Overweight Gym Trainers

[ChessGuy]

You've heard of the "10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve mastery" rule? Well, this guy lays it out, and also points out that in some fields there are so few people doing that field at all, or so many doing such a crap job, that it takes much less time than that to stand out.

The important thing to note is that it's deliberate practice, practice challenging you. Otherwise we'd all be Formula 1 drivers by the time we're 50, simply from driving to work each day. We have to challenge ourselves and reflect on our experiences and think how we could do better. For example, recently I challenged myself with the Starting Strength Seminar. Something like 4-6 people of 25 in each group end up with the coaching certification from it, I think it'll be less this time, maybe 2 - and I wasn't one of them.

I actually thought before I even did it that I wouldn't be one of those who got it. But think of your strength - if you never lift weights you might fail, there's only so strong you can get. Our work skills are the same.

If you

• can teach someone to squat,
• show up on time
• and focus solely on the client during the session,
• and follow up between sessions
• challenge yourself to get better as a trainer

then you'll be ahead of 90% of the trainers out there.

I wholeheartedly agree with your list. You have no idea how many trainers I've seen who have their nose stuck in the smart phones. Even those with a client. Pathetic. They don't get it. that's why my hard earned maturity will give me an edge.

[RyouBakua]

agreed.

[zalesguy]

In the beginning, we're all attentive. It's like when you have a new girlfriend. After a while, it just becomes routine and that's when you see guys slacking off.

[winkdogydog101]

Wow dude this is literally the most ignorant post ive seen on BB in a while. Anyone who doesn't want to work with someone because of looks, gender, color, religion, etc is a idiot and is a huge reason why this country isnt as great as it used to be. I used to be a trainer after I left the army and was in great shape. Wasn't the biggest but could out preform 99% of people at the gym I worked at short of just sheer weight. And I constantly sought help from a 58 year old woman who was one of the best trainers I've ever met as far as plans for people with all kinds of illnesses. She didnt have a six pack and was jammed packed and usually worked 50+ hour weeks because she was in such a high demand. And she charged a easy 30-40 more an hour then the rest of it. Her customers stayed with her even after they reached their goals.


Your weak minded thoughts of do personal trainers need to look amazing. I couldn't disagree more. For the clients I had the ones that stayed just wanted to build a little muscle and get back to the way they were in their 25-29. When you look at the guys your talking about most younger guys looking to get into BB dont honestly have the money to keep a trainer and will go to who ever is cheaper, and maybe whoever is bigger. But good luck keeping them as a client.


Also lets say you had cancer and were looking for treatments. Are you going to ignore a doctor with over 10,000 patients because he HIMSELF has never had cancer? I just find your thoughts laughable. My son goes to a Army base for hand to hand combat training with a Krav Maga instructor who is a bit out of shape but could honestly kill someone in far better shape and honestly more then one at a time. Hes got 5 kids raising by himself since his wife past 5 years ago.


Sorry to seem like a mad troll but honestly your train of thought is one of the biggest factors as to why America is on such a decline. Your scared of intellect because it be littles you. People are more then just a body and appearance. And people are more then just their incomes. I was going to type more but this whole thread is so mind dulling

[KyleAaron]

In the beginning, we're all attentive. It's like when you have a new girlfriend. After a while, it just becomes routine and that's when you see guys slacking off.

Oh. How many years before you slack off, would you say?

You can answer for either girlfriends or PT clients.

[zalesguy]

Oh. How many years before you slack off, would you say?

You can answer for either girlfriends or PT clients.

Years?? Weeks my friend... weeks.

We all have those special ones though...

[ChessGuy]

Years?? Weeks my friend... weeks.

We all have those special ones though...

Weeks? I would say that you should seek another line of employment/a different girlfriend.

[zalesguy]

Weeks? I would say that you should seek another line of employment/a different girlfriend.

Relax ChessGuy. Know a joke when you read one. Don't get on my bad side.

[WoofieNugget]

Relax ChessGuy. Know a joke when you read one. Don't get on my bad side.

[400Lb Gorilla]

well this discussion has hit a nerve in some people.

as someone who is not a trainer i would say i think a PT's appearance would have a lot of influence over my decision to hire him/her. i dont give a damn if they are a little overweight but i do want my PT to look like he/she lifts. dont care if they are the strongest but they had better be able to tell me what i am doing wrong on my squat or dealdift...... and provide an ATTENTIVE spot on benchpress. first time i see my trainer on his/her damn cell phone while he/she is supposed to be correcting me i am canning that ass

just my 2 cents.

[zalesguy]

LOl !!

[rdferguson]

well this discussion has hit a nerve in some people.

as someone who is not a trainer i would say i think a PT's appearance would have a lot of influence over my decision to hire him/her. i dont give a damn if they are a little overweight but i do want my PT to look like he/she lifts. dont care if they are the strongest but they had better be able to tell me what i am doing wrong on my squat or dealdift...... and provide an ATTENTIVE spot on benchpress. first time i see my trainer on his/her damn cell phone while he/she is supposed to be correcting me i am canning that ass

just my 2 cents.

I pretty much agree with that.

[Tsarmor95]

I'm 5'7 250+ I can run 8.00 min miles lift 300+ lbs I think it comes down to can you motivate me to work out and not be a dick about it. Weight loss takes time so if your upfront and honest about the journey and the process they have no choice but to respect the drive and vision

[Tsarmor95]

I'm 5'7 250+ I can run 8.00 min miles lift 300+ lbs I think it comes down to can you motivate me to work out and not be a dick about it. Weight loss takes time so if your upfront and honest about the journey and the process they have no choice but to respect the drive and vision also you can have a substantial barrier blocking you like no income & decided to take a leap of faith

[jwarrenfit]

would you get haircut from some dude with an horrible looking mullet? same thing with a trainer if you dont live this life GTFO the industry because you dont have the required passion

[TAPenrod]

From my experience, the last thing clients seem to be concerned with is how I look. However, I have noticed that male clients who are looking to get huge are often more attracted to the huge trainers. Females clients who are looking to get strong and male clients who are looking to increase their strength and the elderly are often attracted to working with me. I think it's partly my appearance and my demeanor. I think appearance plays a role but it's not as prominent. An earlier post asked if I'd hire Arnold to train me based on his current appearance. No, my decision to hire him would be my desire to get huge and my knowledge that he is very experienced in that category.

My desire is to practice calisthenics, be lean, and be strong so I would be more comfortable with a lean and strong trainer who practices calisthenics rather than the big guy bench pressing.

[RyouBakua]

im a little overweight, come at me

[FOA]

It's not a great idea to pick your PT based on their physique. Some PT's could have amazing bodies and be the most clueless trainers around. Some of the most knowledgeable PT's I've come across whilst on courses where not fitness model material, but they had a wealth of experience and knowledge that made them amazing trainers.

[matador04]

We were just on this topic yesterday during lunch. I go a gym where there are a couple slobs and I can't believe people pay them to train. I stopped working out for 10 years and didn't look half as bad as them when I went back. They ear garbage and don't even lift...wtf.

It's truly a disgrace and reflects poorly on the gym manager, presumably the person who hired him. Maybe he's a great salesman...who knows.

[Ronin4help]

Fat trainers suck.

[KyleAaron]

Judging the worth of a particular trainer or coach can be hard. look at results. If you have 1-2 outstanding people then maybe you're just good at recruiting, or you got lucky. If you have a bunch of outstanding people then you're doing something right - but you yourself may not know just what you're doing right, your own reasoning may be wrong.

When assessing a trainer or coach, I think you look at the outstanding people they've got, but also consider the other people they've got. Like Matt Reynolds said he was happy about the 17 or so guys his gym had who'd pulled 700lbs, but he was more proud of the 50-60 guys he had who'd pulled 500lbs, he said it's one thing to get a huge freak to do something great, another thing to get some middle-aged guy who's never done anything before and... And then the other numbers to look at are how many people got injured, and how many quit. How many bodies did you break, how many people did you drive away, to get that one guy with big numbers?

And I say that because I think lifting is for everyone, everyone can benefit from this. So I say you judge a coach by their results - but all their results, not just the outstanding ones. The injuries are results, the people who quit are results, you'll find most don't want to talk about those. Don't worry too much about what they say until you know their results. Because their system, whatever it was, produced those injuries and quitters, along with the freaks.

[rdferguson]

My thoughts on this issue haven't changed a huge amount since I last posted in this thread 2 years ago.

Looking the part is valuable, for sure, but different strokes for different folks. If you look like a beast and have the presence of a beast, that communicates to a lot of people that you have no sensibilities for dealing with anyone with a sub-600lb deadlift. For talented, advanced lifters, that might tell them you're the guy to go to; for the majority of potential clients, it's more likely to tell them to steer clear. If you look lean and muscular, but not the extent where people generally suspect you use steroids, and if you're friendly and approachable, then a larger number of people are likely to think you know how to be fit and that you're a safe person to obtain help from.

[RyouBakua]

I've seen some fit looking trainers ignore form to the point of near injury

I've also seen fit trainers use their looks to sell people on pyramid schemes


Looks can be important when landing clients as you are perceived to be knowledgeable and disciplined

but sometimes it can be deceiving

[Diiimn]

show up on time

Didn't know personal trainers are that bad.

[vincentsmith]

All other things being equal, someone looking to hire a personal trainer will hire someone who looks fit. Obviously this can be overcome by other factors (i.e. you are Arnold Schwarzenegger), but at the very least, being fit is an indication that you know enough about fitness to get and keep yourself in shape and not being fit is an indication that you either do not know enough about fitness to get in shape and stay in shape and/or that you lack the motivation and discipline to apply the knowledge you do have. And if the later is the case, why would I as a client trust that you can motivate me and help me be disciplined when you can't even do it for yourself? I just hired a personal trainer for myself a couple of weeks ago because I want to get in better shape. The fact that she is very fit definitely played a role in my decision. If she was as or more out of shape than I am, I never would have hired her even though its possible she could secretly have been the Einstein of fitness. You just have to play the odds.

Same logic applies in other areas of life. If I was hiring a computer expert for my company as opposed to a personal trainer, I would look more favorably towards candidates who have advanced degrees in computers than those who don't because all other things being equal that indicates they at least have sufficient knowledge about computers to get a degree. Obviously other factors can overcome that. For example I would hire the college dropout in an instant over every over candidate if that college dropout was Bill Gates.

[WellHungOver]

Years before I started working out I met this girl who told me she worked at a gym as a personal trainer. She was short and chubby. I thought that was crazy and how could she possibly have been a trainer when she was fat? If I was going to get a PT I would have picked out the guy I wanted to look like and get trained by them. I think most people, not knowing any better would feel the same way. I know better now but people just starting out don't.

[Ronin4help]

Years before I started working out I met this girl who told me she worked at a gym as a personal trainer. She was short and chubby. I thought that was crazy and how could she possibly have been a trainer when she was fat? If I was going to get a PT I would have picked out the guy I wanted to look like and get trained by them. I think most people, not knowing any better would feel the same way. I know better now but people just starting out don't.

People also see overweight doctors too. They feel that knowledge is all that really matters. Does the guy who works on your Audi need to drive one as well to be credible? This is the mentality. However, to me, it's like attending a church being sermoned by an atheist.

[RyouBakua]

it's like attending a church being sermoned by an atheist.

that is extreme


what about a sermon being held by a good religious person who just isnt a bible zealot