What every personal trainer needs to know: exercise science and education are key factors in defining necessary areas of competence - includes related information on certification - Special Personal Training Section

What Every Personal Trainer Needs To Know

Personal fitness training is not a new concept. What used to be a service for only the rich and famous, has swiftly made its way across demographic barriers. However, the significant growth in demand for personal trainers and the lack of any industry guidelines, has caused many questions to surface regarding "the training of the trainers."

Personal trainers are generally hired to "help" clients achieve a variety of specific fitness-related goals. Some of the most common goals a trainer may hear from a potential client relate to losing weight, firming up, building muscles, flattening stomachs and diminishing the size of various body parts. Although these goals seem quite different, they are, in fact, the same - they all are "cosmetic" in nature. Given the positive relationship between regular exercise and health, the personal trainer may now be in a favorable position to make a significant difference in America's health.

The boom in personal training triggers many unanswered questions and gray areas. But the need for fitness guidance and counseling has never been clearer. Although there is enormous enthusiasm for exercise in America, available evidence indicates between 66-80% of adult Americans do not exercise regularly, and only 10% of this population is likely to begin an exercise program within one year. Even more 20-34% of those who exercise regularly, one half are expected to drop out within three to six months. These statistics exist despite a multi-billion dollar fitness industry.

Although not without controversy, certification for aerobic instructors has improved the quality of aerobic classes in terms of safety and effectiveness. If we are to assume the same of certification for personal trainers, the industry needs to establish guidelines and defines necessary areas of competence for the personal trainer.

EXERCISE SCIENCE

Given many Americans get a fair amount of fitness information from places like the super market check out line, they often come to the personal trainer with many misguided ideas and "belief systems." The personal trainer will need, in many cases, to provide basic information regarding topics like the components of physical fitness, as well as a variety of concepts relating to the principles of fitness conditioning.

EDUCATION

COUNSELING

The act of giving information to a client does not assure the trainer the client will adopt or adhere to the program he has assisted the client in setting up. Facilitating behavior change through behavior modification techniques is an essential objective, if the client is to achieve, and more importantly, maintain his goals. The failure to study and address issues of human behavior and the mechanisms of learning, is particularly evident in the commercial diet industry which boasts enormous yearly profits, yet over a five-year period has a failure rate of 80-95%!

Although they should not attempt to operate as a clinical psychological counselor, the personal trainer is in fact, a fitness counselor. Most would benefit from learning basic principles of counseling as well as situational leadership information.

Finally, certification must ask for accountability and the skill to assist a client in the learning of self responsibility. The truly successful personal trainer strives to facilitate health behavior change with full knowledge his ultimate goal is to reach that point at which termination is eminent. Success for the personal trainer is in fact achieved, when the client doesn't need a trainer anymore.

PHOTO : A) Teaching class assessment for low back and hamstring flexibility.

PHOTO : B) Teaching a three-minute step test for cardiovascular assessment.

Paul Besson, an AFAA certification specialist, resides in Newton, Massachusetts.

AFAA Certification For Personal Trainers & Fitness Counselors

This workshop was developed for AFAA by Fitness Resource Associates to bring you state-of-the-art information in the exercise sciences. This two-and-a-half day workshop combines practical and theoretical information dealing with the behavioral and psychological objectives of fitness counseling. A must do for all who are interested in becoming one of the top professionals in the fitness field. This workshop will consist of written and practical exams. There are 12 CEU credits with successful completion of the workshop. Prerequisite - AFAA Primary Certification or successful completion of Introduction to Exercise Science.

Introduction to Exercise Science

For those of you who need a refresher or need the basics of exercise science this workshop is for you. This is an entry level course that may be used to complete the prerequisite for AFAA's Personal Training Certification program. This one-day program is designed to provide the foundations of health and fitness education. Learn exercise guidelines, the components of physical fitness, and principles of fitness conditioning, exercise physiology, anatomy and kinesiology. This workshop or AFAA's Primary Certification are prerequisites for the Certification for Personal Trainers & Fitness Counselors. This workshop offers six CEU credits.

Registry by calling 1-800-445-5950, (818) 905-0040 or 1-800-343-2584 (California only).

COPYRIGHT 1991 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group