"Workout" on Bravo tv - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[sgibson]

Do any of you guys watch "Workout" on Bravo? I enjoy watching how she runs her business and how she works with her clients. Not that I agree with some of the stuff she does, but I love to watch it! opcorn:

"I can do all things through God who strenghtens me"
sgibson, ACSM CPT
owner/trainer StayFit 1on1 Fitness

[ceaser12]

I love that show!! It is great to see a little advertisement in our field! Even though it's a little in left field. :lol:

[Christina]

It's fun to watch but the trainers are really unprofessional! I think it gives our industry a bad name.

Christina

[C Lenart]

Christina:

I agree. "Workout" definitely gives our field a bad name. In my opinion, this show gives people the impression that trainers are nothing more than muscle bound robots posing pretty for the cameras.

Three days ago, I watched the show and the lead trainer lady had to bring in a medical doctor to explain to her the dangers of having too much abdominal or visceral fat in obese clients. The lead trainer should have known this information before she even took on these clients. Maybe she would have known the info if she would spend more time learning her field rather then figuring which movie star she was going to train next.

Curt

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

I don't watch it but one of my workout partners does.

Apparently there is a controversy because "Jackie" (The owner) and some other trainer were making fun of this fitness model who had obvious breast implants.

Unbeknownst to them, she also was a breast cancer survivor and the implants were post surgery. Her boyfriend over heard their comments and made a huge scene and then on the bravo blog several viewers got upset and several advertisers pulled their ads.

That being said:
1) It's TV, if they followed real personal trainers that weren't in metropolitan areas such as LA or NYC, that conducted themselves professionally, it's be a snooze fest and get no viewers. No viewers = no one buying the advertised products = no show.

2) You have to have an ego/personality to be on TV. Even on "Who Wants TO Be A Millionaire" you will not get picked if you are a boring, pocket protector wearing, taped eye glasses wearing nerd. People want to watch people on TV that have SPUNK!

3) Sometimes it's hard to have #2 and still remain professional. As is seen on almost all Reality TV show regardless of the character or occupation.

Overall, I think the trainers on WORKOUT and "THE GYM" probably are the worst representatives we could have.

It's already bad enough that 85% of americans don't even belong to a gym. When they see characters like the trainers on Workout making fun of actual gym members, it doesn't give them a warm and fuzzy about joining a gym or working with a personal trainer.

[pookie]

I watched the show originally last season and it's what got me interested in becoming a personal trainer, but this season is so WAY over the top! What goes on there is totally unprofessional. Jackie sleeping with her trainers, making rude comments about clients, that 'group therapy' session this week was just awful, and the list goes on. I think it gives the industry a bad name, but it is fun to watch. Sort of like how you can't take your eyes off a train wreck. :roll: I still can't believe she made the one obese woman run on the beach with a bad ankle against her doctor's advice!

[kaiserS]

Christina:

I agree. "Workout" definitely gives our field a bad name. In my opinion, this show gives people the impression that trainers are nothing more than muscle bound robots posing pretty for the cameras.

Three days ago, I watched the show and the lead trainer lady had to bring in a medical doctor to explain to her the dangers of having too much abdominal or visceral fat in obese clients. The lead trainer should have known this information before she even took on these clients. Maybe she would have known the info if she would spend more time learning her field rather then figuring which movie star she was going to train next.

Curt

Haha - so true -

And yeah, pookie you're right - this season is waaaaayyyy over the top -

But in general, I think the show is a major positive for the industry -
It really legitimizes training as a "real" profession - not that we needed it, but every extra bit helps -
It creates a high profile for training - it shows that it's something fun and glamorous to do and be a part of -
And overtly, it's a great lesson for trainers - the role image plays in being a successful trainer -
It's clear that's all Jackie is good at - and it works -

[Christina]

Overall, I think the trainers on WORKOUT and "THE GYM" probably are the worst representatives we could have.

And don't forget the Biggest Loser, Dave. Some of the stuff they do on that show is unsafe considering the contestants are morbidly obese. I am kind of surprised that Craig Ballantyne has Jillian Michaels on his website considering a lot of trainers are not big fans of this show. Then again, maybe the majority of Craig Ballantyne's sales comes from the general population and not from fitness professionals.

Three days ago, I watched the show and the lead trainer lady had to bring in a medical doctor to explain to her the dangers of having too much abdominal or visceral fat in obese clients.

I saw this episode as well, Curt! Isn't that personal training 101? Strange...

Christina

[ceaser12]

I guess that you have to keep in mind that this is for entertainment purposes. I know that it is very unrealistic, but it is nice to see our industry to get publicity. To Jackie and the trainers credit they were not the one's making the implant statement it was Jackie's brain dead assistant.

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Okay, Is anyone else sick of the personality types that our profession is portrayed on on TV?

I'm watching DR. Phil right now and he's got some new fitness challenge (As if he's the paragon of weight control issues! LOL ) and every trainer that auditioned was this "In your face, drill instructor, go go go" type of trainer.

The members of my fitness center are watching it, going " Dave, why aren' t you like that". and I coyly respond, DO YOU WANT ME TO BE?!? :twisted:

And then they say "NO" LOL

I'll fess up, for the "Drill Instructor" in me to come out, I've gotta work pretty hard, I find that most people don't respond positively to that kind of mode.

I think this TV portrayal of Personal trainers is saying, "Hey, if you're trainer isn't Dr. Drill INstructor, he's no good"

What do you think? opcorn:

Dave@sensitivebuteffectivetrainer.com