When you picture a personal trainer, you probably think of someone sculpted, lean and gym-hardened. But Rhiannon Cooper, a UK-based fitness coach, is redefining what a trainer “should” look like, and she’s not backing down against critics who say her work is “morally incorrect.”
Cooper (@rhiannoncooperpt) runs Not So Typical Fitness, a business designed to help anxious, nervous, and neurodivergent clients overcome fear of the gym.
She charges £50 per hour for her in-person sessions and focuses on building confidence through accessible workouts rather than chasing shredded physiques.
“The clients I help are people who decide they want to do something, but then their anxiety is so high — for whatever reason — that they can’t walk in the door, because they don’t know what happens next. I want to make it accessible for anybody to feel as though they can come,” she explained.
Her approach recently caught the attention of YouTuber and fitness influencer Joe Fazer, who boasts more than two million subscribers. In his latest video, Fazer set out to explore a divisive online question — can an “out-of-shape” personal trainer still be effective?
The idea has caused major debate on social media. Some insist it’s “immoral” for a trainer to be overweight, arguing that clients won’t take them seriously. Others see it as a vital step toward inclusivity and mental wellbeing in fitness spaces.
In Fazer’s video, he hired Cooper to experience her training firsthand. Upon meeting, she admitted she’d never worked with someone already as fit as him, and explained that she was going to treat him like any of her regular clients — many of whom struggle with gym-related anxiety and have not been properly educated in fitness.
They started with a gentle treadmill warm-up before moving into overhead presses, lat pulldowns, dumbbell lateral raises, and abs. By the end of the workout, Fazer looked visibly puffed and impressed.
When asked directly about critics who say she shouldn’t be a personal trainer, Cooper didn’t hold back. “Honestly, my response is that the fact they think health and fitness is based entirely on weight — which is what they’re judging me on — is just wrong,” she said. “For me, health and fitness is not just about weight.
“It’s everything from your mental health to your cardiovascular health. Anybody can be a personal trainer if they train, they qualify, they get insurance, they get a job, and they can get clients.”
But Fazer also brought in another trainer, Bobby Geritas, who represents the opposing view.
When asked about his opinion on Rhiannon and her approach, he replied: “The plus-size personal trainer. Technically speaking, it’s a free country — you can do whatever you want. I just don’t think it’s morally correct to be a plus-size personal trainer.
“Like, to be a PT, you’re promoting health and fitness, and that’s just going against it. You wouldn’t go to someone for business advice from someone who’s never owned a business in their life. That is just my opinion.”
Despite their shared mission of helping people get fitter, Bobby and Rhiannon couldn’t agree on the ethics of plus-size trainers.
The debate taps into the wider “fit but fat” conversation — the growing movement challenging the long-held link between thinness and health. A major Danish study following more than 80,000 adults found that those with BMIs between 25 and 35 (classified as overweight or mildly obese) had no higher mortality risk than people with so-called “healthy” BMIs of 22.5–24.9. Only individuals with BMIs over 40 showed a doubled risk.
That research joins a growing body of evidence questioning how health is defined. BMI, a nearly 200-year-old measurement, fails to capture key factors such as diet, fat distribution, and overall lifestyle. A 2024 University of Michigan study added even more nuance, finding that long-term exercisers had healthier fat tissue than inactive people of the same weight and body fat percentage. In other words, being active can transform your health even without major weight loss.
In other words, these studies are now suggesting that you can still be “big” and “fit”.
Yet, Cooper knows that science isn’t always enough to silence stigma. The comments under Fazer’s YouTube video were quick to side with her, showing how much people value approachability and empathy over abs and aesthetics.
One viewer wrote that “she 100% gets people into the gym who wouldn’t otherwise. That’s all I need to know.” Another noted: “The fact that she’s getting clients despite charging more than him sends a pretty clear message honestly.”
A third person said: “If I was someone who lacked confidence or had anxiety about going to the gym, I’d feel a lot more comfortable training with someone like Rhiannon. If I was already really into the gym and wanted to build muscle, I’d hire the other PT. Both types can coexist; they serve different markets.”
Others pointed out that appearance isn’t everything in coaching. “Some of the best boxing trainers are completely out of shape. If you can get me in shape, I don’t care,” one user commented. Another added: “I personally ask myself who would my mum want to train with, I know for 100% she wouldn’t go to the bloke, she would pick the lady, just to feel more active, and I know a bigger lady would make my mum feel a lot more comfortable, that point alone I believe she’s okay to be a personal trainer.”
For Cooper, that’s exactly the point. Her mission isn’t about representing a particular body type — it’s about giving people a chance to move, feel stronger, and enjoy exercise without judgment.
As the “fit but fat” movement continues to gain traction, Cooper’s story is a reminder that health doesn’t have a single look. What matters most might not be the shape of your trainer, but the strength and support they help you find.
Featured image credit: YouTube/JoeFazer (screenshot)
