Personal training cert questions

[casperthegst]

I do not posses a college degree but I was wondering if the NASM or ACE or is even worth the effort or is it just complete hogwash?

 

[KILL KILL]

I do not posses a college degree but I was wondering if the NASM or ACE or is even worth the effort or is it just complete hogwash?

both are solid. NASM is the most prestigious cert that doesn't require a degree. The sad truth is personal training has little to do with actual knowledge of training and everything to with the ability to sell.

 

[Tosa]

Depending on why you want the cert, certain certifications may be more useful to you, even if they're not better. For example, certain gyms will have certifications they specifically look for, even if they're pretty mediocre certs.

 

[dat1978]

Wow, those exams are expensive.

 

[KILL KILL]

Depending on why you want the cert, certain certifications may be more useful to you, even if they're not better. For example, certain gyms will have certifications they specifically look for, even if they're pretty mediocre certs.

yeah that's true. My old gym would hire qualified trainers, but had some silly rule that if they weren't already certified through NASM, they would need to do so within 6 months.

 

[Eric Brown]

They, like pretty much every other personal training certification, suck. If you actually learn anything of worth in the process of getting your certification, you should probably not be coaching anyone.

Most personal training certs. are pretty much interchangeable and will allow you to get a job at a gym (chain) that lets personal trainers operate. As most people do not know the difference, you have large market of ill-informed people to train.

Unless your gym has a specific requirement for a particular cert, get whatever you can afford.

 

[LegioTitan]

both are solid. NASM is the most prestigious cert that doesn't require a degree. The sad truth is personal training has little to do with actual knowledge of training and everything to with the ability to sell.

Unfortunately this soooo true.

Even when you're working with someone and attempting to educate them you often, in my experience, find yourself giving in to their long-rooted bro science preconceptions just to make them happy.

I mean what am I going to do tell the guy paying my rent to go f**k himself??? Nope. Not gonna happen. Ever. Judge from your high horse all you want but I gotta eat.

 

[Twisted Elbow**]

Unfortunately this soooo true.

Even when you're working with someone and attempting to educate them you often, in my experience, find yourself giving in to their long-rooted bro science preconceptions just to make them happy.

I mean what am I going to do tell the guy paying my rent to go f**k himself??? Nope. Not gonna happen. Ever. Judge from your high horse all you want but I gotta eat.

You can always say" you can shove a barbell up your ass and add 45lbs to your body. Or get strong a fuck like me and not weak like you." A bit much?

 

[Henry Huggins]

Unfortunately this soooo true.

Even when you're working with someone and attempting to educate them you often, in my experience, find yourself giving in to their long-rooted bro science preconceptions just to make them happy.

I mean what am I going to do tell the guy paying my rent to go f**k himself??? Nope. Not gonna happen. Ever. Judge from your high horse all you want but I gotta eat.

Most of my clients are willing to squat, DL, and press heavy. It's nice. The only complication I've ever run into was a female client telling me her boots don't fit as well anymore since we started squatting. I can live with that.

 

[lpaulgib]

Unfortunately this soooo true.

Even when you're working with someone and attempting to educate them you often, in my experience, find yourself giving in to their long-rooted bro science preconceptions just to make them happy.

I mean what am I going to do tell the guy paying my rent to go f**k himself??? Nope. Not gonna happen. Ever. Judge from your high horse all you want but I gotta eat.

A good personal trainers job is to communicate good training techniques to an uninformed client. Basically you're saying that your job is too hard for you.

 

[LegioTitan]

A good personal trainers job is to communicate good training techniques to an uninformed client. Basically you're saying that your job is too hard for you.

Lololololol

I'm not even going to waste my time on your dumbass.

 

[lpaulgib]

Lololololol

I'm not even going to waste my time on your dumbass.

I'm sorry you suck at marketing so much you have to put your ethics into question to do your job. I train people also and I see it as my job to teach them right.

 

[Midnighter]

A good personal trainers job is to communicate good training techniques to an uninformed client. Basically you're saying that your job is too hard for you.

A doctor can prescribe medicine to his patient, but he can't make them take it.

I think that's his point.

 

[KILL KILL]

I'm sorry you suck at marketing so much you have to put your ethics into question to do your job. I train people also and I see it as my job to teach them right.

dude you're obviously new to the game.

 

[KILL KILL]

A doctor can prescribe medicine to his patient, but he can't make them take it.

I think that's his point.

You have to realize that people that get trainers have a preconceived notion of what proper exercise is. They see p90X commercials and they think that getting thrashed every session and "muscle confusion" is the way to go. If I have a client that is paying $1,000 a month, how long do you think he's going to stay with me if he feels as if he's not getting his money's worth? Women are the worst because if they aren't drenched in sweat at the end of a workout, they will question your training methods. It doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong because if I don't give them at least some of the bro science workouts they expect, then they won't even stick around long enough to begin seeing results.

 

[lpaulgib]

Oh did I forget to mention I am a trainer? You have to be able to communicate with your clients real expectations and set them straight on misinformation. Otherwise it contributes to the pool of misinformation and bro science because you're just another shitty trainer reinforcing that its OK.

Its not the easiest job but its your career path you picked. When your excuse is "well I'll lose my client" I don't buy it. You're lazy and don't want to put the effort in to educate them. You just want money. Its a clear case of using poor ethics.

 

[SteveX]

I agree with everyone else. If the gym you are trying to get a job at doesn't care then go with the most affordable and easiest to pass. Just be sure it's really what you want to do before dropping money on any of them. It's about sales not training.

It's a sales business. Most people only care about losing fat and looking good. They want to feel like they're getting their money's worth and for many that means feeling dead at the end of a workout.

Some people are beyond educating. You don't have to completely go over to the darkside, but if you don't give them at least a little of what they want they will go to greener pastures. You just have to find the right balance of proper training and bro science that yields results while still making them happy.

generally for me this means starting off with some big compound lifts and accessory movements and finishing with all the bells and whistles that make them sweat and pant for air after all the stuff that actually works is finished.

 

[lpaulgib]

If you discuss the clients goals and your training philosophy and can suppliment your disagreements with information and proof most clients will listen to you.

You can still make workouts exciting and diverse without resorting to giving in to bro science.

Its a disservice to the industry and your clients to do otherwise. Are you really afraid to stand up to a misinformed client.

In short grow a sack and learn to tell someone no.

 

[Eric Brown]

Oh did I forget to mention I am a trainer?

So?

This is sort of like mentioning you ride a bus when race car drivers are talking. Never mention that you are a bottom-feeder as if it is a point in your favor.

 

[lpaulgib]

So?

This is sort of like mentioning you ride a bus when race car drivers are talking. Never mention that you are a bottom-feeder as if it is a point in your favor.

Or it means I know what I'm talking about through experience.