Would you use a 'unfit' looking personal trainer?

nope

Nope. When you're a trainer your basically selling yourself- your results. When I see a ripped trainer I think "what is he/she doing? I wanna look like that!" My husband recently got certified as a personal trainer, and that was his first goal- to perfect his body to make himself "sellable" -plus in NY trainers have to look like friggen models or greek gods.

The way I look at it...knowledge is the most important. You can have a totally ripped muscle bound idiot that looks like he or she knows what he or she is doing but has great genetics and not a lick of any idea how to actually train someone else. Yes, it helps to be extremely fit but without the knowledge to go along with it, its like giving the driving instructions to a sherman tank to a 3 year old-not gonna go well, lol. Not everyone that has a driver's license can drive on the Nascar racing circuit. Ask for qualifications first: some well respected organizations are : ACSM ( the course that all other courses are based from ), also ACE , and the NSCA. However there are many others.

Wouldn't use a trainer. I think you need the knowledge yourself and the motivation should come from within. Anything else is theoretically at least, unsustainable.

I think trainers are a scam in general.

You can find all your training info and needs on the internet.

The internet can't watch your form and make sure you're doing your things properly, and most of the time you can't do it yourself by checking the mirrors - most times, if I'm looking in the mirror at the gym while lifting it means I've got my head/neck twisted or craned in a potentially harmful position. And the angles aren't great either.

I have never had a PT but that's what I would use them for - what types of exercises should I do to get X results, and is my form correct?

Whether they're in really good shape or not doesn't really have any impact on their ability to do these things.

Do sports coaches have to be ex-players, able to outperform all their players in order to be effective coaches? Of course not.

If anything, a really ripped PT probably has no idea what it's like to be me since they're probably genetically gifted and have never had to deal with the kinds of weight and athletic struggles that I have. I'd rather have a PT that knows where I'm coming from and has experienced what I am going through.

Agree 100%, not saying can't be done without, but from recent experience worth their weight in "black gold" ( I am an oil/gas producer)

My PT is younger, shorter and smaller then me, makes less money, and his eyes are not blue like mine, might even have higher BF% .... So I guess I should fire him .... Even Though I am confident in his knowledge and supervision, he motivates & pushes me Way harder then I push myself, I'm getting the results I want, I enjoy training with him, .... Nope I think maybe i'll stick with him a while yet! I had a previous PT who was bigger/stronger et al. but who wanted talk more about his own accomplishments/experiences etc... In THIS case ... Size Doesn't Matter ... Fat, thin, short, tall, I don't care as long as "I" am successful!

My PT is happy, healthy and can demonstrate everything he asks ME to do. That's what moeativates me. I think the situation where the woman had lost 100 pounds but was still overweight would be the only situation where I would consider an out of shape trainer. I think they need to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk. My trainer has me doing things I did not think I could achieve. Someone who is no longer working out due to injury is the other exception I can think of. I need someone who has been there, not just a cheerleader.

I was just pondering the other day, whilst in the gym. We have several PT's at my gym, none of which, if i'm honest look like they practice what they preach so to speak. So would you use a unfit looking personal trainer? I know my view on it, just interested in other peoples ;-)

Hell no. I wouldn't use a dietitian or nutritionist that was fat either. Would you take investment advice from a homeless person?

This says what I was really feeling LOL

I was just pondering the other day, whilst in the gym. We have several PT's at my gym, none of which, if i'm honest look like they practice what they preach so to speak. So would you use a unfit looking personal trainer? I know my view on it, just interested in other peoples ;-)

Hell no. I wouldn't use a dietitian or nutritionist that was fat either. Would you take investment advice from a homeless person?

Good point!!

Nope, but then again I could give specific advice regarding running, marathons and ultras that most PTs would not be able to.... Sure I have a PT in my family and have read the books for fun that was studied, but applied fitness and research is where it is.

Sure looks can be deceiving, I wouldn't trust someone TOO overweight, but if they can demonstrate they know what they preach and they are willing to prove it before I pay them. Then why not.

I do not look super thin etc but I can outrun almost everyone in the gym here. There are a few awesome runners I can't compete with but I am getting close!

My goal before end year is to do a 800m run on treadmill at maximum speed. Try for 2km as that is 5 x 400m, but I'd be happy with 800m at top speed...

I have 10kg more to lose, people say I do not have that much, but I can see it, feel it etc... Hard to explain. So I am disproving everyone around me who says I am wrong.

I would love to get into PT, but between training for races, engineering and programming... where am I going to get the time? :P

HMMM

hmmmmm Ya I would actually. I had one that was over 200 pounds but she started at a little over 300 . Yes she looked big still and not muscular yet but as she trained me and as she taught work out classes in the gym we all saw her transform and some transformed with her

Thats interesting, and a great example to set as well. Deffo a reminder to not judge by appearances I think ;-)

SEE, AT LEAST SHE PARTICIPATED. SOME DONT

At my gym there is a trainer who in everyone eyes would be considered overweight or even obese. I don't really bother to look at who's teaching a class because I have loved every trainer and I was in a few of her classes. I've taken a yoga class and a Body pump class with this trainer. She did every move with the ease of someone who seems to be in much better shape!
I've also seen skinny and/or muscular trainers who do not know what the heck they are talking about.

How many of you would jump at the chance to get trained by Arnold even though he's out of shape? It makes no sense to require that a trainer be in shape.

I'd love that. Because being 65 means he isn't going to have a 25 year old body no matter what, and because his past accomplishments speak volumes fro his ability and knowledge. He did also use steroids. I'll overlook that. He's someone who is world famous for being incredibly fit for decades of his life.

If it's a trainer you know NOTHING about aside from what they look like, then the decision is more black and white.

hmmmmm Ya I would actually. I had one that was over 200 pounds but she started at a little over 300 . Yes she looked big still and not muscular yet but as she trained me and as she taught work out classes in the gym we all saw her transform and some transformed with her

This.
You don't know where that trainer started. You also don't know if they're working around any injuries. You don't know their personal goals for themselves -- their job isn't to transform you into THEIR ideal of health, it's to help you reach YOUR ideal. I don't think you can judge their effectiveness by appearance alone.

Depends on what I'm using him for. Food? Yes. Money? Yes. Sex? Only if he feeds me and gives me money just because.

How many of you would jump at the chance to get trained by Arnold even though he's out of shape? It makes no sense to require that a trainer be in shape.

Lol And How many would think they could kick Mr. Myogi's @$$ if they saw the little.scrawny old man on the street ... Just ask the Cobra Khan "BEAST" (lol ok showing my age with the Karate Kid reference). Looks ARE deceiving.