Would you use a 'unfit' looking personal trainer?

BeautyFromPain

HOW do you people think you can judge fitness by appearance exactly?
They are 2 very separate things..
Someone can be fat and fit or someone can be thin and unfit...

eg I still weigh 173 but I can run 10kms non stop, dance for hours nonstop, and lift heavy weights. A friend of mine on the other hand weighs 110 and gets puffed walking up the stairs.

yes but I'm not gonna take lifting advice from a kid who weights 140 and squats 225................


I'm not saying you should walk into a gym, say "this guy looks like crap" and walk back out. Meet with the trainer, and do a session with them. But if they aren't capable of achieving the results youre looking for, what makes you think they can help you achieve them?

And how do you know they aren't in the middle of a weight loss journey themselves?

If they are a personal trainer whose entire job/life revolves around fitness, how'd they get to that point to begin with?

What about someone who has just started working as a CPT?

TyFit08

I am 5'4" and 225 pounds. I am a brand new weight loss coach. I have lost 67 pounds since February 2012. My diet has changed, my energy is up and I feel amazing. It showed so much that people took notice and wanted advice. One look at me and all people (who don't know me) see is fat. But, I am DOING something about it.
The ladies I coach don't look at how I look now. They look at what I looked like before, because honestly, they look like I did.
They find inspiration and support from me. I bust their *kitten* when they eat crap, I bust their *kitten* when they need to push just a wee bit more.
I don't make them do anything that I wouldn't do or haven't already done.
Knowledge is power and motivation leads to accomplishment. That is something we all need.
Fat Personal Trainer? I don't know. I mean, if I was forkin' out big bucks for one I might think twice.
But, do people know the trainer, were they recommended? Maybe the trainer is really good at egging someone on to do the right thing.
Word of mouth is a great advertiser. If this personal trainer was known for their customers great RESULTS I think I would want that person in my corner, ya know? ;o)

First, Congrats on your loss and your decision to make fitness and health a priority in your life. I don't doubt that you have been successful in encouraging others, but I wouldn't hire you. If I was going to shell out cash for someone to help me lose weight, I want them to know their stuff and look fit too. Why, because when my legs are about to give out and they are saying one more lunge, I want to see a great set of legs that will give me the motivator to push forward. When my arms are weak and I'm not sure I have another push up left in me, I wan to see a trainer with well defined arms, so I know what I am working towards. For some people this doesn't matter, to me it does. If I am a size 12 striving to be a size 6, then training with a woman my size are bigger is no motivator at all, because regardless of what she says in mind I'm thinking she needs to get her big butt down here right along with me. I don't care how much he/she knows, I'm not going to take it seriously because I don't see it

ilovedeadlifts

What about a NEW personal trainer, who has only been working out for 18 months?

Then they haven't become an expert in 18 months, so they aren't qualified to teach.

Do you want a school teacher that just decided she wanted to teach last year, and took a weekend certification? (thank god education doesn't work quite the same way the fitness industry does0

BeautyFromPain

And how do you know they aren't in the middle of a weight loss journey themselves?

Because most people don't walk up to their PT's and go OMG why are you so fat?

Plus talking about weight loss is not something a lot of people do unless they are specifically asked... and how rude would it be of a potential client to ask if they plan on losing weight just so they look like a sterotypical PT?

So what that you can lift/run and are super fit.. unless you look like it, not a lot of people are going to trust you.

Which is why my course does not finish for another 3 months and by then I shall look the part...

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I don't need them to be ripped, but I prefer them to be able to be in such shape that they can do their job, I also prefer them to say and do things that make sense. There's a pretty fit trainer at my gym I would never use because he does the same exact thing with every client regardless of age and fitness level, including making them march in place and slowly take their arms in and out . . . Really, people are paying you for that?

I lift heavy and would expect them to be in such shape as to b able to spot me and get me out of trouble if something happens. I don't expect their goals to be the same as mine, but if they're there to motivate me I want to know that they are motivated.

BeautyFromPain

What about a NEW personal trainer, who has only been working out for 18 months?

Then they haven't become an expert in 18 months, so they aren't qualified to teach.

Do you want a school teacher that just decided she wanted to teach last year, and took a weekend certification? (thank god education doesn't work quite the same way the fitness industry does0

actually the course I am doing is a YEAR LONG course how does that mean i'm not qualified?
it's on campus, we have classes from 9am-4.30pm 4 days a week, (included in the cert 3 is how to do practically every lift known to man kind) there is also a student run Gym there which we get to run classes and train clients in for super cheap.

ilovedeadlifts

actually the course I am doing is a YEAR LONG course how does that mean i'm not qualified?

thats good.
but again......hands on experience is what most people prefer.

I would be much more likely to train with someone who has lifted for 5 years, studied about programming, and has gotten results, even if they have a crappy certification.
As opposed to someone who just took x class, that may or may not be a good one, and is now training people.

Nothing personal against you. And I'm sure women will be stoked to work with another woman. But for me, I want someone who has time in the gym and multiple sources of information.
I read the book for the ACSM certification and was blown away at all of the horrible reccommendations.

BeautyFromPain

actually the course I am doing is a YEAR LONG course how does that mean i'm not qualified?

thats good.
but again......hands on experience is what most people prefer.

I would be much more likely to train with someone who has lifted for 5 years, studied about programming, and has gotten results, even if they have a crappy certification.
As opposed to someone who just took x class, that may or may not be a good one, and is now training people.

Nothing personal against you. And I'm sure women will be stoked to work with another woman. But for me, I want someone who has time in the gym and multiple sources of information.
I read the book for the ACSM certification and was blown away at all of the horrible reccommendations.

I have been researching Nutrition and Exercise multiple sources and textbooks, since April of 2011. So go have fun with the bodybuilders, that's your opinion what's your point? There is a girl in my course who had never stepped foot in a Gym before starting in february, only even ran and did Gymnastics X many years ago.

My teacher owns his own Gym and Nutrition Studio and has been teaching at this school for more than 20 years.. I think he knows his stuff..

ilovedeadlifts

My teacher owns his own Gym and Nutrition Studio and has been teaching at this school for more than 20 years.. I think he knows his stuff..

The thread is "would you use an unfit trainer". so yes, I gave my opinion. You don't have to get defensive.
I'm just stating that a year isn't much time to understand something well enough to train others.

I'm sure your teach "knows his stuff". I wasn't doubting him. I was doubting the ability to become a good trainer after a year. It takes longer than that to learn proper execution of the lifts.

I'm sure you won't have trouble finding clients in some fitness center, so don't get all flustered with me. I was stating a point that I personally wouldn't work with someone who only lifted for a year and didn't look like they trained....wasn't a direct statement towards you. I think it's great that you want to help people.

FitNewEm

A degree in fitness and a personal success story is good enough for me!

BeautyFromPain

My teacher owns his own Gym and Nutrition Studio and has been teaching at this school for more than 20 years.. I think he knows his stuff..

The thread is "would you use an unfit trainer". so yes, I gave my opinion. You don't have to get defensive.
I'm just stating that a year isn't much time to understand something well enough to train others.

I'm sure your teach "knows his stuff". I wasn't doubting him. I was doubting the ability to become a good trainer after a year. It takes longer than that to learn proper execution of the lifts.

I'm sure you won't have trouble finding clients in some fitness center, so don't get all flustered with me. I was stating a point that I personally wouldn't work with someone who only lifted for a year and didn't look like they trained....wasn't a direct statement towards you. I think it's great that you want to help people.

And who said I don't look like I train?

ilovedeadlifts

And who said I don't look like I train?

again. I had answered the original question. wasn't responding to you personally saying you don't look like a trainer.

jesz124

And who said I don't look like I train?

again. I had answered the original question. wasn't responding to you personally saying you don't look like a trainer.

Oh lordy I can see this one becoming emotional. We've all played quite nicely so far, keep the gloves up folks

ilovedeadlifts

Oh lordy I can see this one becoming emotional. We've all played quite nicely so far, keep the gloves up folks

no worries.
I wasn't saying harsh things about her specifically.
I just don't believe people can train others without knowing more about training themselves............

sin485

Sometimes trainers are much older, or have injuries and can't train like they used to, but are still very knowledgeable and experienced.

thats a very good point

bsmcdonald0513

"Those who can't, teach"

"Those who can't teach post inane comments about teaching on the internet."

reasnableblonde

Nope, I need a trainer who's been in the trenches and can share experiences. Mine does natural fit competitions, ran track in college, and is very knowledgeable. He knows about working with proper form, avoiding injury, working around issues like a nasty cut on my finger that keeps me from doing deadlifts and certain other moves right now for fear of re-opening it, etc. He shares personal experiences with me and is able to demonstrate all moves. I also trust him when he's spotting me. Other trainers are really built up, but my trainer is strong and lean. He's a good match for me and my goals.

I took a spin class once with an instructor who was very overweight. I don't know her story or how long and hard she's worked, but I do know that her workout was not NEAR as intense as my normal instructor, who was very lean and very into cycling. I liked her music, but I left class with significantly less sweat than normal.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for, what you NEED, where you're at, and what inspires you to grow and push through.

gddrdld

"unfit", maybe, but not overweight. If I were to use a trainer it would be to help me with weight loss, so I wouldn't want an overweight person telling me how to lose weight.

You shouldn't be listening to a personal trainer about nutrition in general anyway. They generally do not have nutrition degrees and are not qualified to charge $ for "diet counseling". I see this all the time and as an RD it baffles me how people are often more likely to listen to a trainer about nutrition than an actual licensed expert, just based on their appearance.

soulfulsally

A personal trainer just focuses on weight training, right? I might use an unfit looking one, if I knew they really know their stuff.