Becoming a certified personal trainer was a dream come true for me. It's something that I'm passionate about in a way that is hard to even express.
For me it's an honor and priviledge to be entrusted with my clients health and well being in the capacity in which I can serve them.
Unfortunately the way personal trainers are often portrayed in the media, there is a misrepresentation of what personal trainers do and/or how we treat the people we are there to serve (i.e. "The Biggest Loser").
I wanted to share some thoughts on what being a personal trainer personally means to me:
Being a certified personal trainer is not just about creating programs or exercise routines. It is about the careful consideration of each client’s unique physical, mental and emotional qualities, therefore it’s holistic in nature.
It’s about having a laser-like focus on each client’s movement patterns and helping them make the proper adjustments. In a sense, EVERY moment of the session is an assessment.
It’s about teaching clients in a way that helps them develop their kinesthetic awareness so they can better function not only during their training sessions but in all the activities of their lives.
It’s about proper and appropriate progression that safely allows for positive adaptations to occur.
It’s about weighing the “risk versus reward” of any exercise or movement pattern and especially as it relates to the individual client(s) we are working with.
It’s about understanding how to help our clients develop confidence in their abilities to get healthier, more fit, and develop self efficacy through a love of fitness.
It’s about having the flexibility that enables you to modify or entirely discard the intended program you had planned in order to meet the needs of the client in that moment.
It’s about providing the highest level of excellence possible in the services you provide.
It’s about a commitment to continuing education that goes well beyond our CEC requirements.
Finally every personal trainer, regardless of the organization(s) they are affiliated with, should realize that their individual actions represent our profession as a whole and should act accordingly!
Scott Fishkind
http://www.time4youfitness.com/
