Personal trainer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in developing and implementing an individualized approach to exercise leadership in healthy populations and/or those individuals with medical clearance to exercise. (http://www.acsm.org)

The basic components of fitness include muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Other components such as speed, power, balance, etc may also be addressed. The general population are those people from 18–45 years old for men, and 18–55 years old for women. The definition of health in this sense is an absence of disease. If someone is outside the scope of practice (younger, older, has a disease) they should be referred to a doctor before they work with a trainer.

The emphasis on personal training should come from the personal trainer's understanding of what works best for their client and an understanding of human movement. It is not just about pushing someone hard, but more about working out at an effective level to achieve their goals. A few people need only one session to get them on the right track, ensure their program is balanced, and answer their questions. Others prefer to work with a trainer for several months to get in the habit of exercise and to see actual results. And still others who can afford the price prefer to work with a trainer indefinitely because they feel that they will get better results and have more fun working with a trainer then working alone.

Personal training is fast moving away from the image of having a personal trainer stand next to the athlete shouting at him/her to work faster/harder, without consideration of the wealth of variables that can be tweaked to ensure quick results. There are many personal trainers who offer their clients a range of services from exercise testing to postural exercises to helping with habitual behavior change.

The average personal trainer should only work with so called "healthy populations". While this line is not distinct, it is certainly the case that no personal trainer that is not accredited by NCCA should be working with certain populations. Some higher-level certifications, such as ACSM Health and Fitness Instructor, are able to deal with certain diseases, but it is always best to consult your doctor. Exercise Physiologists are legitimately able to deal with individuals with chronic and complex diseases.

Contents 1 Certification in the United States 2 List of Accredited Certifications 2.1 Role of NCCA 2.2 Warning Signs of Inadequate Certifications 3 Other fitness-related certifications 4 Typical personal training session 4.1 Health and fitness screening 4.2 Completing a session 5 Muscular exercises 5.1 The Foundational Exercises 5.2 Balancing the Body 5.3 Isolation/Auxiliary Exercises 6 Safety 7 Personal training myths 7.1 Spot reduction 7.2 Women and workouts 7.3 Higher repetitions stimulate fat loss 7.4 Lower abdominal 8 Fees in the United States 9 Fees in the United Kingdom 10 External Links

[edit] Certification in the United States

Certification is offered by several reputable organizations. Certification shows a minimal standard of knowledge in the area of personal training. Different certifications may be more fitness focused or sport specific. A Certified Personal Trainer will have the letters "CPT" after his or her name.

Unfortunately, anyone can start an "organization" and send out certifications. For some time this was causing significant problems within the industry including client injuries and death and the loss of credibility for those within the profession. This happened because the "trainers" were not trained, so to speak. (Please see section, "Why NCCA Exists)

In 2001, IHRSA, the leader in the commercial fitness club industry, asked that clubs hire only personal trainers who have earned certifications with third-party accreditation from a nationally recognized certification commission. (It is important to remember that gyms may still have risky personal trainers on staff). Of over 400 certifications in the fitness industry, fewer than a dozen are accredited by a third party. Most accreditors require a bachelor’s degree in a health field, examinations, CPR certifications and continuing education credits. Currently, IHRSA recognizes those organizations accredited by the National Commission for Cerifying Agencies under the National Organization for Competency Assurance.

[edit] List of Accredited Certifications

NCCA is the third-party accreditation body for personal training certifications in America. NCCA also serves as the accrediting body for other health professions (see "Role of the NCCA" below) The following is a current list of all NCCA-endorsed certifications as of December 15, 2006. These are certifications that met minimal requirements to receive the NCCA accreditation. It is advisable to copy this list before talking to a personal trainer. People considering a career in this field should also become familiar with this list.

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) sets the knowledge base for the industry, has the most rigorous certification process, is a member of accreditation boards, and is widely considered to be the "Gold Standard" in the industry^{[citation needed]}. ACSM certified professionals are also able to work with the widest variety of populations and must master the most up-to-date information in the field. ACSM does not require a bachelor's degree for certification.
• National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) - UCLA conducted a study on personal trainers who were already in the industry. The study attempted to test individuals with different levels of experience and different certifications. Experience after five years was not a strong predictor of the personal trainer's knowledge, however certain certifications were. Only two certifications were identified as having the highest levels of knowledge: ACSM (above) and NSCA. The researchers recommended that clients seek out those trainers. They also emphasized the value of getting a trainer with a degree in the field. Malek, et al (2002). "Importance of Health Science Education for Personal Fitness Trainers". The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 16 (1): 19-24. 
• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
• National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
• American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• The Cooper Institute (CI)

[edit] Role of NCCA

The importance of finding an NCCA accredited certification cannot be overemphasized. The accreditation was put in place after numerous reports of injury and often death at the hands of trainers who were "certified." Many trainers simply obtain their certification by taking a quick online test. There are several mail-order "certifications", and several certifications which have extremely low or suspicious standards of achievement.

Critics of the NCCA mention that more of a practical component should be tested. Still, the NCCA itself attempts to establish a minimal level of acceptable knowledge, and it is difficult to have reliable means of testing practical ability. While certifications like ACSM and NSCA require a great deal of technical and scientific knowledge, others are less rigorous. Some of the six NCCA certifications are considered to be too easy by those in the industry. However, the standards do allow for a minimal level of accepted knowledge, and anything below NCCA standards is truly unacceptable and dangerous.

Another item of importance is the effectiveness of a workout. If a trainer does not have a strong understanding of anatomy, kinesiology, and other subjects, workouts may be less effective.

Clients should always be sure to ask where their personal trainer was certified. Programs which do not require a written test and a college degree or at least 55555 hours of classroom instruction should be carefully scrutinized. In addition, any reputable program will require both CPR certification and at least ten hours of continuing education per year. A college degree is not the same as certification.

Personal trainers can be certified with more than one organization. Doing some with substandard weekend certifications is usually not a good sign, as this is often used to bolster substandard certifications. However, doing so with reputable organizations is typically a good sign as different certifications focus on different populations. For example, an ACE or ACSM certification is excellent for those working with the general population. ACE and ACSM help people develop a comprehensive exercise program, lose weight, get healthier, or alleviate medical conditions. However, athletes who are already in peak condition and who are training for serious competition may benefit more from a trainer who has a certification related to athletics, such as the NSCA certification.

[edit] Warning Signs of Inadequate Certifications

There are many certifications which attempt to either fool the client or confuse a potential personal trainer into believing the certification is legitimate. Deaths and injuries due to improperly certified trainers lead to the standard of NCCA accreditation for legitimate organizations. Still, there are several warning signs which are helpful for identifying inadequate certifications:

You can also locate, compare and contact a personal trainer for no charge by using the trainer locater tool at http://www.personaltrainer.cc. The web site allows trainers to list all of their certifications, education and experiences and rates all listed trainers on a 1-5 star scale based on the combination of their credentials.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_trainer"

• Warning sign: No test is required. There must be some test of the knowledge of a trainer in order to indicate that he or she knows legitimate or safe exercise principles.

• Warning sign: Potential trainers are permitted to take the test online. Even the least stringent of the accredited certifications require photo identification to insure that the person taking the test is the person who is claiming to. Many internet companies allow potential trainers to keep taking a simple test over and over until they pass or hit the "back" button to fix incorrect answers.

• Warning sign: Potential trainers are allow to take the test at home, unsupervised, and mail the test back for grading. With this type of certification, someone with no knowledge at all could easily pass the test, and receive certification.

• Warning sign: CPR certification is not required.

• Warning sign: Certified now, certified forever - legitimate agencies require continuing education to make sure that trainers stay on top of the fitness field.

Another warning sign is if the website reads like an advertisement. This is a subjective guideline; however, in general, legitimate websites:

• Do not advertise the profession of personal training. It is assumed that interested parties have made a strong commitment to the personal training career. Legitimate websites are more likely to sell why trainers should choose their certification over others, not attempt to convince people to become trainers.
• Legitimate websites tend to have a specific section for certification (not the main page).
• In legitimate websites, the main body of the site is about the organization itself and fitness information, not about becoming a trainer/ finding a trainer. This information will be available, but typically not on the front page.
• Quality certification programs do not advertise "perks" of being certified on the front page, including earnings, flexibility of work hours, etc.
• Websites do not mention the advantages of their programs as being "completely online" or "get certified from home." While certifying agencies may have these options available, they may also offer classes and certainly require an exam at a testing location. Legitimate certifying agencies do not need to advertise convenience, as they can advertise their accreditation, prestige, etc.

Any website that appears to be a transaction agency, where money is traded for certifications, should be avoided. Legitimate companies are constantly involved in the health field, providing a constantly revolving source of health information and continuing support for certified professionals. On the other hand, if the website appears to simply be a method of getting clients in touch with trainers, and has no mention about certifications, this should also make the user wary.

In general, it is safest to make note of the NCCA list of accredited certifications, as these companies have proven their safety and legitimacy.

[edit] Other fitness-related certifications

A certified personal trainer can make recommendations and counsel on diet and nutrition with a client not affected with medical problems such as diabetes, but cannot make a specific dietary plan as can a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Nor can they make claims of "treating" any health condition. Personal training certifications should NOT be confused with other certifications (both of higher and lower quality) in the fitness industry, including but not limited to:

• Registered dietitian

NSCA Certification Commission

• Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
• NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT)

National Academy of Sports Medicine|NASM

• Performance Enhancement Specialist

American College of Sports Medicine|ACSM

• Health & Fitness Instructor
• ACSM Exercise Specialist
• ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist

American Academy of Health, Fitness & Rehab Professionals

• Post-Rehabilitation Specialist;
• Medical Exercise Specialist;
• Medical Exercise Program Director

USA Weightlifting

• Sports Performance Coach;
• Club weightlifting coach

American Council on Exercise|ACE:

• Group Fitness Instructor Certification
• Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Certification
• Clinical Exercise Specialist Certification
• Specialty Certification: Peer Fitness Trainer Certification Program

National Athletic Trainers' Association/Board Of Certification:

• Certified Athletic Trainer

International Sports Sciences Association | ISSA:

• ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT)

[edit] Typical personal training session

For the safety of any client seeking personal training sessions, it is important to have a basic understanding of what constitutes safe and effective practices.

[edit] Health and fitness screening

Any reputable personal trainer will first do a health screen to make sure the client is clear for exercise. If necessary, a doctor's consent may be obtained. A waiver is typically signed to release the personal trainer of legal obligations. If a personal trainer skips this step, be extremely wary.

Personal trainers will usually proceed through an intake evaluation, either verbal or written, to identify goals and concerns. Fitness testing may follow, usually measuring indicators of physical fitness. These tests may include tests of strength, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, and postural abnormalities. In addition, body composition (body fat) is often evaluated. Specific numerical measurements of body fat and cardiovascular health can help clients to set new goals.

[edit] Completing a session

A complete routine will include a warm up, dynamic range-of-motion movement (static stretching is no longer placed before exercise), cardiovascular or strength exercises, static stretching and a cool down. A personal trainer may add agility or coordination exercises, such as balancing on a wobble board.

Not every personal trainer will match perfectly with every client, so it is important not to judge the profession based on one individual. Personal trainers have different styles, some more assertive, some more passive. It is therefore important for clients to "shop around".

[edit] Muscular exercises

Personal trainers will teach clients a regime, emphasizing proper form and posture to prevent injury. Good personal trainers will show clients which exercises are helpful and which are dangerous or a waste of time (such as outdated abdominal routines). They will also help the client figure out how much weight the client should be using. Be wary of a personal trainer who uses only machines. Most machines are appropriate for rehabilitation or auxiliary purposes, and only in rare cases should a program be centered strictly around machines.

When evaluating a personal trainer, it is important to be familiar with basic concepts in order to identify whether or not the trainer is reputable:

[edit] The Foundational Exercises

Legitimate personal trainers will emphasize compound, functional exercises. Certain compound exercises are considered basic and primary in everyday life, replicating functional movements.

These include:

• Squats, correctly performed deadlifts and lunges for legs;
• A balance of safe abdominal and lower back exercises;

Functional pushing and pulling with the arms:

• Pushes: up (military press), forward (bench press), and down (dip);
• Pulls: down (lat pull), back (rhomboid row).

Variations on these basic movements are typically used exclusively for the first year, with the exception of exercises used to balance the body. After the first year or so, the workout is typically centered with roughly 80% or more of the foundational exercises, 20% isolations.

[edit] Balancing the Body

If there are postural issues, a good trainer may add exercises for the rotator cuffs, shoulders, etc. These are simply to correct existing abnormalities, are well advised when used correctly, and at times may be used even up to a month before beginning compound exercises to prevent injury. Postural exercises include:

• External rotation for the rotator cuff muscles
• Abduction for the supraspinatus (most frequently injured rotator cuff muscle)
• Cap pushups for the subscapularis (holds shoulder blade to torso)
• Gluteal activation exercises, such as supine bridge (maximus), side-to-side x-band walks (minimus, medius).
• Pelvic stabilization (with posterior tilt in spine, leg lowering, dragon flags; in most exercises, however, spine should be in neutral position)
• Lower trapezius exercises (holds shoulder blade in proper, lowered position)
• Posterior deltoid (tends to be weak while anterior deltoid tends to be overworked.)
• For some clients, forearm and gluteal exercises may be necessary to correct imbalances.

[edit] Isolation/Auxiliary Exercises

Auxiliary/isolation exercises can be added to supplement the compound exercises. Isolation exercises may not be necessary. Still, some people naturally will find one part of their body lagging behind the rest aesthetically. Isolation exercises may include:

• Calf exercises. Bent-knee and straight-knee lift.
• Anterior deltoid exercises (shoulders)
• Biceps|/triceps exercises.
• Exercises for the glutes.
• Grip/Forearm exercises
• Others

It is always best to consult with a personal trainer before designing a regime. There are many complex aspects of exercise to take into consideration.

[edit] Safety

Exercises which are inadvisable:

High Risk:

• Any movement that causes frank pain - see a trained professional to identify muscular imbalances, soft tissue issues in need of release, or other issues.
• Lat pulldowns behind the head – pulldowns should stay in front of the face. Can cause shoulder damage.
• Upward Row - one of the worst exercises for the shoulders.
• Deadlifts performed with a rounded back. (Gradual damage to spine, resulting in chronic injury).

Medium Risk:

• Squats performed with the knee pointing in a different direction than the toe. Squats, performed correctly, are a very safe exercise which is excellent for training the body both therapeutically and aesthetically.
• Some Yoga positions: plow pose, "bow" or “wheel”, headstand. There is a strong movement in the yoga community to stop teaching such dangerous poses, especially given the injuries that teachers have sustained.
• Standing toe touch – do a seated stretch instead. While acute injury is unlikely, this will, overtime, create chronic injury.
• Bouncing or jerking into stretches, which is called ballistic stretching. A better alternative is dynamic stretching, however most beginners will start with static stretching.

Low Risk:

• Hyperextension (arching) of the lower back during bench press - during a bench press, the shoulder blades should be pulled together and down. The back may curve slightly, but the back should not be curving as a result of using an inappropriately heavy weight.
• Knee extensions: Thorough training of biomechanics, such as a degree in physical therapy is advisable before pursuing this exercise. May create a dangerous muscular imbalance if used without proper education. These exercises are therapeutic exercises for rehabilitation or imbalance. Squats, lunges, and deadlifts should be the core exercises for the legs. Using a knee extension may simply cause overly tight and overdeveloped muscle.

When in doubt, visiting a personal trainer is the simplest way to design a program and answer questions.

[edit] Personal training myths

These are common misconceptions that personal trainers should not subscribe to in designing exercise programs.

[edit] Spot reduction

Spot reduction is the belief that a focus of exercises in one particular area will stimulate weight loss in that area. This is commonly misrepresented through television ads claiming to reduce weight around certain areas of the body using particular products. Weight loss is a function of energy expenditure, energy consumption age, sex, and genetics. Therefore, fat will be lost throughout the body based on an individual's body chemistry. Regardless of how many crunches or sit-ups performed, strength exercises only work the muscles deep or superficial to the fat.

Weight gain tends to center around the hips for women and around the belly for men. Both groups are anxious to combat the issue in order conform with the ideal body image. In both cases, diet and exercise are the only solution. Unfortunately, there is a false perception that stretching an area will slim it down. This perception often originates in those who attend yoga classes and falsely believe that yoga is strictly stretching. People lose weight through yoga because of the calories burned through the activity, not the stretches themselves.

[edit] Women and workouts

Largely because of exercise fads, certain forms of exercise have gotten a bad rap. Recommendations were paternalistic, treating women as if they were too delicate to do real exercises. Women have been told that strength exercises would make them look beefy, that they should do over 20 repetitions, and were given less effective routines.

Women on average naturally start out a with less muscle mass and more fat mass than men. They don't have nearly as much testosterone. Women who work out like men will never achieve a bulky physique, as it is physiologically impossible except with the rarest genetics. Even then, years of effort are necessary in order to bulk up. For women who do not weight lift, the bulky look is simply fat. In fact, female athletes such as powerlifters tend to appear smaller than the average woman.

Without steroids, any effort on the part of women to bulk up will result in a physique similar to the muscle tone of models frequently seen on the front of popular fitness magazines. Natural female bodybuilders attain a look similar to a supermodel, and then severely cut their body fat in order make muscles appear more pronounced and achieve their signature ripped look. This cutting is done within weeks of the competition and cannot be sustained long-term. It requires dangerously low caloric intakes, supplementation, and complete dedication every hour of the day. It is extremely dangerous, and it is not uncommon for women to faint the day of the event. In other words, looking cut is extremely difficult.

For women, getting ripped takes an immense amount of effort and dedication. As a point of comparison: Generally speaking, people who lose weight are not concerned about losing so much weight that they start to look emaciated. Getting cut for women can be compared to the effort that it takes in terms of weightloss to get to the undesirable underweight status.

[edit] Higher repetitions stimulate fat loss

The general belief is that by increasing the number of repetitions of a particular exercise performed, the amount of fat loss will be increased as well. This is false. Fat requires oxygen to burn, and the extra 20-30 seconds of an increased set duration is not enough to stimulate significant fat burn. In fact, by decreasing intensity in exchange for extra repetitions, it is possible to burn less fat. Circuit training has been discredited. Increases in blood pressure during circuit training are artificially high and do not relate to energy expenditure.

[edit] Lower abdominal

Many “lower ab” exercises can be ineffective and dangerous. These exercises can focus on the iliposas (hip flexors) as opposed to the lower abdominal region. The function of the lower abs is to curl the spine, bringing the pelvis toward the chest. Exercises which involve lying on the floor and raising straight legs from the floor towards the ceiling not only potentially dangerous for the back, but are less effective for lower abdominal work. Simply keeping legs raised and curling the lower spine off the floor is sufficient. As mentioned, working out the lower abs will not decrease the fat in that area.

Working on pelvic stimulation is a different matter altogether. The abdominals serve to stabilize the spine, counteracting the muscles of the back which pull the hips in the anterior direction (the top of the hip girdle appears to move forward and downward, which makes the abdomen and gluteal region appear larger). By working on stabilization with the hips oriented in the posterior direction (where the pubis appears to move forward and upward) and building strength, the pelvis can be reoriented back to its natural position. As an example, the client may lay supine on the floor with bent knees. The hips are then tilted posteriorly, so that the lower back is flat on the floor. The client then attempts to maintain contact between the lower back and the floor while lowering first one, then both legs down to the floor.

[edit] Fees in the United States

Most personal trainers charge either a flat per-session fee or an hourly fee. However some may charge a monthly, or even yearly fee.

It is rare to find personal training services for under $20 per hour except in rural areas. Although celebrity personal trainers charge thousands of dollars, typically charges are closer to the range of $60 to $150 an hour per session.

Many fitness centers offer promotions that include a series of diet and exercise routines, typically involving a few sessions with a personal trainer, and often personalized workout programs.

[edit] Fees in the United Kingdom

Quite a few trainers in the United Kingdom follow the session pricing that you would find in the United States. Usually prices range from £20 upwards outside of London and £35 upwards in London. There are some companies who personally get a team of personal trainers and clients will be matched with the most suitable trainer. This way the pricing is consistent and both the client and the trainer don't have to worry about being paid.

[edit] External Links

Personal Training Providers
Shapes Total Fitness
Lifestyle Family Fitness