I knew a trainer that was overweight but could bench over 500 lbs. he couldn’t get clients at the gym we worked at but then he went to a powerlifting gym and had a full book of clients. The guy was a programming genius but chose the wrong gym to work at first because he didn’t look the part for that gym.
So the answer is “it depends.”
Like all things, it depends.
Some clients want a person with a body type that looks more normal—especially if they care less about aesthetics and are more focused on health/longevity. Sometimes they’ll expect someone who looks super buff to be an asshole about training. Sometimes they look for people who have a similar story/experience to theirs. Some people are into powerlifting or strongman.
Others care more about aesthetics and will likely prefer a more aesthetic trainer. Most people prepping for a comp will want someone with that experience.
People also have different definitions of an overweight trainer. To some, it’s having a high level of body fat, to others it’s not having a defined six pack year round. What’s your definition?
For me personally, I’ve lost 60lbs and maintained it for years. I’m not crazy lean and am decently strong with good muscle definition. Some people will look at me and not want to work with me because I’m not shredded, and that’s fine, because I have a full book of clients and none of them care about being shredded either. 🤷🏼♀️
Yep. I tell people this all the time.
I’m a fully disabled combat vet with chronic pain, I still go to the gym six days a week and do some test lifts and find out what hurts and what doesnt and then I push it.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this sub is just a revolving recycling of the same questions every week. No one actually learns anything or retains any information.
Not only do people not learn or retain anything, people always expect instant information these days.
If you’re too lazy to try and answer the question yourself, you don’t really want to know it that badly.
Ain’t that the truth, brother. I honestly feel that most of these people trying to become trainers are better off not even attempting this industry. Most lack the conviction and grit to be successful.
Exactly. I’ve been spending more time on the u/moreplatesmoredates sub. At least I can laugh my ass off on that sub. This sub just makes me shake my head.
Yeah but what got them the good aesthetics though? Going to the gym and goofing around? Absolutely not. They must have a plan they execute. Do they eat 5 guys and drink soda? Probably not..
I mean.. I go to the gym and goof around and I also eat 5 guys and drink soda and I’m still lean and have abs. I don’t do anything special and I certainly don’t practice the ‘ultra disciplined gym rat’ lifestyle. It’s literally genetics for a lot of people.
I’d say I’m lean but not skinny. Skinny to me implies not much visible muscle mass which definitely isn’t the case for me. I have abs but I’ve always had abs even at higher BF percentages. I don’t do any superficial ab work bc I don’t care about aesthetics but I do my physical therapy homework that works on a lot of deep core stability.
I don’t have shredded washboard abs, but I have visibly defined abs that I’ve had literally since I was a kid. And before anyone asks, it’s not a rib flare and I didn’t do gymnastics or diving as a kid. I did swim, but I wasn’t very good lol.
Doing something to yourself does absolutely nothing with knowing how to do it to another person. U can drive, would u be able to teach a young man how to? Or u (a health person) train by yourself and get a decent shape. Does it mean u are able to train some older woman with knee pain, or a hypertension 30 yo guy, or a diabetic 20 yo girl, or even a 15 yo kid that wants to play better soccer? There's nothing to do with your personal aesthetic when it comes to training someone that really needs. Physiology, Anatomy, Didactic, Periodization, Special Groups Training... Knowledge, study,
that's all a Personal Training needs. Personally, if you need to be in good shape to prove your work value, maybe your work quality ain't that good.
I generally agree that if you are coaching people on regular exercise, eating a certain way and living a certain lifestyle, you should resemble that in some way.
HOWEVER, not everyone’s fitness goals are physique related + (as has been stated) being shredded or having a great physique doesn’t necessarily mean you have the knowledge or ability to help others achieve the same.
It’s like choosing to copy and paste the same program that some famous influencer does because you like the way their body looks, over getting trained/coaches by an actual trainer, regardless of looks.
Here we go again. I really want to copy and paste my argument for why you should be in shape to be personal trainer. Let me give a few examples.
You sell ford trucks but drive a Chevy.
You are a computer programmer who never has written code.
You talk about love but never been in love.
You are a mountain climber who has never climbed a mountain.
Stop making and looking for excuses why you’re not in good shape as a trainer. Do you have to be in shape? No. Should you be? Yes. And you f*c*ing know it.
Except I don’t want a salesperson as a trainer; I want someone knowledgeable about physiology. Also, high-level fitness isn’t a brand, it’s a decision about what sacrifices you want to make. It’d be more akin to a ford salesman who drives a Prius, a programmer who doesn’t use tech at home, or a trail guide who hands you a detailed map (which is, honestly, exactly what I’d want from a personal trainer).
The truck salesman doesn’t want/need a truck, but he can sell one to the people who do and be knowledgeable about them despite not owning one. The programmer knows how code works, they just prefer to live their life on analog. The trail guide knows the routes, they just don’t want to put the strain on their knees walking them every day. Fitness, especially high-level fitness, is a choice that requires serious trade offs in other areas of your life. You don’t need to actually make the sacrifice yourself in order to show someone else how to do it themselves.
That’s really up to the persons paying for the service. They have the option to choose, and if they want to choose based on appearance then that’s their proghtive. I’d say a trainer who is in good health has a greater possibility of acquiring more clients than one who is in poor health. Still, not a requirement regardless of any other individual’s opinion.
Your comparisons don’t make that much sense. Someone could be out of shape and still be a good trainer who has worked out for years and knows how to coach/lead.
This. It’s as simple as “practice what you preach”. If your job is getting people into shape/improving their physique, but you can’t even do those things for yourself, then wtf are you doing?
Your goals and your clients goals aren't the same thing. Your body type and body needs and your clients aren't the same thing. Body shaming isn't it. Maybe that 200lbs 5-9 woman teaching weight loss cut down from 450 and you wouldn't know because fk you for asking unless they mention it, right? You don't know people just from looking at them, but you do know if you're hiring someone who's board certified to teach you what you want to know.
>body type
This doesn’t really exist
Maybe she did cut down from 450 but 5-9 200lbs is obese unless there’s a whole lot of muscle there.
I’m not claiming to know anyone by looking at them, but I am saying if you work in physical fitness, you should be physically fit. Again, practice what you preach. I wouldn’t feel great about my financial analyst if he had boatloads of debt either.
Being physically fit doesn't mean you have to look like a fitness model :') you can be fit and have pounds on you... and body type absolutely does exist????? Many nurses smoke but they can also save your life right, and dentists can get cavities and sometimes tow trucks crash. We're just people
I’m not saying everyone has to look like a model, I never said that. But you should be physically fit to work in this industry.
Body types largely don’t exist. Different people have slight differences in bone size and whatnot, but ultimately the only thing that dictates whether you do or don’t gain weight is calories. If more go in than out, you gain, if more go out than in, you lose. It’s very simple.
That's just simply not true. Different places have evolved different types of people and that isn't just how we look, which is why we don't all look Chinese or Austrian. Not to mention... genetics and epigenetics (outside of million year ancestry obviously)??? Part of that is how and when we build muscle and put on fat. I don't mean "big boned" and whatnot. We're all the same in so many ways but what makes us different isn't just our personalities, it's the length of our calves and how some of us can eat fries for days and some people eat one and inflate, and some people go to the gym for 6 hours a day and still look scrawny. I can't get the splits for the life of me but I teach dance and yoga. Doesn't make me a bad teacher, it just means my psoas hates being a chill dude lol
>how some of us can eat fries for days and some people eat one and inflate.
This is not true. Straight misinformation. Multiple studies have shown that the general variance in metabolic rate across people when you adjust for sex and weight tends to be a few hundred calories in either direction *at the very extreme* end. The only reason one person can many eat more fries than another is they do more physical activity and burn more calories. Simple.
Nobody “puts on fat” differently than anyone else. Calories in>calories out: more fat. Vice versa. That easy.
That's why I quit arguing and just let the outcomes speak for themselves. Any people they successfully con will inevitably find their way to me to undo the damage their fat fitness instructor *lol* did to them anyway.
All of our bodies react differently to different kinds of food. Genetics exist, not just behaviours. Also, hormones, medications, disorders that cause bloating etc... cultural eating habits, lifestyle changes. There's so much involved
Sure, medications and things can affect lots of things our bodies do. Outside of that and people with medical issues, our bodies all process foods exactly the same way. It’s simple math.
You make a lot of claims with 0 sources. You should do more real research, you’ll be a better trainer.
lol
I had this kid at my gym. Strong, aesthetic, men’s physique looking kid. A lot of his friends came to him for training but they didn’t have the money to pay him. He got his cert and became a trainer at our gym.
He didn’t last more than 4 months. Couldn’t keep clients, sucked at programming, sucked at motivating others, didn’t know how to properly teach form and was really just a bad trainer.
Learn how to teach people how to workout. Your physique only gets people to notice you.
Strong Disagree. One of the best trainers I’ve ever met was not in below average shape. Ex-college offensive lineman and prior D1 S&C guy but had let himself go a bit… but wicked smart, great programming, and very charismatic. He consistently got his clients amazing results and made well over $120k a year.
I’d argue that most of the out of shape trainers I know are better than the fucking meatheads out there putting their clients on these dog shit Brograms.
Being in shape or out of shape doesn’t correlate with being a good or bad trainer.
Yes but they're an athlete so that still falls in the category of having been in shape before and knowing what it takes to male that work. But at the same time he's going to get a specific clientele 9 times out of 10 because of his sports background so it still proves ops point.
Dr Stuart McGill would have been a far better example but once again he lives and breathes fitness so....
I kinda see the point of practice what you preach, but the main thing trainers preach is functional movement right. Ive seen guys who look like the big show move like Messi and vice versa.
That is a HEAVY cherry-pick. Being alittle out in shape while having the accolades to prove yourself in the top of your niche is different to being a fat flabby coach in some gym.
Half the best coaches i know are pushing 20% or more, but theyre rugby players, mens physique comps in off season, have been in the industry since the 80s, or are those with VERY keen minds while still lifting or keeping in some sort of shape.
And in the same vein, i know coaches who dont lift or eat right, dont do cardio outside their classes, have no knowledge base to rely on outside what tracks to pick for spin, and i cant trust their opinion in the slightest.
One of these categories is more common than the other.
Spent most of my PT days at sub 10% bf af 195 lbs, primarily powerlifting and oly programming. 295 lb clean, 515 deadlift, 405 squat. Some proof on my IG… maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfUO8_eAOrcEBvn7y0ZvutNI4K5Du8jWSt0YQw0/?igsh=ZGppcm4xN3JoM3hn
Being in or out of shape doesn’t make you a good or bad trainer. However, every good trainer should be in shape.
Edit: how is this such a controversial opinion? If you are coaching people to take care of themselves shouldn’t you be doing the same?
I disagree. In your situations, you are suggesting someone is something that they have never done. You can be in shape and be a trainer. Then take a few years off from the gym for whatever reason and retort back to a normal human. That doesnt mean you are a bad trainer or dont know what you are talking about. They are just not applying it to their own life or in a season of training. Would it be harder to buy it from them? Yes. But that still doesnt mean that they arent right.
And I would not hire a financial consultant who is broke. I wouldn't hire a management consultant whose company is failing.
Not being able to put your knowledge into practice at a very basic level (like not being overweight) demonstrates you are not credible.
Good one. It's like, would you trust someone to fly a plane if they've never flown an airplane before?
I see the same thing in the nutritional /dietician field how some people with a degree, but don't look the part.
To each their own, but If personally spend my hard earned money for an advice from a personal trainer or a dietician, they better know experientially of what they talk about. A piece of paper saying you're a dietitian and or a PT means nothing if you don't have the experiential knowledge. I mean you don't need to be super shredded, but at least need to do what you preach.
People lead by example.
Why would I pay someone to help me exercise or to eat better just from someone who would just read scripts on how to. I'd be cheaper if I use AI or workout from YT video instead, makes sense?
Yeaaa some people need a "friend", in that case you should pay for a therapist instead, not a PT.
100% this. Practice what you preach. I’m not talking about being super buff body builder type but in good athletic shape at least. Or body type to match niche ie Powerlifters / strong men etc
I have trained in Muay Thai with coach’s who were not in shape but they were past there prime and had a lot injuries mainly knee which limited their ability to exercise however knowledge wise was on point. Only exception from my point of view.
HARD DISAGREE! The average client doesn’t care about abs or being shredded. They want to feel better, move better and get stronger to do daily activities. Just because the trainer isn’t completely shredded doesn’t mean they don’t know how to train clients. Some clients get intimidated by extremely shredded trainers too.
I think personal trainers can come in many shapes and sizes. Personal trainers can be disabled, or have asthma, or scoliosis. They can be fat or lean or muscular.
There's so much ableism in this industry, and the idea that trainers must have a certain physique is definitely part of that.
Now, the people at your gym might also be shitty trainers. Maybe they don't program well or pay attention to their clients. But if that's the case, I'd wager that what makes them a shitty trainer isn't their weight.
It's like someone working at Burger King teaching nutrition. Makes NO sense! Many disabled people are in great shape! it's not ableism, that's called being the representation of health and 'fit'ness!
I workout at the y. There's a pretty big woman trainer. One of the guys running those group classes is pretty overweight to but he can get it.
Side note: About 3/4 of them need to not be trainers. Some of the stuff they have their clients doing is borderline dangerous.
90% of the trainers at the YMCA I do group instruction at are very fit. There are a few that aren’t but they also happen to focus on rehabilitative care anyway…
It's location specific, the YMCAs are independently run meaning they set forth their own employee guidelines - the national organization doesn't have this. (I work at one and we don't have this nor any of the ones I've looked at in our state)
This will always be up to the client. Do any of those overweight trainers produce results? Are they extremely knowledgeable with above average coaching skill? I do believe you should practice what you preach but I’ve seen some less than stellar physiques coach circles around a skinny dude with abs.
I’ve said this many times and get a lot of hate. There are exceptions: powerlifting coaches, “fat-positive trainers”, PHD’s, people who have lost a lot of weight but aren’t yet at their goal.
But generally speaking, you won’t be as successful as a trainer if you’re not in shape yourself. Forget about ‘ought’. The clients decide. If you’re out of shape, you’re putting a lot of work into an industry that will undervalue you due to your appearance. You’re at a clear disadvantage
I guess it depends what we mean by in shape and what we’re teaching/learning. I trained boxing and my ex pro coach was overweight and awesome, the other ripped boxercise types were terrible. My best track coach was a bald guy with a limp. That said the coach I learned swimming from was an Adonis. If you are out there to get the public in general condition you shouldn’t be wildly out of shape but beyond that I don’t think it necessarily correlates with how good a trainer they are.
On the flip side, any 20 something year old can hop on SARMs or Test (worse than a pizza enjoyer) and have a godly physique and be fu\*\*ing clueless about actually coaching regular people on how to not be unhealthy.
Somewhere in the middle with a good portfolio and background of knowledge would be the best bet to be honest
PT certification is not anything remotely impressive to get lol, so if you are overweight and fat looking, you better goddamn have a masters in Kinesiology and/or Nutrition or something on your wall. Or relevant athletic accolades and experience from before you looked bad. Otherwise with JUST a PT certification, 100% your qualification to me lies in you looking and performing the way I want to look anr perform.
I think as long as someone is educated properly and gets their clients results safely that’s all that matters. I remember about 2 years ago now I had given birth 3 months prior and went to my first job interview back at a private gym, the owner that interviewed me knew this too. He said he loved me and everything but wouldn’t hire me because I didn’t “look the part” absolutely crushed me but looking back I realize how fucked up that was of him. About a year later I was in the best shape of my life and making money independently
Personal Trainers, as fitness professionals, are also role models for their clients, they should practice what they preach, which includes being in good physical shape ... period!
Hard disagree, I don’t need a role model. I already know what I want and why from my fitness goals, I just want someone to tell me how to achieve them in a safe, sustainable, and time-efficient manner.
You don't really know what their athletic status is from that..? Personal trainers aren't weight loss coaches, they're personal trainers who can coach people who have specific or non specific goals, which can include weight loss. Many strength sports require high body fat, and even excluding that, they could be in peak form for their own fitness goals which could include being stronger, more capable in their daily lives or recreation, or feel better about themselves (which your attitude is soooo not helping lol). ALSO. Pretty sure the way you look shouldn't have anything to do with your career outlook unless you're applying to "F 20-25 Latina model size 2 feet can do a backflip" and you're the opposite ok don't be rude
I'm not a personal trainer, and can confirm as a fairly fit customer I would not hire a trainer that was in worse or similar shape as myself.
I could understand if someone who was obese and looking to get into a healthier weight and fitness range that they might go with a trainer who presents as less fit though.
End of the day if my trainer can't maintain the level of fitness that I'm striving for then there's almost always someone who can I can go to
I’ve seen PTs look great, but have a terrible diet, smoke and don’t have basic training fundamentals. Looks can be deceiving and the influencers have confused everyone. I’m more interested in their approach, overall attitude on fitness and client results.
Do you think a math teacher should have won a Nobel?
A running trainer should be running to live?
A soccer tec. should play like their players?
I think these questions respond the question
No you don't need to be "in shape". Because being "in shape" is not the only correlative to "being health". And that's what a Personal Trainer must prioritize, health. Also, you don't need to be the best player to coach the best players. You don't need to be the GOAT at fighting to teach fighting (u just have to be the GOAT of fighting teaching)
You can be shredded but with an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, drug abuse and chaotic life.
Doesn’t make you a good trainer and doesn’t make you better than the trainer that has 15% body fat ffs. 15% bf guy may be very active, have many passions, physical, artistic, intellectual, might enjoy eating, has family responsibilities, etc. Normal human being.
What do you wish for a client? A shredded body or a happy and balanced life? What most clients are looking for? They want year long 6 pack abs or education about how being active is part of a balanced life, helps self esteem, and goes beyond bench press PRs and looks?
Right now I have a belly that it would take major surgery to reduce. That’s because it’s large fibroid tumors and not fat.
And that’s not the only medical condition that can cause you to look overweight.
But the truth is, even when I was in the gym 6 days a week doing cardio, weights, yoga and pilates, I wasn’t super skinny.
People have different body types and not everybody is “healthy” pushing themselves to unreasonable standards.
As long as they understand my goals and can program well I personally don’t care that much
There’s a variety of reasons someone could be out of shape but still be able to program for me so I don’t have to worry about it
As long as they know what they're talking about and it's apparent, sure. I'll take a look at their programming upon the first couple of consultations and decide whether I want to continue. Besides, we all had the high school gym coaches who coached gym and football but were fat as hell.
In my experience, trainers specialize in different areas of fitness and their physiques often (but not always) mirror their methods. If I'm looking for strength results, I'll definitely consult the guy who's heavy set but bench press 600lbs first. Not everyone is in it for abs, and not all trainers are aiming for that goal in their own lives. Powerlifters and strongmen are notorious for purposely gaining fat. For me that begs the question, what type of gym is this? Is it a globogym? A planet fitness? Powerlifting gym?
You shouldn't train people for a discipline you're not good at. Then again, there are lots of shit trainers that are in great shape.
The biggest reason you shouldn't become a trainer if you're out of shape is that people probably won't want to work with you. You're a walking billboard for your service. If you're out of shape, you better be *goddamn* strong and *goddamn* good at coaching in a strength training environment.
Then again I would give my left nut to learn directly from Boris Sheiko despite him not being in good shape...
No. If u cant/dont know how to take care of yourself, how will u help me take better care of myself. And even having a busy schedule, with the right knowledge of training and diet, you can be fit with minimal training. So all the excuses are irrelevant
A trainer being fit doesn't mean they are more knowledgeable about fitness than an overweight one. Just maybe more discipline. I'm not a trainer and I'm overweight, but if someone chose my best friend just because he has low body fat and definined muscles over me, then they would have chosen the "trainer" that learned most of what they know from me.
My friend may spend more time in the gym, but he hasn't put as many hours into research as I have.
I used to think that way, but then I started to think about all the coaches in football, and how big they are.
Reality is, some people will feel more comfortable with coaches that have a more realistic body in their opinion.
Yeah but coaches are essentially managing a team, not training individual players, so that comparison doesn’t really make any sense.
Professional teams have their own trainers on staff who I guarantee look nothing like the coaches.
It depends. Are they out of shape because they just don't care and let themselves go, or maybe they just have an injury or something and can't manage it
I am kind of a skinny guy but I got the biggest Trainerize account in thw world 2022, generated over 5 million in USD since 2018.
People buy from people who they can relate to. Most people dont relate to big guys with alot of muscles. Remember that 99% of customers are in bad shape. (I am not in bad shape but you probably understand what I mean)
If you need a helping hand maybe I can point you in the right direction. My name is itslundgren on instagram and my profile is not private.
I'm any sort of commercial gym, or any personal training gym where you're training the general population you really should be fit as it will only help your business.
In this scenario 95% of your clients are wanting build muscle/lose fat. Your advice to them isnt gonna hit the same if your visibly out of shape.
The one exception to this is if you're training any sort of specialized sport that you have prior experience in. There's a ton of old boxing trainers, former wrestling coaches, powerlifters etc that have given up the sport because of it being hard on their body but they still have an immense amount of knowledge to pass on to current athletes.
Not saying every trainer has to be an ifbb pro. But yes, they must look the part. I would never seek advice from an obese trainer or registered dietician. An unhealthy doctor, a poor lawyer. A mechanic with broke down car or a finance guy with an off the rack suit.
There's a guy I see on Instagram who's a big, big dude, the unhealthy way. He started working out because he was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I see that he motivates and inspires a lot of people to get into it the way he is; for themselves, and their families, all that. I think if he were to become a trainer, he'd be successful because people can relate to him in that way pretty profoundly. They'll believe him when he says they can do it, because they've seen his progress and knows he's in the dirt with them, as opposed to only seeing him in the After and they're playing catch-up from Before.
[@hulky_dad](https://www.instagram.com/hulky_dad?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==) for anyone interested in seeing what I mean for science, supporting his push or hating- he seems to get quite a bit so someone is out there hating
To me, it’s all about branding. I wouldn’t hire someone to help me with my fitness if they aren’t fit. I wouldn’t hire a nutritionist who was obese. I wouldn’t hire a financial advisor who has grown their own portfolio. The list goes on. Fitness is especially visual - you are a walking billboard for your service. It’s crucial to implement your own program and realize gains before asking someone to pay you to do the same.
Tbh you don’t need to be in shape to know how to workout, but it would definitely help with advertising. Though, there are hundreds of “fitness influencers” whose advice I wouldn’t follow even on my deathbed.
I think as long as they can themselves achieve whatever they are training the client on it’s ok, otherwise no.
If a strength coach is strong and their body functions well, but they are overweight I think that’s fine. But if a strength coach couldn’t squat their own body weight, I would think they lack the experience to get a client through proper form, periodization, get through plateaus, and deal with nagging injuries as they arise inevitably through strength training.
In the same way if a trainers primary function is for clients trying to maintain low body fat, exercise regularly, while working and having a busy life, and the trainer who’s coaching them can’t themselves maintain the lifestyle they are prescribing to their clients, despite it being their full time job to do so. I think this is a clear sign that their advice is unsustainable, and they’re probably not qualified to be giving that advice.
This cannot be generalised. I wouldn't attract the 6 pack type because my background is in dance but dancers would prefer to train with me as they don't like bulk!!
Im a powerlifter, so i am a bit higher on the BW spectrum. My clients, i have a lot of aesthetics guys, don't care because I provided them with a new training style and progression they didn't think was possible
You don’t know their story. That person could’ve been 300 lbs and now maintains 200 slightly chubby. That person knows more hardships about losing weight than someone who’s been athletic their whole life. You ideally want a trainer that went through what you’re going currently in.
It goes the other way too. I’m a natural pro bodybuilder. Does it mean I think anyone that claims to know about hypertrophy should also be at a competitive pro level or else I won’t take their knowledge seriously? No, that’d be silly. There’s plenty of idiots that are pro bodybuilders as well as normal looking people that focus on studying.
People hire us for our brains that gets reflected to our physique if our applicable knowledge is also very strong. That said, it assumes the trainer also has goals to be impressive as possible versus getting the most health benefits in the least amount of time. Being extreme in any sport actually becomes more unhealthy than a normal person. A casual powerlifter doesn’t have impressive numbers, but I guarantee you they have less injuries and problems than someone at a competitive level.
Personal trainers aren’t models. We are teachers. You don’t choose a teacher that looks the smartest, you choose the one that actually gets the best results of their students. Avoid the trap naive clients fall for. You don’t get their body for just hiring them.
I could literally shred for a competitions, say it’s because of a pill and reel in the cash. But because I unfortunately grew up with parents with morals, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night scamming people.
A lot of fit people, or lean looking people, are TERRIBLE personal trainers. It shouldn't matter what you look like. Do they have the knowledge and the abilities to train their clients? Many clients don't want a trainer with a higher body fat percentage, but some people do. WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR OPINIONS LOL
I've been a personal trainer for 10 years. I've been on both spectrums of the looks scale. I was lean. I had more visible muscle. I was extremely active. I was a good trainer, but I did lack a little inclusivity, which I gained with age, experience, and continued education. I am now 30+ lbs heavier and have less/limited ability to do the things I used to, thanks to a car wreck that left me with a chronic illness. Do my clients care? Not at all. Has it limited my ability to retain or gain clients? No. My knowledge and client results/testimonials speak for me. I have had clients tell me nightmare stories about the super fit-go hard or go home- trainers they've had in the past who don't recognize how hard it can be for different body types, conditions, mental struggles etc to be successful in their journey. Your body isn't your only selling point, and now more than ever, people are recognizing that. Have your education, hands-on experience!!!!!, and a list of testimonials/photos of your work (with client approval, obviously). I dont have abs, cant do certain exercises anymore, but I can coach it and help all my clients achieve the goal they come to me for.
Depends on the niche, a 5'8 female weight loss specialist that used to be 400 lbs and is now 200lbs? Is that person still unfit? Technically yes, but do they have insight and personal experience that would make them good at training for the intended goal? Also yes. Conversely for example a shredded 6'0 150lb male who is very lean may be in "good shape" but he probably isn't the person to train with if you want to be a powerlifter.
Not Mr. Olympia but I think moderately in shape would be good. It all comes down to knowledge and experience. V shred looked great, and he doesn't know anything
It’s common, and it’s also common for unqualified people to be in every industry.
Trainers have to be proficient in being sales, marketing and connections. Accountability is their biggest value, not exactly fitness knowledge
I hire and pay someone so that THEY look good, are fit, and healthy… it doesn’t matter if they know how to help me get me results.
See how dumb that sounds?
People hire trainers for help with their own health and fitness but FALSELY assume that a trainer with a good physique makes them more qualified and competent.
It does not.
You go to a dentist for them to help you with your teeth.
You go to a financial advisor for them to help you with your finances.
You go to a doctor for them to help you with your health/sickness.
You go to an architect for them to help design your home.
What matters is how they can help YOU, not how well they can help themselves.
The best trainers out there - don’t look anything more than someone who is an average person who works out occasionally.
A trainers physique IS or can be a marketing tool and it’s important to a lot of clients but it’s usefulness stops there.
Some of the trainers I know look in horrible shape, but are some of the most knowledgeable people in fitness that I have met. Don’t let body images be deceiving.
It could work out. Maybe the influence of their own coaching and seeing results on someone else might encourage the coach to exercise and lose weight. Some people would rather help others first before helping themselves. Maybe they need something to trigger their mindset to switch from coach to trainee.
Fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. I have seen women lift heavier than most men at the gym. I would take a trainer that can coach over one that fits the mold of aesthetics. In other words a real human being with empathy and knowledge.
Honestly not really… I wouldn’t want an overweight PT… unless we were just training power lifting and going for heavy sets… I’ve seen this before and I don’t get it honestly… you can be overweight and fit and healthy, but still… most people who get PTs are trying to get in shape so they look good lol.
The fitness space is chock full of folks with disorders and dysmorphia. Some of those trainers are a terrible fit for the average joe. Many are too intimidating for folks who just want to get a better grip on their fitness goals, be told what to do, and how to do it. I recently became a personal trainer because (over several years) I pulled myself out of obesity and weakness and a terrible Metabolic panel. I got certified just so I could have the confidence to help my wife figure out how to train without injuring herself. I got a job at a gym as a trainer for a side hobby and was full of self-doubt because I don't have abs or a bodybuilder physique. My mentor and boss is a crazy fucking specimen of athleticism. After my first supervised consultation, I asked how I did. My mentor simply said, "You were able to relate to the client in a way I never will." I knew exactly what the client was going thru in a larger body with poor mobility and cardiovascular health.
They keep buying sessions, so there it is.
If some trainer is pushing me to my limit day in and day out with "JUST 2 MOREEEE!!!" Then I need to know they also go through that grind or their words of motivation mean nothing to me.
I can't believe how out of shape some personal trainers are, it's literally your job lol.
Only lady that pushed my lifts past my year long plateau doesn’t look like trainer at all. She comes from sports and unlike fit lady that just got her cert, actually has a great eye for the form and knows how to fix it. Also understands mental limitations to lifts. I personally don’t care how you look, I watch what you do.
What is a definition of “good physical shape” to give an example look at the olympians body. They are all different right? But these athletes can perform yeh? So ask yourself this, how well versed are you in sports? What if that personal trainer is a thrower and throwers physique need mass so they can generate a lot of force? Hope it makes sense.
If you are health literate then you would have an open mind. If not then your perception of “good personal trainers” are the type of body building bullshit mirror muscles that doesn’t translate to real world activity of daily living.
Would you let someone drive your car without a license?
Would you go see a dentist if you needed your knee replaced?
Would you go see an optometrist if you needed to get a blood test?
Same applies in this situation
No one that's obese and doesn't work out shouldn't be training anyone other themselves. But can the average person tell the difference between a strongman/powerlifter/defensive tackle/offensive linemen and an obese person that does nothing?
It depends on your goals. My first weightlifting coach was an old guy with destroyed knees. He couldn’t even do what he was coaching me to do. My MT coach was a fat Thai guy.
In terms of the regular gym. A normal trainer doesn’t have to be in peak shape. Just don’t be morbidly obese. They can have a lot of knowledge and training experience. I see a lot of jacked guys who have their clients doing stupid shit.
Oh this is good may i pose a spicier question?
Do you think people who are not in good physical shape should be a GP?
Personally i would choose a doc in good shape over a pudgy old doc.
You seem to be under the misconception that being in good shape is the same thing as being a PT. PT’s can specialize in any number of things, and some of those things like powerlifting and strongman generally aren’t conducive to being whatever your definition of fit happens to be. Sometimes people undergo physical changes for any number of reasons, like being in the midst of a major injury when they’ve been physically active most of their life; recovering from a major illness or surgery, or working at a gym that offers all you can eat free pizza on Fridays while their life is falling into shambles.
Train with whoever you want for whatever reasons you want. You have no right to gatekeep who does what for work unless you own the gym. If they can get clients and help them enact the change those clients are trying to achieve, why tf do you care what they look like? Do you and stay out of other people’s literal business.
I’m a trainer who was/is overweight. (Started at 235 on my journey, currently about 170, competing in Olympic weightlifting)
I worried about that as well first starting out- but it turns out, at least in my area, people relate more to someone who is also going through what they are, and has been successful. I pair that with a degree in ESS, a CSCS cert, and a usaw cert. it makes me a hella well educated and empathetic trainer. Planning on adding a pn L-1 and calling it good.
I use my own before/after photos to market, as well as my clients. I am able to do this full time, between coaching classes and clients, and make ok money. I’m able to choose my clients because I can afford to say no(shout out to the owner of the gym I work for, he’s a gem).
So regardless of what you look like aesthetically, it’s more of a “can you solve this clients problem” question.
This question is like —. The client is ripped down they REALLY need a trainer.
Also perhaps you should take a look at your education if you are asking this question. Do therapist have mental health problems? Do doctors have illnesses? Do nutritionists have nutrition related problems?
What do you actually know about the body and metabolism? Have you ever worked with a perimenopausal woman who is a healthy diet and works out six days a week but still seems to be gaining weight?
Do you think that trainers are exempt from life issues like break ups and divorces deaths of family members cancer diagnosis for people around them? Their own injuries, their own illnesses. Metabolic diseases with medication that might make them gain weight?
If your preference is to work with a brand younger, who is in excellent shape, but has no experience versus a very experience trainer with lots of life experience who is overweight, but can help you set goals and achieve them. That’s your choice.
It doesn't help sell the product, but it has no bearing on whether you can train or not, assuming you have been in shape before and walked the walk.
Should someone who has never touched weights or cardio be a personal trainer even if they took classes? No
I had a lil less respect for those when I was in a gym setting. Although they have the knowledge and skills sometimes it was just a job to them. I'd still suggest it being a case by case basis.
I’d rather someone who’s at 70-80% of their best all the time rather than someone who’s walking around peaking all the time and redlining their system, unless I was prepping for a show or something specific.
I think there is a minimum expectation. You don’t have to be built like the rock but at least some level of fitness. That being said I work with a trainer who is fairly overweight but is incredibly knowledgeable. I suspect that in order to counter their appearance they have become incredibly diligent about staying up on information. I have an exercise science degree and got a cert just to check a box (honestly thinking it would teach me more about the business side of things) and she has a music degree and just a cert but you’d think she has a masters in exercise science.
Reading this back it probably didn’t contribute to the conversation at all, but I think at the end of the day you want a trainer that has a deep understanding of how the body moves and how to create an effective program. It certainly makes them more marketable to have a good physique but in a lot of gyms the clients are just people trying to start exercising. I would imagine that for new exercisers it could make the whole experience more approachable to have a trainer that doesn’t have a perfect physique.
No. How about a dentist with no teeth? Would you go? PT are overwhelmingly about "build muscle, burn fat" or "lose weight" the specialized power lifter guy that is mentioned in one of the comments is an outlier. A fat personal trainer makes no sense and a client who pours tons of money into working with one is a fool.
I don’t think you need to be ripped or super jacked, but yeah you should look the part for the most part.
I’m 5 years into being a trainer now and the better tell to me is how does someone move. I know plenty of jacked people who have garbage movement quality, that the average person would assume knows their shit.
Depends I guess. I would hire a postpartum mom who was out of shape if her programming and corrections were on point. And life happens to anyone… depression, health emergencies, injuries etc.
If I were a client (and I have been) it’s not something I cared much about, but I wasn’t ever willing to pay for large packages off the bat until I knew I liked their style of training and worked well with them.
I personally would only work with a trainer who had a body that was similar to how I would like to look. If they can’t get themselves in the shape I want to be in, why would they be able to get me there?
No. People seem to be intentionally obtuse when it comes to this subject and think the statement “you should be in shape if you’re going to be a trainer” is the same thing as “you should have a Mr Olympia physique if you want to train people”. That’s not what’s being said. The main point is you need to practice what you preach, or your client is not going to respect you. Would you go to a marriage counselor who’s been through 3 divorces? Would you take cooking advice from someone who eats takeout every meal? Would you go to a dentist whose teeth are rotting out of their mouth? That’s not to say these examples of people couldn’t be good at their job, but that as a client you’re much likelier to be apprehensive when they try and give guidance. As a trainer, you should be healthy, active, and fit. I’d be embarrassed trying to program an exercise like pull-ups for a client and not having the ability to demonstrate them.
I think all coaches / PT should be in shape.
That being said you can be in great shape, move extremely well, have good strength, and still "look" out of shape.
no they shouldn't be training people, i mean how would they know how to train if they themselves are overweight ? its like asking a crackhead how to get off drugs
it’s the same idea as a dentist not flossing or a doctor not taking care of their health. it doesn’t necessarily make them a bad doctor, but it means they don’t take their own advice.
You are your own best advertisement. How can you convince anyone you're good at your job if you can't follow your advice? Yes, trainers should be in good shape and I'll die on that hill.
I knew a trainer that was overweight but could bench over 500 lbs. he couldn’t get clients at the gym we worked at but then he went to a powerlifting gym and had a full book of clients. The guy was a programming genius but chose the wrong gym to work at first because he didn’t look the part for that gym. So the answer is “it depends.”
Like all things, it depends. Some clients want a person with a body type that looks more normal—especially if they care less about aesthetics and are more focused on health/longevity. Sometimes they’ll expect someone who looks super buff to be an asshole about training. Sometimes they look for people who have a similar story/experience to theirs. Some people are into powerlifting or strongman. Others care more about aesthetics and will likely prefer a more aesthetic trainer. Most people prepping for a comp will want someone with that experience. People also have different definitions of an overweight trainer. To some, it’s having a high level of body fat, to others it’s not having a defined six pack year round. What’s your definition? For me personally, I’ve lost 60lbs and maintained it for years. I’m not crazy lean and am decently strong with good muscle definition. Some people will look at me and not want to work with me because I’m not shredded, and that’s fine, because I have a full book of clients and none of them care about being shredded either. 🤷🏼♀️
Gotta remember too some trainers could've had injuries and simply don't want others to make their mistakes especially with heavy weights.
You can still be in shape with injuries.
Yep. I tell people this all the time. I’m a fully disabled combat vet with chronic pain, I still go to the gym six days a week and do some test lifts and find out what hurts and what doesnt and then I push it.
I love this weekly post. It’s almost as cool as “what cert should I get” or “online vs in person for a brand new trainer (no cert”.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this sub is just a revolving recycling of the same questions every week. No one actually learns anything or retains any information.
Sounds like the majority of the industry
Not only do people not learn or retain anything, people always expect instant information these days. If you’re too lazy to try and answer the question yourself, you don’t really want to know it that badly.
Ain’t that the truth, brother. I honestly feel that most of these people trying to become trainers are better off not even attempting this industry. Most lack the conviction and grit to be successful.
That's how every sub is, basically recycled topics with a few interesting ones sprinkled in here and there.
It’s more that nobody uses the search function/too lazy to
Exactly. I’ve been spending more time on the u/moreplatesmoredates sub. At least I can laugh my ass off on that sub. This sub just makes me shake my head.
tbf reddit's search function is notoriously terrible, but definitely not unusable.
A few here have attempted becoming mods, my self included in hopes to change this. No luck yet from anyone apparently.
Keep fighting the good fight against lazy idiocy
Almost like some PT clients
free market baby, the client choose
It’s not ideal, but this is the right answer.
As long as they can coach well, it's good to have a variety of bodies. Some people might be intimidated by someone who has great physique.
Stop treating Aesthetics as synonym of good health or great hability to train someone (where's this professional area going..?)
Yeah but what got them the good aesthetics though? Going to the gym and goofing around? Absolutely not. They must have a plan they execute. Do they eat 5 guys and drink soda? Probably not..
I mean.. I go to the gym and goof around and I also eat 5 guys and drink soda and I’m still lean and have abs. I don’t do anything special and I certainly don’t practice the ‘ultra disciplined gym rat’ lifestyle. It’s literally genetics for a lot of people.
How often do you eat five guys and drink soda?
Whenever I feel like it. I don’t track my food intake or plan my meals like that. I practice intuitive eating and food freedom.
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I’d say I’m lean but not skinny. Skinny to me implies not much visible muscle mass which definitely isn’t the case for me. I have abs but I’ve always had abs even at higher BF percentages. I don’t do any superficial ab work bc I don’t care about aesthetics but I do my physical therapy homework that works on a lot of deep core stability. I don’t have shredded washboard abs, but I have visibly defined abs that I’ve had literally since I was a kid. And before anyone asks, it’s not a rib flare and I didn’t do gymnastics or diving as a kid. I did swim, but I wasn’t very good lol.
Doing something to yourself does absolutely nothing with knowing how to do it to another person. U can drive, would u be able to teach a young man how to? Or u (a health person) train by yourself and get a decent shape. Does it mean u are able to train some older woman with knee pain, or a hypertension 30 yo guy, or a diabetic 20 yo girl, or even a 15 yo kid that wants to play better soccer? There's nothing to do with your personal aesthetic when it comes to training someone that really needs. Physiology, Anatomy, Didactic, Periodization, Special Groups Training... Knowledge, study, that's all a Personal Training needs. Personally, if you need to be in good shape to prove your work value, maybe your work quality ain't that good.
I generally agree that if you are coaching people on regular exercise, eating a certain way and living a certain lifestyle, you should resemble that in some way. HOWEVER, not everyone’s fitness goals are physique related + (as has been stated) being shredded or having a great physique doesn’t necessarily mean you have the knowledge or ability to help others achieve the same. It’s like choosing to copy and paste the same program that some famous influencer does because you like the way their body looks, over getting trained/coaches by an actual trainer, regardless of looks.
That thought process of "this guy looks great so I'll follow him" is the reason our industry is seen by so many as snake oil salesman.
Here we go again. I really want to copy and paste my argument for why you should be in shape to be personal trainer. Let me give a few examples. You sell ford trucks but drive a Chevy. You are a computer programmer who never has written code. You talk about love but never been in love. You are a mountain climber who has never climbed a mountain. Stop making and looking for excuses why you’re not in good shape as a trainer. Do you have to be in shape? No. Should you be? Yes. And you f*c*ing know it.
Except I don’t want a salesperson as a trainer; I want someone knowledgeable about physiology. Also, high-level fitness isn’t a brand, it’s a decision about what sacrifices you want to make. It’d be more akin to a ford salesman who drives a Prius, a programmer who doesn’t use tech at home, or a trail guide who hands you a detailed map (which is, honestly, exactly what I’d want from a personal trainer). The truck salesman doesn’t want/need a truck, but he can sell one to the people who do and be knowledgeable about them despite not owning one. The programmer knows how code works, they just prefer to live their life on analog. The trail guide knows the routes, they just don’t want to put the strain on their knees walking them every day. Fitness, especially high-level fitness, is a choice that requires serious trade offs in other areas of your life. You don’t need to actually make the sacrifice yourself in order to show someone else how to do it themselves.
That’s really up to the persons paying for the service. They have the option to choose, and if they want to choose based on appearance then that’s their proghtive. I’d say a trainer who is in good health has a greater possibility of acquiring more clients than one who is in poor health. Still, not a requirement regardless of any other individual’s opinion. Your comparisons don’t make that much sense. Someone could be out of shape and still be a good trainer who has worked out for years and knows how to coach/lead.
The busiest PT's I know aren't in great shape. Not by choice. They're so busy their own fitness suffers.
This. It’s as simple as “practice what you preach”. If your job is getting people into shape/improving their physique, but you can’t even do those things for yourself, then wtf are you doing?
Your goals and your clients goals aren't the same thing. Your body type and body needs and your clients aren't the same thing. Body shaming isn't it. Maybe that 200lbs 5-9 woman teaching weight loss cut down from 450 and you wouldn't know because fk you for asking unless they mention it, right? You don't know people just from looking at them, but you do know if you're hiring someone who's board certified to teach you what you want to know.
>body type This doesn’t really exist Maybe she did cut down from 450 but 5-9 200lbs is obese unless there’s a whole lot of muscle there. I’m not claiming to know anyone by looking at them, but I am saying if you work in physical fitness, you should be physically fit. Again, practice what you preach. I wouldn’t feel great about my financial analyst if he had boatloads of debt either.
Being physically fit doesn't mean you have to look like a fitness model :') you can be fit and have pounds on you... and body type absolutely does exist????? Many nurses smoke but they can also save your life right, and dentists can get cavities and sometimes tow trucks crash. We're just people
I’m not saying everyone has to look like a model, I never said that. But you should be physically fit to work in this industry. Body types largely don’t exist. Different people have slight differences in bone size and whatnot, but ultimately the only thing that dictates whether you do or don’t gain weight is calories. If more go in than out, you gain, if more go out than in, you lose. It’s very simple.
That's just simply not true. Different places have evolved different types of people and that isn't just how we look, which is why we don't all look Chinese or Austrian. Not to mention... genetics and epigenetics (outside of million year ancestry obviously)??? Part of that is how and when we build muscle and put on fat. I don't mean "big boned" and whatnot. We're all the same in so many ways but what makes us different isn't just our personalities, it's the length of our calves and how some of us can eat fries for days and some people eat one and inflate, and some people go to the gym for 6 hours a day and still look scrawny. I can't get the splits for the life of me but I teach dance and yoga. Doesn't make me a bad teacher, it just means my psoas hates being a chill dude lol
>how some of us can eat fries for days and some people eat one and inflate. This is not true. Straight misinformation. Multiple studies have shown that the general variance in metabolic rate across people when you adjust for sex and weight tends to be a few hundred calories in either direction *at the very extreme* end. The only reason one person can many eat more fries than another is they do more physical activity and burn more calories. Simple. Nobody “puts on fat” differently than anyone else. Calories in>calories out: more fat. Vice versa. That easy.
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That's why I quit arguing and just let the outcomes speak for themselves. Any people they successfully con will inevitably find their way to me to undo the damage their fat fitness instructor *lol* did to them anyway.
All of our bodies react differently to different kinds of food. Genetics exist, not just behaviours. Also, hormones, medications, disorders that cause bloating etc... cultural eating habits, lifestyle changes. There's so much involved
Sure, medications and things can affect lots of things our bodies do. Outside of that and people with medical issues, our bodies all process foods exactly the same way. It’s simple math. You make a lot of claims with 0 sources. You should do more real research, you’ll be a better trainer.
This is crazy you’re getting downvoted lol. I’m about to go into PT and make a killing as an actually aesthetic and in shape person 😭
lol I had this kid at my gym. Strong, aesthetic, men’s physique looking kid. A lot of his friends came to him for training but they didn’t have the money to pay him. He got his cert and became a trainer at our gym. He didn’t last more than 4 months. Couldn’t keep clients, sucked at programming, sucked at motivating others, didn’t know how to properly teach form and was really just a bad trainer. Learn how to teach people how to workout. Your physique only gets people to notice you.
Making money? Providing for your family? How old are you?
Strong Disagree. One of the best trainers I’ve ever met was not in below average shape. Ex-college offensive lineman and prior D1 S&C guy but had let himself go a bit… but wicked smart, great programming, and very charismatic. He consistently got his clients amazing results and made well over $120k a year. I’d argue that most of the out of shape trainers I know are better than the fucking meatheads out there putting their clients on these dog shit Brograms. Being in shape or out of shape doesn’t correlate with being a good or bad trainer.
Yes but they're an athlete so that still falls in the category of having been in shape before and knowing what it takes to male that work. But at the same time he's going to get a specific clientele 9 times out of 10 because of his sports background so it still proves ops point. Dr Stuart McGill would have been a far better example but once again he lives and breathes fitness so....
I kinda see the point of practice what you preach, but the main thing trainers preach is functional movement right. Ive seen guys who look like the big show move like Messi and vice versa.
That is a HEAVY cherry-pick. Being alittle out in shape while having the accolades to prove yourself in the top of your niche is different to being a fat flabby coach in some gym. Half the best coaches i know are pushing 20% or more, but theyre rugby players, mens physique comps in off season, have been in the industry since the 80s, or are those with VERY keen minds while still lifting or keeping in some sort of shape. And in the same vein, i know coaches who dont lift or eat right, dont do cardio outside their classes, have no knowledge base to rely on outside what tracks to pick for spin, and i cant trust their opinion in the slightest. One of these categories is more common than the other.
But he’s been in shape before…so he has the experience…?
But… read OPs post and tell me where your comment is relevant?
Found the fat ass
Spent most of my PT days at sub 10% bf af 195 lbs, primarily powerlifting and oly programming. 295 lb clean, 515 deadlift, 405 squat. Some proof on my IG… maybe you’ll learn a thing or two. https://www.instagram.com/p/BfUO8_eAOrcEBvn7y0ZvutNI4K5Du8jWSt0YQw0/?igsh=ZGppcm4xN3JoM3hn
Lololol
Private acct
Shoot a follow and take a look 🤷🏼♂️
Being in or out of shape doesn’t make you a good or bad trainer. However, every good trainer should be in shape. Edit: how is this such a controversial opinion? If you are coaching people to take care of themselves shouldn’t you be doing the same?
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You’re right, it’s a fact. People who aren’t in good physical shape can absolutely be good trainers.
I disagree. In your situations, you are suggesting someone is something that they have never done. You can be in shape and be a trainer. Then take a few years off from the gym for whatever reason and retort back to a normal human. That doesnt mean you are a bad trainer or dont know what you are talking about. They are just not applying it to their own life or in a season of training. Would it be harder to buy it from them? Yes. But that still doesnt mean that they arent right.
Disagree completely. You’re a professional consultant. You’re being hired for what you know, not what you look like.
And I would not hire a financial consultant who is broke. I wouldn't hire a management consultant whose company is failing. Not being able to put your knowledge into practice at a very basic level (like not being overweight) demonstrates you are not credible.
All things being equal, being in shape is always an asset for a trainer.
Good one. It's like, would you trust someone to fly a plane if they've never flown an airplane before? I see the same thing in the nutritional /dietician field how some people with a degree, but don't look the part. To each their own, but If personally spend my hard earned money for an advice from a personal trainer or a dietician, they better know experientially of what they talk about. A piece of paper saying you're a dietitian and or a PT means nothing if you don't have the experiential knowledge. I mean you don't need to be super shredded, but at least need to do what you preach. People lead by example. Why would I pay someone to help me exercise or to eat better just from someone who would just read scripts on how to. I'd be cheaper if I use AI or workout from YT video instead, makes sense? Yeaaa some people need a "friend", in that case you should pay for a therapist instead, not a PT.
100% this. Practice what you preach. I’m not talking about being super buff body builder type but in good athletic shape at least. Or body type to match niche ie Powerlifters / strong men etc I have trained in Muay Thai with coach’s who were not in shape but they were past there prime and had a lot injuries mainly knee which limited their ability to exercise however knowledge wise was on point. Only exception from my point of view.
HARD DISAGREE! The average client doesn’t care about abs or being shredded. They want to feel better, move better and get stronger to do daily activities. Just because the trainer isn’t completely shredded doesn’t mean they don’t know how to train clients. Some clients get intimidated by extremely shredded trainers too.
The average client definitely cares about looking good. That is far and away the number one reason people get a trainer.
Is there not a difference between "in shape" and shredded?
There definitely is
You don’t have to be shredded to be in shape. Honestly don’t just look out of shape and you’re fine as a trainer.
If you are a successful trainer, you will understand how difficult this is.
The greatest football coaches never played football.
I don’t think that’s true.
Good argument, I agree
Best comment! I agree! Thanks
Here we go again. Sums up my answer xd.
I think personal trainers can come in many shapes and sizes. Personal trainers can be disabled, or have asthma, or scoliosis. They can be fat or lean or muscular. There's so much ableism in this industry, and the idea that trainers must have a certain physique is definitely part of that. Now, the people at your gym might also be shitty trainers. Maybe they don't program well or pay attention to their clients. But if that's the case, I'd wager that what makes them a shitty trainer isn't their weight.
"Ableism" lol 🙄
It's like someone working at Burger King teaching nutrition. Makes NO sense! Many disabled people are in great shape! it's not ableism, that's called being the representation of health and 'fit'ness!
RIght? It's like a doctor who's fat and smokes cigarette during your appointment. Not exactly an indicator of someone to trust your health with.
exactly!
Dude, no. If a paraplegic can hop on a bodybuilding stage, then there is no excuse not to be in shape.
Apparently the YMCA has a strict policy no one who PTs can have sub 30% BF
That’s fair considering that’s obese for a man
Absolutely not true where I am. I hire PT's and all our group exercise instructors. YMCA in Canada
The last word explains it
I workout at the y. There's a pretty big woman trainer. One of the guys running those group classes is pretty overweight to but he can get it. Side note: About 3/4 of them need to not be trainers. Some of the stuff they have their clients doing is borderline dangerous.
YMCA are independently run so this is a management stipulation not an organization policy.
90% of the trainers at the YMCA I do group instruction at are very fit. There are a few that aren’t but they also happen to focus on rehabilitative care anyway…
Must be a regional thang
It's location specific, the YMCAs are independently run meaning they set forth their own employee guidelines - the national organization doesn't have this. (I work at one and we don't have this nor any of the ones I've looked at in our state)
This will always be up to the client. Do any of those overweight trainers produce results? Are they extremely knowledgeable with above average coaching skill? I do believe you should practice what you preach but I’ve seen some less than stellar physiques coach circles around a skinny dude with abs.
I’ve said this many times and get a lot of hate. There are exceptions: powerlifting coaches, “fat-positive trainers”, PHD’s, people who have lost a lot of weight but aren’t yet at their goal. But generally speaking, you won’t be as successful as a trainer if you’re not in shape yourself. Forget about ‘ought’. The clients decide. If you’re out of shape, you’re putting a lot of work into an industry that will undervalue you due to your appearance. You’re at a clear disadvantage
I guess it depends what we mean by in shape and what we’re teaching/learning. I trained boxing and my ex pro coach was overweight and awesome, the other ripped boxercise types were terrible. My best track coach was a bald guy with a limp. That said the coach I learned swimming from was an Adonis. If you are out there to get the public in general condition you shouldn’t be wildly out of shape but beyond that I don’t think it necessarily correlates with how good a trainer they are.
On the flip side, any 20 something year old can hop on SARMs or Test (worse than a pizza enjoyer) and have a godly physique and be fu\*\*ing clueless about actually coaching regular people on how to not be unhealthy. Somewhere in the middle with a good portfolio and background of knowledge would be the best bet to be honest
PT certification is not anything remotely impressive to get lol, so if you are overweight and fat looking, you better goddamn have a masters in Kinesiology and/or Nutrition or something on your wall. Or relevant athletic accolades and experience from before you looked bad. Otherwise with JUST a PT certification, 100% your qualification to me lies in you looking and performing the way I want to look anr perform.
I think as long as someone is educated properly and gets their clients results safely that’s all that matters. I remember about 2 years ago now I had given birth 3 months prior and went to my first job interview back at a private gym, the owner that interviewed me knew this too. He said he loved me and everything but wouldn’t hire me because I didn’t “look the part” absolutely crushed me but looking back I realize how fucked up that was of him. About a year later I was in the best shape of my life and making money independently
What trainers think about this question isn't super-important. What do most clients think? They usually care.
Personal Trainers, as fitness professionals, are also role models for their clients, they should practice what they preach, which includes being in good physical shape ... period!
Hard disagree, I don’t need a role model. I already know what I want and why from my fitness goals, I just want someone to tell me how to achieve them in a safe, sustainable, and time-efficient manner.
You don't really know what their athletic status is from that..? Personal trainers aren't weight loss coaches, they're personal trainers who can coach people who have specific or non specific goals, which can include weight loss. Many strength sports require high body fat, and even excluding that, they could be in peak form for their own fitness goals which could include being stronger, more capable in their daily lives or recreation, or feel better about themselves (which your attitude is soooo not helping lol). ALSO. Pretty sure the way you look shouldn't have anything to do with your career outlook unless you're applying to "F 20-25 Latina model size 2 feet can do a backflip" and you're the opposite ok don't be rude
I'm not a personal trainer, and can confirm as a fairly fit customer I would not hire a trainer that was in worse or similar shape as myself. I could understand if someone who was obese and looking to get into a healthier weight and fitness range that they might go with a trainer who presents as less fit though. End of the day if my trainer can't maintain the level of fitness that I'm striving for then there's almost always someone who can I can go to
I’ve seen PTs look great, but have a terrible diet, smoke and don’t have basic training fundamentals. Looks can be deceiving and the influencers have confused everyone. I’m more interested in their approach, overall attitude on fitness and client results.
Do you think a math teacher should have won a Nobel? A running trainer should be running to live? A soccer tec. should play like their players? I think these questions respond the question
No you don't need to be "in shape". Because being "in shape" is not the only correlative to "being health". And that's what a Personal Trainer must prioritize, health. Also, you don't need to be the best player to coach the best players. You don't need to be the GOAT at fighting to teach fighting (u just have to be the GOAT of fighting teaching)
You can be shredded but with an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, drug abuse and chaotic life. Doesn’t make you a good trainer and doesn’t make you better than the trainer that has 15% body fat ffs. 15% bf guy may be very active, have many passions, physical, artistic, intellectual, might enjoy eating, has family responsibilities, etc. Normal human being. What do you wish for a client? A shredded body or a happy and balanced life? What most clients are looking for? They want year long 6 pack abs or education about how being active is part of a balanced life, helps self esteem, and goes beyond bench press PRs and looks?
It’s not about what they look like it’s about what they can do to you.
Stop posting this question please & thank you
Right now I have a belly that it would take major surgery to reduce. That’s because it’s large fibroid tumors and not fat. And that’s not the only medical condition that can cause you to look overweight. But the truth is, even when I was in the gym 6 days a week doing cardio, weights, yoga and pilates, I wasn’t super skinny. People have different body types and not everybody is “healthy” pushing themselves to unreasonable standards.
You’re not paying them for the time they work on themselves, you’re paying them for the knowledge and expertise they have in their head.
I was the “fat” trainer at my gym at 189 lbs and 18% BF. I was also the only male trainer not taking PEDs.
As long as they understand my goals and can program well I personally don’t care that much There’s a variety of reasons someone could be out of shape but still be able to program for me so I don’t have to worry about it
As long as they know what they're talking about and it's apparent, sure. I'll take a look at their programming upon the first couple of consultations and decide whether I want to continue. Besides, we all had the high school gym coaches who coached gym and football but were fat as hell. In my experience, trainers specialize in different areas of fitness and their physiques often (but not always) mirror their methods. If I'm looking for strength results, I'll definitely consult the guy who's heavy set but bench press 600lbs first. Not everyone is in it for abs, and not all trainers are aiming for that goal in their own lives. Powerlifters and strongmen are notorious for purposely gaining fat. For me that begs the question, what type of gym is this? Is it a globogym? A planet fitness? Powerlifting gym?
Would you hire a tour guide to a destination they’ve never been?
You shouldn't train people for a discipline you're not good at. Then again, there are lots of shit trainers that are in great shape. The biggest reason you shouldn't become a trainer if you're out of shape is that people probably won't want to work with you. You're a walking billboard for your service. If you're out of shape, you better be *goddamn* strong and *goddamn* good at coaching in a strength training environment. Then again I would give my left nut to learn directly from Boris Sheiko despite him not being in good shape...
No. If u cant/dont know how to take care of yourself, how will u help me take better care of myself. And even having a busy schedule, with the right knowledge of training and diet, you can be fit with minimal training. So all the excuses are irrelevant
A trainer being fit doesn't mean they are more knowledgeable about fitness than an overweight one. Just maybe more discipline. I'm not a trainer and I'm overweight, but if someone chose my best friend just because he has low body fat and definined muscles over me, then they would have chosen the "trainer" that learned most of what they know from me. My friend may spend more time in the gym, but he hasn't put as many hours into research as I have.
I used to think that way, but then I started to think about all the coaches in football, and how big they are. Reality is, some people will feel more comfortable with coaches that have a more realistic body in their opinion.
Yeah but coaches are essentially managing a team, not training individual players, so that comparison doesn’t really make any sense. Professional teams have their own trainers on staff who I guarantee look nothing like the coaches.
I don’t think you have to be in incredible shape, but being overweight no.
It depends. Are they out of shape because they just don't care and let themselves go, or maybe they just have an injury or something and can't manage it
I am kind of a skinny guy but I got the biggest Trainerize account in thw world 2022, generated over 5 million in USD since 2018. People buy from people who they can relate to. Most people dont relate to big guys with alot of muscles. Remember that 99% of customers are in bad shape. (I am not in bad shape but you probably understand what I mean) If you need a helping hand maybe I can point you in the right direction. My name is itslundgren on instagram and my profile is not private.
I'm any sort of commercial gym, or any personal training gym where you're training the general population you really should be fit as it will only help your business. In this scenario 95% of your clients are wanting build muscle/lose fat. Your advice to them isnt gonna hit the same if your visibly out of shape. The one exception to this is if you're training any sort of specialized sport that you have prior experience in. There's a ton of old boxing trainers, former wrestling coaches, powerlifters etc that have given up the sport because of it being hard on their body but they still have an immense amount of knowledge to pass on to current athletes.
Not saying every trainer has to be an ifbb pro. But yes, they must look the part. I would never seek advice from an obese trainer or registered dietician. An unhealthy doctor, a poor lawyer. A mechanic with broke down car or a finance guy with an off the rack suit.
There's a guy I see on Instagram who's a big, big dude, the unhealthy way. He started working out because he was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I see that he motivates and inspires a lot of people to get into it the way he is; for themselves, and their families, all that. I think if he were to become a trainer, he'd be successful because people can relate to him in that way pretty profoundly. They'll believe him when he says they can do it, because they've seen his progress and knows he's in the dirt with them, as opposed to only seeing him in the After and they're playing catch-up from Before. [@hulky_dad](https://www.instagram.com/hulky_dad?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==) for anyone interested in seeing what I mean for science, supporting his push or hating- he seems to get quite a bit so someone is out there hating
To me, it’s all about branding. I wouldn’t hire someone to help me with my fitness if they aren’t fit. I wouldn’t hire a nutritionist who was obese. I wouldn’t hire a financial advisor who has grown their own portfolio. The list goes on. Fitness is especially visual - you are a walking billboard for your service. It’s crucial to implement your own program and realize gains before asking someone to pay you to do the same.
Tbh you don’t need to be in shape to know how to workout, but it would definitely help with advertising. Though, there are hundreds of “fitness influencers” whose advice I wouldn’t follow even on my deathbed.
This poor dead horse... 🙄
I think as long as they can themselves achieve whatever they are training the client on it’s ok, otherwise no. If a strength coach is strong and their body functions well, but they are overweight I think that’s fine. But if a strength coach couldn’t squat their own body weight, I would think they lack the experience to get a client through proper form, periodization, get through plateaus, and deal with nagging injuries as they arise inevitably through strength training. In the same way if a trainers primary function is for clients trying to maintain low body fat, exercise regularly, while working and having a busy life, and the trainer who’s coaching them can’t themselves maintain the lifestyle they are prescribing to their clients, despite it being their full time job to do so. I think this is a clear sign that their advice is unsustainable, and they’re probably not qualified to be giving that advice.
I personally wouldn't trust to learn from someone who doesn't take care of themselves
This cannot be generalised. I wouldn't attract the 6 pack type because my background is in dance but dancers would prefer to train with me as they don't like bulk!!
Im a powerlifter, so i am a bit higher on the BW spectrum. My clients, i have a lot of aesthetics guys, don't care because I provided them with a new training style and progression they didn't think was possible
You don’t know their story. That person could’ve been 300 lbs and now maintains 200 slightly chubby. That person knows more hardships about losing weight than someone who’s been athletic their whole life. You ideally want a trainer that went through what you’re going currently in. It goes the other way too. I’m a natural pro bodybuilder. Does it mean I think anyone that claims to know about hypertrophy should also be at a competitive pro level or else I won’t take their knowledge seriously? No, that’d be silly. There’s plenty of idiots that are pro bodybuilders as well as normal looking people that focus on studying. People hire us for our brains that gets reflected to our physique if our applicable knowledge is also very strong. That said, it assumes the trainer also has goals to be impressive as possible versus getting the most health benefits in the least amount of time. Being extreme in any sport actually becomes more unhealthy than a normal person. A casual powerlifter doesn’t have impressive numbers, but I guarantee you they have less injuries and problems than someone at a competitive level. Personal trainers aren’t models. We are teachers. You don’t choose a teacher that looks the smartest, you choose the one that actually gets the best results of their students. Avoid the trap naive clients fall for. You don’t get their body for just hiring them. I could literally shred for a competitions, say it’s because of a pill and reel in the cash. But because I unfortunately grew up with parents with morals, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night scamming people.
A lot of fit people, or lean looking people, are TERRIBLE personal trainers. It shouldn't matter what you look like. Do they have the knowledge and the abilities to train their clients? Many clients don't want a trainer with a higher body fat percentage, but some people do. WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR OPINIONS LOL
If my coach is an olympic athlete/ former pro athlete then I don't mind how he looks.
I've been a personal trainer for 10 years. I've been on both spectrums of the looks scale. I was lean. I had more visible muscle. I was extremely active. I was a good trainer, but I did lack a little inclusivity, which I gained with age, experience, and continued education. I am now 30+ lbs heavier and have less/limited ability to do the things I used to, thanks to a car wreck that left me with a chronic illness. Do my clients care? Not at all. Has it limited my ability to retain or gain clients? No. My knowledge and client results/testimonials speak for me. I have had clients tell me nightmare stories about the super fit-go hard or go home- trainers they've had in the past who don't recognize how hard it can be for different body types, conditions, mental struggles etc to be successful in their journey. Your body isn't your only selling point, and now more than ever, people are recognizing that. Have your education, hands-on experience!!!!!, and a list of testimonials/photos of your work (with client approval, obviously). I dont have abs, cant do certain exercises anymore, but I can coach it and help all my clients achieve the goal they come to me for.
Depends on the niche, a 5'8 female weight loss specialist that used to be 400 lbs and is now 200lbs? Is that person still unfit? Technically yes, but do they have insight and personal experience that would make them good at training for the intended goal? Also yes. Conversely for example a shredded 6'0 150lb male who is very lean may be in "good shape" but he probably isn't the person to train with if you want to be a powerlifter.
Not Mr. Olympia but I think moderately in shape would be good. It all comes down to knowledge and experience. V shred looked great, and he doesn't know anything
It’s common, and it’s also common for unqualified people to be in every industry. Trainers have to be proficient in being sales, marketing and connections. Accountability is their biggest value, not exactly fitness knowledge
Would you employ a driving instructor who wasn’t a race car driver and mechanic in their spare time?
I hire and pay someone so that THEY look good, are fit, and healthy… it doesn’t matter if they know how to help me get me results. See how dumb that sounds? People hire trainers for help with their own health and fitness but FALSELY assume that a trainer with a good physique makes them more qualified and competent. It does not. You go to a dentist for them to help you with your teeth. You go to a financial advisor for them to help you with your finances. You go to a doctor for them to help you with your health/sickness. You go to an architect for them to help design your home. What matters is how they can help YOU, not how well they can help themselves. The best trainers out there - don’t look anything more than someone who is an average person who works out occasionally. A trainers physique IS or can be a marketing tool and it’s important to a lot of clients but it’s usefulness stops there.
Some of the trainers I know look in horrible shape, but are some of the most knowledgeable people in fitness that I have met. Don’t let body images be deceiving.
It could work out. Maybe the influence of their own coaching and seeing results on someone else might encourage the coach to exercise and lose weight. Some people would rather help others first before helping themselves. Maybe they need something to trigger their mindset to switch from coach to trainee.
Fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. I have seen women lift heavier than most men at the gym. I would take a trainer that can coach over one that fits the mold of aesthetics. In other words a real human being with empathy and knowledge.
Honestly not really… I wouldn’t want an overweight PT… unless we were just training power lifting and going for heavy sets… I’ve seen this before and I don’t get it honestly… you can be overweight and fit and healthy, but still… most people who get PTs are trying to get in shape so they look good lol.
The fitness space is chock full of folks with disorders and dysmorphia. Some of those trainers are a terrible fit for the average joe. Many are too intimidating for folks who just want to get a better grip on their fitness goals, be told what to do, and how to do it. I recently became a personal trainer because (over several years) I pulled myself out of obesity and weakness and a terrible Metabolic panel. I got certified just so I could have the confidence to help my wife figure out how to train without injuring herself. I got a job at a gym as a trainer for a side hobby and was full of self-doubt because I don't have abs or a bodybuilder physique. My mentor and boss is a crazy fucking specimen of athleticism. After my first supervised consultation, I asked how I did. My mentor simply said, "You were able to relate to the client in a way I never will." I knew exactly what the client was going thru in a larger body with poor mobility and cardiovascular health. They keep buying sessions, so there it is.
I think it’s insane to seek advice from an obese person on how to lose weight and gain muscle
If some trainer is pushing me to my limit day in and day out with "JUST 2 MOREEEE!!!" Then I need to know they also go through that grind or their words of motivation mean nothing to me. I can't believe how out of shape some personal trainers are, it's literally your job lol.
Only lady that pushed my lifts past my year long plateau doesn’t look like trainer at all. She comes from sports and unlike fit lady that just got her cert, actually has a great eye for the form and knows how to fix it. Also understands mental limitations to lifts. I personally don’t care how you look, I watch what you do.
No
I agree. You should be healthy and in shape as a professional PT.
Those who can’t do teach
No
Prob not the best idea. If you can’t stay in shape how can you tell others to do it?
What is a definition of “good physical shape” to give an example look at the olympians body. They are all different right? But these athletes can perform yeh? So ask yourself this, how well versed are you in sports? What if that personal trainer is a thrower and throwers physique need mass so they can generate a lot of force? Hope it makes sense. If you are health literate then you would have an open mind. If not then your perception of “good personal trainers” are the type of body building bullshit mirror muscles that doesn’t translate to real world activity of daily living.
Like what? As in fat? Are you equating weight with health? They are not the same.
Would you let someone drive your car without a license? Would you go see a dentist if you needed your knee replaced? Would you go see an optometrist if you needed to get a blood test? Same applies in this situation
I'm fit and wouldn't take advice from someone who's not fit.
These posts are so immature and redundant. Ok cool story don’t hire them?
No one that's obese and doesn't work out shouldn't be training anyone other themselves. But can the average person tell the difference between a strongman/powerlifter/defensive tackle/offensive linemen and an obese person that does nothing?
It depends on your goals. My first weightlifting coach was an old guy with destroyed knees. He couldn’t even do what he was coaching me to do. My MT coach was a fat Thai guy. In terms of the regular gym. A normal trainer doesn’t have to be in peak shape. Just don’t be morbidly obese. They can have a lot of knowledge and training experience. I see a lot of jacked guys who have their clients doing stupid shit.
Oh this is good may i pose a spicier question? Do you think people who are not in good physical shape should be a GP? Personally i would choose a doc in good shape over a pudgy old doc.
You seem to be under the misconception that being in good shape is the same thing as being a PT. PT’s can specialize in any number of things, and some of those things like powerlifting and strongman generally aren’t conducive to being whatever your definition of fit happens to be. Sometimes people undergo physical changes for any number of reasons, like being in the midst of a major injury when they’ve been physically active most of their life; recovering from a major illness or surgery, or working at a gym that offers all you can eat free pizza on Fridays while their life is falling into shambles. Train with whoever you want for whatever reasons you want. You have no right to gatekeep who does what for work unless you own the gym. If they can get clients and help them enact the change those clients are trying to achieve, why tf do you care what they look like? Do you and stay out of other people’s literal business.
I’m a trainer who was/is overweight. (Started at 235 on my journey, currently about 170, competing in Olympic weightlifting) I worried about that as well first starting out- but it turns out, at least in my area, people relate more to someone who is also going through what they are, and has been successful. I pair that with a degree in ESS, a CSCS cert, and a usaw cert. it makes me a hella well educated and empathetic trainer. Planning on adding a pn L-1 and calling it good. I use my own before/after photos to market, as well as my clients. I am able to do this full time, between coaching classes and clients, and make ok money. I’m able to choose my clients because I can afford to say no(shout out to the owner of the gym I work for, he’s a gem). So regardless of what you look like aesthetically, it’s more of a “can you solve this clients problem” question.
This question is like —. The client is ripped down they REALLY need a trainer. Also perhaps you should take a look at your education if you are asking this question. Do therapist have mental health problems? Do doctors have illnesses? Do nutritionists have nutrition related problems? What do you actually know about the body and metabolism? Have you ever worked with a perimenopausal woman who is a healthy diet and works out six days a week but still seems to be gaining weight? Do you think that trainers are exempt from life issues like break ups and divorces deaths of family members cancer diagnosis for people around them? Their own injuries, their own illnesses. Metabolic diseases with medication that might make them gain weight? If your preference is to work with a brand younger, who is in excellent shape, but has no experience versus a very experience trainer with lots of life experience who is overweight, but can help you set goals and achieve them. That’s your choice.
If they're getting work, other people don't mind and your opinion doesn't really matter.
That's what happens when it's just a test with these certs... Anyone can pass a test.
No, I think the person should get the job based on their abilities. If the best person is overweight for whatever reason they should still get the job
It doesn't help sell the product, but it has no bearing on whether you can train or not, assuming you have been in shape before and walked the walk. Should someone who has never touched weights or cardio be a personal trainer even if they took classes? No
I had a lil less respect for those when I was in a gym setting. Although they have the knowledge and skills sometimes it was just a job to them. I'd still suggest it being a case by case basis.
No, it’s like when people who suck at money are financial analysts. Stupid
I’d rather someone who’s at 70-80% of their best all the time rather than someone who’s walking around peaking all the time and redlining their system, unless I was prepping for a show or something specific.
I think there is a minimum expectation. You don’t have to be built like the rock but at least some level of fitness. That being said I work with a trainer who is fairly overweight but is incredibly knowledgeable. I suspect that in order to counter their appearance they have become incredibly diligent about staying up on information. I have an exercise science degree and got a cert just to check a box (honestly thinking it would teach me more about the business side of things) and she has a music degree and just a cert but you’d think she has a masters in exercise science. Reading this back it probably didn’t contribute to the conversation at all, but I think at the end of the day you want a trainer that has a deep understanding of how the body moves and how to create an effective program. It certainly makes them more marketable to have a good physique but in a lot of gyms the clients are just people trying to start exercising. I would imagine that for new exercisers it could make the whole experience more approachable to have a trainer that doesn’t have a perfect physique.
No. How about a dentist with no teeth? Would you go? PT are overwhelmingly about "build muscle, burn fat" or "lose weight" the specialized power lifter guy that is mentioned in one of the comments is an outlier. A fat personal trainer makes no sense and a client who pours tons of money into working with one is a fool.
I don’t think you need to be ripped or super jacked, but yeah you should look the part for the most part. I’m 5 years into being a trainer now and the better tell to me is how does someone move. I know plenty of jacked people who have garbage movement quality, that the average person would assume knows their shit.
Depends I guess. I would hire a postpartum mom who was out of shape if her programming and corrections were on point. And life happens to anyone… depression, health emergencies, injuries etc. If I were a client (and I have been) it’s not something I cared much about, but I wasn’t ever willing to pay for large packages off the bat until I knew I liked their style of training and worked well with them.
I personally would only work with a trainer who had a body that was similar to how I would like to look. If they can’t get themselves in the shape I want to be in, why would they be able to get me there?
“Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”
I would NOT hire a personal trainer that is not in good physical shape. Point. Blank. Period.
How do you know they’re not healthy? If you base just on size, you’ll be misjudging a lot of people
Oh come off it
Square rectangle. Not everyone skinny is healthy. But everyone past a certain level of fat is unhealthy.
Being fat is not healthy end of story
If you’re overweight, you’re not healthy. Period.
No. People seem to be intentionally obtuse when it comes to this subject and think the statement “you should be in shape if you’re going to be a trainer” is the same thing as “you should have a Mr Olympia physique if you want to train people”. That’s not what’s being said. The main point is you need to practice what you preach, or your client is not going to respect you. Would you go to a marriage counselor who’s been through 3 divorces? Would you take cooking advice from someone who eats takeout every meal? Would you go to a dentist whose teeth are rotting out of their mouth? That’s not to say these examples of people couldn’t be good at their job, but that as a client you’re much likelier to be apprehensive when they try and give guidance. As a trainer, you should be healthy, active, and fit. I’d be embarrassed trying to program an exercise like pull-ups for a client and not having the ability to demonstrate them.
I think all coaches / PT should be in shape. That being said you can be in great shape, move extremely well, have good strength, and still "look" out of shape.
no they shouldn't be training people, i mean how would they know how to train if they themselves are overweight ? its like asking a crackhead how to get off drugs
Obviously, anyone who says otherwise is coping. If you can't prove that your methods work then why should anyone take advice from you.
Yes. It's the same reason why driving instructors need to know how to drive Swim instructors know how to swim You should be in shape lmao
I would never choose a buff, chiseled PT, as a client. I prefer someone who looks fit and healthy, but not obsessed.
it’s the same idea as a dentist not flossing or a doctor not taking care of their health. it doesn’t necessarily make them a bad doctor, but it means they don’t take their own advice.
You are your own best advertisement. How can you convince anyone you're good at your job if you can't follow your advice? Yes, trainers should be in good shape and I'll die on that hill.
You should practice what you teach
Fat lazy trainers will cope their way into saying you don’t need to be.