Breaking the stereotype
This post is going to be extremely egotistical so feel free to skip it. But the time has come to address one of my biggest pet peeves, and something that I believe is extremely damaging to the fitness industry.
I am constantly taken aback by the assumption that all personal trainers are idiots. Sure, I know a lot of them gain their certifications very quickly and use it as a filler job until they find something better. Their heart may not be in it and I’ve certainly seen a lot of stupid coaching in my time.
They’re not all like this, I promise!
But to assume that all personal trainers – or bodybuilders, for that matter – are complete airheads is seriously insulting. For example, when I told my mother that I was giving up my cushy, well-paid job writing for a magazine that reaches some of the most important people in Australia to become a personal trainer, her response was: “But you’re so smart – why would you do something so stupid? Oh well, as long as you’re just doing it temporarily.”
Even when I told my boss and my editor that I was leaving to become a PT, they only wiped the puzzled looks off their faces when I told them the purpose is to pursue writing in the fitness industry. Even though everyone who knows me is aware that I love lifting, they nonetheless seem shocked that I would “waste my talent”, so to speak. But if I decided that my true passion was to be a personal trainer for the rest of my life, nobody has a right to comment on that.
I have always done very well when it comes to education, and achieved the highest marks in a number of subjects throughout high school and university. I qualified to commence any degree of my choosing, but writing was – and still is! – my passion so journalism it was. I know Western Australian universities aren’t comparable to Oxford or Cambridge, but I am pretty proud of the fact I graduated top of my class.
I am also very proud of the work I have done at my current job. Over the past two years, I’ve written stories that 99 per cent of the population would not be able to understand let alone try to duplicate. In a matter of months, I was able to churn out 6000 word feature articles about specialised financial topics with absolutely zero financial experience under my belt.
I don’t enjoy bragging about my intellect, so excuse me for being brash but there is a point to be made. I promise I will never mention any of this ever again and let my work speak for itself.
You could pay me all the money in the world to stay at my current job and I would not take it. I want to help people change their lives and, for now, my passion lies in becoming a personal trainer.
I’d like to think that the UK certification I’m doing now is better than what is on offer in the US. I’ve heard stories of people becoming qualified within a weekend in the States, but my course takes a minimum of three months to complete. On the surface it certainly seems like my certification is a lot more detailed.
For example, I believe personal trainers in the US are not legally allowed to give their clients nutritional advice. To me that sounds counterproductive because diet and exercise are so hand-in-hand. But I can understand how US-based PTs probably think I’m getting ahead of myself because I’m not a nutritionist.
My course includes an entire unit on nutrition, complete with a 300 page textbook. Sure, I don’t think reading that makes my knowledge equal to a nutritionist’s, but I certainly think that it would be adequate to teach someone how to properly fuel their body.
Do I think that being intelligent will make me a good personal trainer? It may help but, ultimately, no. But do I think my drive, discipline and attention to detail will? Absolutely. I’m just one person, but I know there are many other trainers out there who are incredibly intelligent.
Through Juliet’s blog, I’ve found the Personal Trainer Development Centre and began to follow the amazing people are associated with that. To me, this website is what personal training should be about: dedicating your heart and soul to improving the industry and truly trying to help change your clients’ lives. I believe if you work in the fitness industry you should never stop learning, and that is why the PTDC site is so valuable.
To brush all personal trainers off as stupid is ignorant. There are masterminds in every field, and I only hope that one day I can be a sliver as spectacular as some of those in the fitness industry.
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Well I am certainly no genius but I found a typo in you 169 IQ post!!!! Who can find it wins a prize!!!!!!!!!
But honestly honey I support u and ever decision you’ve made in ur life has been great. The only silly one was marrying me
. I luv u and u will continue to do great things in ur life.
Shut up, you. I fixed it. Can’t believe I made a typo in a post talking about how smart I am, haha.
I’m really glad you wrote this. YES, there are bad trainers out there but there are also great trainers who are highly intelligent and dedicated. It’s up to the CLIENT to find the best trainer to suit their needs… I’m sick to death of people whining about their clueless trainers. Um, YOU are the one paying their salary! It’s the law of supply & demand people! If you demand a higher standard, you will receive it.
Anyway. I think you are going to be an awesome trainer, and I think that you should definitely go for a CSCS certification or the European/Australian equivalent. You’re obviously intelligent enough to teach it to yourself & apply it to clients!
I think she is going to be an awesome trainer too
It’s like the perfect thing for her right now and if she wants to do something else later on she’ll excel at that too! <3
Exactly! I see these people with trainers, not getting any results and still seeing them. Thank you for the support! I just checked out the CSCS certification in the US and I must do more research!! Sounds awesome and exactly like what I need to do
THANKS FOR THE LINK! Jon’s PTDC is pretty much the sh*t. It’s such a great resource. Just ignore the haters, being a personal trainer requires a lot more than people think – which is why I don’t think I want to go that route (too lazy).
Now, being a crap-tastic trainer is a super awesome way to be an idiot. Unfortunately, there are too many of those. Fortunately, there are lots not like that.
I’d hardly classify you as a lazy person, but I understand if PT doesn’t float your boat. If you are passionate, it’s basically a life-long effort, and I don’t think many people realise that.
Thanks for the mention and I’m really glad you’re gaining a lot from the PTDC. Keep spreading the word and we’ll start a revolution!
Thanks again.
-Jon
Thanks for commenting, Jon. Keep up the good work – you’re a great inspiration to me!
Honestly, such a wonderful post. Wonderful, wonderful.
I am so happy you are pursuing YOUR passion. There is nothing more attractive than that. I broke up with my boyfriend of 3 yrs this summer because he didn’t care what he did for the rest of his life, just as long as he was making money with minimal effort he was fine. SO NOT ATTRACTIVE and SO NOT like me!
Passion is sexy.
I love that you are doing WHAT YOU WANT.
Never stop my friend! Never stop <3
Ugh, well I could never just be one of those people who live their lives at some dead end job with no real drive. I’m glad you agree and hope you find someone better!
I haven’t talked about it much on my site, but I’ve taken a lot of heat for pursuing something outside of teaching, and while no one has gotten on my case about the training I’m now doing, I know what a lot of people think — I’m leaving an intellectual field for something “meathead”-ridden. In fact, David’s mother is one of the people MOST concerned about what will happen when I leave teaching. I’ve heard repeatedly what an awesome teacher I am, how unfortunate it will be to have someone like me leave education, how it’s too bad I can’t take my retirement/pension with me … ARGH! So frustrating. Because you and I both know — it doesn’t matter how “good” you are if you aren’t happy.
So on that note, Tara, I support you 100%. And we can make the haters eat protein cakes when we show how awesome we are
I always imagined you would be facing similar issues to me. Rob’s family is incredibly supportive and non-judgemental of me, so I’ve been very lucky in that department. We will definitely prove all the haters wrong!
Hi Tara,
Here’s my opinion. Doing a PT course was a stepping stone – if you like – it developed my appetite to do bigger and better things – like my degree in Exercise Science. Imagine a big “exercise” iceberg – what you learn as a PT is about 1-2% of it!
Enjoy it, get a feel for it – and if it’s really you, then go and get the degree – it is worth the effort and whilst I see many, many personal trainers with excellent interpersonal skills, I see very few with excellent technical skills. In my own work, I spend a fair bit of time with PTs polishing up the technical side and a well trained PT then becomes a force to be reckoned with!
I love working in the fitness industry and hope you will too.
Thanks, Liz. I don’t think an Exercise Science is the right decision for me at the moment, but maybe I would consider it later down the track. I know you gain much more respect as a trainer if you have one of these but I’d feel a bit guilty as I just racked up a big debt for my last degree just two years ago. Right now I don’t envision myself working as a personal trainer forever, but I might change my mind later on and then go for the degree.
Your certification process definitely seems more detailed and more difficult to achieve. In the US there are even certifications you can do online…I’m not saying someone who goes that route isn’t going to be a personal trainer…BUT it is pretty easy to become certified and just like any other profession, you have some people who just shouldn’t be in the field!
I’m getting my PT certification in February. My work wants me to have it even though I hold my Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology (2 years of school). I don’t mind since they are paying for it, but it’s not something i was searching to get. My certification is a written exam…that’s it. So I just have to study it and pass and I am certified to train.
It’s strange that your work is only making you get the certification now. I can’t believe you only do one written exam! I have to do four written exams, and four practical. It seems odd that in the US they wouldn’t make you do a practical assessment, as it’s kind of hard to train someone purely by reading out of a book…
I already know how smart you are because Bob always brags about you. Just keep reaching for your dreams and you will catch the brass ring. I’m proud of you.
MIL
Thank you, that means a lot
I LOVE this post, Tara! We should pursue careers that excite us—careers that will enable us to channel our passion in a way that will most impact others/leave a mark. Whether that be as an investment banker (I don’t understand how anyone could be passionate about this, haha jk), an entertainer, a chef, an exotic dancer etc. etc., it’s not anyone’s place to judge another person’s decision. You’ve clearly thought this through and know that personal training is where your HEART is right now. I’m so glad you’re going for it!
I’ve been researching CPT certification programs, and think I’m going to go with NASM, which is supposedly one of the most reputable in the U.S. However, as you said, the study process is not nearly as involved as the those in Australia! Maybe I need to move down under for a year?
I deal with a lot of investment bankers in my current job, and I honestly don’t know how they enjoy their lives. Most bankers work 60+ hours a week and spend the whole day staring at multiple computer screens. You could not pay me enough to do that! But each to their own
I’ve heard that NASM is the best certification in the US. My certification is recognised internationally, everywhere except the US – where I would just have to sit a small exam to prove I know what I’m talking about. Something tells me that I would pass! Haha I wouldn’t get certified in Australia though – it takes a year and costs about $6000! That’s also why I’m doing it via the UK – it’s still a lot more expensive than the US ($2000) but at least it doesn’t take a whole year.
I love this post. I’m so glad I came across it! I’m currently about to start student teaching for my Health & Phys. Ed. Teaching Degree, but I truly believe my passion is in fitness. As much as I do love being a teacher, I do not think being in a school is where I can truly be happy. I’m not wishing time away, but I’m so ready to graduate and move on into something in the fitness industry! I’m thinking about getting my Personal Training Cert. (my mom is a PT of 25 years) So we may go into something together. Some people think its crazy because they say “the money isn’t as good” or “be a teacher & do it on the side” – but that wouldn’t be fair to myself to not myself pursue my passion just based on what people say. SO glad you posted this!!
It would be so cool for you and your mum to do something together! Speaking from someone with experience, I’m so glad I’ve been able to realise my passion and go after it. If you know what drives and excites you, then go after it and don’t waste any time on something which isn’t using your full potential.
Great post- I already know how smart you are after that one assignment where you and
I did nearly all the work and I still only did about 20% of the intelligent stuff! Lol.
I don’t think all personal trainers are meatheads but I think in Australia it’s too easy to become one! I know maybe 15-20 people who have done their PT course and about 17 of those are now doing something else! Ones a teacher, a few are on the mines and a few work for rebel sport or similar! I think a lot of people think it’s a fun easy way to earn a living
But it’s really not! One- you don’t earn much! If you are at a gym you have to pay massy amounts of rent and you have to find your own clients, the gym does nothing really! Two- the job market is tiny and over populated! So over supply, under deemed kicks in. The worst thing is that the general public dont know much! They will go the most muscular guy or the skinniest girl rather then look at their certifications or check out their techniques. I couldnt do it but you have more brains, talent and determination then I could dream of!
When I chose to drop my double degree to go and do vet nursing, man you should have heard the things people said! Same as above, people think it’s easy and it’s really not. There are too many nurses and not enough jobs and its really hard work where you get very little thanks but I love it! I love working with animals! I love the thanks they give you, even if owners & vets don’t give you any! An animals thanks is much more real! Anyway basically all I’m saying is your crazy & good luck
lol. And good on you for chasing a dream and a passion! You rock! Please excuse all the grammar and spelling errors, I’m on my iPhone! Oh and if you could send some of your determination this way, that would be great 
You did much more work than the other two in our group! I could have killed those bimbos! I hate group work haha. But thank you for the kind words
Only some gyms charge you rent – to begin with, I’m not going to work for one of those or I will be broke! The main difference I’ve seen between Oz and the UK so far is that trainers in the UK seem to be very out of shape and generally clueless! So I think I will actually do better over there than here where everyone seems to be really fit anyway.
I have incredible respect for vet nurses. It’s horrible that people would be so negative about the fact that you’re trying to do something so generous and kind for a living. Animals know what’s up!
i feel the same way as you. sometimes i feel like people look down on me because of my career, and..I don’t really care lol. I know where my heart is and I work my ass off to go above and beyond educating myself about my field. there’s SO much science behind exercise (and nutrition!) and people have NO idea. I do my best to educate others about how much depth there is behind training.
i work with crappy trainers and it sucks to watch and to see how clueless them and their clients are.
In the US we can make nutritional ‘suggestions’ to clients, but anything beyond that is a no-no. It’s not like my clients listen to my advice anyways haha.
i think you’ve got the passion to go far and i’m excited to watch your career change
You are such an inspiration to me, Erika. I think you’re a great trainer and I hope to be like you one day! I love that you’re not complacent about your job and you won’t settle for crappy attitudes. Thanks for clearing up the nutritional point – I thought it was ludicrous that you couldn’t offer suggestions even! I mean, what’s the point in training if you eat junk all day?! I think I’m going to struggle with the nutrititional side of it more than anything, because people are usually so turned off by what I eat but I have this mentality of just sucking it up and working hard – which most clients won’t!
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Long story short, Europe is about 10 lightyears behind the states in terms of having a solid strength and conditioning curriculum. If you want to pursue a certification in training, your best options are the NSCA and NASM. I’m not sure how that qualifies in Bumfuck, Australia, but they’re the two best options out there. Once you get your little 300 page book (NSCA’s PT book is 696 and NASM’s is 648), go on Amazon and order the NSCA’s Essentials of Strength and Conditioning and compare them. I’m betting you’ll be amazed at how lacking your certification materials are.
Trainers in the US are absolutely allowed to give nutritional advice. What they’re not allowed to do is prescribe nutrition for a medical condition. So, if I have a client that has diabetes, for example, I am not allowed to develop a diet for them that addresses that disease.
Don’t think that you’re going to read a 300 page book and have the key to all training knowledge. Hell, as a training manager, I wouldn’t even allow you to get on the floor by yourself for at least a month. A training certification is like getting your learner’s permit to drive. Basically, you’re being given the benefit of the doubt that you won’t end up killing someone with your limited knowledge, but even that is dubious.
Keep an attitude of learning and realize that you don’t know shit in the grand scheme of things, and you may do well. If you maintain this current attitude that you’re so amazingly intelligent and you’re going to tear up the training world with your starter certification, and you’re just going to end up hurting someone.
I think you may have misunderstood my post. Nowhere did I suggest that once I gain my certification I will know everything there is to know about training. If you read the last three paragraphs of my post, you would know that I never intend to stop learning. The point I was trying to make is that not all personal trainers are complete idiots – not that I’m God’s gift to the industry.
I agree that the US might be the mecca of fitness at the moment, but that does not mean its certifications are the best on offer. When I said I was studying a 300 page textbook, I was merely talking about the nutrition unit. The total certification is made up of more than 2500 pages – clearly more in depth than what is on offer in the US. Again, I’m talking about most courses here – I know the NASM and CSCS are the best in the world. I honestly believe I have learnt more about training through my own experience, observations and personal study. The certification is very basic and I know that my education will not cease upon its completion.
Did you know that the only trainers who have to resit a PT exam are those that come from the US? My course – which is UK-based – is accepted internationally, as is any Australian or European equivalent. But any trainer that was certified in the US has to do a transfer exam upon arrival – because the rest of the world knows how terrible the US certifications are. If I had a NASM certification, I would certainly be pissed off that the other weaker certs are bringing down the value of a quality company. I’ve heard stories of people getting their dogs certified as personal trainers in the US, just to prove how easy it is.
There are 6 million people that live in Sydney alone, so it’s not exactly a small, quaint country town. The fitness industry is really booming over here: I can’t compare it to what Europe is like, but I also can’t assume that America is that much better.
Honestly, the “fitness industry” worldwide sucks balls. Yes, there are certifications where you can go online and pay a few bucks and be certified, but there are also places online you can go to become an ordained minister. I’m not sure that either of these are strictly products of the US. We also have the college-based certifications that incorporate a number of different classes and take about 6-9 months to complete. Those folks might have a better handle on some aspects of personal training, as the self-study ones assume that a person already has a handle on anatomy and physiology to some degree.
I can tell you that the BEST basic training certifications ARE based in America. The ones I mentioned previously are two of the best. To train any athlete in a college through pro level, you’re going to be expected to have the CSCS certification, at the very minimum. I find it interesting that you think that the US requirement for continuing education is a negative. It’s an attempt to insure that trainers are continuing to educate themselves. The same thing is required of doctors, nurses, and many other professional positions in the US. For example…I have to turn in CEUs soon, so I’m going through the Corrective Exercise Specialist certification offered by NASM. It’s stuff I already know, so it’s not a huge burden, but it is an example of how we constantly should be seeking to better ourselves and our knowledge of what we do.
I don’t assume the rest of the world knows nothing. There are some great trainers overseas. Matt Perryman in New Zealand comes to mind (although, he’s actually an American living in NZ). However, much of my opinion comes from talking with people that achieved degrees in the UK and elsewhere. The curriculum being taught there was sooo outdated, it was ridiculous. There was one girl on our forum that was finishing up her degree in the UK, and was planning to come to America to continue her Master’s work, who said she learned more on our forum than during her whole curriculum in school.
Just keep in mind that our perceptions are shaped by our experiences, and right now you don’t have many experiences when it comes to knowing what makes a good trainer or a good training curriculum.
I did check out that link to the PTDC site you mentioned, and there are some quality people contributing there.
My course will also take me six months to complete, so I’m still confident that I’m becoming certified with a reputable company that doesn’t hand it to me overnight. My reasons for becoming a personal trainer are far removed from training athletes, which is why I did not go down the route of obtaining an exercise science degree. As far as I know, the US is the only country that offers a specific strength and conditioning-based certification, so I completely agree that the variety on offer in the US is greater than elsewhere.
I never said that continuing education is a negative!! I think it should be encouraged in all areas of the world, and in all fields. My husband is a tennis coach and has to undergo continued assessments to ensure he is staying on top of the latest developments in the industry, so I see how valuable it is. I spend hours every day reading blogs and forums run by strength coaches, and I don’t expect to stop searching for credible information any time soon.
Like I said above, I have learnt a lot more as a result of my own efforts than what the course has taught me – no matter how small my actual training experience may be. Can I ask what forum you’re a part of? It sounds interesting and I would like to check it out.
The forum is strengthcoach.com. It’s a pay-based forum, but there are a lot of smart people there and they get some great discussions going. For $10/month, it’s a much better resource than any book or magazine could ever be.
I agree…self-study is far more important than any curriculum you might go through. By the time I finally certified, I had been reading and studying for 3-4 years, and going through the coursework by that time was a breeze. Since then, I’ve read hundreds of books, studies, and journal articles, along with attending as many seminars and conferences as I can afford.
That’s my main gripe with most personal trainers. They don’t seek knowledge after certifying. In the past, I’ve worked with guys that would be flatly disinterested in any book or journal I might bring in to work, and I never understood that. They thought their certification and their “bro-science” knowledge was enough. To me, however, it was an indicator that it was just a job to them, and not a passion. Unfortunately, the people the paid the price for their disinterest was the client.
I can promise you that I will never be someone who is disinterested in continuing my education. I’ve always sought out to read every resource available for my current field, and it will not change when I become certified as a personal trainer. I have been studying for a number of years too, so choosing to become certified was not a haphazard decision. Thanks for the link – the forum looks really interesting and I’m off to peruse it in more detail!
Just found your blog today. The quality of your writing is excellent, and the information within very… informative. And yet still entertaining.
The fact that you quoted John Green here (my favorite modern author) is another huge plus.
I have subscribed and eagerly anticipate future posts. Keep being awesome.
Thank you, Scott! I hope I don’t disappoint
Thank you for standing up for all us meathead trainers out there, that are also capable of putting multiple words and sentences together without needing a mid paragraph nap. My father was always disappointed that I never got a more traditional degree in college or more what he thought of as a good job path. At least until I opened up my own training studio, and even more once I opened up a 2nd and 3rd location.
One tid bit of info you brought up that I wanted to address was regarding trainers in the U.S. or anywhere else for that matter being able to talk about nutrition. There’s a difference between telling a client that eating more lean protein, vegetables and drinking more water will be good for them, and ordering blood and urine tests, being able to analyze the results and prescribing a specific diet to change the results of those tests. I would think most trainers know enough of the basics to put together a decent general weight loss or sports performance/recovery diet, but anything regarding hormone dysfunction issues, food allergies or intolerances, or dietary prescriptions for diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or anything that could be considered life threatening should probably be left to people with some kind of appropriate graduate degree.
I talk to my clients about all sorts of nutrition related topics, but I know the limits of my scope of practice and education, and I don’t cross those lines with giving advice.
Wow, congratulations – it sounds like you’ve made quite the name for yourself. It is always difficult dealing with parents who don’t understand your goals, and it still hasn’t gotten any easier on my end.
Thanks for clarifying about the nutrition. From what I’ve heard from other US-based trainers, I thought it was okay to offer advice, but you weren’t allowed to give your clients an actual diet plan? Here we are allowed to do that. Of course, if there is anything out of the ordinary about the client, such as allergies, hormonal dsyfunctions or a specific illness, I would always refer them to someone with more knowledge than me.
Good luck Tara, sounds like you’re well on the way to a happy and successful career
PTDC is one of my main inspirations and Jon Goodman is, in my mind, the go to person for all new and existing PT’s out there. Keep up the good work, will be following your successes!
Thanks for the lovely comment, Aubrey! I have read every single one of the posts on the PTDC, some multiple times, so I know exactly how useful it is