From childhood we have been conditioned to expect our athletic teachers to be men.  We’ve accepted their expertise unquestioned, as if gender should determine the merit of their ability to instruct fitness.  No one expected the rules to change.  Then suddenly, our fitness teachers are wearing dresses, makeup, and perfume.  Personal trainers aren’t just men anymore.

Remember your high school coaches?  They were gruff burly men (and some women) with the patience of an angry bull.  Then, mainstream fitness brought us personal trainers.  They were still manly, but with better bed side manners.  The rotund primates that made us do “10 more” in gym class were now lean, muscular and far less dogmatic.  Still, the evolution was not yet complete.

Enter the woman.  Having left her leotards, headbands and legwarmers in the aerobics room, she now teaches weight training, yoga, cardio, pilates, core stability, hip hop, dance, bodybuilding and cross training.  Bringing fitness the yin to its yang, she is sending the message that women could very well be the missing link to professional fitness.

Don’t be fooled by her size.  Little miss trainer can probably lift, heave and thrust more weight than you.  Strength takes a most unassuming shape when displayed on a woman.  She can look every bit her gender and still pack a powerful punch.  Having a “girl” trainer toss you some dumbbells that are almost as big as she is can be very motivating.  Watching her do more reps than you can do, will either break you or make you.

Most women trainers won’t try to impress you with their huge biceps or gigantic glutes.  Instead, they rely on skill.  Women trainers know it’s what they know that will sway you to employ them.  On the other hand, those biologically morphed pagan gym gods may try wooing you in to hiring them by flexing their brows.  Where size isn’t everything, women are proving that sometimes the best man for the job is a woman.

Women have officially joined the ranks of muscle bound men as they teach exercise to the gym challenged ordinary.  So, the next time you’re shopping for a sweat-making-muscle-burning-one-more-rep-instructor remember he might be a girl.  Be prepared to have her push, pull and drag you to your fitness goals.