Not all trainers are created equal........

I recently applied for a job with a company I never heard of and in their questioning of me they asked if I would reccomend their certification to a potential training candidate, to which I replied that I would not. Long story short I didn't get the job (maybe due to something I said), but it got me to thinking on my reason why I said I wouldn't recommend the NHE certification.

The personal training business is largely unregulated in the United States. Unlike doctors, or physical therapists, personal trainers do not have to have a license from the state to practice their craft. Truth is they don't even really need a certification. Any old person can call themselves a trainer and proceed to maim a client because they have no clue what they are doing. It really is scary when you think about it. Your are trusting your body to someone who may or may not be qualified enough to keep you safe. 

The easiest way to reduce the risk of working with unqualified trainers is by doing a little research. First, ask around. See if any of your friends or co-workers have worked with anyone in particular they like. If not you can always turn to online reviews. I highly recommend IDEA located here. 

So if you are wondering which certs rank tops let me tell you. 

1) NSCA 

The NSCA has three training certifications. The CPT is the personal training certificate and requires a high school diploma. The CSCS is made for individuals who wish to pursue sports training and conditioning and requires a BA/BS degree, and the newly created CSPS is certified to work with special populations defined as people who have "chronic and temporary health conditions". The CSPS has rigorous requirements including 250 practical hours in the applicants particular area of expertise.  Overall the NSCA is tops in my book. (http://www.nsca.com/Home/)

2) ACSM 

The ACSM is one of the oldest and most highly regarded personal training certifications in the country (by others, not me). Depending on the certification pre-requisites may include a high school diploma or a BS in Exercise Science, Exercise, Physiology, or Kinesiology. (http://acsm.org)

3 & 4) ACE & NASM

ACE and the NASM are both the same in that they do not require a diploma or GED. NASM fall behind ACE however because they are younger, they are for-profit, and their test is about $200.00 more than ACE. Plus ACE is much more well known. (http://www.acefitness.org/ & http://www.nasm.org/)

5) AFAA

AFAA is a three day workshop and then you study and take a test. There are ZERO prerequisites. Not even a CPR/AED requirement, which all the other four on this list require. However they are at least a respectable company and I have known plenty of good AFAA trainers. (http://www.afaa.com/)

This list is mostly subjective and based on my own beliefs, but it is important to note that a 2002 study done by the UCLA exercise physiology lab found that:

"...a bachelor's degree in the field of exercise science and possession of American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association certifications as opposed to other certifications were strong predictors of a personal trainer's knowledge, whereas years of experience was not related to knowledge." They go onto suggest "that personal fitness trainers should have licensing requirements, such as a bachelor's degree in exercise science and certification by an organization whose criteria are extensive and widely accepted, before being allowed to practice their craft." READ MORE

I agree with the authors wholeheartedly, but until that day comes make sure to scrutinize your trainer just as you would your doctor or other health professional. Look for qualified trainers with the right credentials and do not be afraid to say something if you do not feel you are getting what you pay for. You should feel comfortable with your trainer and confident in his/her abilities. If you are not getting that vibe, than most likely it is not the right fit for you. -Aaron

The Basic Principles of Weight Training.

For many beginners starting a resistance training program can be quite the endeavor. There is so much conflicting information when it comes to resistance training it can be difficult for the beginner, and even the intermediates lifters, to disseminate between truth and fiction.

The purpose today is to begin to acquaint you with the basics of weight training. Throughout this article I may refer to resistance training, or exercise in general, but keep in mind that I mean resistance training.

Unlike the nutrition aspect, which had many parts to it, weight training is only governed by 3 true principles. Specificity, Overload, and Progression. These 3 principles apply just as much to the elite athlete as they do to the weekend warriors and senior citizens.

Specificity in its most basic terms means to see a certain change you need to train specifically for that change to occur. For instance, if you are a young male and you want to increase you bench press strength to impress the hot blonde at the gym, then it makes no sense for you to waste countless hours doing curls. Curls will not help your bench press. You need to train in the bench press. Specificity can be applied to numerous aspects of exercise. Simple right?

Overload and Progression can really be seen as two parts of a similar principle. Overload simply means to see a continued change (improvement), whether it be to your muscle mass, bone density, or tendon strength, you need to expose your body to forces greater than what you are accustomed to. Take our hormone driven male in the first example. If he wants to continue to improve his bench press, it wouldn't do him any good to continually bench press 140lbs. If he never increases that weight he will hit a plateau and stay stuck at 140lbs. He needs to increase the weights to increase his adaptations.

 Progression can be seen as an extension of overload. You need to continually progress your workouts to see a continual change. Please keep in mind that just like the snowflakes that cover the ground outside my window (all 18 inches of them I might add...I hate New England winters), humans are all different. The rate that one person changes will not be the same for another.

As you can see these principles are all connected to, and dependent on, one another.

Please understand that these articles are meant to provide you some background on exercise and should not be used as an all inclusive guide. I have spent many years of my life studying exercise and fitness and in an effort to make these articles interesting and relevant I have omitted many things. If you are new to exercise I ALWAYS recommend starting with a certified personal trainer to learn the safe and effective way of doing things. These articles can be a great reference for a beginner to help you understand why your trainer is doing something the way they are. Also please note that NOT ALL PERSONAL TRAINERS ARE CREATED EQUAL!!! I cannot stress this enough. Just because someone is a "certified" personal trainer does not mean they can tell a barbell from their...well you know. Do some research on your trainer. Try to find trainers that have well known and accredited certifications (such as NSCA, ACSM, NASM, and ACE). In addition you would be well served to look for a trainer that has a 4 year degree in exercise science, kinesiology, exercise physiology, or some other exercise/health related field. Failure to do your due diligence on your trainer can result in you wasting money, due to lack of results, or worse you can become injured due to their negligence. If you are working with a trainer and you have doubts about their capabilities then request another. It is your money and you right to get what you pay for and not to be injured while doing so.

Visit www.lifetimefitnesssolutions.com for information on trainers in Southeastern CT or if outside this area visit the IDEA website here.