Abstract
Given the impact of current body image ideals (fit and lean/muscular) and the widespread attention associated with the obesity epidemic, health club memberships and the demand for personal training services have soared (IHRSA, 2012). The primary purpose of the current study was to examine whether the physique of a personal trainer influenced a participant's choice when self-selecting a same gendered personal trainer. A secondary purpose examined whether the choice of personal trainer was influenced by one's muscularity attitude. Participants (N = 805) completed the attitudinal subscale of the Drive for Muscularity Scale (McCreary &Sasse, 2000) and were asked to rank four silhouette contour drawings of personal trainers (same gender) of varying muscular appearances (underweight, lean/muscular, hypermuscular, and overweight). The results indicated that both male and female participants preferred the trainer with a lean/muscular physique compared to the other three physiques. A one-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in muscularity attitude and personal trainer choice among men (p<.001), such that those men who preferred the hypermuscular trainer had the highest muscularity attitude scores. However, no significance was found for women's muscularity attitude and their choice of personal trainer. Given women's choice of personal trainer is not dependent upon their attitude for muscularity, future research should investigate other motives in selecting a personal trainer.
