Government overreach regarding personal trainers

[SaintAnger]

Coach:  Why are you so opposed to them trying to protect people from being RIPPED OFF?  Everyone on this board knows the deal.  

[SF1900]

Coach:  Why are you so opposed to them trying to protect people from being RIPPED OFF?  Everyone on this board knows the deal.  

Governing board do a lot of different things to regulate professional fields.

Further, are insurance companies allowed to revoke peoples certifications or licenses for misconduct? Even if an insurance company handles a lawsuit against a personal trainer, are insurance companies allowed to revoke the PT's certificate, so they can't practice any more? Governing boards are allowed to do so.

[Coach is Back!]

Coach:  Why are you so opposed to them trying to protect people from being RIPPED OFF?  Everyone on this board knows the deal.  

Because the majority of them are good trainers, obide by good ethical standards and the majority of trainers that are certified by reputable organizations must keep up with their CEU's in order to stay certified. Even Dr. Are required to do a certain about of CEU's either each year or every couple of years to retain their own certs.

I remember Eric Cressy saying with the about of education out their regarding training he wouldn't have wasted $200k on a formal education. Good certifications are worth more than any formal degree in this field. That's just a fact.

[TuHolmes]

Because the majority of them are good trainers, obide by good ethical standards and the majority of trainers that are certified by reputable organizations must keep up with their CEU's in order to stay certified. Even Dr. Are required to do a certain about of CEU's either each year or every couple of years to retain their own certs.

I remember Eric Cressy saying with the about of education out their regarding training he wouldn't have wasted $200k on a formal education. Good certifications are worth more than any formal degree in this field. That's just a fact.

You think a certification is worth more than a Ph.D or an actual MD?

[Coach is Back!]

You think a certification is worth more than a Ph.D or an actual MD?

Really depends on the degree. For what you just mentioned, of course not but even they have to keep up with continuing education (like I said).

[TuHolmes]

Really depends on the degree. For what you just mentioned, of course not but even they have to keep up with continuing education (like I said).

That's fair.

I can see where a certification and experience could easily equate and, in fact ,often be better than a bachelors degree in something like exercise and sports physiology.

[NickEdge779]

Good because most personal trainers are shit. They follow outdated principles that don't give good results and work with clients who have zero motivation and they have no clue how to motivate them.

[TuHolmes]

Hey Coach? Do you not believe that there should be a governing body of trainers? Not necessarily government, but just a governing group?

Similarly to the BAR or Medical board?

Trainers can cause a lot of damage to the human body and hurt people if they are not good.

What do you think?

[Coach is Back!]

That's fair.

I can see where a certification and experience could easily equate and, in fact ,often be better than a bachelors degree in something like exercise and sports physiology.

Pre-requisites for some degrees have become nothing more than a revenue stream for universities. Now a days they require you obtain a doctorate before you become a physical therapist. In this artical that I posted it mentioned that they appoint a board of physical therapists to educate trainers (or something like that) but the problem is most physical therapists aren't trainers or strength and conditioning coaches. Each year (I'm doing another one in January) I do a presentation for about 3-4 local physical therapy offices teaching programming and proper movement. If the physical therapist (many are strength coaches who have no clue on how to program) don't know how to program based on the sciences they've learned then what good is it? Same with Kinisiology and Ex Sci graduates or interns. They don't know how to apply programming to coinside with the sciences they've been taught.

[Coach is Back!]

Really, "obide." That's a very queer QWERTY you got there. The O is even close to the A on mine. Come on, Coach.

Spell check. Whatever.

[Coach is Back!]

Good because most personal trainers are shit. They follow outdated principles that don't give good results and work with clients who have zero motivation and they have no clue how to motivate them.

That's because 99% on here go to a box gym where they employ 18 year old kids and neither know any better.

[DroppingPlates]

Are you saying you can do my job with you're current knowledge? lol

Most can be learned when the motivation is there. At least I can speak English to my clients.

[Coach is Back!]

Most can be learned when the motivation is there. At least I can speak English to my clients.

I usually get stupid responses like this when the poster (you) can't answer the question. If you think motivation is all it takes then you're one of the reasons why trainers get a bad rap.

[DroppingPlates]

I usually get stupid responses like this when the poster (you) can't answer the question. If you think motivation is all it takes then you're one of the reasons why trainers get a bad rap.

That's just an assumption based on... nothing. Motivation however, is one of the key principles to master something, since willpower is the best predictor to success.

[phreak]

Typical. You mess someone up with training gimmicks and let someone else pay for the damages.

Are you saying Coach is rabidly backing socialist policies?

[Coach is Back!]

That's just an assumption based on... nothing. Motivation however, is one of the key principles to master something, since willpower is the best predictor to success.

I was referring to you commenting on my spelling error. Anyway motivation is great how ever we're not paid to be cheerleaders we're paid to get results without injuring the client.

[Fuzzy Nuts]

Are you saying Coach is rabidly backing socialist policies?

Biggest socialist on this board. Don't be fooled by his rhetoric. Oh, he will promote capitalism for everyone else, but wants his government guaranteed.
 
Just like this thread, everyone else can obtain degrees of education, endure apprenticeship or internship, work your way up the corporate latter, serve in the military, run a regulated business, etc. Putting in the work is for the rest of us.

[Vince B]

But then why are other professions regulated? Why regulated medical doctors and dentists, etc?

The issue with people doing the research is that it fails to take into account the accountability of the actual professional. No matter what doctor I go to, I am under the assumption that a medical doctor is going to do right by me. You can't apply the notion of "buyer beware" to medical professionals. The patient is not to blame when a doctor fucks up. Buyer beware is applicable when youre buying a piece of furniture or a car. Not when going to a doctor. Of course youre going to go and try to find the best doctor you can, but doctors (and people in other professions) take an oath to do "no harm." The point is that people are stupid when it comes to medicine, thus why we put so much hope in doctors to do the right thing. Again, if you go to a doctor who fucks up, the notion of "buyer beware" should not apply, and it doesn't, which is why when a doctor fucks up, they are held accountable (lose their license, jailed or pay a fine). Again, this applies to most other professions (dentists, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses, etc.).

Might I add that governing boards do a lot more than just look at unethical issues. They ensure that universities are maintaining a certain standard of education and practice, i.e., if a school wants to be accredited, they can't teach whatever they want. Well, they can, they just wont be accredited. Its their choice.

Why shouldn't it apply to personal trainers? I am not saying it should, but I am asking why it shouldn't.

Just playing devils advocate.

The problem here is that medicine is both science and an art. Diagnosing patients is often inaccurate. We all know this. Sometimes we go get a second opinion. Occasionally they don't get it right. What we do assume is that the doctors are properly trained and are competent. Even here we often have doubts when we present to doctors trained outside the country we reside in.

In Australia fitness professionals are regulated. There are minimum requirements and instructors have to take extra courses to remain registered. At the moment there are no regulations for gym owners. However, anyone who instructs others in a gym or fitness facility must be properly trained. In the past when these regulations started they had a grandparenting scheme where long time gym instructors could get accredited. Now everyone has to take courses.

Has the level of instruction improved in recent years because we have these rules? Perhaps. I prefer to hire people who have done bodybuilding over those who merely took courses.

Someone in the government formulates rules and often those giving courses for instructors get involved re making the rules. I honestly don't think most courses for instructors are long enough or thorough enough.

[Coach is Back!]

Biggest socialist on this board. Don't be fooled by his rhetoric. Oh, he will promote capitalism for everyone else, but wants his government guaranteed.
 
Just like this thread, everyone else can obtain degrees of education, endure apprenticeship or internship, work your way up the corporate latter, serve in the military, run a regulated business, etc. Putting in the work is for the rest of us.

What the fuck does that even mean gimmick? Explain it.

[SF1900]

The problem here is that medicine is both science and an art. Diagnosing patients is often inaccurate. We all know this. Sometimes we go get a second opinion. Occasionally they don't get it right. What we do assume is that the doctors are properly trained and are competent. Even here we often have doubts when we present to doctors trained outside the country we reside in.

In Australia fitness professionals are regulated. There are minimum requirements and instructors have to take extra courses to remain registered. At the moment there are no regulations for gym owners. However, anyone who instructs others in a gym or fitness facility must be properly trained. In the past when these regulations started they had a grandparenting scheme where long time gym instructors could get accredited. Now everyone has to take courses.

Has the level of instruction improved in recent years because we have these rules? Perhaps. I prefer to hire people who have done bodybuilding over those who merely took courses.

Someone in the government formulates rules and often those giving courses for instructors get involved re making the rules. I honestly don't think most courses for instructors are long enough or thorough enough.

So, if a personal trainer harms a client via sexual harassment or physical injury, is there license removed? What happens to them?

If there is no governing board to revokes licenses/certifications due to unethical behavior or misconduct, then who is regulating these trainers? Are they allowed to continue training and potentially hurting other clients? As stated, in medicine, if you display unethical behavior, your license may be removed (depending on what you did) and you can't practice medicine any more. Is this the same for personal trainers in Australia? If not, should it be? Or should we adhere to the idea of "buyer beware" when it comes to choose a personal trainer? Or should there be a governing body who decides who is fit to be a personal trainer and who isn't, based on past behavior?

[The Wizard of Truth]

Coach we have a guy in our city who runs a gym. No qualifications in any field, he claims to be a bodybuilder yet finished deadlast in the beginners category in his only show last year. I'll post a pic when I'm on the laptop, just on the phone posting now

[Coach is Back!]

Coach we have a guy in our city who runs a gym. No qualifications in any field, he claims to be a bodybuilder yet finished deadlast in the beginners category in his only show last year. I'll post a pic when I'm on the laptop, just on the phone posting now

Admittedly you see that crap everywhere. Just see Instagram. You have these "fitness" chicks that are probably all of 20 years old with online training businesses that regurgitate magazine meal plans and sell them to young girls who want to look like them. But here's my feeling on it. Most of the certs are legit (NCSA, NASM, ACE, NSCA CSCS, etc) Bottom line it doesn't matter if you're a personal trainer, strength coach, Doctor or contractor, if you get your licence suspended or revoked it's not going to stop that person from practicing. It'll stop when you get caught. It ruins reputations and that alone will put you out of business. If it's sexual harassment, rape, child molestation you're going to jail anyway.

[DroppingPlates]

I was referring to you commenting on my spelling error. Anyway motivation is great how ever we're not paid to be cheerleaders we're paid to get results without injuring the client.

Pay attention, I wasn't talking about motivating a client. in order to develop certain skills, YOU as a professional need motivation.

[Thin Lizzy]

Has anyone actually been to a government office, recently?

The waist of a typical government employee is about 50", and they're gonna regulate the fitness industry.

[OlympiaGym]

Bottom line it doesn't matter if you're a personal trainer, strength coach, Doctor or contractor, if you get your licence suspended or revoked it's not going to stop that person from practicing. It'll stop when you get caught. It ruins reputations and that alone will put you out of business.

What an idiotic statement. A medical doctor practicing medicine without a license is subject to very serious criminal charges. Some barely educated physical trainer "practicing" (that's laughable in itself) his craft without a "cert" (also laughable) is not subject to any censure at all, other than perhaps having to move to another Planet Fitness if exposed. Few industries have more useless conmen than the physical training business.