Would you use an overweight personal trainer?

[runlift]

Just that really. Would love to be a personal trainer and I am very fit but still overweight. I imagine it would put most people off.

Real shame that people associate body shape with fitness and strength.

Look at Tyson Fury, looks nothing like some of his opponents but is insanely fit and strong.

Yes I would happily.

It’s such a strange school of thought that people who are overweight can’t be fit.

Real shame that people associate body shape with fitness and strength.

The thread isn't about body shape, it's about whether people would use an overweight fitness instructor.

It wouldn’t bother me but the responses on here indicate that you’d acquire more clients if you shed some weight.

Finding a loyal, solid niche is far more successful a business plan than competing with the millions of buff PTs that roam the gyms looking for victims. Word of mouth is so important! There are many more overweight, unfit people yearning to be a bit less unfit, than fit people trying to be fitter.

I've used a very overweight personal trainer. And a very underweight personal trainer. The underweight person explained to me that I had better muscle strength than she did. I also used a very young, fit and cocky PT. His attitude stank. He saved my name in his phone as Vintage Client. I'm 48! The overweight PT was bloody awesome. Found out she was actually a weight lifter. I don't tend to judge people on how they look. I judge them by how good they are at what they do!

Yes, it wouldn't bother me one bit. I would be more concerned about the quality of their professional qualifications and their level of knowledge.

Really inspirational guy in my street was probably 25st, lost a lot of weight and, although still large, began seeing clients for personal training on the green outside our house. He seemed to really know his stuff and became popular.

If they were very toned and muscular and fit but just a bit out of condition then yes, i would but if i could see no evidence of a good toned physique under the weight, then no I wouldnt.

It’d be like going to a beautician with bad skin or a make up artist with poorly applied make-up, or an overwright slimming coach.

I think people should, on the whole, be a walking advetisement for what they do.

I think you could possibly use it to your advantage. A unique selling point?
You may be more approachable?
I recently went to a keep fit class lead by an overweight middle age guy in some questionable work out gear. Everyone had loads of fun (and a good work out!).

Yes. I am significantly overweight and woukd hire a personal trainer if it were not for the fact that they're all super r fit and slim with no appreciation of how I simply cannot do some things rather than am just not trying hard enough. OP, this is a real gap in the market.

Would I use a overweight pt??? Umm maybe, I'd like a taster session first and if they really worked me hard then yeah why not.

Good luck op!!

Oh, come on! It is not a gap in the market.

Depends what kind of training you do - if you specialised in movement or yoga then maybe. But I wouldn’t want to take weight loss or dietary advice from someone who is overweight

Not that the OP ever came back, but it might be relevant to people's answers if they knew whether she was very overweight or just a bit.

It just occurred to me that I've been thinking about using the same one as DH. What's stopping me is that phrase "you can do it". My response to the 25 yo male PT in my head is "how the fuck would you know?"

If I slightly overweight, middle aged woman said it to me... there's really no excuse.

Call your company No Excuses Fitness

Yeah it depends HOW overweight, it could be a selling point ..approachable etc.

Yes. I am significantly overweight and woukd hire a personal trainer if it were not for the fact that they're all super r fit and slim with no appreciation of how I simply cannot do some things rather than am just not trying hard enough. OP, this is a real gap in the market.

But you're assuming the OP will be more appreciative of how you simply cannot do some things, rather than you're not trying hard enough.

That's no necessarily the case as some people who have lost weight and got fitter, tend to assume if they can then everyone can.

Much like smokers who have given up smoking, have no empathy for those who say they can't.

I probably wouldn’t. I use a PT and she’s a really toned size 10 - I look at her arse and it inspires me to do whatever it takes to have the same, non-wobbly arse

Oh, come on! It is not a gap in the market.

Why not? Many many people, particularly women, avoid the gym because of feeling fat, uncool, old and unfit. They doubly avoid PTs. I have a particular "fuck off" face for them when I'm forced to use the gym rather than running outside.

If I was told about a super fit but slightly overweight female trainer, I'd be happier than all the usual PT suspects.

A no from me also.

When I had a PT she was in her mid 40s and very strong and fit. She was an inspiration to me (similar age) and practiced what she preached. If she had been overweight or not toned, fit and strong I wouldn't have been inspired, nor worked so hard.

And PTs are expensive, why would you choose one that is visibly overweight?

I am significantly overweight and woukd hire a personal trainer if it were not for the fact that they're all super r fit and slim with no appreciation of how I simply cannot do some things rather than am just not trying hard enough

This is not true at all. There are a lot of PTs who were overweight and sedentary and changed their whole lifestyles and became PTs as part of that transformation. Its nonsense to assume all PTs were born with defined abs and are all naturally and effortlessly slim

How overweight?

And PTs are expensive, why would you choose one that is visibly overweight?

Because not everyone goes to a PT or exercises to lose weight. I don't mind being fat but I hate being unfit. An overweight PT would understand the limitations of my body better, and make me feel more at ease.

No

I am here and reading! Was just doing bedtime. So I am very strong and muscular but also overweight. I do lack self control with food and I was so sporty in my youth that I got used to big portions and now I'm older I struggle to change that. I am around a size 14, 5 foot 6. I am one stone or maybe 1.5 stone overweight.

An interesting spread of opinions!