Re: Economics and Exercise

[Guest guest]

Excellent points. Especially for two and three. Standardization and

organizing body--currently they exist for the profit motive (even not-

for-profit orgs are in it for the money, they just can not declare a

profit like a standard corporate entity) and not necessarily for the

good of the profession.

This is exactly the dialogue I want to create. As the industry moves

towards standardization (it is inevitable) those of use working as

full-time professional fitness trainers need to ensure that we have a

seat at the table. If we leave it to the certifying bodies and

health club owners, our best interests WILL NOT be considered.

I'm not exactly sure if this is the best forum for a dialogue but we

trainers need to speak up. For those of you in the strength and

conditioning or rehab fields, what are your inputs? What are the

perceptions of trainers? How can we change that for the better?

All the best,

Pete McCall, CSCS

Washington, DC

> > This is a follow-on to a post I replied to about certifications.

> The

> > recent economic situation should be a wake up call to all

personal

> > trainers and fitness industry professionals.

> >

> > Two (of many) things are happening: Manufacturings jobs are being

> > lost, and America keeps getting fatter. This means that if you

> are a

> > personal trainer you: have job security b/c no one is flying to

> India

> > to see a trainer, and you have unlimited income opportunity.

> Where

> > demand-for good health, meets supply-a trainers knowledge of

> exercise

> > science, economics dictates that a price is established and a

sale

> is

> > made. Good personal trainers are always in demand, dictate their

> own

> > hours, and have job security.

> >

> > However, as trainers we need to take our jobs seriously. The

fact

> > that obesity is now the number two preventable cause of death

just

> > increased the demand for our services. My fear is that to meet

> this

> > demand many big companies in fitness industry are just going to

> start

> > putting what a colleague of mine calls " mirror foggers " on the

> > fitness floor in order to drive revenue.

> >

> > In order to preserve (in some cases create) any integrity, we

need

> to

> > start working with health clubs and studios to establish strict

> > guidelines for who is hired and how they are trained.

> >

> > I challenge other fitness professionals to get involved with

their

> > companies and in their areas to ensure that qualified trainers

are

> > out there. Take part in training new staff, at the very least

> weed

> > out those who have no business working on a fitness floor.

> >

> > If you are working as a personal trainer, this also means taking

> > continuing education workshops--this is especially for you

degreed

> > folks. Nothing irks me more that, " I took exercise science, I

> know

> > everything already. " BS (and not the degree) the only time you

> stop

> > learning is when six people are carrying you to a hole 6 feet

deep.

> >

> > If personal trainers are going to meet the demand for good

health,

> we

> > need to ensure that only quality trainers are out there. I am

> tired

> > of being asked when I am going to " get a real job. " So I have

> > decided to get involved in raising the esteem of the fitness

> > industry.

> >

> > What can we do as trainers to ensure that only well-qualified

> > individuals join our profession?

> >

> > Pete McCall, CSCS

> > Washington, DC USA