Do you think personal trainers should themselves be in shape?

Question

It's a hot button topic at gyms. Trainers, whom some would say are in need of personal training themselves.

I'm 50/50 on this. On one hand you would want someone that looks like they take care of themselves as well in order to motivate you to do the same. A person that not only preaches fitness but lives it as well.

On the other hand, having that as a requirement would be similar to requiring a doctor to have cancer in order to be able to treat it. He may have the knowledge and know it all theoretically to help someone reach their goals.

What do you think?

Yes, being in shape should be a requirement.

No, being in shape shouldn't be a requirement.

Maybe (don't pick this)

NotJustAnotherGuy · Accepted Answer

I think everyone should be in shape. Particularly people who I rely on to have their shit together. If someone is physically fit, it suggests they're hard-working, consistent people. If they're fat, it suggests just the opposite. While it may not be true all the time, life choices aren't about certainties (which are impossible) but rather probabilities. I like to have the odds stacked in my favor.

With that said, you don't want to be taught by someone whose actions contradict the claims of their teachings. Application in this instance, is just as important as theory. Particularly because as a personal trainer you know, most people don't want an unfit personal trainer.. so to be a out of shape trainer you have to 1.) not be passionate about your profession and 2.) not care about success-- qualities I wouldn't want to spend $100 a day on.

However, their job is to get you to workout and not to work out themselves. So if I'm an average person, I expect them to be more fit than me.. but if I'm above average, I understand their profession isn't being an athlete, so I expect they may be weaker than I am. I would just expect they do enough to show they care about their career and they actually practice the exercises they teach. Wouldn't want someone who can't do a muscle up try to teach me how to do a muscle up.. he'd have no idea what I'm feeling and why I'm struggling.

Theguyoverthere · Accepted Answer

I'm leaning on the yes side but technically it can be a no sometimes. It's a yes if you're looking to get in shape, but you can technically also be training for different things.

Like powerlifters for example have great tips for powerlifting but look how many aren't in shape. There's out of shape powerlifters who have higher weight lifting totals than me a plenty but I'd still follow their advice if it was good and my goal was to lift more weight.

The other thing is that there are many "personal trainers" who get in decent shape but still have horrible advice. I personally am fairly experienced in the gym and have tried working out with one and he had horrible advice galore and would find these weird "theories" and practiced horrible form on weight lifting exercises in ways that'll get people hurt. His diet advice was also bad and now he's trying to sell every little thing he can off of the internet to innocent people who are gonna buy into it at ripped off rates. So even though he's in decent shape (some muscle and some fat) I wouldn't follow his advice because he doesn't seem genuine, is constantly trying to sell things, and has horrible form on his exercises.

So honestly I feel that it's best to have a close friend into fitness helping out and to have the motivation to do it on your own or with a partner.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

They should definitely already be in shape They be like... And I'm like... I'm trying

Liveyyy · Accepted Answer

Yes. I wouldn't want an out of shape person helping me get into shape. It would make me think that they didn't know what they are doing.
It's different than a doctor having a cancer. You can't help having cancer, but staying in shape is very manageable.

Anonymous · Answer

I feel like they should be in shape enough to help you, but they don't have to be super in shape.

Like they should be able to spot you while weight lifting if you're learning a new type of lifting, and they should be able to to demonstrate exercises the correct way. Doesn't really matter if they can't do 100 of an exercise, as long as they can do a few perfect ones to teach.

Even personal trainers have things going on in their personal life that could prevent them from being in perfect shape. Illness, pregnancy, problems in their family or social life, injury, etc.

Jack-Shepard · Answer

Well i had this trainer who looked exactly like a ball, he was round and didn't look healthy at all, but he really helped me and showed me a lot of things i didn't know, so i don't think its a requirement if he knows what he is doing, that's enough for me.

Xelebrum · Answer

In my opinion, your comparison of personal trainers to doctors is pretty flawed. Would it be smart of me to say that military members shouldn't have to actually use weapons, only know how to use them, in order to be in the military because engineers don't have to be machines in order to fix them? Of course not.

Trainers need to be able to practice what they preach. They are, in a way, teachers. They're teaching people how to get fit through example. They need to know their craft in order to bestow it onto others.

TheyCallMeMacDaddyG · Answer

I'm a big proponent of leading by example. To me it seems unprofessional for someone who's job is instructing people in how to lead a healthy life to be unhealthy themselves. I feel the same way about doctors, I'm pretty critical of doctors that don't take care of themselves.

justbanANNAz · Answer

yes i do. id like for them to b able to inspire me by encouraging me. iv even seen trainers train with their clients and not just stand there and watch/talk.

PiuBelloAmante · Answer

Practice what you preach... Maybe if you are older, you can get a little pass but you still better look healthy!

Christine1975 · Answer

I would definitely prefer my trainer to be in decent shape.

misscoffeehead · Answer

Yes the trainer should be fit. I would find it weird if they weren't. Like I would assume some personal trainers to be fitness freaks. So if they are the total opposite of being healthy and fit, I would be skeptical about the whole situation.

Bandit74 · Answer

I don't know I feel like I couldn't take a personal trainer seriously if they weren't in good shape. I feel like part of the job of a personal trainer besides to just be knowledgable is to provide motivation. That's the reason why a lot of people get personal trainers; to get knowledge/advice but also for someone to help motivate you to work out and stay dedicated. Now how can I can a trainer seriously when they can't even motivate themselves :/

that's just how I look at it.

AshleyMD · Answer

Being in shape should be a requirement because a personal trainer is meant to train people to get into shape and if they're not in shape there's loss of trust from clients and it probably means you don't know how to get into shape properly.

bananatossing · Answer

Yes, well, it depends really. I personally know a trainer and I actually brought this up because he is kind of skinny compared to the guys he trains. Don't get me wrong, he looks pretty ripped but not as big as other guys and he said basically, he prefers to look himself skinnier and had much better responses from women that way, he knows all the ropes to be big but is just as decision he made. Now, a trainer with more fat than muscle looks suspicious definitely and low grade.

Anonymous · Answer

As long as I'm getting results from their training then why should I care?

Prof_Don · Answer

I can't lie... I prefer my personal trainer to at least be in average shape. So I know that he/she is practicing what he/she preaches.

Anonymous · Answer

I wouldn't really care if my personal trainer was in shape or not, as long as they will give me results, but I would like them to be doing some stuff with me too, so it's like empathy pain.

Dakota_The_Rota · Answer

You wouldn't want someone to mange your finances if they were in huge amount debt right? The same thing applies here.

Taywallee16 · Answer

I think it's all about the motivation. Kind of a more do as I say, not as I do perspective.

James687 · Answer

it shouldn't be know, you have to gain a fuck load of knowlege first to be qualified, at the end of the day it doesn't effect you so you shouldn't care

Anonymous · Answer

Do you think a piano teacher should know how to play the piano? Can't say I'd trust one who didn't.

ButterSauce · Answer

Yes! Lead by example!

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