what credentials does one need to have to be a personal trainer at a gym?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

some are fat and out of shape, others are in shape and physically fit.
i won't judge or discriminate based on physical appearance or age because that does not necessarily reflect his/her knowledge and ability to effective train someone.

what i see that does bother me are those that do not train the client to exercise with proper form.
they only care pumping out that last rep, or doing completing a timed routine.
i'll see backs bent beyond safe levels when doing curls, squats/lunges that go down maybe 4 inches, cheating to be able to get the last rep out or higher weight.

even worse is when i watch the trainer himself work out and HIS form is bad. no wonder they don't train their clients properly.

which leads me to question, what does it take to be a personal trainer? doesn't seem like much.
classes? certifications? if so, these are some BS certs/classes they're passing.

 

[HN]

$49.99

The 40 minute exam is based upon the courseware that is provided along with the certification...The exam consists of multiple choice questions from all chapters of the courseware.

 

[necine]

my cousin has nasum certification... i dunno

 

[purbeast0]

well i know my buddy who has no certs or classes in it was asked to be a trainer at a gym and is now the director of trainers, and this is at Bally's which is a pretty big chain.

i also asked him about how some trainers are out of shape or atleast look out of shape and are not really big or anything.

he was telling me that the reason they get clients is cause not everyone has the same goal. my buddy is like 5'7 stalky asian guy who is huge. but when some fat guy comes to the gym wanting to slim down, they dont want to be trained by this huge asian guy. they will be intimidated by him and maybe even feel uncomfortable. in a situation like that, they would prefer a more every day looking trainer who is just slim.

but then you have the football players who want to train right who he will get, but those guys wouldn't want to go to someone who looks like an every day slim guy.

i didn't even think about it this way at all until he told me about it. cause i too always felt "who would want someone who's not ripped to train them?"

 

[HN]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
i didn't even think about it this way at all until he told me about it. cause i too always felt "who would want someone who's not ripped to train them?"

i wouldn't mind coach rippetoe training me. maybe it's the nickname

 

[spamsk8r]

It's apparent that it requires very little actual knowledge to become a personal trainer nowadays. Yesterday one of the trainers at the Bally by my work reprimanded me for doing shoulder press with a full range of motion. He said "You only need to bring it down to your forehead." That's not a shoulder press, dumbass. That's a reduced range of motion piece of crap move that only burns out your triceps. But he was so smug and sure of himself, noting "I've been doing this a long time." Good for you. Go train someone else on the leg sled or something, leave me alone.

This is why globogyms are trash.

Disclaimer: I know there are good trainers working in globogyms, it's just that the ones I've been to seem to be severely lacking in any real knowledge of weight/strength training protocols and form.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: HN
$49.99

The 40 minute exam is based upon the courseware that is provided along with the certification...The exam consists of multiple choice questions from all chapters of the courseware.

Is the source accredited though?

EDIT: LOL found some sample questions. That test is awesome. Could pass that without reading anything. I was just guesstimating the HR, BMR, 1RM questions and got em all right.

 

[KoolDrew]

Obviously not much judging by the lack of competent PT's.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Obviously not much judging by the lack of competent PT's.

No joke. I'm actually gonna give on of the accredited colleges a call either later today or tomorrow just to see what the program entails. It's by my hometown and I'm going to get certified at some point for my part-time job. I figure I'll be a better PT than a ton of those out there.

 

[GenHoth]

Where are you getting the certs SC?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: GenHoth
Where are you getting the certs SC?

I'm not getting them right now. I'm looking into getting the most legitimate one I can, while trying to save some cash on the initial certification. The one I called was CNI college in Costa Mesa, CA. I would take their class(es) during the summer and go from there.

 

[gramboh]

I go to a pretty good gym and all the trainers I've encountered are masters students (kinesiology mostly) who are doing actual research and have many years of experience. Most of them have olympic lifting experience and teach the right technique and also like using Crossfit type drills. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with any useless boneheads.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: gramboh
I go to a pretty good gym and all the trainers I've encountered are masters students (kinesiology mostly) who are doing actual research and have many years of experience. Most of them have olympic lifting experience and teach the right technique and also like using Crossfit type drills. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with any useless boneheads.

What gym do you go to? That sounds awesome.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Obviously not much judging by the lack of competent PT's.

Its the same with the Martial Arts. Any fool can go to a belt factory for 18-24 months, slap on ablack belt, then open their own Dojo. I've run across some real dirt bags calling themselves instructors/Sensei, teaching utter rubbish, that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag with a hole in it. Unfortunately, there are so many gullible and/or ignorant people out there willing to sign their children up, that these jokers get away with it. :disgust:

 

[gramboh]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: gramboh
I go to a pretty good gym and all the trainers I've encountered are masters students (kinesiology mostly) who are doing actual research and have many years of experience. Most of them have olympic lifting experience and teach the right technique and also like using Crossfit type drills. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with any useless boneheads.

What gym do you go to? That sounds awesome.

Talisman Centre in Calgary, Canada. It's a pretty big complex, two olympic pools, 10M diving tower, I think 4 gyms, track, large weight area (although only 2 damn power racks and 1 oly platform and insane amounts of machines, there's a separate area with 2 or 3 more power racks that is closed to the public from 4:30pm-8:30pm for classes as well). It's also attached to a few sports med type places (physio, orthopedic etc. got my orthotics there). The best part is that I live literally a 2 block walk away, door to door is maybe 1.5 minutes, never an excuse to miss a workout .