I’ve been working in the fitness industry for many years now, and I’ve seen a lot of fitness professionals who impress me greatly. Yet sadly, on the flip side, I’ve seen just as many people working in the fitness industry who disturb me just as much.
The boom in the fitness industry has lead many people to believe that anyone can become a fitness professional: “Hey, I like working out in the gym, maybe I should become a personal trainer too. It sure beats waitressing.” Or “I’ve lost so much weight that even I know enough about exercise to train others now”.
But those same people fail to recognize the hard work and commitment - (a) the early mornings/late nights, b) training for official and credible certifications, c) securing liability insurance and following all proper protocols to ensure coverage is actually applied to clients, d) properly handling of their clients’ personal and private information in a secure/discreet manner, e) actively leading by example in their actions and lifestyle choices, and f) being honest to your clients about your intentions and actions) - required to be truly professional in the fitness industry.
These are the qualities that make for a safe, responsible and credible trainer. And after doing so much consultation work at various gyms in the course of my career, I feel frustrated at all the irresponsible behaviours I’ve witnessed by so many so-called ‘fitness professionals’. Their bad behaviour and lack of proper training often lead to injury, liability and damage to other businesses reputations.
Fitness professionals should always be punctual, respectful of your time and others, properly dressed for the working (and working out) environment, and treat other clients and staff with respect as well. There is a time to yell and shout, during a hard workout, but also a time to know when calm, quiet and proper discretion is just as important to the client.
Because so much of the fitness industry market is fuelled by money, people are easily caught up in the hype and excitement of the process, and the desire to believe in the promises being made to them (not just to clients, but also to club owners/employers, I should add). But before hiring a personal trainer (or other fitness professional) people really need to do their homework, in order to ensure the services they are paying for are truly what they believe them to be.
How can they do this?
1. Do a background check on the individual. Ask to see a copy of their official certifications. Where and when was it renewed? Can I see your CPR/First Aid certification? Who are you insured with and what are you covered for in case I get injured? Any true fitness professional should be able to answer and provide proof of coverage. Good websites to check credentials would be: http://repscanada.com/ or http://coach.ca/
2. Ask the fitness pro for client testimonials. They should be able to provide references for their work. You are hiring them for a job after all - the job of training you!
3. The next step would be to do a simple google search on the individual. Check for their online history - blogs, facebook postings, twitter account, youtube videos, etc.. If your fitness pro preaches one life at the gym and another life online then their integrity may be questionable. I’ve found blogs and videos of other so-called fitness professionals that have shocked me with their total lack of discretion and outright privacy breaches, not to mention risk taking behaviours.
My advice to anybody looking to hire a trainer is to do your homework. Look up the individual you are considering hiring. Ask them questions and ask them to produce certifications. If they can not, then you really need to keep looking.
If clients demand quality then the industry will follow. Let’s keep our standards high!
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