. How do they react when the inspector shines his flashlight around their buttresses?
Personally, I would just as soon watch them work with other clients or base my decision off appearance. If I choose incorrectly, well, good thing I'm constantly open to the possibility of disappointment.0 -
BasicGreatGuy wrote: »No... it's really not.
So you wouldn't trust Mark Rippetoe if he was giving you an explanation on olympic lifts?
Stop being so ignorant.
I'm not talking about Mark Rippetoe. I'm talking about fat trainers who are fat trainers and nothing more. I'm saying I'm not going to trust someone who clearly fails at knowing to employ what he/she knows about diet and nutrition.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King
You are judging someone based on their weight, even though you know nothing about them of than their weight.
The trainer you so harshly and shallowly judge could have medical problems, which are none of your business. And you and many others here, would throw a person away, who could very well be the best trainer for you, just because the person is overweight.
Logical fallacy. Look it up. Your thinking is based on it.
No! it isn't rational. It's not logical. It's not based on anything that makes any sense at all.Disagree and its perfectly logical that someone might take a persons weight into account. People make choices based on how other people look, thats just reality. If a person is thinking of hiring a PT then its easier to choose someone who has the displine to get the sort of body you might aspire to. The fat trainer could indeed have medical problems, but trainers are many and its a persons choice who they pick.
The trainer could indeed be the best trainer in the world, but they then wouldnt be applying their own knowledge to help themselves which raises a big question as to why not. People tend to make easy decisions which suit them rather than ask about medical history. thats just the way life works. just as you say they could be the best trainer, they could also be the worst and very much a do as I say and not as I do sort of person. You go on the information you choose to be relevant its not a guarantee you will make the correct choice, but in this instance it seems perfectly rational why you pick someone in shape.
Yes, people can choose whoever they want. If they think a guy with big muscles is smarter than a guy without them, they can and should choose the muscular guy.
It isn't smart and it isn't what "people" do. It's what some people do. Not all people.
I'd even guess that most people wouldn't do that. Most people would want the person who is smartest to instruct them, not the person who has the biggest muscles. I hope most people would, anyway.
So much emotion, so little logic in most responses.
First: What medical problems cause obesity? As far as medical science is aware the only thing that causes obesity is overeating and inactivity.
Second: If I am going to pay someone to help me achieve my goals as far as my body is concerned I want someone I can trust to make informed rational suggestions on what work out regimen I should be doing, as well as how much and what I should be eating. If I can't even trust the PT to make smart decisions for themselves why would I trust them to inform me on what I should do with my body. Chances are well in my favor that I am not missing out on the greatest trainer of all time by passing on the overweight one.
Third: First impressions matter far more than many people are willing to admit. If my first impression when meeting an overweight trainer is that they don't even take care of their own body, then I will never believe they are qualified to advise me on my own, or push me when I want to give up.
Fourth: I play golf. When I want to take a lesson or lessons to improve my game I look for 3 things in this order. Is the person that is going to teach me a good golfer/are they much better than myself. (in shape if they are a trainer), does their teaching style work for me (do I need someone who will work along side me, motivate me from the sidelines, is harder on me when I am not giving it 100% etc. etc.) and finally do they continue to try and improve their own game when not working with me. Its not until a person gets to elite level performance that the priorities will likely change.
When you are taking private training or lessons from someone, you want to be able to form a bond of trust and understanding. This goes both ways. Why would you trust someone who is in the same or worse shape as you? And is it understandable that someone is overweight yet believes themselves to be qualified to train others to lose weight?
As for what is smart and what isn't when selecting a trainer, well most people would prefer a trainer that can do all the exercises they are asking of the client with perfect form and not showing much fatigue. If a trainer is asking me to super set exercises but they wouldn't be able to do the same thing, I wouldn't trust their direction at all.0 -
barbecuesauce wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
If one is not willing to educate him or herself before making an important decision, then the consumer is opening him or herself up to disappointment at best, or worse, personal injury.
It is no different buying a house. If a consumer is wise, he or she does not go by the word of the agent who says there are no problems with the house before purchase. The consumer gets an inspection done. The consumer gets a title deed search done. The consumer checks the license of the agent involved.
What? Do you really approach hiring a trainer the same way you would a house? Fantastic. How do they react when the inspector shines his flashlight around their buttresses?
Personally, I would just as soon watch them work with other clients or base my decision off appearance. If I choose incorrectly, well, good thing I'm constantly open to the possibility of disappointment.
Personally (and this is just me) I would choose based on the personal recommendation of someone I trusted, who succeeded with them as their trainer.
Anything else is just various forms of advertising, really.
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BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
Therein lies a logical problem. If you are needing a trainer, you most likely do not have the tools to "logically" evaluate trainers.
So you resort to what you can actually verify - which is their own fitness level.
100% logical, under the circumstances.
I can't go to a obese powerlifter who can squat 1000 pounds? My goals are to be shredded. Where is bruce lee students at? or is it students' students?
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barbecuesauce wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
If one is not willing to educate him or herself before making an important decision, then the consumer is opening him or herself up to disappointment at best, or worse, personal injury.
It is no different buying a house. If a consumer is wise, he or she does not go by the word of the agent who says there are no problems with the house before purchase. The consumer gets an inspection done. The consumer gets a title deed search done. The consumer checks the license of the agent involved.
What? Do you really approach hiring a trainer the same way you would a house? Fantastic. How do they react when the inspector shines his flashlight around their buttresses?
Personally, I would just as soon watch them work with other clients or base my decision off appearance. If I choose incorrectly, well, good thing I'm constantly open to the possibility of disappointment.
That is what she will never say.
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MoiAussi93 wrote: »
SOME people make decisions like that, but many don't. It's really not logical. You are hiring someone to give you advice...what they know seems to be the only thing that is really relevant if you're being logical about it. If you're not being logical...well, then I hope you are at least lucky and get a good one despite your lack of research.logical
ˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: logical
of or according to the rules of logic or formal argument.
Being logical doesnt mean it has to be the best argument. Considering it an important factor in hiring someone who practices what they preach is prefectly logical because they see someone who is capabale of getting the body they aspire to. Other people might look into other factors more deeply, but not everyone does.
Now you are twisting the argument making it the only factor, when I had stated all things being equal. Even if it was the only factor its their choice to make, people make such decisions all the time based on looks, its hardly new ground.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
Therein lies a logical problem. If you are needing a trainer, you most likely do not have the tools to "logically" evaluate trainers.
So you resort to what you can actually verify - which is their own fitness level.
100% logical, under the circumstances.
I can't go to a obese powerlifter who can squat 1000 pounds? My goals are to be shredded.
You can go wherever you like - it's your choice, and it's not my place to say your choice is wrong for you.
:drinker:
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Better get rid of all the male OB/GYNs since they are obviously "unqualified" for pregnancy and birthing advice.
That's different the birthing process is the same for every woman (unless getting a c section which again is the same for any woman that gets one) contractions, pushing, crowning, the vagina having to be wide enough to a certain length. More to it but it is something that is constant. Just because a man can't feel contractions doesn't mean he doesn't knyow what goes on biologically when one occurs.
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barbecuesauce wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
If one is not willing to educate him or herself before making an important decision, then the consumer is opening him or herself up to disappointment at best, or worse, personal injury.
It is no different buying a house. If a consumer is wise, he or she does not go by the word of the agent who says there are no problems with the house before purchase. The consumer gets an inspection done. The consumer gets a title deed search done. The consumer checks the license of the agent involved.
What? Do you really approach hiring a trainer the same way you would a house? Fantastic. How do they react when the inspector shines his flashlight around their buttresses?
Personally, I would just as soon watch them work with other clients or base my decision off appearance. If I choose incorrectly, well, good thing I'm constantly open to the possibility of disappointment.
You get a resume. You get references. You verify credentials. If that checks out, you set up a few training sessions to see if the two of you work well together etc.
Not difficult at all. The point was, you don't make assumptions and you don't leave everything to the company that is selling its product to do the legwork for you.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
Therein lies a logical problem. If you are needing a trainer, you most likely do not have the tools to "logically" evaluate trainers.
So you resort to what you can actually verify - which is their own fitness level.
100% logical, under the circumstances.
I can't go to a obese powerlifter who can squat 1000 pounds? My goals are to be shredded.
You can go wherever you like - it's your choice, and it's not my place to say your choice is wrong for you.
:drinker:
Your logic. I don't get it. You would feel that choice is wrong base on the fact that he is the opposite if my goals. Big and stocky means strong and slow. Lean and mean means . . . . lets spar powerlifter.0 -
MoiAussi93 wrote: »
SOME people make decisions like that, but many don't. It's really not logical. You are hiring someone to give you advice...what they know seems to be the only thing that is really relevant if you're being logical about it. If you're not being logical...well, then I hope you are at least lucky and get a good one despite your lack of research.logical
ˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: logical
of or according to the rules of logic or formal argument.
Being logical doesnt mean it has to be the best argument. Considering it an important factor in hiring someone who practices what they preach is prefectly logical because they see someone who is capabale of getting the body they aspire to. Other people might look into other factors more deeply, but not everyone does.
Now you are twisting the argument making it the only factor, when I had stated all things being equal. Even if it was the only factor its their choice to make, people make such decisions all the time based on looks, its hardly new ground.
The trainer having the body you aspire to does absolutely nothing to help YOU get it.
Their advice can help you get it if you are willing to put in the work.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »BasicGreatGuy wrote: »In the absence of other information, choosing a fitness expert based on their fitness level is completely logical.
As a consumer, it's not my job to dig under the surface and educate myself about a company's offerings - it's a company's obligation to make that information clear to me.
If you are the consumer looking to hire a trainer, you should do your own research, in my opinion. You should have a proactive interest in your money and your health with the company involved.
Therein lies a logical problem. If you are needing a trainer, you most likely do not have the tools to "logically" evaluate trainers.
So you resort to what you can actually verify - which is their own fitness level.
100% logical, under the circumstances.
I can't go to a obese powerlifter who can squat 1000 pounds? My goals are to be shredded.
You can go wherever you like - it's your choice, and it's not my place to say your choice is wrong for you.
:drinker:
Your logic. I don't get it.
What's to get?
If people want to avoid unfit trainers as a first filter, that's a perfectly logical course of action. It's like using GPA to filter CVs of job applicants. Lots of false negatives? You bet - and that's fine as long as the applicant pool is big.
If other people have the time to spend and want to go Magnum PI on an obese trainer to see if they might be good, that's ok too.
It's all good - chacun à son goût. Use a process you're comfortable with to find someone you're comfortable with.
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I totally agree with first impressions and in some ways I think you cannot really help your first impression.
But the OP came here to have a rant and didn't even take a few moments to consider other options that have been discussed here. I just think it's rude and catty, and there's plenty enough of that to go around without adding to it.
I believe if I was faced with a super toned gym instructor, next to an overweight and out of shape out then I too would cast a judgement (in my head) of their ability to lead and motivate me, but I would ever say it on a forum to try to fat shame or ridicule overweight gym staff like the OP has. It certainly wouldn't irritate me either, I'd just chose the best person for the job, as rabbitjb has pointed out, their qualifications should matter more than their physical appearance.
I had a PT session with a guy who was very tall and technically overweight. I didn't have a choice as it was just a taster session, so he was the person I got. Once I got talking to him he said he used to be in the army but he had a brain tumor and had just come back to personal training, he showed me the scar over his head. Now, I know that's a one-off example, but it's an example of how you can mistreat someone just because they look out of shape.
Anyhow, just a bugbear of mine when people judge fat people. I'm fat, and I got treated a hell of a lot better when I was slimmer.
How is it fat shaming when the parties involved are not here and the op identity is not known even if they were here. Plus by the title one can assume this wasn't going to be a positive topic. Also the funny thing about shame is you can only feel it if you are already ashamed by it. If you have no problem with your body you can't be shamed by it. Also sorry that happened to you but you are making this discussion about you and your opinion comes off a little biased. OP has the right to rant about something bothering him in an anonymous setting. He disn't personally insult anyone
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yopeeps025 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »It's like when a member/poster who is 19 with a profile picture of a rapper throwing a sign and answers threads with a know it all snarky attitude, I ignore his knowledge/advice
So ya, wouldn't take the gym staff seriously with their advice
Judging a poster's advice by their profile picture seems really silly and I'm unsure why you felt the need to turn the discussion into an attack on another poster anyway . . .
I'm pretty sure someone can like rap and also have solid knowledge to offer on fitness/weight loss.
You missed the other two important factors which was age and snarky attitude. The profile pic was that of a rapper and not himself. That was my point on the picture reference. If he had a picture of his fit body like some of the veteran posters here, I would probably take him more seriously. It's not about if he likes rap. You just selected the rap part of my post and assumed attack on rap. Who doesn't like rap? It's a form of poetic art
Those two seem as unimportant as liking rap. Someone can be 19 and know a great deal. Someone can be snarky and know a great deal. None of the factors you mentioned (profile picture of a rapper, age, attitude) have anything to do with the validity of advice offered.
Again, why are you turning this into a discussion of another poster?
My picture is of a plastic dinosaur and some blackberries. Would you disregard any advice I had to offer?
I would if your advice sounds funny.
I would think you would disregard my advice if it sounded funny no matter what my profile picture was. After all, it would be incredibly easy for me to find a photo of a super impressive body online and use that as my profile picture. Paying more attention to someone's advice because their profile picture looks awesome isn't a great strategy (not that you're proposing to do that, but the person I was discussing this with suggested that a progress picture would be a better avatar than a rapper).
Basically this thread is a lets judge a book by its cover. I don't do that but it seems a lot do.
Yes you do. All people do.0
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