Spotting a fraudulent trainer 101:

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i had a trainer who was a middleweight boxing champion .. but he got hit too many times and sucks at teachingg now .. that was the end of me going to his gym
 
JeremiahBailey said:
All you have to do to be ISSA certified is read a book and take a test. I know two people who have done it and both say it is pretty much a joke.
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I'm taking the ISSA SSC course, and ya, you have to read a book. You also have a 300 page workbook that needs to be done, a test, with 200 multi plus essay, and you have to make a video/DVD of you training clients, with narration of what you're doing and why. You also need to present the whole training cycle for the athlete/client as well. Continuing Education credits, which can (and should) include classroom time, is also required.

Before they issue you your cert, you need provide proof of CPR/First aid certification. Hell, before I even signed up I had to type an essay on what I was expecting to learn and achieve from the course, plus provide my previous certification from CFES as a prerequisite.
 
STWACOACH said:
Fat or skinny I ASSURE you I would NEVER go to a trainer that is out of shape. PERIOD. Crossfit is a perfect example. Then you have guys like JC Santana, and Ross, or even myself who walk the walk, not just talk the talk. That to me is far more important, and gives them far more credibility if I was looking for a trainer.
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This is a tough one. True, Coach Glassman (crossfit) is totally unfit. On the other hand, Rippetoe looks like nothing special, but I would gladly pay top-dollar for his help with oly lifting. I guess it depends on *why* the trainer is out of shape, whether it's a temporary thing or the result of poor lifestyle choices that would make him/her uninspiring.

If I had a choice between an out-of-shape trainer with lots of experience coaching real athletes and a background in competition vs. a meathead who looks good but can't communicate or relate well, I'd pick the former any day.
 
Ripptoe is still strong and in his younger years, put up some impressive numbers. Galssman is point blank obvious out of shape, and he has never been in it.

I would just pick neither, and get what I wanted.
 
King Kabuki said:
Okay. This forum is also in-need of an off-beat yet informative thread and I recently read a really good article concerning this very subject. I wasn't aware of this myself but apparently there are a couple of websites floating around here where if you have 45 spare minutes and some common sense YOU TOO can be a certified personal trainer. Huh? Yup. It's JUST THAT EASY. Nowadays every single gym you go into there's some dink with a clipboard, a polo shirt, and a beach ball whose ready to whoop you into shape! He's gonna ask about your goals, he's gonna punch your stats into a computer and print you out a ready-made diet, he's gonna work you THROUGH your injuries, and next thing you know you're gonna be ready to pose in underwear, too!

I sincerely hope most of you are smarter than this but I do realize that a lot of these guys are also savvy of the competition factor so some of them can appear to have some knowledge and still be mostly full of shit. Over my years of working in this industry I've heard a TON of bad advice from trainers. I've heard of trainers recommending shit I'm not even sure trainers are SUPPOSED to know about. I've heard of trainers actually discouraging medical assistance for their clients. I've seen many a starry-eyed person desperately looking to get back to the shape they were in at some point going along with the nonsense.

First things first, ANY, and I mean ANY reputable trainer's FIRST move should be to ask you for your Medical Records. There is valuable information in there that pertains directly to what you are and are not going to be able to do. If they don't even seem at-all concerned with your Medical history then you can rest-assured they're not very much concerned with wether or not they injure you.

Another thing to look for is where exactly they got their certification. Education is hugely important, and there are actually not that many credible organizations that certify personal trainers. The ISSA is one and then there's also the Strength and Conditioning Association. Go with trainers who have undergone similar education as trainers who train Professional Athletes. There's a reason they're that highly regarded.

Now one of the other very big bad spots is the first workout, the free session if you will. Trainers who may end up fucking you up in the long-run are ones who immediately want to see what you can do and over-work you in the first session, or ones who jump straight into a routine. The first session is best-spent doing a VERY BASIC fitness assessment. Finding out things like weight, body composition, blood pressure, heart-rate, recovery heart-rate, and basic strength tests that DON'T kill you. If you go home from your FIRST session and you can hardly walk or move something the next day that's HARDLY good.

Be sure and ask for referrals and know how to question. It's very easy for someone to refer you to friends of theirs that will lie for them. Ask about what strength goals their referrals had set, how long it took to achieve them, and how they went about it. If it sounds like bullshit, chances are it is.

As far as that computerized dieting crap. Let me just say this. Your trainer should be willing to be part of a team to get you into your best shape. That included working closely with qualified medical professionals AND Licensed Dieticians or credible Nutritionists. Not a piece of machinery that could be on the fritz our outdated for all you know. I have a computer, and I wouldn't trust it to give me a solid eating plan. lol

If anyone else has anything to offer feel free.
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Communication with the client is the most important thing.

You can't spend too much time agonizing over their medical records. If they check off a number of red flags on the list call the doctor. Other than that listen to them and start off slow.

I'm not big on assessment of bodyfat. Depending on how much you pinch, how you measure, or those crap electronic devices those things are rarely inaccurate. I keep track by how they look, their clothes fit, what they tell me they see. I have a few easy exercises which i start people off with that gives me an idea of where they are at. I let them tell me their blood pressure/cholosterol from their last doctors visit.


First wk-out people want to feel like they are doing something. They are about to commit alot of money to you. Just spend it taking their stats and they still will have no feel for you and be unsure about commiting $. Gotta make'em feel something that first work-out. Not kill'em but get an idea.

I'm ACE certified, studied for one night, and passed the exam by 1 question. Certification allows you to get insurance cheap. I've grown to like ACE cause they have lots of cheap seminars and educational programs for real people. I don't agree with alot of what they teach but every org got an agenda/style and having a critical mind is what keeps what on point.

As far as working with medical professionals and nutrionists...eat clean as best you can if you want to...something bothering you? See a doctor.

I have about 20 clients now and get really good results. There are some people i'm not qualified to train...but i don't want to train those people.

You are inflicting stress on a persons body. Someone, at some point, is going to get injured. I care. I throw in flexibility, warm the person up, do pre-hab stuff, study their form...but results count.

My style;
1/2 hr circuit-ass back/ass forward...core movements with progressive resistance...some upper body shit-strecth-have a nice day.

I've totally transformed people with this style. I train "regular people" but the ones who are weekend warriors with sports have all reported improvements.

By the way i am 5'10 270lbs and celebrate 4/20 everyday.
 
Great thread.

Unfortunately systems change so rapidly it is sometimes hard to expect your trainer to be up to play at all times. Having said that if they are dedicated enough they will.
 
Chris Kimmerly said:
Here in Ontario Canada all you need is a 5 hour course and $250 and you can start giving private fitness consultations at $50 an hour

CPTN - The Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN) Inc.
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I had looked into this certification before. Their actual certification is a little harder to obtain. This requirement makes it seem more legit.

"Documentation of a minimum of 20 supervised hours or a degree/diploma in the physical education/kinesiology field (copies of proof to be submitted to CPTN)"
 
Love the topic.

I am working part time as a personal trainer: Best schedule for a stay-at-home dad (I create my training schedule around my wife's work and our baby's day).

But let's call a spade a spade. We are not doctors. Yes, we monitor someone's health, exercise, and well being. We improve the quality of life for our clients. However, one of the biggest part of my job is simply to listen to my clients. I kind of feel that personal trainers are the 21st century's version of the classic bartender. Many people hire me just to blow off some steam and have an ear to listen to them.

Oh, yeah...and they lose some weight and have more energy to boot.
 
When I owned my gym, I engaged with all the physical therapists, nutritioninst, podiatrists, chiropractors and massage therapists. Our approach was clinical and it was very rewarding.

THe leadership in the fitness industry (the research & academs) want us to partner with the medical community as an extension and natural evolution. Unfortunately the high volume gyms with the $19 per month dues are killing the perspective of what is possible.

Think in clinical terms. Understand everything about the client. Develop suspicions about a treatment plan, test them and adjust. There is a huge market for trainers who can do more than hold a clip board.
 
Great work Sinister, I think this will be extremely helpful to all the guys/gals who're jumping on the MMA boat in hopes of being a 'fucking' fighter.
 
Lol My Mum joined a gym once and the trainer told her to do lat pull downs because 'They are good for your abs and arms.'
 
I always say the first thing to do as a person looking for a trainer is to educate yourself first about the situation before you look to hire someone.

I know of people who are excellent in training people in weight lose but would not be great at training athletic performance.

I also know some great certified professionals, but I also knows some great self taught trainers also. ( I know shitty ones in both also).

hiring someone who is knowledgeable is very important, but also knowing what you want and knowing something about that is more important.

We run a athletic training program at our gym and we always sit with our clients and ask them about what they want, find what they know, medical history, basic fitness test (stretching, push ups, abs, jumping, running, etc...), fitness history, and much more. We also keep on staff a certified EMT, who is involved in every aspect of training with the fighters. We also have nutritionist we recommend, and tons, upon tons of literature.

One aspect I always recognize is people think that a fitness plan, and nutrition plan is universal when it really is not at all.
 
The title: Spotting a fraudulent trainer 101

Is a typical attention grabbing marketing headline, I personally think calling someone fraudulent is extreme, and I don't think any personal trainr is out there to "defraud" peole.

I think 99.9% of personal trainers do their job rather than working 9-5 punching in numbers in spreadhseets because they like helping people and they love health and fitness.

Being a personal trainer is a tough job, you're essentially working on a freelance basis, you're going to get clients based on how good of a service you offer than. Personal trainers require word of mouth recommendations to get business and to get repeat clients.. Tis fact means that personal trainers NEED to offer a good quality service in order to get food put on the table.

There is hardly any epidemic of personal trainers DEFRAUDING millions of people out there.

I think in the most part personal trainers do a good job, obviously ask for referrals and speak to former clients, check before and after pictures of their previous clients etc.

More to the point, I beleive the original poster put the thread up as a makreting ploy pure and simple. He's making other personal trainers look bad, and making himself look better than the rest.

I have a feeling the post was simply made to create publicity for this "email diet and nutrition service" [whcih pobbably be mass produced], which for most novice atheletes is perfectly fine (it's only on latter stages when you need to have a tailor made diet and get blood tests done)

He's created drama on a subject, gotton a lot of responses, and if it get's enough responses it may become sticky (more publicty for his business).

Openin poster: You are destroying the credibility of a indistry where by in large does a very good job, in order for YOU to get clients.

Shame on you
 
Someone didn't notice dates of posts. This thread was started more than 4 years before I actually started writing nutritional plans for athletes.

Being as I no-longer even Mod this section of the board, Standard, do with this what you like. If you feel this thread is in conflict of interest by all means, delete it.

P.S. - I'm not a personal trainer.
 
LondonTiger said:
The title: Spotting a fraudulent trainer 101

Is a typical attention grabbing marketing headline, I personally think calling someone fraudulent is extreme, and I don't think any personal trainr is out there to "defraud" peole.

I think 99.9% of personal trainers do their job rather than working 9-5 punching in numbers in spreadhseets because they like helping people and they love health and fitness.

Being a personal trainer is a tough job, you're essentially working on a freelance basis, you're going to get clients based on how good of a service you offer than. Personal trainers require word of mouth recommendations to get business and to get repeat clients.. Tis fact means that personal trainers NEED to offer a good quality service in order to get food put on the table.

There is hardly any epidemic of personal trainers DEFRAUDING millions of people out there.

I think in the most part personal trainers do a good job, obviously ask for referrals and speak to former clients, check before and after pictures of their previous clients etc.

More to the point, I beleive the original poster put the thread up as a makreting ploy pure and simple. He's making other personal trainers look bad, and making himself look better than the rest.

I have a feeling the post was simply made to create publicity for this "email diet and nutrition service" [whcih pobbably be mass produced], which for most novice atheletes is perfectly fine (it's only on latter stages when you need to have a tailor made diet and get blood tests done)

He's created drama on a subject, gotton a lot of responses, and if it get's enough responses it may become sticky (more publicty for his business).

Openin poster: You are destroying the credibility of a indistry where by in large does a very good job, in order for YOU to get clients.

Shame on you
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This post is laughable in more ways than I care to count...

I'm going to go ahead and close this thread, because with posts like the one I quoted, this can only get ugly quickly. It was a necromanced thread several times over anyway.
 
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