Professionalizing the Fitness Industry - JP Fitness Forums

Chaney Weiner · 12-29-2006, 05:27 PM

What is everyone's take on professionalizing the fitness industry, most notably professionalization for fitness trainers? Since fitness trainers work with peoples's bodies should they have to go through some type of standardized training such as a doctor or dentist does?

RacerBill · 12-29-2006, 06:16 PM

Yes, absolutely!

Think of the implications. A trainer with inadequate knowledge can cause permanent, serious injury or possibly even death. All they would need to do is have a client perform an exercise improperly or with improper supervision and a disaster could occur. I'm not even going to address the ones that just give bad advice.

We require licensing for hair stylists, nail technicians, financial planners, realtors, accountants, undertakers, insurance brokers, and a host of others. Why not people who are entrusted with their clients' health and well-being?

tasinquefield · 12-29-2006, 07:11 PM

Yeah, I am amazed that there isn't some type of licensing for fitness professionals. There should be mandatory testing and licensing, I think it would really help the industry and its overall image to the public.

umass · 12-30-2006, 02:01 PM

I think that it should be a licensure system similar to EMTs in that it would have different levels based on education, testing and contact hours. It addition it would also enable us to make a legitimate referral system between trainers, doctors and PTs.

gobbla · 12-30-2006, 04:14 PM

Aren't the certifications supposed to cover the "basic knowledge" stuff? I could by into some of the certs unifying to create a "standard" but that's about as far as I'd go. There's nothing to stop a trainer from getting any number of certifications and college degrees to prove (in theory) that they're competent. The consumer needs to be intelligent enough to know what's what and look at who's offering what service.

You can take your car to your neighbors or to the dealership. You can go to the faith healer or the doctor. It's up to you to know which is better.

Kevin Larrabee · 12-30-2006, 04:18 PM

Do you mean that there should be a universal certification for all trainers to take to be considered a professional?

For now I consider it to be the NSCA cert. And yes, all trainers who work with humans should have this. There are so many dumb fucking trainers in the world, and it is getting worse.

umass · 12-30-2006, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Larrabee

Do you mean that there should be a universal certification for all trainers to take to be considered a professional?

For now I consider it to be the NSCA cert. And yes, all trainers who work with humans should have this. There are so many dumb fucking trainers in the world, and it is getting worse.

I think that having many certs. is fine, but licensure adds in more strict standards and harsher punishments. Just like taking an EMT course from different organizations is fine, but state and national licenses are standardized.

Bill Hartman · 12-30-2006, 05:38 PM

Probably not going to happen in the near future.

Truth is that there is not a high incidence of reported client injury or death even with "unqualified" trainers.

There's also a massive potential loss of income for the hundreds of certification companies, so I would assume that they'll fight against a standardized credentialing process and push to maintain an environment of self-regulation.

Nice thought but I don't see it happening.

Bill

ichbinba · 12-30-2006, 09:49 PM

Bill's right, it probably won't happen any time soon, but it really should... Let me say this. I took the CSCS and the NSCA CPT and talked to other people taking it that have passed... you don't have to be smart, only able to memorize...

John Izzo · 12-30-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ichbinba

Bill's right, it probably won't happen any time soon, but it really should... Let me say this. I took the CSCS and the NSCA CPT and talked to other people taking it that have passed... you don't have to be smart, only able to memorize...

I agree...I don't think the NSCA cert "automatically" makes you a better trainer than the next. I have met plenty of NSCA certifed trainers that have not impressed me.
As far as professionalizing the personal training field...it has been talked about for the last 4-5 years. And I don't think each indivdual state will put in enough effort to put a liscensure procedure in place for such a practice. I think it should be spearheaded at the university level. The first Division 1 school to create a 4-year degree in personal training (that I know of) was Purdure University in 2004. I think the more the world of academia stresses the importants of a degree program for personal training - it will stat a brush fire at the local level of legal legitimizing.

As far as "professionalism"...professionalism is a character trait that develops from an occupation requiring advanced academic training (Websters New World Dictionary)

Lost Dog · 12-30-2006, 10:51 PM

In California, teachers are certified to teach in public schools. Didn't make them any better... Now, we just can't say they're lame, because if they were lame, how'd they pass the certification process? Hmmm...

Chiron · 12-31-2006, 03:08 AM

There are no certainties in this world. A certification process doesn't mean the person is automatically going to be good. But life is like poker. It's all about odds. Having a good solid certification process will help cut out the people that shouldn't be doing the job. It's not perfect, but it's better than not having it there. In the end, I agree with Bill. Good idea, but wont happen for a while if it happens at all.

Lost Dog · 12-31-2006, 08:35 AM

A license can also give a false sense of security to the "client" so that they do not do their proper research.

I don't see who it would help. Which target client will benefit?

At my gym, the people trust the trainers are doing a swell job because 24 Hour keeps them on staff. Why would they keep them around if they were bad?

There's also like a bazillion different certs, now. Which skillsets and knowledge bases would go into the licensure or "official" cert process? It would likely get watered down to a safety thing in the end. I'm sure your average idiot trainer would pass that, anyway, after a little cramming. Then, he'd have his certificate on the wall that makes his clients feel confident that he's doing a swell job.

At some point a client gets sophisticated enough to check things out for themselves, at which time a track record is a more valuable indicator than the certificate on the wall.

I think this sounds good, but in practice? Nope. With the CPR part, we at least have an agreement on what's good to know. But, other than that, I don't know what you'd standardize on unless you added a basic gym safety course and made them promise to refer people to a doctor under certain circumstances.

Esteban · 12-31-2006, 08:49 AM

I think that, besides the initiatives at the government or university level, for the trainer as an individual it is also a matter of self-appreciation or self-steem.

Having reviewed the study materials of two of the most recognized certification agencies, I still can't begin to comprehend how someone could possibly feel competent enough to deal with the health, well-being, time, money, goals, aspirations, etc., of other people after completing a 1, 2, or 3-month personal-training or sports-conditioning certification course. A serious, honest, conscious trainer would soon realize that a certification course isn't nearly enough, not only to be able to provide a service with responsibility to the general or athletic population, but also to attain a sense of professional fulfillment.

As I see it, fitness training goes beyond the aesthetic or performance enhancement aspects, beginning with the fact that in addition to the physical aspects of fitness there are also psychological and social ones. Besides the obvious program design and exercise technique issues, anatomy and physiology (even physiopathology and pathology); exercise physiology; biomechanics; postural and gait analysis; strength and flexibility assessment; corrective exercise; injury prevention and rehabilitation; basic sports medicine; nutrition; weight management; public health issues; psychology, motivation, behavior modification; leadership; and pedagogy are all subjects that come to mind and that I consider should also be part of a fitness professional's preparation. Let's not forget of the business components of fitness! It's obvious that all this knowledge can't be attained in a course that lasts a few weeks or months! (Here I have to point out that the certification agencies' study materials I have seen do, in fact, touch on some of these topics, but their coverage is too superficial or brief to be completely useful.)

A trainer is much, much more than a "rep-counter"; he/she is a health agent, an educator, a motivator, a leader... A myth-buster!

At times, unfortunately, I can't help to think that a trainer looking for a certification (whichever it might be) is seeking a quick and easy way to make a living. Or perhaps he/she doesn't realize the dimension of their chosen profession?

Of the trainers who hold nothing more than a certification credential, honestly, I can only think of a few whose training advice I would follow. I believe I feel this because, in my opinion, they lack the background in the subjects I mentioned earlier to be competent fitness/health agents.

People like the experts in this forum, who have earned (or are in the process of earning) their Bachelor's Master's, or Ph.D. degrees in health- and fitness-related fields, are truly the ones who are leading the way by showing real commitment to the advancement of the field.

Jean-Paul · 12-31-2006, 09:57 AM

I agree with everything you mention in your post, Esteban. However, I am one of those committed trainers who has made a big impact in my clients' lives, but having dropped out of college my senior year, I am missing a credential. I have known many a credentialed trainer who couldn't train their way out of a wet paper bag, so I don't equivicate a credential with competence.

I don't have a problem with some sort of professional exam that proves I possess at least the minimum amount necessary to train clients, but I already have that, as do most trainers.

I still see CSCS's doing machine-based workouts, and split routines right out of the principals of Joe Weider... It's a good cert is no gaurantee.

RacerBill · 12-31-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hartman

Truth is that there is not a high incidence of reported client injury or death even with "unqualified" trainers.
.
.
.
Nice thought but I don't see it happening.

Bill

Interesting. MH did a story on this a while back, and that gave the impression that trainer-related injuries are difficult to track but the writer felt it might be more common than anyone realizes.

I agree that I don't see a national certification program happening, certainly not soon.

But I have a big problem with gyms or organizations that grant someone the status of "trainer" after completing a weekend seminar.

Brian Grasso · 12-31-2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban

People like the experts in this forum, who have earned (or are in the process of earning) their Bachelor's Master's, or Ph.D. degrees in health- and fitness-related fields, are truly the ones who are leading the way by showing real commitment to the advancement of the field.

I think your post was lucid and extremely well stated. I do however disagree with this final paragraph.

Academics in our industry are often not practically qualified in the least to disseminate and apply training methodology, exercise selection or coaching science to actual, breathing clientele (without hesitation, it must be stated that of course their are numerous exceptions).

Herein lies the dichotomy - there are no hard and fast rules that can be used to quantified the practical ability of a given professional.

There are innumerable uneducated professionals who shouldn't be allowed to step foot into a facility and earn money for being an 'expert'.

Conversely, there are innumerable academics who lack the practical ability to be considered an 'expert' as well.

I workout out at a local Bally's (what can I say... no one knows who I am and I can get in and out inside of 30 minutes!).

The 'Head Trainer' has a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology and is certified by no fewer than 3 nationally accredited organizations (including a CSCS through the NSCA as well as an advanced certification through the NASM).

Smith Machine Squats
Ab Machine Curls
Single Arm Bicep Curls
Seated Abduction/Adduction Machine

These are the types 'exercises' she uses literally daily with her clients.

In my decade and change in this industry, I can tell you that this example is not an isolated one by any means.

By the way, as likely the only member of this forum who is actually going through the national accreditation process, I will say that from an 'insiders prospective', the process leaves a lot to be desired.

Best in '07 to you all!

BG