[RyanA]

Hello everyone. I've been registered and lurking here for some time now. The site is great and I feel like it's given me an edge breaking into the fitness business. I've been a bartender for 13 years, but I passed my NASM-CPT cert about two months ago. I ended up getting a job at a gym that seems like a great place to work. I'm really stoked.

Anyway, so I started last night and it was just a training shift on the floor. I haven't been trained in their assessment protocols or been through their trainer orientation yet; I'll get that next week. I'm nervous about training people, but I figure that's normal. There is some pressure from coming up with effective and fun programs. I know I can do it, but it will be great to get a few clients under my belt.

My question(s) is directed towards everyone, but I would especially love to hear from NASM-CPT's.

1. How closely do you follow the NASM training model? I think it is a good strategy, but it seems to start off slow (i.e. boring), too slow for some clients. At their workshop it seemed like the balance, flexibility, core training works as a great warmup for the resistance part of the workout and can also be worked into the resistance part as well. Any thoughts?

2. Let me introduce you to the King. The Squat. How do you train it to your clients? I have Starting Strength and think the squat illustrated there is considerably different from NASM's. If I'm not mistaken NASM"s squat seems to be a feet parallel and hip width versus SS's feet out 30 degrees and and the feet shoulder width. I think (because of what I've read) the squat as outlined in SS is a fundamental movement. Do you use the same stance for barbell and bodyweight? Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading. Double thanks for responding.

-Ryan