"Don't choose a fat or out of shape personal trainer"

RhineDHP

So a friend of mine was asking some friends of hers advice on what kind of a personal trainer to get at the gym. It's not the one I go to, ergo no advice on my part. They were discussing and such when one of them says, "yeah, but definitely don't trust a chubby trainer."

The other girls agreed with her, and someone else chimed in saying, "yeah, don't go to anyone at such and such, they look out of shape themselves."


I found this incredibly offensive. I didn't say anything because I was leaving anyway, but I don't know, what are your guys' thoughts on this? Just because a trainer isn't fit, it automatically discounts their experience about workouts and nutrition??

ThighGapsandRibs

Absolutely not. I recently talked with two personal trainers, and the important thing to realize is they have lives too. Just like everyone else slips up once and a while, personal trainers do too. Their skill level should be based on previous clients and testimonies, not necessarily on their physique. Granted, if they do have that knowledge, they generally do happen to have a healthier looking body, but also important to remember that genetics and other things play a role in their physical condition.

rowlandsw

I'd like to think someone in the business of keeping other folks fit are at least fit themselves, it would seem to be bad for business not to practice what you preach. It's like going to a dentist with bad teeth, it makes you stop and wonder. That said they could be great trainers but people go to these folks with expectations and looking the part is one of them.

Marcia315

I'm fat, but I'm a former collegiate competitive swimmer and have a wealth of technical knowledge about swimming. I hope my knowledge wouldn't be discounted bedside of my BMI.

defauIt

It's fallacious to assume an out of shape trainer doesn't know anything about personal fitness, but it's nothing to really take offense over.

People expect experts to look the role. A personal trainer should be fit and trim. Just like a doctor shouldn't show up in sweat pants and a wife beater.

Does that mean an overweight personal trainer can't be an absolute expert on fitness and nutrition? Of course not. But it's easier to take advice from someone who looks like they know what they're doing.

bc2ct

Ever hear that advice that you should go to the hair stylist with the worst hair at the salon because they sure as hell didn't cut their own hair

Okay that's clearly not relevant here...why? Because personal trainers probably do not spend their money on personal trainers... they likely do train themselves. It's not a terrible idea to search for a personal trainer with the physique that you would like (i.e. muscular, toned, bulky, powerful) because they may be able to offer you some advice on how to build towards that body type. There's this one trainer at my gym who is over weight... INSANELY strong but has the body of a high school football lineman. He mostly trains people in body building with some limited interval training but no cardio so I would guess that most of his trainees get strong but not necessarily trim.

scubasuenc

As someone who is still very large, thin trim athletic trainers can be intimidating. I feel the same way about exercise DVDs. While I wouldn't want a trainer as large as I am, someone with some life experience who can understand what I'm struggling with is appreciated.

That said, my trainer is thin and trim. She has been very supportive and has been great about helping me find things that I can do rather than pushing me to do things I'm not capable of or comfortable with.

cwolfman13

fit =/= skinny or whatever.....

There is a power lifting trainer at my gym who carries quite a bit more fat than...lets say a body builder....but he squats for reps around 600 Lbs...I highly doubt I'm going to question his "fitness". Another trainer at my gym is a mountain biker and isn't really so much into traditional strength training...weight training supplements his riding for the most part so it's not the primary focus...he's going to have people doing lots of cardio and endurance and stamina work with mostly body work resistance training and other high rep weight training for muscular endurance.

Suffice it to say that the trainer one chooses should reflect one's goals from a fitness standpoint....

determinedbutlazy

Nope, I'm not likely to choose a trainer whose physique doesn't match up to my training goals. I'm not gonna pick a 260lb powerlifting hulk of a dude to train me if I want to take part in a women's bikini competition, same as I wouldn't hire a sprinter to train me to be a powerlifter. That sprinter could know all there is to know about powerlifting, but I'm still more likely to choose the guy that actually lifts.

Sionainn405

I think you have to choose a personal trainer based on your requirements. I'm looking to lose weight and build muscle, so I got a trainer who had lost 70lbs and had great muscle tone. I wouldn't have wanted a trainer who had always been thin because they wouldn't understand my struggles. I also wouldn't have wanted an out of shape trainer because if they can't practice what they preach, how much luck would I have? It's like having a fat cardiologist, what they say maybe true, but when they're telling you to lose weight, you're not going to take them seriously.

RhineDHP

I guess I got offended because when I first started I was a total noob. I didn't know about re-racking, adjusting the machines, pfff didn't even know how to use the majority of them. My contract came with free PT sessions for about 7 weeks, and the person who was my PT was rather overweight. She showed me so much, talked about nutrition and workouts and all that jazz, and over the course of two years lost a massive amount of weight and was always training for Tough Mudders and marathons and whatnot (looks amazing).

I guess it all boils down to "Don't judge a book by its cover" kind of thing. For me at least.

wheird

I understand the reason behind this line of thinking, but it is incredibly flawed. I'm fat but I have a lot of knowledge that is useful for nutrition and strength training. I share much of it on here, but I highly doubt anyone would choose me as their trainer in real life because I still have a lot left to lose.

MelodyandBarbells

I think that is key. If you're an overweight trainer helping someone lose weight, then you kinda have to have that story of being a work in progress. Otherwise surely one might ask, if the advice you're giving is so great, sustainable and feasible, why isn't it working for you? Right or wrong people often get nutritional advice from their trainers as well :ohwell:

DamePiglet

fit =/= skinny or whatever.....

There is a power lifting trainer at my gym who carries quite a bit more fat than...lets say a body builder....but he squats for reps around 600 Lbs...I highly doubt I'm going to question his "fitness". Another trainer at my gym is a mountain biker and isn't really so much into traditional strength training...weight training supplements his riding for the most part so it's not the primary focus...he's going to have people doing lots of cardio and endurance and stamina work with mostly body work resistance training and other high rep weight training for muscular endurance.

Suffice it to say that the trainer one chooses should reflect one's goals from a fitness standpoint....

Yeah, I gotta agree with this. At least as far as MY goals go.

There are 2 new trainers at my gym, one male and one female. The female is one of the two other women at my gym who work out with weights. I might look "lankier" than she does, but she sooooooo can out-lift and outrun me. By a long shot.

The male was once obese but is now excellently fit. He has some loose skin so ignorant people could assume that he's not as fit because of it. They'd be way wrong about him. He's very, very fit (and cute as a button).

I was looking to be a competitive body builder or runner or something, then maybe so. But since I am looking at improving my general fitness, knowledge is more important to me than appearance.

77tes

Every trainer/ coach in the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., isn't as fit as the players he coaches. These folks may well be overweight, but they know what they're doing.

I had a boot camp coach who was not a picture of fitness, but she was amazing. She taught me so much.

Sherbog

Well just thinking out loud here....I would not go to a smoker to get advice about giving up smoking. Nor would I value someone holding a beer advising me on how to stop drinking. So a fitness trainer...yeah I want them to walk the talk and set a good example.

David_AUS

Your PT needs to inspire you to achieve your results. The "best looking guy / gal" in the gym may know what is best for them but may not be able to apply their knowledge into an applicable way for you. Whether this PT is 100 lbs or 300 lbs is largely irrelevant to the equation.