The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

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Better than On?

 

Well unfortunatly ISSA may be the best fit for me right now. I have a full time job but have been wanting to become a personal trainer on the side for some time. I have a lot of free time with my current job and was hoping there was some form of online certification I could do. I'll keep researching but that one seems like a good cheap/quick option to get me started...

 

Gym buddy texts me as I'm getting out of my car that he would be another 30 minutes. Figured I'd just go in and walk or play basketball since the drive back home was 20 minutes. After 30 minutes of walking he says its going to be another 30 minutes. Ended up maxing out the time on the treadmill and walked like 3.6 miles.. Thankfully still had a good workout.

 

Ditch that gym buddy.

 

Sorry! I wasn't gonna open it until I ran out of my current...I've got like 2 more scoops left, you impatient bastard!

I agree with @JordanSmith127 on this one. People who wanting to get trained don't know shit about the 18000 different certifications you can get. I think the main deciding factor when someone is looking for a trainer is that they're going to trust a trainer who looks like they wanna look like. If I was looking for a trainer and had to decide between some skinny dude with a wall full of certifications or some dude who looks like Arnold, the choice is clear. Certifications are bullshit and I don't think potential clients give a damn about it.

 

He just got a promotion at work so he is trying to train someone and learn his new job at the same time.

 

I disagree with both statements on certs vs looks. I would want to see certificates and a degree in a field surrounding nutrition, not kinesiology. Before selecting a trainer I would ask for a portfolio/clients numbers who would give a review.

I dont care if a guy looked like Arnold. It doesn't take a genius to shoot up steroids (in fact, I would avoid a trainer who got to where he was by use of drugs). I want a knowledgeable trainer that understands how muscles are built, the nutrition required and the science behind that nutrition.

 

I agree with Zach about someone who doesn't look like they lift or are in shape. I just wouldn't trust that they could help me if they can't help themselves...

But I also agree that having certs/degree are a comfort for a potential client. It would be easier to start building a portfolio and business with one then without IMO.

 

To add fuel to the fire on both spectrums of looks vs certs. One thing you have to remember is not all of your clients infact a good 60+% of your clients are obese, older, or have health conditions. There is a reason they need a trainer not necessarily to get in body building status but to be able to perform to the level of a normal human.

 

Exactly why I want a cert. One - someone who looks like they lift and are in good shape can be plain intimidating for someone who is extremely out of shape and already has a bad outlook on getting any better. Having certs backing your name would hopefully ease that worry. And second, there are so many people who lift and can get in good shape (natty or not) and a lot of them still have no idea what they are doing and would have no business helping someone else reach fitness goals. I'm hoping having a cert would separate me from your average meathead that thinks they know it all about anything gym related, at least in the eyes of a potential client...

 

i agree with this, not what zach said. looks dont mean shit. some of the greatest weightlifting coaches and olympic coaches dont look anything like an athlete. dedication to there practice does how. however when someone is deciding a trainer certs and looks may help them choose you. but are realy are no indication of their talent, maybe a correlation but not always the case. best thing you can have are clients that like you and have seen results from your training. thoes are the people who will do all the marketing for you and they are the ones who show how good of a trainer you are.

also as a cpt you are not legaly allowed to give nutrition advice.

and lastly personality is gona get you way more clients than knowledge. probably the most important trait you could have. followed by ability to relay you knowledge i know tons of people who are smarter than shit but cant teach worth a shit...

the best coach has the knowledge of a physiolgy major but teaches like a highschool gym teacher. no one cares how many fancy words you use in a training session they wana have fun and see results. 90% of clients are just trying to get healthier not be the next Michael Jordan

 

When in doubt be both great bod and knowledgeble while having personality. In other words be Layne Norton. Done.

 

That's what I was gonna say. If I was looking for certifications, I'd look for someone with an actual degree, not some weekend-long online class. I think an actual college degree in some area (maybe anatomy, sports science, biology...i dunno) show that you really know your shit. If you're jacked on top of that (like Layne Norton), I know you know what you're doing.

My negativity towards people with "certifications" stems from 99% of the people I know who are "certified" are out of shape, don't know what the hell they're doing, and their clients continue to be overweight and out of shape. I see it on a daily basis.

Not to say that all people with "certifications" are idiots b/c I know good trainers, as well, but I also know a lot of shitty ones, too.

 

I'm not really up for going back to school for a full degree, which is why a cert would do me fine. I've got a marketing/business degree so I'll use that to build the business once I get a couple clients down the road.

@JordanSmith127 what to do you do for insurance/liability? I have a fear that someone will do something funky and get hurt and blame me. I'm assuming there is something that can safeguard you from being held liable for any incidents...

 

I have some stuff at home nasm sent me. I will post it up tonight when I get home. Also I know most if you work in a gym for a while the gym has most of that insurance covered. But there is something my ex wife had where she was a nurse only like 200.00 a year

 

I wouldn't trust an online certification in a trainer, but then again I don't know how much I would be looking into my trainer's certification programs. Definitely a combo of knowledge and real world experience (putting that knowledge into practice, resulting in a desirable physique) would be my target.

I would love to train with Layne Norton or Chris Duffin.

 

@zacharypaul89 I got my STUFF, cotton candy tastes like shit from the small amount I got off the plastic film on the top. Orange is good but whole fuck the mango passion fruit is amazing. Definitely try it.

 

I think a marketing degree will get you all the business you want. I don't think there's shit to the certifications. Like someone said earlier (it may have been you), it's all about your personality...if you can sell yourself, you'll be fine. You can give them all the "NSSA, NRA, BSA, NSA, TSA" certs you want, but it's not going to bring you business better than getting out there and wooing people.

As for insurance, I just talked to one of my bosses who owns an insurance company and he said all you'd need is a basic commercial liability policy, which is super cheap.

 

Well the main reason I want a cert is because it gives you some level of credibility regardless of how 'legit' the cert is. It's like a guarantee. Even if it is a guaranteed piece of shit...

To quote the late great Chris Farley -


I'd think it would be better to say 'hey I am a certified personal trainer' rather than say 'hey I workout a lot'

Thats what I was thinking, something simple and cheap that basically keeps me out of trouble if someone blows a knee trying to do a burpee

 

Because no one has really ragged on CF in a while...