For years I've worked in the fitness industry where at times being ignorant can be the best trait a coach can have. Since you don't know any better and whole heartedly believe in your skills, you don't know that the 10th set of wrist curls isn't doing much to help a 32 year old female client who came to your originally to lose 10 lbs get fit for the summer. You're under qualified, but no one could call you a crook.
What I plan to discuss today isn't this type of coach, it's one LIKE the aforementioned above trainer who KNOWS better but doesn't care. In essence...
The fitness industry is filled with liars and scammers looking to make a quick buck.
There's often big promises of "fast results" and "easy ways to lose weight", which I can tell you is utter bullshit considering it's the boring stuff we've done for years that works the best. Lee Boyce addressed this problem that has been written about many times in the past.
When an unsuspecting consumer or follower sees a fit-looking person promoting a questionable exercise, most people will take it at face value and follow suit, assuming that that particular exercise is one reason why that fit person is in shape to begin with.
Examples like the one above are the reason I hate hearing the term "your body is your business card." Sadly, that quote permeates the fitness industry and won't stop. I also have to admit that there's a fair truth to the phrase.
Related: Read the full article http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lee-boyce/bad-fitness-advice_b_10106516.html
Your body is not your business card, and trainers don't get paid to be in shape or lift weights all day. You should be fit because it's your passion, period. You don't need to look like an upside triangle, but you should look like you could run a 5K without training for it and not die.
The issue is when an individual only markets themselves via how they look, and a lot of very qualified coaches who aren't as "shredded" lose business because lets be honest, we judge books by their cover. It's imperative that the trainer be as qualified as possible and the client has a bit of responsibility to themselves to do some research too. You don't just go on yelp and pick any mechanic or doctor, so why would you do the same by simply going with the first result or the most cost effective trainer running a grouponesque special.
I believe that the cream rises to the top, businesses seeking the quick buck often don't last. Trainers should continue honing their craft and expanding their knowledge base (which should also include business and psychology). In time things have a funny way of working themselves out. I'll close with this quote I heard from a fellow colleague
"He doesn't have 10 years of experience, it's 1 year of experience repeated 9 more times."