Hello Guys!
Last week I read an article in the REPS magazine which I receive each month. For those of you who don't know, REP's stands for Register of Exercise Professionals. This is a register that all reputable fitness instructors and personal trainers sign up for. Now you probably dont give a shit what qualifications I have, but if you do then you can find me on there!
Anyhow in this months issue there was a debate .......Do you need to look fit to be a personal trainer/fitness instructor?
Now there was one side saying yes defo and the other saying it was the results that people get you that count.
Now looks can be decieving. Someone could have been in awesome shape when they were younger and then decided to stop training themselves and start training others instead. They might be great at what they do, but now look like they have been driving a truck for 30 years!
Now being fit and healthy means different things to different people. It's not just about being slim and having a great butt...... healthy skin & hair & being positive also play a part of a healthy image.
Now there were points in both sides of the debate that I agreed with. However for me I believe that looking good is a big part on promoting what you do. How motivating is it if someone is overweight and shouting at you in a session that gets out of breath whilst doing so and can't show you one press-up? You would leave the session feeling annoyed or fantastic that your fitter than the instructor! Then on your way home you see the instructor in a Macdonalds drive through working on building their gut up ha!
I enjoy training so the only time I expect to put weight on is when I get pregnant with warrior children! In all seriousness I see it as part of my job, I practice what I preach. I train hard, eat healthy and I pass that passion for looking and feeling great onto my clients. Yes I am human and I have cheat days and the odd treat, but like anything it has to be done in moderation. I love bumping into people I train at the supermarket, my trolley is full of healthy natural food and they always say how healthy my trolley looks! There might be the occasional scone buying in there (my number one treat) but the rest is all good.
Last year I made the mistake of not going with my gut feeling........ I often take on work placement students who are studying for the same degree that I did. James, my cover instructor was my first work placement student and he is one of the best decisions I made. Then I had 'crazy Karen' who is also a star and often covers sessions for me. However last year I had a student contact me to do work placement. They didn't turn up to the initial meeting and so I had written them off. They contacted me saying they had got lost and would I give them a second chance. So I thought everyone deserves a second chance so I met with them. When I did, I thought they don't really look the part, but it was about gaining experience. Now this student was lovely but just lacked motivation, they were overweight and out of shape. They even sold herbal shite which says it all. People that take that shit end up looking like the product they are taking!!!
Now I thought it was me being harsh, however, when clients started to comment on them I realised it wasn't me being picky. Clients often commented on how bored they looked in the sessions, how they didn't motivate them, how they looked unfit and unhealthy. One even said if they were training to be a personal trainer then they would never hire them as they look like they have never been in a gym!
So there is my answer! My clients agree with what I think.
Yes you do have to look the part, and get people results........which I may add I have got people great results over the last four years I have been training them.
Andrea (off to the gym soon) Springthorpe
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