The purpose of this study is to study the body image of personal trainers and their professional practice, and to organize and discuss the body image of personal trainers and the application of their fitness profession in work and life. This study adopts the phenomenological method in the field of qualitative research. It uses purposive sampling and snowball sampling to invite four research participants and conduct two interviews with semi-structured in-depth interviews. The textual data were summarized and analyzed using thematic analysis method, and the research results are as follows:
The six common themes of “Shadow in the Distorting Mirror - Body Image of Personal Trainers” include: pursuit of appearance, display of ability, symbol of dominance, achievement of target body fat percentage and muscle mass, display of health, and appearance as it is. Explore the body image connotation of personal trainers from different aspects.
The common themes of “The Application of Fitness Professionals in Personal Trainers' Work and Life” include: strengthening the body must first strengthen the mind, and the career and life philosophy of personal trainers. Learn about the concepts and experiences integrated into the life of personal trainers, as well as the work reflections and life discoveries of personal trainers, and what changes they bring to the personal trainers’ work and life.
Based on the results of this study, suggestions are provided for concerns about body image issues, suggestions for school systems, suggestions for fitness professionals, and suggestions for future research. It is expected that this study will enrich the information and content of personal trainers’ body image and their professional practice.
