I’m going to start this off by saying that I fully expect many of you to disagree with what I say here.
Oh well.
Talk about personal training certifications and you’re bound to get a bunch of opinions and some people get pretty worked up over it.
I’ve heard plenty of fitness professionals complain about people being able to get certified in a 1 or 2 day weekend workshop or do a home study certification.
I’ve also heard a few guys scoff at people when they created their own certifications.
This is where I’m about to lose half of you.
Get over yourself.
See, coming from working in a University setting – this is how we looked at the educational hierarchy:
Level 1: Certification
Level 2: Associate Degree
Level 3: Bachelor’s Degree
Level 4: Master’s Degree
Level 5: Doctorate
Ummm, which is the lowest in this hierarchy?
Yep – Certification.
In my opinion – a Certification is a starting point – and only a starting point – for someone who wants to become a personal trainer, or in the case of specialty certifications – become more proficient in a particular discipline.
Let me give you another example outside the fitness industry that hopefully you all are familiar with.
CPR Certifications.
I’m pretty sure that it doesn’t take 6 months to get one of those. And if we’re equating importance of knowledge acquired with length of the course – shouldn’t it?
We’re talking about someone learning to save someone’s life, right?
If you’re going to give someone CPR, shouldn’t you practice more than an afternoon?
Shouldn’t you practice under adverse circumstances – because it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll actually be using what you learn in anything other than adverse circumstances.
To quote the American Heart Association: “The CPR Certification is a basic program designed to give you the confidence to respond in an emergency situation with skills that can save a life.”
But you wouldn’t assume that going through a CPR Course qualifies someone to be an Emergency Room Physician, would you?
You wouldn’t even say that qualifies them to be an EMT, right?
No – the Certification is simply a workshop where you learn a set of skills and some specific knowledge –and then are tested on the material that was presented to assess your proficiency.
Isn’t that what most fitness certifications are?
A workshop or specific material with a test to make sure that you were actually paying attention?
Personally – I wish more people had certifications where they gave a workshop and then actually tested you on the material that was presented.
These guys may hate me for saying this, but do you think the industry would be more or less effective if Mike Boyle was delivering workshops and the attendees were tested to see if they actually ‘got it’ when they came to training athletes?
What about if Alwyn Cosgrove gave a workshop on fat loss programming and the trainers were tested on their understanding of the material?
That would be bad?
Not from my perspective.
Personally, I don’t think that ‘too many certifications’ is the issue at all.
The issue is that some people think that Certification = Expert.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
If you get a Certification, this is what it means to me: you were willing to fork over some money and invest some time and effort into learning more about a particular subject and are willing to be tested to measure your knowledge / proficiency.
It’s the starting point.
To become an expert, you don’t wait on your Diploma to arrive in the mail – you continue to study, research and work.
When you get your Certification – you know CPR – you’re not a doctor.
Let me know what *you* think below. Do you think I’m wrong? Tell me why. Do you agree? I want to know.
Dedicated to your success,
Pat Rigsby
Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.
Pat,
I agree with you! There are numerous certifications available, and they should be a starting point. The real knowledge and expertise comes from hands-on work, research and constant study in the field. Never stop learning!
Pat,
You nailed this one right on the head. A certification to me only means that you understood a majority of a certain set of criteria at a certain time. It doesn’t equate into knowing what you are doing.
How many times do people ask what the best certification out there is? Perhaps a better question is “What is the best education available for me to assist my clients in reaching their goals?”
One point that I think you can also discuss in this realm is experience. To me, that is more important than any credentials of titles after a person’s name. If I had the knowledge base of Mike or Alwyn, and was able to attain this without formal education, would it matter if I held a single certification?
Hi Pat!
Great post. I totally agreed on the fact that more Certifications DOES NOT equal expertise. It’s definitely a starting point like you said. The truth is like any profession you can get the paper qualification but you still got to prove that you can do the job and show how good you are. Just like in our fitness industry, the cream of the crop doesn’t always have the most certifications or highest level of academic achievements.
I completely agree!
I am in the process of hiring a trainer right now and I am amazed how many people still think they can become a trainer without experience, education, or certification.
Because they work out qualifies them to put in a resume?
I will not interview with a trainer unless I know they have a certification, education and know they have then gone on to more continued education or specialty.
I feel far to many trainers come out of school unprepared to be trainers and then get certified without knowing the material and then never look for more education.
I have spent more on my trainer education than any trainer I know and this is the number one reason I am successful.
The education inspires me, motivates me, and moves me.
My clients all know when I come home from a workshop of have finished a new course. I improve as a trainer every single time!
I also feel strongly that every workshop should conclude with a test to determine whether the participants are ready to take that information into the training sessions. This is why I run my internships…..I can be sure the interns know their stuff!
Thanks!
There are so many “certified” trainers who I would never allow to touch anyone i know. However, I see certifications as a tool that is a starting point of professionalism, that is if it comes form a reputable organization. With this certification, I know that at least the trainers are completing continuing certification courses and are exposing themselves to new information, techniques, etc. Academic knowledge is only one component to a competent trainer. Some trainers understand information, but are not able to apply their knowledge to all complexities of clients. Other trainers may not be able to express their knowledge verbally, but are able to critique and communicate well with their clients.
I value certifications as a beginning basis after a collegiate degree has been completed. Does a certified builder mean they are the most qualified? Not all certified trainers are in the top of their field.
First off, the new website is awesome. Great job. It does a much better job reflecting how awesome you guys are.
As for certifications, I agree with you in many ways. In my opinion, certifications are, for the most part, nonsense. I think a 4 year degree is much more impressive.
That being said, for the most part I think 4 year degrees are nonsense as well. That’s not to say I don’t see value in education, especially since I have an undergrad in Exercise Science along with (count them) two masters degrees. I also had an NSCA certification back in the day. But I haven’t trained someone in almost 10 years…meaning all that schooling and cert is now worthless.
What really sets trainers apart and impresses me most are those that continue their education (outside of a classroom setting). Buying (and reading) books, investing in courses, going to live events, and networking with other trainers. All of this is INCREDIBLY important. But…
I still think nothing compares to actually taking that relevant and timely knowledge you’ve invested in and implementing it in the real world. Some of the best trainers I know barely made it through high school, and many don’t even have a certification. But they are constantly learning and implementing. AND most importantly figuring out what works and what doesn’t work.
The best trainers are constantly testing new strategies (while not forgetting the basics) and working diligently to increase the results of their clients. Because that’s what it’s all about. Gone are the clipboard cowboys. Gone are counting reps. Today’s trainer is in the mix, learning each client, implementing new routines, and utilizing both the “art” and “science” of exercise.
And as far as retaining clients, that sexy piece of paper(s) on your wall doesn’t mean shit if you aren’t likable. You can be a meathead trainer or a scientific trainer or anything in between, but if you can’t become a friend to your client and prove to them that nothing is more important to you than their success, then you’re not a good trainer and you’ll constantly be looking for new clients.
Bottom line, constantly invest in your knowledge, surround yourself with people of the same mindset, work hard to help your clients get results, and become friends with your clients. Follow this and no one will care how many letters you have after your name.
Curtis Mock
I couldn’t agree more with this blog. When I started personal training and got “certified” I already had my Masters Degree and was working as a Cardiac Rehab nurse. I was looking to move outside rehabilition and start training the general population. Having this special background did help me when training older men and women, many who were coming to me with multiple risk factors. I am now working towards my PhD in Physiology, but I can tell you even in higher education, just because you pass a test dosen’t make you an expert. Many in my class memorize information, write a dissertation, hope to rest on their laurels ,but it’s until you can teach someone the material in way that applies to them that you have truly learned. I feel the same about personal training. Many have higher education, multiple certifications, etc..and are not effective trainers.
I still consider myself more of a coach, and while I do have the education and experience, I am not above continually learning from others with different backgrounds than mine. One of the best workshops i recently attended was a Boxing Coach certifcation, taught by a 70 year old professional coach with little more than a high school eduation. he made the course effective, fun to learn, and how to sharpen your senses as a coach when working with different types of athletes and people-what would bring out the best in them. That’s what I want for my business.
I’m with the rest of the replies. I look at some of these weekend certification courses as a brush up on how I can improve myself or the business.
There was a wise person who told me a story about how when he graduated from college he thought he knew everything. After five years of experience, he realized he needed to learn a few things. After 10 more years of learning he was starting to wonder if he knew anything at all. I find myself in this persons shoes quite often. I have learned massively over the the last twenty years, and believe me, there is a lot more to learn than just getting certifications.
Nice one Pat, as a person that has hired many trainers for our studio I would like to say that it is what they do with their certification, degree or masters that makes them a great trainer not the mere fact that they have one.
We have hired great trainers that only finished their certifications a month before but had GREAT personality and a thirst for knowledge and we have hired trainers that have masters and no practical skills.
Education is the starting point, what are you going to do with it in the real world?
Pat, great post! In total agreement and not offended at all. Certification is the starting point. As I’m sure we all know personality and passion play an even more important role in training. Sure, you need the base knowledge of the body and how it works to make sure the clients are safe and effective, but to really motivate your clients you need to have the ability to relate to them and motivate them in a way they will respond.
Too bad there isn’t a certification for personality!
Certification doesn’t equal expert, that is true. The problem I have however, is that the general population doesn’t necessarily understand that. A client can get trained (and pay the same rate) by someone who did get only the overnight express certification or by someone who actually has an advanced college degree in body mechanics and not understand that the two “trainers” are not the same. More needs to be done in this industry to keep educating the client population and to let them know that fitness professional come at all educational levels.
I have seen trainers with college degree who could not train worth a crap and I have seen trainers with a basic cert who were amazing. A lot of times it’s not only the cert or education it’s what people do with the information that is most important.
Yes I agree with continuing education, but then again goes right back to my original point.
As a club owner I put not weight in certifications at all. I have employed and hired alot of trainers and I can say for certain that the certifcate has nothing to do with how good the trainer is. I would go as far as to say that the education as a whole has little to do with how good the trainer is. How many of us have degrees(my hand it in the air) and can not remember much of anything we learned?
The keys to being effective at personal training are passion, drive, personality, and an understanding of people. With passion and drive, they will learn what is needed to be very good at what they love. The people part I think we all understand.
Matter of fact I have hired trainers with no certs at all….ended up being very good trainers. They had to get one for liability insurance purposes, but it added zero impact on their effectiveness….
Pat,
I always tell physical students, when they leave college with their BS, MS, and now PHD .. they know just enough not to hurt anyone.
My greatest clinical skills came from post grad. continued education with guys that were working in the trenches not from guys talking theory.
Physical therapy is no different that Fitness.. A Certification only says you can start, not that you have arrived. How good you become is up to YOU!! How good you get is a direct result of how passionate you are about finding the next answer.
The best do not take the norm or standard as gosple only as a starting point.
I prefer to rewrite the standard which is something I know you often do as well.
Excellent post Pat….
Dave.
Education + (the right) Experience = success. It may or may not include a certification. It may or may not include a degree of any kind…just because you’ve got your masters doesn’t mean you can train me. If you disagree you haven’t been in the business long enough. Conversely, if you do not have a SOLID foundation, the best most cutting edge knowledge isn’t going to help you.
So as a “General” guideline, I’d say Pat’s hierarchy is okay…BUT, it’s far from “spot on”.
Ask someone that just passed their #@%$ how to train a 17 year old lacrosse player. They will probably give you a 12 month periodized plan (which would work). A better reply would be, “I don’t know…get her in front of me, let me watch her move then I’ll tell you”. Ask that same person to show our lacrosse player how to plant, cut, jump, land and show you 5 lifts…enough said.
So, if you invert Pat’s ranking it could take somebody that just finished their masters program and happens to end up at an IYCA event which would connect all the dots making the cert a bit more important…it would put the icing on the cake.
Cheers -
Pat,
So far you are batting 1.000. I don’t know if you will get anyone to disagree, unlesss they have an unrecognizable acronym after their name. You are right on point here and I am in agreement with you. I believe the public’s interpretation is that a cert = expert in the field and I believe some certifying organizations portray that fact, unfortuantely deceiving the public. The public needs to do more homework and not be so trustworthy. There are plenty of bad trainers out there taking advantage of the innocent or lazy who don’t want to do their homework. Furthermore, I believe that some trainers feel as though they are “experts” once they get that cert as well. Far from the truth. Also, not all certs are created = either as you all know. Some, like the CSCS, require a bachelors as a prerequisite to taking the test. Is this a better scenario…. by “qualifying” the individual first?? That’s a topic for another discussion but it does make more sense but now disrupts your “heirarchy”. I don’t know too many trainers that could pass the CSCS without some form of educational foundation first. I worked with a chiropractor/Physical Therapist who was a very good athlete who thought he could take the CSCS. He failed it miserably. However, there are some very good people out there without a degree with tons of experience. Should certifications be generalized or specialized. Much like an MD vs. surgeon, cardiac specialist, podiatrist etc.
Nothing beats the school of hard knocks, relevant life experience, getting in the trenches and learning from a seasoned veteran, like an internship or apprenticeship. I think the certs are a good way to stay current, rejuvenate your batteries cause we all get a little burnt and explore to areas of the industry to add to your repretoire. That may bring up another topic for discussion; state licensure?! Good, bad?? It may weed out the so called “certified experts” but may also put limitations on those that are great at what they do? Sorry to rant. I can appreciate and respect your post, given the fact that you are involved with two certifying organizations. Great topic for conversation.
Totally agree with you Pat. I can’t tell you how frustrated I get when in the gym and see a “trainer” working with someone my age (60+) and having them do exercises that are actually dangerous for their fitness level.(such as trying to get an out of shape, obese senior to do a single-leg squat on a BOSU…honest.)
I don’t know if they’re certified or not, but I do know they’re not doing anyone any service by using a “one size fits all” mentality.
Full disclosure: I’m not a trainer. I’ve been involved in “fitness” and martial arts training for a gazillion years and am currently working toward my PT certification, knowing it’s simply a starting point. Seeing these bozos has inspired me to get involved myself…so I guess that’s a good thing, right?
Terrific post! Thanks!
here here. totally agree
I agree.
People should take a certification primarily for what they will learn and use, not to impress others.
If is the end result of the athlete that matters most. Education and certs are just one way to get better results in less time (in a safe manner).
Rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)
Pat,
Great post. Whenever I present, I always tell people that I am the expert. The reason that i am the expert is becuase I’m the one that flew in and have the powerpoint!
A formal degree or certification is always just the beginning of anyone’s education. 27 years in this business and there are most days that I feel I don’t know crap.
Always learning….
Tim
Awesome, Pat. I’d be surprised if you lost anyone with this thoughtful, logical post. Your position is rock solid. If anyone really takes offense with it, you were never going to reach them anyways.
Great post.
I like how they call the med students on scrubs “murders”!!
Well put in order to get a job in health club higher national standards need to be enforced.
Hell it is harder to get a license to cut someones hair than train some one!! When was the last time a barber told you he was gonna put 350 pounds on your shoulders and have you stand up?
Ryan
Interesting.
I definitely feel like certs are just something to give you a couple letters of credibility, and that they’ve been bastardized by some organizations, but who knows. Maybe there is a better way.
Though I will say…I sure wish it took more than a clipboard, tshirt and a pair of shorts to become a trainer or coach.
No argument here…
It’s been my experience that knowledge isn’t power at all. For me, knowledge is a resource and no-thing more. Power comes from applied knowledge, personal and practical experience, perspective and the understanding that whatever you may believe or have been taught to be true, the opposite may also be true.
Certification, may in fact, be a good starting point to affirm what you already know, to teach you about things you know you’re not yet proficient with and maybe most importantly of all, to begin to give you an idea about the things you had know idea you knew no-thing about.
I thought it was too easy to become a certified personal trainer even though I studied the information for six months before taking the final exam. It was a career change for me and I was looking for a job that would require more than sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Once certified, I realized there was so much more to learn about the human body on every level. The majority of the clients I was in charge of at the health club where I started had health conditions or had injuries I knew little about.::Here I am seven years later with a lot of practical experience and knowledge and I still wouldn’t claim to be any kind of expert. ::Being a personal trainer is much more than a title if you really love what you do; much more than a business of collecting a paycheck.::It takes more than a manual and a weekend workshop if you ask me.
I agree that it definitely takes more than a certification to be a good trainer or coach. But your CPR example doesnt really apply because like you say, a CPR certification does not qualify you to be an EMT or emergency room physician, so why does a weekend personal training certification qualify you to be a full fledged personal trainer or fitness coach?
I think you are absolutely right in saying a certification is a starting point, but thats not how the fitness industry operates. The barrier for entry into this profession is incredibly low.
I feel personal training and fitness coaching would be a lot better off if it were treated more like athletic therapy (athletic training in US) and require the 4 year degree plus certification at the end of that before being able to call yourself a “personal trainer”. That would give this industry a lot more credibility.
It always gets me fired up when I see that things like chiropractic, athletic therapy, and even massage therapy are covered (in part anyways) under health plans (in Canada), but personal training isn’t, and the low barrier for entry is exactly why. Because anyone can wake up one day and call themselves a “personal trainer”.
Anyways, I agree with most of what you said, and your right, this topic does get alot of people fired up, me included obviously.
Great topic for a post. Always enjoy reading your articles!
I’ve always thought that a certification did not make the trainer. And in truth, most of the trainers walking around me with certifications are not the best trainers at all! Even ones with degrees actually suck as trainers sometimes. I think it comes down to the application of what you learn and continue to learn. Don’t get caught up in the ego stroke that piece of paper gives you. Remember that you are there for your client’s health. I definitely think Tim is on point.
—Greg
Was it Einstein who said?;
“Imagination is infinitely more important than knowledge”.
Hey, Pat!
Great post! Based on personal experience, I am always humbled when completing a certification course. I am ready for my experiences, but never enter that realm with a know-it-all mentality. To me that would be the end of my ability to positively influence others.
Truly, the more I learn, the less I know. Does that make sense?
-Liz
You just voiced the reason I am going on to complete a 2-year study to be able to better train those who pay me. I know I am at the lowest level and I am thankful that I can earn money even at that level and do what I love. I want to deliver a quality product and will never stop learning through workshops, formal education, and internships. By the by, I will be repeating the last workshop I attended because too much information in too short a time did not allow for proper evaluation of the material presented. Thank you for bringing some truth to this industry.
You are right on with this Pat! So many people want to get the certifications and then list 8,000 letters after their name!
Love the look of the new site too! Nice job!
Cheers,
Maria
I agree mostly with you Pat. I am anti-weekend-workshop certifications. I do my personal workouts at a major fitness chain that I’ve seen front desk clerks turn into trainers on the gym floor virtually overnight. It disgusts me. I’ve been interviewed and offered a job at another large local gym chain, and on the same day bumped into a trainer who didn’t even know what the acronym for his cert stood for! All he could say is the gym had he go through the “workshop”, and he passed.. yet he already forgot the exact name of his cert. with in a week!?
Two peeves of mine:
1)A trainer who hardly knows how to work out themselves trying to teach someone else.
2)A trainer who’s credentials show they should know what they are doing, but when you look at them, you wonder if they even exercise.
I will point out that I’m glad there was one word you typed that acknowledged there may be some major differences in certifications, and that is where you asked “Isn’t that what “most” certifications are?”
I’d say MOST certs that are available should be banished, or at least only seen as an addition to a required accredited certification or diploma when it comes down to being hired as a personal trainer, or being able to practice as a personal trainer. However there are certs that mean business, and are accredited, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Certification. Which is what I ended up getting. Statistically a very small percentage who have the cert. don’t have a bachelors degree or higher. That has to say something. What I believe it says is you better have a good educational base if you think you are getting this cert! Statistically Over half the test takers fail. Probably the ones who thought they could become overnight trainers!
Another note not mentioned. What about those who graduated from a private personal training trade school? Before I got my N.S.C.A. cert, that is the route I ended up finishing with after dropping out of my local University(just below junior standing with an honors g.p.a). Would I have liked to finish at the University, of course. However, working full time and going to school full time just wasn’t doing it for me when I was being forced to fight to get into classes that had nothing to do with my passion. I graduated top of my class at the personal training trade school. Going to school 4 nights a week, for 4 hours a night, for 7 months, while working full time. So sometimes I wonder, how much different would things be fore me if I had went another two semesters, and then gotten the A.C.S.M cert., which requires a bachelors degree? Then again on most all my continuing education credits I have to keep my cert current, I’m sitting right next to those renewing there A.C.S.M certs. Did I take an easy route? Am I less qualified? What do you think?
I’d say there should be more regulation on the fitness industry that keeps gym owners/managers from hiring trainers with without proper credentials, which should include at least some sort of formal higher education/schooling and an accredited cert.
Jeremy Schaeler
Fitness Maverick
Pat, about time someone told it like it is!! The internet world has provided awesome opportunity but also created a lot of “experts” via stating it online!!
The result is, we need to take a look at what message are we sending and is in “real” to the market!
I’ve been in the industry 12yrs, and I still feel uncomfortable stating I’m an “expert” because I feel like I’m only just starting to learn!
Great post brother,
Pat,
I read all your newsletters and enjoy them immensely. This one however, is by far the best one you’ve written. We started our C.N.S. program to certify fitness professionals to not only raise the standard – similar to what you, Brain, Nick, and Sara have done with IYCA – but to give fitness professionals a start. Not as a means to an end, but rather a beginning. A beginning of an opportunity to better serve their clients, to think bigger about their role in the lives of their clients, and to become a professional worthy of six and seven figure incomes because they have a knowledge base, and more important, perspective which defines ‘experts’ in every industry. Thanks for all you do for the profession and for helping to raise the standard. Keep up the great work.
I agree 100% with you here! I’ve got a whole bunch of letters after my name but it does not mean I am truely worthy of the clip board and black track suit.
You left one out though People!
Empathey. We should live and breath our profession not because we force ourselves but because we are the definition of what we enforce.
Was your life changed by the health and wellness realm? Why should somebody who has been a size 3 their entire life help people lose weight? Why should somebody who never played a game of hockey be a speed and balance specialist? Why are you in the field if you do not know what it’s like to play on one? Do you know what childbearing is like?…so your going to teach jump squats because anatomically they are great…get a mop for momma..
I am going to add fuel to your fire Pat!
It’s not the certs, diplomas, etc. It’s who YOU ARE that makes what you do successful. I’d take the trainer with experience and a empathetic story over the master of kinesiology who has the personality of a rock.
Trainers are a dime a dozen.
scientists are a dollar a dozen.
He/she who has been there is priceless.
peace,
I had to carve out some time at the end of my work day to respond to this one
Thanks for throwing it out there Pat. Now, I’m going to run with it.
I’ve had the good fortune to travel quite a bit around the US training in 100s of trainers for a big box health club company. I’ve seen just about every level of trainer imaginable.
The bottom line is always the same: letters after a name have absolutely nothing to do with trainer competence, confidence or success. In fact, more often than not I’ve seen the “least qualified” person on staff have the most successful business – not just selling new clients, but getting great results, retaining clients and getting referrals.
Too often some joker with a bunch of “credentials” comes into the personal training industry thinking the clients should just come to them. Never going to happen. Clients have no clue what those letters even mean. They don’t know one cert from the other.
To make matters worse, often that trainer got those credentials years ago and they’re totally outdated. And, if they’re just fresh out of school (B.S., M.S. or PhD) they most often have no true real world application with that 37 year old mom who just wants to look and feel sexy again for her husband.
As Dave put it, it’s the continuing education, passion and study that separates the best trainers from the rest of the trainers. And, I’m not just talking about what’s the new exercise or diet strategy. You gotta study people, read personal development and business books, and for God’s sake follow the latest trends on sites like this one.
OK. That’s enough ranting for me. Time to shut down the laptop for the night and go spend time with Janell
Have Faith & Take Action!
Justin Yule
Certifications are all illogical, non-directional, and unscientific. I see trainers come out more confused than when they went in because now they just have a random collection of “facts” in their head with no real way to put them together. We just use certification for insurance purposes. I wrote my own manual and we use our own philosophy.
I also started my own association and appointed myself Master Trainer. I still use IDEA’s criteria for it, but there’s no way I’m paying them to get it.
Chris Lutz-Master Trainer
“Personally – I wish more people had certifications where they gave a workshop and then actually tested you on the material that was presented.”
Charles Poliquin already has this with his certification program and a whole slew of special topic seminars for after you achieve various levels of his coaching program.
Is nothing more real than what are you saying.
There is o certification that can teach you how to love what are you doing, and when you have passion in desire to excel you will not stop after receiving your diploma in the mail.
What people are saying about you is really matters …
Have a really great weekend
Great post Pat! Whenever I encounter interns or college seniors who are looking to enter into the personal training field the first thing I tell them is make sure you keep learning. Your education never stops! While reading this post I am reminded of a time I was listening to a physician speak. He said something that I will never forget. He told our staff that if you look at the way we practice medicine is is completely different from the way we did it ten years ago. Same is true with personal training. A weekend workshop will give you the skills for the current way we train but ten years from now things will be different than today. it’s not the certification that makes you the expert but rather the constant study and refining of practice.
I am a Doctor, befor that, AA degree, 2 BA’s, Masters, Doctorate, (DCM). The more you see the less you know, or it appears that way… There is a cascade affect when you look at things in the big picture and everything has its place. Though, certification is the begining so to speak, if there were none, how many people would even exercise; it gives people hope and a little guidance to start them on a path, (hopefully of wellness). The Cert. also offers job opportunities and there is always plenty of room to grow and work with layman to peak performance and everything you can think of in between!
Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you will land in the stars…
I completely agree! When I started training about a year ago, everyone said, “oh, you passed your certification exam; you are good to go!”… and yet, when dealing with my first client I felt woefully unprepared (personal training is a career change, so I don’t have the BS in exercise physiology or anything – in fact my degree is in geology but I digress). After a full year of training I am beginning to feel like I know what’s going on, but I also know just how LITTLE I know. I am constantly reading and testing things out on clients… so hopefully I will become an expert… but in spite of what friends and other trainers said – getting the letters after my name didn’t do it.
Quick funny story…
About a hundred years ago, when I first opened my studio, I would only hire trainers with at least a four year degree in exercise science, or a related field.
I got many calls from prospective clients that would ask if my trainers were certified. When I would tell them that all of my trainers had their bachelor’s degree in exercise science, they would say “Okay, but are they certified?”
That always made me laugh, because they placed a higher level of confidence on a weekend certification than at least four years of college.
Pat,
I agree 100%. I hire trainers all the time and always place education before certification. But I also believe that a trainers thurst for continuing their education is also important. With new research coming out daily trainers have to keep up, they have to keep reinventing themselves and find their niche in which to become an expert. But don’t forget the importance of hands on experience in the real world (not a classroom). And above all and the ability to work with and relate to other people. Hire the personality and train the skill. Any one can be taught anatomy & physiology, biomechanics, etc, but you can’t teach personality, empathy towards others, pride in ones work and personability. We work in a customer service industry, we serve people.
Maybe Pat is preaching to the choir. Certainly looks that way.
Not one person’s response expressed offense and for that I am really excited, because it seems we are all coming from a pretty practical place.
Expertise is subjective and can come from many types of learning
Great trainers are much more that the sum of their knowledge
Education & knowledge can and do come from all around us. We are either looking to stay “in the know” by continual education and skill development, or we’re outdating ourselves.
Certifications are a step, as is every other type of step. Anyone in any field who stays at the top of their field, does so because they keep moving.
OK. Here are a few more thoughts:
Expert is a term we used to give us the OK to put stock in what we are about to hear. It indicates legitmacy, and that is why it is so effective in marketing a course, product or idea. But it’s a term without a universal measurable standard. It’s not based on set criteria. I’m not even sure that it could be–what makes for an expert staus in one peson’s eyes is subjective by nature. And in this day an age, when it can be used pretty loosely, why take it so seriously?
The question is is less whether the person is an expert than if what they are saying has vaildity. Looking at their knowledge base can help us assess the validity, and so will listening and considering the message itself. I get concerned about the over-reliance on the term because I feel like it can flip a switch in listener’s brain to say, you don’t need to check on what you are about to hear and see if it is true for you because it’s coming from an Expert. When I am referred to as an expert, I disregard the title and stay focused on the information I’m sharing. Our message, not our title needs to be our focus.
So much of what we know now about nutrition and fitness is vastly different than what we knew with total certainty before a new discovery controverted it. The real experts, who are very well oriented with their subject, in my opinion, always feel like there’s more unknown than known and don’t rest on their expertise. They just keep exploring learning and sharing their discoveries.
Certifications have a very important place in that process. Yes, I agree, they could measure skill more and budding educators can change that. Our field has grown so much and we are still so young: our educational path is rapidly changing. One educational source can compliment the other. Certifications, university, life experience, interning at a gym, observing adjunct practitioners, even learing other disciplines, all make a difference…if it’s APPLIED.
I have yet to meet a certified or degreed trainer who came out of the womb that way. Even the great ones, the ones with all that natural talent and instinct, at one point had no formal education or experience to vouch for them. Where would our profession be if these individuals are passed over? Hire people who have the curiosity and desire to understand the body and help people with theirs. Hire people with people skills and a professional ethic. They will work hard to service clientele and manage their business, learning what they don’t know as they go. Hore people who ttake direction well and demonstarate initiative and and a willingness to adapt in a changing environment.
One other point is to recognize that it takes all kinds of trainers to reach all kinds of people. I remember a trainer back during my days training at a big upscale chain who did not look like a model or a gym bunny or a lean machine. She looked like half the members. She was competent, easy to work with, responsible and cared about her clients. And you what? She trained the people who were too intimidated to train with the extra-fit, younger, ad-campaign looking trainers. Those members would have skipped training altogether had it not been for her. Good thing she was qualified and she was hired even though she didn’t look “gym-perfect.”
Thanks for the inspiration, Pat and all the other post-ers!
One more thought inspired by Pat and the responders…
Practice is key.
If we can’t apply what we’ve learned, we can be as much help as a person who hasn’t learned it in the first place.
Hey Pat-
I get it and I agree that a certification is an entry point.One of those places where the accumulation of knowledge happens. But being a good coach/trainer does not only use your book knowledge, it uses your people skills, observation skills, assessment skills and so on. Those skills are only built through time in the trenches.
I have met many fitness professionals who are at a Level 3 or higher, but have spent so much time on academia, that the personal side of coaching has not been developed. This is very important.
Even though I fall into the Level 2 category, and I wish life would have allowed me to finish college, I still believe that many of us at this level do have the ability to make a serious impact on people’s lives, albeit not with as much book knowledge.
But the comments above show that most importantly for everyone, is to keep building your skills and knowledge. When you learn more, it needs to be applied, not just tucked away in a notebook gathering dust. I truly believe that my clients are entrusting their lives to me, and I do not take that lightly. That is why I continue to read, attend seminars and subscribe to valuable and relevant information. There are all kinds of people in the world, and there will always be a place for those who work earnestly for the betterment of their fellow man, no matter their level of education!
I could not agree more. Triathlon Coaching Certification is given to anyone completing a weekend session. Anyone could become a USAT certified coach. The title “USAT Certified” is not a very good implication of a “coaches” knowledge and capability.
You are right on the mark with your observation Pat. We are in a fast fix world where people want it and they want it NOW!
The way I have seen it is that there will always be levels of proficiency in our industry and If the demand for “professionals trainers” came from our clients then just maybe we would rise to that level.
As it stands now the public doesn’t always know how a weekend cert differs from another cert but they do know referrals and chemistry. If a trainer is new they may not have referrals yet but if they are good they will probably have developed some chemistry that will go a long way.
The other problem with a quick cert is that the trainer doesn’t get to learn progressions or corrections with any level of competency and that is really what is going to keep their clients coming back.
Its a work in progress.
Pat,
Thanks for this. It really helped me to wrestle with some thoughts and challenges areound this subject matter.
A certification, in my opinion, is merely a tool of “accountablility”. It is the stepping stone for us to be accountable for our Growth in this industry. It requires us to be accountable for the well being of our customers/clients FIRST and our businesses second. All the books/manuals/exams go over the same thing. The body has not changed since it was Divinely created. The difference is whether one pays 250 or 500 for their cert or whether they are degreed or did a weekend practical certification. Most importantly, the difference is (stealing this from someone above): what you do you with it.
I have a young man I’m considering hiring to be a trainer in my boot camp system. He’s not certified (as long as I have the credentials, he won’t need to be initially) but, he is former army like I am, he was a medic in the military, has a work regiment to die for, is passionate about the health and wellness of the African American community, and hungry to provide for his family. I’ll take that anyday before a Phd in exercise phys without any life experiences to back that degree up!
Thanks to all that contributed … GREAT STUFF
You make a great point. I certainly agree with you in most respects in terms of being certified is certainly only a starting point. I’m not sure exactly how the process works in the US but in Australia some companies offer an 8 week course where you come out a qualified trainer.
In my opinion there is no way these guys that finish school and do 8 weeks of study have the approriate skills to help someone with their health. But then again i guess there is only one way to get experience.
A great topic!
I find it funny how people think they’re experts because they got certified through NASM, NCSA etc. To tell you the truth a trainer can be book smart and use big words if they want too but they sure as hell won’t be booked with clients. Clients could care less who you certified through. They want to know if you have the knowledge to get them to where they need to be. A certification is a must but there shouldn’t be a hirearchy of the type of certification. NASM, NSCA, ISSA or whatever cert a trainer has means he or she has basic knowledge but there are so many articles, magazines and books that can enhance your knowledge.
Great Post Pat!
Some thoughts from a dude who has 9 of the best certification the industry has to offer:
#1) The body is one of the most complex things in the universe. Learning never stops and can take on many forms, personal experience being the most valuable.
#2) However, 1 year of experience repeated 10x is not the same as 10 years of experience!
#3) Therefore, it is important to go out and learn from multiple disciplines and perspectives, which allows us to be comprehensive and…
#4) …allows us to educate our clients and provide real world solutions for them.
“The purpose of knowledge is action” ~ Sir Francis Bacon
Cheers.
Jonathan
I agree with the main point of the article. However, I don’t see the difference between testing after a Boyle or Cosgrove workshop versus testing after learning a 16 hour course in CPR?
Also, if professionals are spending their time and paying the money to attend a workshop, I would assume that those people would put in the time and effort to get something out of it. If they aren’t willing to study and understand the material then it’s their loss.
But I do agree with your last point. I really dislike when people have a know-it-all attitude after they complete a basic certifcation (especially if they let it be known that they are ‘certified’)
Like all the others, I agree. What drives me crazy when I watch the “trainers” at my gym is body language. They don’t care about the person in front of them at all and it’s totally obvious. They show them an exercise and stand there and count to 10. There’s no encouragement, no praise, just count to 10 and write it in a log book. Plus they all look like professional beer drinkers and not a trainer.
No people skills.
While I understand what you’re posting, and agree with it in the context with which it was posted, it’s just not (at least IMO) representative nor indicative of much of the fitness world/industry.
A “certification” is more or less – simply put, anyway – just a third party test of some sort to determine that an individual knows something. This is supposed to signify to the otherwise uninitiated third-party (i.e. – customer) that the certified individual actually knows what they’re doing and can be trusted to do what they’re been ‘certified’ to do.
And herein lies the problem.
One of the posters above mentioned that certs have been bastardized by the industry. How true.
Certifications have a bad “rap” b/c of who is giving them, who is able to get them, and what it takes to actually become ‘certified’.
There is one *major* fitness organization out there right now…I won’t mention it by name…but is arguably one of the most popular certifying bodies right now and has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years. This organization offers more different versions of it’s certification (different levels, a ton of specific certifications, etc.) than you can shake a stick at.
Here’s the rub though – it’s certification guidelines aside (which some people would consider “sketchy”, but I won’t comment on) – the participants of the certification program AREN’T EVEN TESTED. So, in essence, as long as you make it through the certification weekend and the check clears, you can be ‘certified’.
And that sucks.
And let’s be honest – a certification is designed to be a test, is it not? It is supposed to test your knowledge/abilities/etc. Yet how many certifications actually *teach* you during their certification? How is that testing you? It’s not. That is seminar – not a certification. But, b/c you get a plaque at the end, they can jack up the price by up to 10x.
And now you’ve got anybody who deems themselves an “expert” (and has enough paying customers/fanboys who agree) putting out a certification. Ugh.
I see nothing wrong with certs per se, but as they’re being perpetrated now…at least in America…I think the vast majority are a sham.
Wiggy
Finally!
You hit the nail on the head dude! Nice article.
THIS IS GOLD!! I find it remarkable that people are now claiming that a brief exposure to a Certification course makes them an expert in a specific field. I view these courses as a ripple in a pond – they are designed to whet the appetite and encourage further investigation on the part of the students. Attending a weekend seminar does not an expert make! Thank you for bringing this out into the open!!
Last time I checked Paramedics(EMTP) are “certified”. In my line of work, be leary of ANYONE who says they’re an “expert”, run the other way, they’re going to get you killed.
Yeah, you said it. Certs are great starting points, and I think the “industry” has profited wildly from them. The public at large thinks a cert means something. But it doesn’t, necessarily. It means somebody took some time to study (maybe), took a test, and paid a fee.
Same in the IT industry or anywhere else for that matter. You bring up a great point about CPR – I took a baby CPR class before I had my first child and I’ll be damned if I knew 5 percent more coming out than going in and I certainly would not feel very good about having to perform CPR on my kid or anyone else for that matter.
Experts abound. Not.
Pat,
I couldn’t agree with you more!
People ask me all the time what certifications do I have and don’t get me wrong I think being a NASM-PES, CPT was hard work and well worth both the studying. The problem lies in that there are too many in our industry who feel like you said…
If they obtain a certification they are an expert!
I had a follower on Twitter ask me the other day how I became a Core Training Expert…and I simply replied through my 8 + years of hands on experience. It wasn’t given to me by a book or a test.
You can use my brother as an example. He served our country in the USMC for 5 years where he reached the rank of Sergeant. In that time he became a Combat Conditioning Specialist, A Black Belt Martial Arts Instructor but more importantly he spent time running the Body Composition Program every morning with his Marines on base.
For that work alone he was recognized by his fellow Marines as the Expert on base.
He returned home to run boot camps with me and as I have told him having a certification next to his name is no where near as important as the experience he gained through his work with those Marines. It is his service and that work accomplished within the USMC that helps set him apart from others in our industry.
I am always researching, reading, developing and fine tuning everything I do. Studying those who have been here before me and making sure everything I do can not be matched in my area. For that I consider myself an expert.
No certification can provide me with that.
I hear ya! Our provincial regulated certification is a weekend course.
One of my intern always asks me why I keep her on, as I am always going on about education and she just got her second cert.
I tell her its because she has the desire to learn and get better!
and My members love her!
She also sees the value in the internship program, when it would have taken her years and thousands of dollars to get the knowledge she has now!
Oh yeah and thanks BJ! Because I have learned more from you in the past 6 months then I have from anyone else in the past 4 years!
On a side note: Just because you have a masters doesn’t mean you can apply it!
Pat,
I like the message you sent out. Im gonna graduate with a degree in kinesiology (submajor exercise and fitness) in may. I am not certified as of yet, but I want to do ACE. Ive heard some facilities say you have to be certified in something. School has taught me that with a degree in kines, that may be all the “certification” I’ll need to start off as a basic level trainer. What do you think? I obviously realize that learning never stops when dealing with fitness but once I graduate in may, where do you think my next step should be? My goal for the immediate future is to be a personal trainer for the summer months then from there I dont know. Should I start with something simple as ACE, or take time to study for a CSCS exam.
thanks,
Brandon
Hey Brandon – Getting the ACE credential will certainly do you no harm. Get it then work toward the CSCS.
I’d also suggest you go to at least one of the Perform Better events and one of the events we do.
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