Fitness Trainer Hall of Shame : Jillian M.

I really do try to avoid judging other Fitness Trainers.
 However there are instances in which those in the public eye give a negative impression. I can no longer hold back from  a written rant. As usual, the names of the perpetrators have been abbreviated to buffer the criticism.

    There is a popular reality television show called "The Biggest Loser". The premise of the show is that extremely overweight contestants compete to lose weight for a cash prize.  The contestants get all hyped by these drill sergeant type Fitness Trainers who cajole them to push themselves physically and expose themselves emotionally.
Contestants have been known to lose half their body weight in six months. 

    The so called Fitness Trainers on this show use questionable tactics to get the contestants to lose such massive amounts of weight. The number one offender is Jillian M.

• Jillian M. is heralded as a celebrity 'Fitness Trainer to the Stars'.
• Jillian M. has best selling fitness books on the market.
• Jillian M. has been on two reality T.V.shows, 'The Biggest Loser' and 'Losing It With Jillian'.  

    A Google search of Jillian M. turns up all of the celebrity praise. However it also turns up a few controversial issues. Well, maybe more that a few. Lets see what the search turns up:

• Jillian M. endorses questionable supplements. I'm usually willing to cut some slack on this one. She is far from the only Fitness Trainer pushing supplements. My current opinion is that unless someone is deficient in a certain vital ingredient, the addition of a mega dose of that ingredient is pointless. Internet rumor has her being sued for promoting unsafe supplements. In fact, this is the 4th time that she has been sued for this sort of promotion.  
• Her credentials as a Fitness Trainer have been often questioned. She has actually threatened a defamation suit against the sources of this doubt. Her credentials and certificates supposedly are current and up to date. When you are a public figure you CAN be a target of haters! But why so many haters and why all these lawsuits? 
• Countless Fitness Trainers on the Internet deride Jillian M. for having reality show contestants perform unsafe exercises for people of such massive weight. Having reluctantly watched the show, I concur. The show's producers may be somewhat to blame as well. They want action and conflict. That's what sells!
• Internet sources also accuse our beleaguered Jillian of teaching improper technique. I will assume that she is not in total control of what exercises are prescribed.The Hollywood powers that be likely dictate the terms.
•  Jillian M. acts like a profane, foul mouthed bully according to on line fitness pundits. I don't think I can defend her on this one.
• Jillian M. is a disgrace to the fitness profession because she crashed and burned at a triathlon competition. Ease up you haters. She's human - not Wonder Woman! I've bonked on a few marathons and almost succumbed to the soul sucking succubus of glycogen depletion on a run-bike-run race. I give her a mulligan on this one.

 Make no mistake. Jillian M. is attractive!  Jillian M. is super fit and super ripped! Women want to look like her! Men want her as their Personal Trainer! That's why Hollywood wooed her for 'The Biggest Loser". Jillian M. has that rare quality known as charisma. They don't want some boring exercise fanatic who rhymes off muscle attachments and muscle mechanic movements during every exercise challenge. Hollywood wants star quality!

    I went on line and watched the first episode of 'Losing It With Jillian'. Jillian M.  is invited to work with a fitness challenged and likely emotionally dysfunctional family. True to form, Jillian M. cajoles, encourages and even bullies this family to eat properly and get up and move before the deadline of a daughter's wedding.  Jillian got the family to shape up after a few emotional breakdowns. That is my major issue with this episode. This family obviously had some major emotional issues and psychological dysfunction.Maybe the show used professional resources to help Jillian M. deal with this. However the show made it seem as though our super Fitness Trainer solved everything herself. Such obvious dysfunction requires a referral to nutritional and medical professionals. 

   The beauty of television is that we have options.

1. We can turn the channel and choose not to watch a particular program
2. We can seek out only educational or enlightening shows - if you can find them
3. We can turn the television set off and do anything else

Since I am a fitness aficionado I did watch a few episodes of  "The Biggest Loser".  I saw many actions unbecoming to what I believe is the essence of Fitness Training. I got annoyed and switched to more inspiring fare such as "Breaking Bad". However I kept hearing about such negative blow back towards the Trainers that I went on line and watched some more recent episodes. This is what I observed.

• The Fitness Trainers were all guilty of putting severely overweight and unconditioned contestants through an exercise program that seems beyond their initial physical capabilities. The prescribed programs could be injury inducing and potentially dangerous. Explosive, ballistic movements or road running on hard concrete for such clients is a recipe for physical undoing. Jillian M.was only one of the violating Trainers. Remember also that the mandate of the show may dictate the plot line. The Fitness Trainers may just be complying with the producers.
• Weight loss is emphasized over health, fitness, and safety. Once again, Jillian M. was not the only violator.
• Jillian M. shouts, intimidates and verbally bullies the contestants under her charge. In group exercise boot camp classes the drill sergeant instructor  seems to be a trend. In a real life one on one scenario, severely overweight clients may have been bullied for much of their life. They may take offence to once again being treated in such a manner. The 'tough love' approach can be a tactic that can backfire. 
• Jillian M. seasons her drill sergeant approach with a great propensity for throwing F-bombs at the contestants in her care. The T.V. show obviously feels that this is a ratings boost. For a real life Fitness Trainer to do this could spell lost clients or lost jobs. Best to leave that language back at the oil rig.
• Jillian M. set up a contestant to fail! This particular episode really rankled me. A woman 'Biggest Loser' contestant was making considerable progress. Then  Jillian went to work on her. Jillian M. commanded the contestant to jump up onto a box that was about 2 plus feet off of the ground. The contestant was psyched out by the height and would not attempt the jump. This induced a crying spell. I suppose she wanted to 'get to the emotional root' of the woman's weight issues.  Why does this bother me? 

1. Trying to make such a jump and missing could lead to injury
2. A single box jump will have no effect on weight loss - or fitness
3. A golden rule of Fitness Training is to "Set your client up for success." Jillian M.  could have used a lower box that the contestant could land on. She wanted a reason to break the contestant. Once again, this makes for good T.V. drama but sets a terrible example for real life Fitness Trainers. 

   It is now time to see if this person deserves to be sentenced to the Fitness Trainer Hall of Shame.
I will deal with Jillian M. as two distinct entities.
There is Jillian M. the celebrity trainer, author, digital media sensation and training video star. This Jillian M. has attracted more than her share of controversy and has many detractors. This may be just the price to pay for being in the public eye. She has garnered financial success and book sales.
She also has legions of admirers. She seems to have weathered the controversies and kept on going.
She has also earned more than most Fitness Trainers can even dream about. There doesn't appear to be enough to sentence her to the Hall of Shame without seeming like sour grapes. This Jillian M.  gets a pass.

Then there is Jillian M. the Trainer of the 'reality' television shows. As role model for proper procedure and protocol for a practicing 'real life' Fitness Trainer' this Jillian M. is a bad example! In her defense, are we seeing the real Jillian M. or are we seeing a caricature created for the viewing audience by the Hollywood factory? In my opinion reality shows are more fabrication and manipulation than actual reality. Jillian M. is not claiming to be a role model for Fitness Trainers and should not be held up as such! This Jillian M. is an entertainer. I also believe that she really does care about the people that she works with.
This entertainer is a ratings money maker - a television icon.  She gets a pass!
The Fitness Trainer caricature goes into the Hall of Shame! There are just too many cringing situations to be used as examples of what a Fitness Trainer should not do!

Bullying your clients until they vomit!  Bad Idea!
Leave that for the reality TV. Trainers!

So there you have it.
I should be nominated to the Supreme Court for that 'split' decision.
Keep raking it in Jillian.
I'll probably turn the channel to watch
'Just Call Saul'!

Until next time,.....Keep Fit

   
Little Bobby Strong   





   


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