Overweight Personal Trainers - What's your thoughts?
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Also, it's not a journey.
You're not Bilbo.-1 -
I think there is something to be said for the fact that even an over weight out of shape athelte still carries a certain structure under the weight- whereas someone who has been fat and obese their whole life- and never been athletic- looks a certain way also.
So even if someone has the knowledge- and WAS formerly fit- yeah- I'd buy that.
Someone who has that appearance of never having worked hard a day in their life? not so much.
Why- because even someone who used to be fit- and now - not so much- had/has a passion about it- someone who just has been completely obese never really had an interest in working out... so I think here is something to be said for that.0 -
To whoever flagged that, are you a Jillian fan or a Homer fan?WalkingAlong wrote: »I'd have trouble hiring Homer Simpson. But 10 lbs. overweight wouldn't bother me.
Would you hire a PT with almost no training but who had the body of a fitness model? Jillian Michaels seems to do well.
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WalkingAlong wrote: »
To whoever flagged that, are you a Jillian fan or a Homer fan?WalkingAlong wrote: »I'd have trouble hiring Homer Simpson. But 10 lbs. overweight wouldn't bother me.
Would you hire a PT with almost no training but who had the body of a fitness model? Jillian Michaels seems to do well.
There are some flag queens going around right now. Pay no mind.0 -
Depends on what goals you want the trainer to help you achieve. If weight loss is part of your goals, you may want a trainer who has lost or is losing fat themselves. If you are a large person who wants to focus on fitness/health at any size without weightloss pressure, a heavy but active trainer might be great, as many larger folks feel pressured and shamed about their weight to the point that they avoid the gym. In that situation, a bigger PT might give the kind of support that the client needs for embracing a new, more active mindset.
Also, if you are looking for a PT to help you with powerlifting or other intensive strength work, chances are that you may get the best help from someone who APPEARS to be overweight/fat.
Male world champion powerlifter:
Female Olympic Powerlifter:
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Well I am overweight and I am a Zumba instructor. Would you not even try my class since I'm over weight? I kick people's butts in my class. I kick my own butt. Don't judge from outward appearances. Not everyone who teaches or trains is in perfect shape. Some of us have struggled our entire life with weight issues, but the fact that we are willing to put ourselves out there and help other people with the same issues says a lot. I would rather go to a trainer who has been where I have been and can help me, not only physically, but mentally as well with my weight/fitness plan.0
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Perhaps the trainer used to be Obese at some point and did actually lose weight and are where they are now because of it. Perhaps they've gone from Obese to borderline Obese. Perhaps they are still in the middle of their loss.
This. But I guess many seem comfortable judging without knowing even a bit of backstory.
For comparison, all the advice that is posted on these boards should be posted by people in maintenance, with perfect bodies and minds?0 -
She's listing hard to port, cap'n.0
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I would say it depends what you are looking for. If you are looking for advice or info and that person has that knowledge then it should not matter if they are in shape or not. If you are looking for someone to be a role model and/or work out with or compare yourself against, then maybe you want someone in good shape.0
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See, that's a good example of what I was explaining poorly in the first part of my post. Lots of women who are larger would like to be more fit and active but feel shamed or embarrassed going to many classes. I'd imagine those women would feel really motivated and inspired in Roxilu's class, by seeing a bigger woman rocking it and leading others.
Everyone needs something different. If you find you don't trust a bigger instructor/PT to meet your needs, don't hire them. I suspect that there are plenty of people who are looking for just that kind of person to help them reach their goals.0 -
Weight and body shape is not an indicator of actual health.
Maybe they're on prednisone which is notorious for causing weight gain. Maybe they're recovering from an eating disorder which can mess up your body shape for life. Or perhaps they're recovering from an injury which left them unable to exercise for a long period of time? Perhaps they had weight loss surgery which left their body unable to process nutrients correctly and will forever have a soft body?
Life others on here, I say if they help you achieve your goals, then what does it matter what they look like?0 -
Depends on what goals you want the trainer to help you achieve. If weight loss is part of your goals, you may want a trainer who has lost or is losing fat themselves. If you are a large person who wants to focus on fitness/health at any size without weightloss pressure, a heavy but active trainer might be great, as many larger folks feel pressured and shamed about their weight to the point that they avoid the gym. In that situation, a bigger PT might give the kind of support that the client needs for embracing a new, more active mindset.
Also, if you are looking for a PT to help you with powerlifting or other intensive strength work, chances are that you may get the best help from someone who APPEARS to be overweight/fat.
Male world champion powerlifter:
Female Olympic Powerlifter:
Point of order: the latter is not a powerlifter, she's a weightlifter.0 -
Weight and body shape is not an indicator of actual health.
Maybe they're on prednisone which is notorious for causing weight gain. Maybe they're recovering from an eating disorder which can mess up your body shape for life. Or perhaps they're recovering from an injury which left them unable to exercise for a long period of time? Perhaps they had weight loss surgery which left their body unable to process nutrients correctly and will forever have a soft body?
Like others on here, I say if they help you achieve your goals, then what does it matter what they look like?
People become personal trainers for various reasons, like any other field and all are not body builders. On the other hand, I would want to work with a personal trainer with whom I could identify at some level and maybe not achieve the same result of fitness, but at least have some proof that a changed lifestyle would result in improvement to me.0 -
powerlifting being a sport that sprang forth originally from weightlifting.0
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I was talking with the GF yesterday on the treadmill yesterday about. I go to Gold's Gym and 3 or 4 of the trainers that work there aren't in shape. A couple border on obese. I am kind of torn by the issue.
Doesn't it seem like being fit should be a requirement to being a personal trainer? I guess I am kinda torn on the issue. I can tell someone how to do the perfect golf swing, but that doesn't mean I can do it in practice.
So what's everyone's thoughts?
I've had horrible trainers that were really fit, so I do not equate a person's own fitness level with their ability to coach me.
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Again, not to labour the point, but if you are in a relationship with a trainer and they are helping you move towards your goals then what does it matter?
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A few things...
1. These aren't power lifters and they aren't training power lifters.
2. I have been going for 2 years and nothing has changed with their bodies.
3. To anyone who implied that I was judging, I was not. I asked a question, and actually implied that it doesn't matter with my golf swing point.
4. I'm not looking for a trainer and don't need a trainer.
Also,
A lot of people are mentioning the trainers qualifications. The thing is, a new person, getting a trainer for the first time doesn't know what qualifications are needed and what differs from a "good" or "bad" trainer. To me, if you a trainer, you are trying to sell yourself and your body is your billboard. What else would a new gym goer have to go on other than your appearance? We all know that certifications mean next to nothing and doesn't represent whether a trainer is good or bad, so if not physical appearance, what does one go by to determine whether a trainer is good or not if they have know knowledge of what makes a good trainer to begin with?0 -
I can definitely understand how it's a difficult situation in that how can you believe an overweight individual's advice on being fit. As somebody with certifications and education in this field I feel similarly in that how can somebody teach somebody to be strong when they are not strong themselves? It's funny because when I'm presented with a case study or a client evaluation it's easy for me to look at all of the facts and design a training program for them. On the flip-side, it is hard for me to put together a program for myself and I sometimes fall into traps that I know to avoid when doing this for somebody else. I think that part of it is I am very objective when looking at somebody else and less objective with my own training. It might be similar for other trainers as well. All I can say is that if you don't feel that you can believe somebody simply based upon their physique, then don't start training with them because it will likely hinder your progress even if their advice is good.0
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Makes not the slightest difference to me if the trainer is out of shape, or if I perceive them to be. I was out of shape for many years, but still knew more about training than my average friend. It's a red herring.0
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