Training Credentials ...Are you getting what you are paying for?

A qualified trainer can assess a clients individual fitness, create goals based upon their assessment and motivate the client to follow the program that is set forth for them to accomplish. A proper program should include nutritional and fitness components. The trainer should be able to assist their client in making healthy lifestyle changes. The trainer should be able to make suggestions based upon their educated assessment; not just upon their personal opinion and experience. Experience and opinion have a place but, they NEVER should replace or take the place of a well thought out, educated plan.
The questions you should be asking a trainer to make certain that they are "qualified" and not just certified are important. Anyone can obtain a personal training certification! Some certifications can be obtained in a matter of hours on the Internet! Is that what you really want to be paying for? Some people think that just because they have been "lifting weights for x-amount of years" they are qualified to train others. Training clients should be taken seriously and should NOT be just a means of money. I am passionate about the work that I provide to my clients and take those relationships very seriously. Training requires skill and education. Clients are constantly being pushed too hard and too fast. Injuries are on the rise and clients are at risk.
An educated client needs to make certain that they know what they are paying for. Just because you are hiring a trainer at a gym; does NOT mean that they are fully prepared to train you! This just simply means that they had a certificate in personal training and are CPR certified. With the economy in such a poor state; many people are losing their jobs and are getting certified as trainers. For all you know your trainer may have been selling insurance three months ago. Don't get me wrong...their past careers are important! However, there are some of us that have actually obtained college degrees in the fields of Exercise Physiology, Sports Psychology, Sports Nutrition and Physical Education.
Why is that so important to you the client- The level of education a trainer may have varies. The basic requirement should be an accredited degree in exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology, physical education, sports management, or a similar field, from a reputable university or college. Some community colleges offer one-year, non-degree exercise science programs can offer another pathway to becoming a personal trainer. These programs can be considered satisfactory preparation when combined with a recognized personal trainer certification.