Fitness
Adult exercisers’ attitudes toward female and male personal fitness trainers: Influence of gender, age, and exercise experience
Authors: Edward P. Hebert1, and Jada McGuin2
1Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA, USA
2Fitt House, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Corresponding Author:
Edward Hebert
SLU Box 10845
Hammond, LA 70810
ehebert@selu.edu
985-549-2132
Edward Hebert, PhD is a Professor of Kinesiology at Southeastern Louisiana University. His research interests include exercise motivation and adherence, and applied research in motor learning.
Jada McGuin, MS is a fitness professional and the Owner/Operator of The Fitt House in Baton Rouge.
An examination of studies related to Brazilian jiu-jitsu in enhancing mental and physical health among veterans and first responders: A scoping review
ABSTRACT
This study describes attitudes of adult exercisers toward female and male personal fitness trainers, and compares responses of male and female, younger vs older exercisers, and those with varying levels of exercise experience. Recruited from 4 fitness gyms, 201 adults aged 18 to 77 completed an anonymous survey where they provided relative attitude ratings toward female vs. male fitness trainers specific to the trainer’s knowledge, helping meet personal fitness goals, following their directions, comfort discussing struggles with exercise, working with the trainer for an extended time, and referring others to them. Participants rated male trainers higher for fitness knowledge, and were more willing to follow their directions, work with them for an extended time, and refer clients to them, but perceived a female trainer more favorably for discussing their struggles with exercise. Significant gender, age, and experience differences were found. Gender-biased perceptions were highest among male, older, and inexperienced exercisers, who had more positive attitudes toward male fitness trainers. Attitudes of women, younger, and experienced exercisers tended to be more neutral, and favor female trainers for meeting personal goals and discussing struggles. The results of this exploratory study suggest gender-biased exercise attitudes are influenced by participant gender, as well as age and experience, and provide impetus for additional research on exercise attitudes.
Keywords: personal training, beliefs, perceptions, biases
INTRODUCTION
Recent decades have seen a great expansion of the fitness industry signaled by an increase in the number of adults exercising in fitness centers around the world. This rise has been attributed to a number of factors including global recognition of the benefits of physical activity, endorsement of exercise by the medical community, and growth of the fitness industry (1, 23). Yet, exercise adherence remains problematic (30, 32) and fitness clubs tend to have low retention rates (23). The practice of exercising with a personal fitness trainer (PFT) has increased in popularity and personal training has become a standard feature in many settings (5, 21, 23, 33). PFTs design and supervise exercise programs, and help clients set and reach personal goals. In addition, they engage in practices to promote an active lifestyle, motivate clients, and facilitate their exercise competence and self-efficacy, which can play an important role in exercise adherence (23, 29, 33). Studies of consumers consistently identify a fitness club’s staff, and fitness leaders’ instruction, feedback, and support as among the most important factors in customer satisfaction (15, 27). In addition, satisfaction with individualized training is positively associated with exercise motivation and self-efficacy (33). Consistent evidence points to the benefits of exercising with a PFT. Studies show that individuals who train with a PFT are more likely to attend exercise sessions and adhere to programs (2, 12, 18, 26). Those who train with a PFT have been found to exercise at higher intensities (25, 31) and make greater strength and fitness gains (24, 25) than those who exercise independently. These results are similar to findings comparing individuals who train alone vs. under the supervision of a fitness professional (9, 14).
Studies of fitness settings have often concluded that gender plays a role in gym-related attitudes and behaviors. In their review, Håman et al. (16) suggested fitness gym spaces are strongly associated with male bodies and norms, and gender norms influence social practices and behaviors there. Exercise motivation has been tied to weight loss for women and enhancing muscularity among men (20). Certain types of exercise are considered masculine or feminine, and exercisers have been shown to use gendered language to refer to areas of the gym (7). Interview-based studies of PFTs indicate that a clients’ gender influences their advice (16) and they recognize that gender plays a role in clients’ selection of a trainer (29).
The results of previous interview-based studies (21, 28) indicated that women prefer a female PFT. This preference is based on perceptions of being less self-conscious about their bodies with a female trainer, and the beliefs that a female trainer would better understand and empathize with their struggles with exercise and comfort levels in the gym. Survey-based research comparing perceptions of male and female fitness trainers have studied the attitudes of college students, and produced mixed results. In their study of 402 undergraduates, Fisher et al. (13) found no clear preference for a male or female PFT, yet hypothetical female PFTs received higher ratings for general perceptions of competence, and participants’ willingness to discuss progress and take instructions/corrections from them, compared to male trainers. Boerner et al. (5) similarly found that college undergraduates perceived female PFTs as more competent and knowledgeable than males. However, male students preferred to work with a male fitness trainer, while female students had no gender preference. Similarly, Magnusen and Rhea (22) found female college Division I athletes had no preference for a male or female strength coach, whereas males preferred a male coach.
Thus, research to date on attitudes toward male vs. female PFTs has provided mixed results, and survey-based studies to date have exclusively examined perceptions of college students, which may be different from non-college aged adults. In addition, research has yet to examine how attitudes toward male/female fitness trainers may vary with other potentially-influential factors such as age and exercise experience. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine attitudes toward male and female PFTs in a sample of adult members of fitness gyms, and compare responses with respect to participant gender, age, and exercise experience.
METHODS
Participants
Participants were 201 (144 female; 57 male) adult members of four fitness centers from one city in the southeast United States who responded to an online survey. They ranged in age from 18 to 77 years (mean = 35.87, SD = 14.87 years). Self-reported experience levels were Beginner (n=59), Intermediate (n=91) and Advanced (n=51). Over half of the sample indicated exercising four or more times per week (54.9%), with 25.3% indicating three times per week, and 20.1% once a week. Table 1 provides the number and percent of male and female participants in age and exercise experience groups.
Procedures
Prior to data collection, the study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the authors’ university. Participants were recruited from fitness centers via email with the cooperation of the managers. Two facilities were small gyms that offered only individual and small group training, and two were larger traditional fitness centers that housed a variety of equipment and amenities, and provided personal training services and group exercise classes as well as independent exercise. A recruiting email with a link to an anonymous online survey was sent to all members of the two small gyms, and members of the larger gyms who had expressed interest in personal training. Participants were assured of anonymity and informed their participation was voluntary and they were providing consent to participate by completing the survey.
Data were collected using a survey created for the study. Survey items were based on and relatively similar to those used in previous research on attitudes toward female/male fitness trainers (13). Item content was guided by previous research examining criteria for selecting a PFT (16, 23, 29) and on reasons people may prefer a male/female PFT (21, 28). After initial development, the survey was reviewed by researchers with expertise in fitness who provided feedback and recommendations.
The first section sought demographic information including gender, age, level of fitness experience (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), and frequency of exercise during the last month. The next section focused on participant’s attitudes about working with a PFT, specifically how their attitudes would be influenced by the trainer’s gender. It included 6 face-valid items: (1) “My belief about the trainer’s knowledge about fitness,” (2) “My belief in the trainer’s desire for me to meet my personal fitness goals,” (3) “My willingness to follow the trainer’s directions about exercise,” (4) “My level of comfort discussing my struggles with exercise with the trainer,” (5) “My willingness to continue working with the trainer for an extended length of time,” and (6) “My willingness to refer clients to the trainer.” Participants responded to teach item on a 5-option scale: Higher for a female trainer, slightly higher for a female trainer, the same for a female or male trainer, slightly higher for a male trainer, or higher for a male trainer.
Data Analysis
For data analysis, ratings were translated to a numerical scale from -2 to 2 with the neutral response in the center: (-2) Higher for a female trainer), (-1) Slightly higher for a female trainer), (0) The same for a female or male trainer, (1) Slightly higher for a male trainer, and (2) Higher for a male trainer. Responses were also coded categorically as neutral, or favoring a male or female trainer. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percent of responses indicating a neutral response or favoring a female/male PFT) for responses to each item are reported for the entire sample.
Responses were also analyzed with respect to three independent variables (gender, age group, and fitness experience). Three levels of fitness experience were self -reported Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. For the purpose of the study, participants were divided into two age groups operationally defined as younger (18-39 years) and older (40 years and older) exercisers. Numerical responses were analyzed using three separate MANOVAs with the 6 survey items as dependent measures. Significant main effects were further analyzed using independent t-tests or one-way ANOVA. Partial Omega Squared (ηp2) and Cohen’s d were reported as indicators of effect size. In addition to these analyses, the percent of participants whose responses were neutral or favored a male or female PFT were reported for groups.
RESULTS
As shown in Figure 1, as a whole, participants tended to have higher ratings of male PFTs relative to fitness knowledge, willingness to follow their directions, working with the trainer for an extended time, and referring clients to them. However, they tended to perceive a female PFT more favorably for discussing their struggles with exercise. The percent of responses that were neutral or favored a male/female trainer yielded similar patterns. Overall, more people indicated positive attitudes toward a male than a female PFT for expectations of fitness knowledge (31.3% vs. 5.5%), as well as willingness to follow the trainer’s directions (29.9% vs. 10.9%), working with the trainer for an extended time (20.9% vs. 11.9%), and referring other clients to the trainer (17.4% vs. 5.5%). For comfort discussing struggles with exercise, 41.8% indicated a preference for a female trainer with only 24.4% preferring a male trainer. For most items, 50-60% of participants indicated a neutral response (the same for a male or female trainer), with the exception of comfort discussing concerns for which only 33.3% indicated no preference.
Attitudes of Male and Female Respondents
As shown in Figure 2, responses of male and female exercisers showed clear gender differences. Mean values indicated men rated a male PFT higher than a female PFT for all items. By comparison, female exercisers’ responses tended to vary more across items, and average responses were near neutral for several items. The MANOVA indicated significant differences between male and female respondents were present [Wilks’ Lambda=.845, p<.001>ηp2=.16]. Follow up comparisons indicated significant differences for four items: expectations for the trainer to help meet personal fitness goals [t(199)=4.20, p<.001 cohen="">d=1.14], willingness to follow the trainer’s directions [t(199)=2.71, p<.01 cohen="">d=1.00], comfort discussing exercise struggles [t(199)=5.24, p<.001 cohen="">d=1.24], and willingness to work with the trainer for an extended time [t(199)=2.01, p<.05 cohen="">d=.93].
Gender-biased patterns were also evident in the percent of ratings which were neutral vs. favored a male or female PFT (see Table 2). A higher percent of male exercisers indicated they would be more comfortable discussing their struggles with a male (43.9%) than a female trainer (17.5%), whereas female exercisers indicated a preference for a female (51.4%) over a male PFT (16.9%). A similar same-gender preference was indicated for perceptions of the trainer’s desire to help meet personal fitness goals, and working with them for an extended time.
Attitudes of Younger vs. Older Exercisers
Older exercisers (aged 40 and over) tended to favor a male PFT for all items, whereas younger exercises (18-39 years) had more varied responses and were near neutral for several items (see Figure 3). Responses were found to vary significantly by age group [Wilks’ Lambda= .884, p<.05>ηp2=.06]. Follow-up comparisons indicated significant differences for two items: meeting personal goals [t(197)=2.88, p<.01 cohen="">d=0.45], and discussing struggles [t(197)=3.18, p<.01 cohen="">d=0.49]. As indicated in Table 3, for these items, older exercisers tended to have either neutral attitudes or favor a male trainer, whereas younger exercisers more often favored a female trainer.
Variation as a Function of Exercise Experience
Mean scores for individuals varying in exercise experience are shown in Figure 4. The MANOVA comparing responses was significant [Wilks’ Lambda=.839, p<.001>ηp2=.08]. One way ANOVA follow-up comparisons indicated a significant difference for only one item: expectations for the PFT’s knowledge [F(2,198=7.14, p<.001 wp_automatic_readability="65.478938906752">ηp2=.086]. Post-hoc Student-Newman-Keuls comparisons indicated beginning exercisers had significantly greater expectations of fitness knowledge for male trainers (p<.05 whereas="" knowledge="" expectations="" of="" male="" vs.="" female="" trainers="" were="" similar="" for="" exercisers="" with="" intermediate="" or="" advanced="" experience.="" examination="" response="" percentages="" shows="" a="" clear="" pattern="" reduced="" gender-bias="" as="" exercise="" experience="" increased.="" example="" only="" beginner-level="" indicated="" trainer="" to="" help="" them="" meet="" personal="" goals="" would="" be="" the="" same="" but="" this="" neutral="" rating="" increasing="" and="" exercisers.="" higher="" was="" observed="" all="" items.="" wp_automatic_readability="130.95742329693">
DISCUSSION
Research supports the benefits of exercising with a PFT (2, 12, 18, 24, 25, 31), and evidence suggests that gender plays a role in exercise attitudes and behaviors, including selection of a trainer (16, 29). Previous survey-based research on attitudes toward male and female PFTs have studied undergraduate students; attitudes of adult fitness center members have not been investigated. An additional limitation of existing research is the failure to examine variables that may play a role in these attitudes. This study examined attitudes toward male and female PFTs among 201 adult fitness center members. Perceptions were reported for the entire sample, and analyzed relative to participant gender, age group, and exercise experience.
As a whole, more participants favored a male over a female trainer for expectations of fitness-related knowledge, willingness for follow the trainer’s directions, working with the trainer for an extended time, and referring other clients to them. However, adults tended to be more comfortable discussing struggles and concerns with exercise with a female trainer. Fisher et al. (13) similarly reported college students had a more positive attitude about discussing progress with female than male trainers.
Age Differences
Our results showed age-related attitudinal differences. Specifically, older exercisers favored a male PFT, whereas younger respondents favored a female PFT primarily with respect to two items: assistance achieving personal goals and discussing exercise-related struggles. These findings are different from those reported in studies of college students, who overall, viewed female PFTs as more competent and knowledgeable than males (5, 13). Thus, these age-related attitudinal differences may be one of the more notable findings of this study, and may reflect changes in broader gender role-related attitudes among generations (8, 11).
Differences among Male and Female Exercisers
Comparisons between the responses of male and female exercisers revealed two important findings. First, men rated a male PFT higher than a female PFT for all items, while female exercisers’ ratings were more neutral. This is consistent with previous research on college students (5) and Division I university athletes (22) that indicated males preferred to work with a male PFT or strength coach, while females had no clear preference. Second, large and significant differences were observed between responses of men and women for several attitudes including those associated with knowledge, help meet personal goals, following directions, discussing concerns, and working with the trainer for an extended time. While men rated a male PFT higher for all items, women had more favorable perceptions of female PFTs for two specific items: discussing their struggles with exercise, and expectations regarding the trainer’s desire to help them meet personal fitness goals.
These findings align favorably with the results of previous interview-based studies indicating that women who choose a female PFT attribute this decision to beliefs that a female would have a greater empathy for them, and a better understanding of their bodies, struggles, and comfort levels (21, 28). These findings are also consistent with gender-preference research in healthcare. Drummond et al. (10), for example, found that college athletes felt more comfortable when provided care by an athletic trainer of the same gender, and a same-gender healthcare provider preference has been found for physicians and nurses when interactions are of an intimate nature (6, 19). When providing reasons for a healthcare provider of the same gender, women indicate it is due to comfort levels discussing problems and the perception that a female provider will take more personal interest in them (19).
Experience as a Mediator of Gender-Bias
We also examined attitudes toward male/female PFTs as a function of exercise experience, and used self-ratings as the basis for group formation. Comparisons indicated that, as exercise experience increased, gender-biased ratings decreased. Among beginning exercisers, 37% indicated their expectations for a PFT’s knowledge was neutral (the same for a male or female), whereas 65% of intermediate and 90% of advanced exercisers indicated so. This pattern of increasing gender-neutrality with exercise experience was observed for all items. These results suggest that gender-biased attitudes toward male/female PFTs may reduce with experience. This interpretation is consistent with the ideas that, while fitness-based attitudes and practices are influenced by gender norms and expectations, they are not fixed, but are fluid and can be changed with experience (3, 4, 16).
CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
The results of this study indicate that many adult exercisers have gender-biased perceptions of PFTs with higher expectations for a male trainer’s fitness-based knowledge, and willingness to follow a male trainer’s directions and refer clients to him, yet are more comfortable discussing their struggles with a female trainer. Consistent with prior research on college students, these attitudes vary with participant gender. Men had stronger preferences for a same-gender PFT than women did, yet many women tended to favor a female PFT for interest in their personal goals and discussing their struggles and concerns. In addition, potentially important findings from this study are that gender-biased attitudes varied by age and exercise experience. Further research examining how these and other factors and experiences influence gender-referenced perceptions of fitness and fitness professionals is warranted, as is extending research on fitness-related attitudes beyond that of college students.
Previous research on this topic (5, 13) has primarily surveyed convenience samples of undergraduate students whose participation and experience in exercise was unknown, whereas participants in this study were adult fitness center members primarily between 20 and 39 years of age, most who identified as having intermediate or advanced exercise experience, and who exercised 3 or more times a week. Thus, the findings of this study may be more generalizable to typical adults who exercise on a regular basis. However, it should be acknowledged that, while data were derived from a sample of adults from multiple fitness centers, all gyms were from the same region of the U.S., and respondents were primarily female. Age-related differences were examined among two groups with an arbitrary dividing point. Thus, future research on this topic using more varied samples, more adult males, among varying age groups, and additional potentially influential variables is recommended.
APPLICATIONS IN SPORT
Fitness professionals should recognize that gender plays a role in exercise attitudes and behaviors, including the selection of PFTs and exercise leaders to work with. Data from this study highlight specific beliefs that may play a role in PFT preferences, and how these preferences vary with exerciser’s gender, age, and level of exercise experience. As a result, fitness professionals can strive to behave and communicate in ways that both support clients’ preference, but also seek to overcome biases that may exist.
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A small study of university students in Spain found that better cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with better cognitive processing speed and a smaller volume of the cingulate cortex of the brain. However, brain volume differences did not explain the links between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognition. The paper was published in Physiology & Behavior.
Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of a person’s heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen-rich blood to muscles during sustained physical activity. A person with good cardiovascular fitness can walk fast, run, cycle, swim, or do other continuous activities for longer periods without becoming exhausted quickly. It is often called aerobic fitness because it depends heavily on oxygen-based energy production, and it is an important component of overall physical fitness.
A common scientific measure of cardiorespiratory fitness is VO₂ max, which estimates the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise. Cardiorespiratory fitness can be improved through regular aerobic activities such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, or rowing.
Better cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and early death. It can also improve everyday functioning, mood, sleep, and general energy levels. Low cardiorespiratory fitness means the body has more difficulty sustaining activity that requires a continuous oxygen supply.
Study author Neus Camins-Vila and her colleagues note that neuroimaging studies indicate that certain physical fitness components, primarily cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength, are associated with larger volumes in specific brain structures.
For example, among young adults, previous studies found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with larger volumes in several regions of the brain. The researchers conducted a study examining the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance in relation to the volumes of specific brain regions and the participants’ overall neuropsychological profiles. They also sought to determine if sex differences moderated any of these relationships.
Study participants were 94 undergraduate and graduate university students from Barcelona, Spain, and its surroundings, recruited through social media and posters. To be included, participants were required to be between 18 and 25 years of age, to be sufficiently proficient in either Spanish or Catalan to follow instructions, and to have self-reported a regular level of physical activity over the past six months. There was also a list of medical conditions that would exclude prospective participants from the study.
After joining the study, participants first completed an online questionnaire covering demographics and medical history. This was followed by three face-to-face sessions involving a cognitive assessment, an evaluation of physical fitness, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain.
The cognitive assessment lasted 60 to 90 minutes. During this time, participants took a series of neuropsychological tests covering attention and cognitive processing speed (i.e., attention-speed), executive functioning, memory, and visuospatial function. The physical fitness assessment focused on cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance.
Results showed that students with higher cardiorespiratory fitness tended to have better processing speed and a smaller volume in the cingulate cortex region of the brain. The researchers theorize that a smaller cingulate cortex in this age group may actually be a sign of advanced, healthy brain maturation rather than a negative outcome, as the brain naturally prunes connections to become more efficient during early adulthood.
When analyzing the data by sex, different patterns emerged. In men, flexibility (the ability of joints and muscles to move through their full range of motion without pain or excessive stiffness) was associated with higher processing speed. In contrast, higher flexibility was associated with lower processing speed in women. The researchers suggest that very high flexibility in women may be linked to joint hypermobility, a condition that can cause pain or fatigue, which could negatively impact cognitive test speeds.
In women, better visual memory was associated with higher strength, and better verbal memory was associated with better cardiorespiratory fitness. Furthermore, lower volume of the hippocampus region of the brain in women was associated with higher flexibility but worse balance.
“Different physical fitness components were associated with cognitive functions and brain volumes in young adults, and some associations—particularly those involving physical flexibility and attention/processing speed—varied by sex at birth. Brain volumes did not explain the observed fitness–cognition associations,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between cognitive abilities and physical fitness. However, it should be noted that the study authors carried out a large number of statistical tests, but only a few of them returned statistically significant results. They did this without applying any correction for multiple comparisons—procedures routinely used in research studies to mitigate the risk that statistical tests might return statistically significant results purely due to chance. This means that many of the reported findings might simply be products of random variations in the data, rather than real systematic associations between the observed characteristics.
The paper, “Associations between fitness components and brain health in young adults: A cognitive and brain volume MRI study exploring sex differences. The YoungFit study,” was authored by Neus Camins-Vila, Adrià Bermudo-Gallaguet, Samira Rostami, Rosalia Dacosta-Aguayo, Judit Escarré-Grifell, Blai Ferrer-Uris, Albert Busquets, Louis Bherer, and Maria Mataró.
Fitness
How Jeremy Clarkson Reset His Health and Fitness at 66 – Walking, Pilates and Trying ‘Not to Die’
Rewind a decade or so, and Jeremy Clarkson had a particular disdain for exercise, healthy eating and denying himself life’s pleasures. He never worked out, smoked 40 cigarettes a day and, in his own words, drank four pints of wine daily. Now, at 65, his entire outlook on health and longevity has shifted.
At the heart of Clarkson’s desire to change are his young grandchildren.
‘I’m not going to dwell on the joys of being a grandparent because what can be said about it has already been said. But I have decided that it is so wonderful that I want it to go on for as long as is humanly possible. Which means I must do everything in my power not to die,’ he wrote in his column forThe Times.
And the British TV personality has certainly had a couple of wake-up calls.
After being admitted to hospital with pneumonia in 2017, Clarkson then suffered what he described as ‘really bad coronary artery problems’ at the end of 2024. Documented in the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, he experienced a ‘sudden deterioration’ in his health and needed a stent fitted to restore proper blood flow.
Why Clarkson Finally Started Taking His Health Seriously
Since then, he has taken up reformer Pilates, had a pickleball court installed at his Oxfordshire home and started going for walks when the weather is just right.
‘Eventually, I decided that organised, indoor exercise was not for me and decided instead to do walking. Not when it’s raining obviously. Or if it’s too cold, or hot. And not if I’m busy. But on a reasonably temperate Sunday morning, I’d get out there and pootle along,’ he wrote.
‘So far I’ve relied on luck to keep me alive. But I’m in sniper’s alley right now and I have to work at dodging the bullets. Two years ago, I saw old age as a wearisome tangle of tubes and knee-replacement surgery. Now though, thanks to my grandchildren, I’m actively looking forward to it.’
Clarkson’s comments highlight just how much his attitude to ageing has changed.
‘I’m buying time. It hurts and it’s expensive. But it’s better than wasting your money on a new watch.’
The Diet Changes Behind Clarkson’s 3-Stone Weight Loss
Diet has also become a key part of his health overhaul.
He now eats burgers wrapped in lettuce rather than buns and opts for alcohol-free versions of his Hawkstone beer. Underpinning much of that change has been a microdose of the GLP-1 medication Mounjaro, which Clarkson credits with helping him lose more than three stone in six months by suppressing his appetite – although he admits he doesn’t particularly enjoy the experience.
‘When you are on Muntjac [his name for Mounjaro] you can come down in the morning and idly help yourself to a small handful of sunflower seeds,’ Clarkson said. ‘And it’ll feel like you’ve just finished a massive Christmas lunch. You’re stuffed.
‘So you find yourself living a minibar existence. Tiny packets of milk, sachets with only three grains of sugar in them, vodka in thimbles. That’s not living, though. That’s existing.’
If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram or on X
Fitness
Fitness coach debunks 8 ‘crazy’ exercise myths women still believe: From periods and workouts to weightlifting
Despite growing awareness around fitness and women’s health, several outdated exercise myths continue to persist. From misconceptions about strength training to beliefs surrounding periods, pregnancy and weight loss, many women still receive advice that isn’t backed by science. These myths can not only slow progress but also discourage women from prioritising their health and fitness. (Also read: Can eating too much protein be harmful? Experts explain why excess intake may do more harm than good )
Fitness coach Zoe recently addressed some of the most common misconceptions women continue to hear in a June 12 Instagram post titled, “craziest exercise myths women still hear.” Here’s what she had to say:
1. Periods mean complete bed rest
According to Zoe, menstruation does not mean you need to stop exercising altogether. “No. You can train. Just adjust intensity if needed,” she wrote, explaining that while energy levels may fluctuate during different phases of the menstrual cycle, movement and exercise can still be beneficial.
2. After marriage or kids, fitness is not important
Many women are often made to feel that fitness should take a back seat after major life changes such as marriage or motherhood. Zoe strongly disagrees. “That is exactly when it becomes more important,” she said, highlighting the need to maintain strength, mobility and overall health while navigating increased responsibilities.
3. A C-section means your core is gone forever
Recovering from a Caesarean delivery can be challenging, but Zoe says it doesn’t mean women should give up on rebuilding strength. “Wrong. It means you need rebuilding, not giving up,” she wrote, emphasising that gradual rehabilitation and proper training can help restore core function.
4. Walking around the house is enough exercise
While daily movement is important, Zoe points out that it isn’t the same as a structured workout. “No. That is movement, not full training,” she explained, noting that a balanced fitness routine should include strength, mobility and cardiovascular exercises.
5. Sweating more means more fat loss
Many people associate excessive sweating with effective fat burning, but Zoe says that’s a common misunderstanding. “No. It means you are hot,” she wrote. Sweat is the body’s cooling mechanism and does not necessarily reflect the number of calories burned or fat lost.
6. Running will ruin your uterus, boobs or joints
This long-standing myth often discourages women from running or high-impact activities. “No. Poor preparation and weak support is the issue,” Zoe said, stressing the importance of proper training, supportive gear and gradually building endurance.
7. Women should only do yoga, not weights
Strength training is still viewed by some as a male-dominated form of exercise, but Zoe believes women benefit greatly from lifting weights. “Women need strength too,” she wrote, highlighting how resistance training supports muscle mass, bone health, metabolism and overall fitness.
8. Carbs at night make you fat
Carbohydrates often get unfairly blamed for weight gain, especially when eaten in the evening. “No. Overeating does,” Zoe explained, pointing out that overall calorie intake and dietary patterns matter far more than the timing of carbohydrate consumption.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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