title: "Your body is your business card": Bodily capital and health authority in the fitness industry.
abstract: Although scholars have noted the connection between appearance and assumptions of health, the degree to which these assumptions matter for establishing authority in social interaction remains less clear. Using a theoretical framework involving "bodily capital"--that is, the value generated from appearance, attractiveness, and physical ability--I investigate the role of appearance in the U.S. fitness industry. Drawing on data from interviews with 26 personal trainers and 25 clients between 2010 and 2011, I find that a trainer's fit-appearing physique imbues their interactions with a degree of moral and health authority. This corporeal credibility engenders trust among clients and allows exercise to be understood as a form of health work. The implications for academics and medical practitioners reach beyond the gym setting and extend recent research linking appearance to health, authority, and medical credibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Ripon College, 300 Seward St., Ripon, WI, USA. djhutson@umich.edu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hutson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004954:Esthetics; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012945:Social Values; D035502:Trust; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult