Trainer Gunnar Peterson has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, both in entertainment and sports, and he’s sick of the idea that some of his clients are dismissed by the fitness world because of the perception of their public personas.
He recently talked to Men’s Health about his experience as a trainer, his fitness philosophy, and his predictions for the future of the industry—but he was especially candid when it came time to talk about his role as a “celebrity” trainer and how hard his clients work.
“I think [the label of celebrity trainer] limits you where you don’t need to be limited,” he said. “If I trained any other demographic other than a celebrity, you wouldn’t use that to precede the word trainer, right? Like you wouldn’t say “Oh, he’s a housewife trainer, or he’s a little kid trainer, or he’s a lawyer trainer, or he’s a doctor trainer.” So why is he a celebrity trainer?”
Peterson’s problem is with the perception that people might have of his work with his clients, given the term celebrity’s associations with the finer things in life. “I think it implies form over substance. I think it implies gloss and glitz over grit,” he continued. “And I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. I’ve got some celebrity clients who you’d be hard-pressed to outwork.” Peterson came with receipts, too. “Sylvester Stallone, Charlize Theron, Kate Beckinsale—these are all people who are putting it in regularly,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to, is how consistent are they? That’s really what we’re discussing here.”
But there’s one celebrity in particular that Peterson thinks is unfairly maligned by outsiders, especially considering what he’s seen of their real-world work ethic: Khloe Kardashian, with whom he appeared on the E! show Revenge Body. “Khloe Kardashian works as hard as any athlete I know. Period,” he said. “When she’s in the gym, she puts it down.” Before you argue, remember that Peterson has trained sports legends like tennis great Pete Sampras and served as the Los Angeles Lakers Director of Strength and Endurance, so he’s spent plenty of time around the pros. He knows what he’s saying.
Check out the rest of the interview for some more insights from Peterson about training some of the most famous people in the world, including what he’s learned from clients like Ryan Seacrest and Sylvester Stallone and his personal workout motivation.
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