To hate these “fitness groups”

[2021ismyyear]

I’m seeing more and more “fitness groups” pop up on social media that on the face of it seem professional but actually what they are all suckers that have been sucked into MLM schemes and now think they are fitness professionals. They just meet up in local park. I doubt they have insurance in place. What training to they have? They do it so they can increase their reach and try to sell you shitty shakes and pills.

They dress it up as “fitcamps” “boot camp” or “pram boot camp” and “fitness for mums”. There are so many in my local area and I hate the way they all hide what their real motive is.

These people are all the same. Sharing really cringe inspirational quotes on Facebook, making out they earn loads and loads of money, not bloody realising that their weight loss is down to reduced calories not some crappy pill they spent money on.

Aibu to think there really should be more regulation in the fitness industry and these trainers should not be allowed to operate.

[TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN]

Have you considered an anger management course?

Jesus. It's none of your business, let adults decide for themselves. They don't need you

Plus stop being so rude about people & calling them sheep

(No I don't run or attend any of them)

[EmeraldShamrock]

Let her PM you with an answer.

[MoiraNotRuby]

Sounds crap OP and you are right to steer clear. Or ask them some difficult questions. I hate these MLM bullshit businesses that exploit people.

[JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]

OP post a link and I will ask from my Facebook profile - I'm dying to know now

[2021ismyyear]

Errrr I won’t stop calling these people sheep. That is the actual business model of MLM scams

[EmeraldShamrock]

Maybe you should sign OP release some tension.
Calm down have a wiggle try loosen up your anger is unjustified.

[Pedalpushers]

My old friend did one of these, started up an Instagram page of her 'business' selling workout programs and 'life coaching', posting videos of her workouts, captions about 'training her clients' who were thankfully nonexistent as she has no qualifications beyond following along with home workout videos herself.

[2021ismyyear]

I don’t know anyone that shouldn’t be annoyed about MLM. Have you ever been on mumsnet AIBU? it’s full of annoyed people like me, if you don’t like it don’t read it.

I have a friend that is sadly on the scam that starts with J. She’s lost loads of weight very quickly but key to this is she doesn’t eat normal food. It’s all shakes and fasts and detoxes. I can actually see her getting sucked in. She genuinely believes all the pills etc are responsible. She has started gushing about her leader and her “best team in the universe!!!!!!!”

Only a matter of time before she becomes one of their robots and starts selling their crap

[2021ismyyear]

I follow James smith on social media, an actual qualified trainer and he hates these schemes and has a way of explaining why that will make anyone realise how crap they are.

[TheOrigRights]

I have never in my 50 years on this earth come across a fitness/MLM combo and I am involved in lots of sports activities, albeit none marketed as weight loss programs.

If people get sucked into MLM then that's their own responsibility. It's up to individuals to check the credentials.

[MindGrapes]

Ugh I haven't seen this, but if it really is a lame poor-quality front to get a captive audience to sell pyramid scheme crap then that's awful - quite a canny idea though.

Good idea to question them.

[museumum]

YABU to tar all outdoor fitness classes with the same brush. Outdoor classes for me have been a lifesaver through this last year (and yes my class trainer is qualified and insured, and no she doesn’t sell anything else) and my outdoor PST natal classes were too.

You need to be more specific in your rant and avoid putting people off. It’s the equivalent of saying “all gyms are a scam”.

[MindGrapes]

@museumum

YABU to tar all outdoor fitness classes with the same brush. Outdoor classes for me have been a lifesaver through this last year (and yes my class trainer is qualified and insured, and no she doesn’t sell anything else) and my outdoor PST natal classes were too.

You need to be more specific in your rant and avoid putting people off. It’s the equivalent of saying “all gyms are a scam”.

The OP was specifically about Multi Level Marketing groups.

[2021ismyyear]

I have no issue with outdoor fitness classes run by people that are actually qualified. Been to many myself and love them. Not just someone that got sucked into an MLM and thinks they can pick a new career up just like that!

If you are running a fitness group in order to sell goods that don’t work then yeah I think you are an idiot.

[CirclesWithinCircles]

No problem with fitness groups or lack of qualifications, but I do have a problem with people who know nothing about training trying to make money out of them!

I'm a former county level runner, have won medals, prize money in road races, competed on the track, etc and have always had free or very cheap access to top class coaches through my sport. Some of the best Olympic level coaches don't have qualifications, although this is becoming rarer. Many of them have given their time entirely free of charge for years (again this is changing).

Therefore I'm fairly sceptical of Joe Bloggs who has a 6 week certificate framed in his social media profile photo telling me how to train or eat. I'm even more sceptical of someone who has jumped on some pyramid scheme and now thinks they are an expert on "fitness goals".

These things are great though if done amongst friends to encourage each other to get fit but not for selling stuff or making money.

[merrygoround88]

OP I am of the mind that anything that helps overweight people lose weight can only be a good thing, particularly given the risks that became apparent during Covid. Once the pills are not harmful then I don’t really see an issue. I mean I don’t need classes to show me how to do squats but they motivate me to get off my backside.

[Bourbonic]

I haven't seen these but think MLM should be banned so YANBU

[wesowereonabreak]

@2021ismyyear

What if I injured myself based on something they told me to do? Are they insured? What are their qualifications?

How old are you? Can't you take responsibility for yourself?
Flipping hell, you can twist your ankle or hurt yourself skipping for example, that's true.

But do you really need for someone else to be responsible?

Stay home and do nothing if you are so unfit

[AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair]

I haven't seen anything like this either but afaik you are allowed to post the names of MLMs so why not say which one this is?

[ceeveebeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep]

I’ve been to loads of different indoor and outdoor bootcamps in my time and have never had anyone trying to flog shakes -they’ve always been run by properly qualified PTs who are trying to make an honest living!

[LuaDipa]

I once went to a trial at a very small local fitness centre that was MLM based. I think it was about £6 a class, something like Metafit that didn’t take too long and didn’t require equipment. You got a free Herbalife shake at the end of it. I went to the classes a few times as it was local and they suited me, but I believe in real food so never got involved with Herbalife. Each of the small team there were very into it and had impressive before and after shots on leaflets etc. They were fully insured, qualified trainers but judging from their social content, they seemed to make better money from the shakes and pills.

[ForThePurposeOfTheTape]

Considering that gyms have been closed- why not? (Assuming that they have permission from the council)

People should research the businesses that they use whether it's a plumber or birthday cake maker and considering the economic climate I do not mind people trying their luck selling me stuff. There are people who are gullible but I can't get more angry about someone selling MLM a when big companies sell "miracles in a tube" all the time with dubious small print like 50 women agree with this claim.

[warmandtoasty2day]

many people are like sheep over so many things nowadays, not being rude it's a fact of life.