Back with a few moments to look back at some older writings I had in a file and read where I have come from in this profession.  The evolution has been a bit astounding for me.  But lately as some of you may have noticed, my blog posts may have seemed jaded, angrier than others and somewhat disheartened.  I sometimes too lapse from the methods I aim to preach. After all, we are human and we all struggle from time to time.  And that is why it has been good to go back to the beginning, to see where I stared, and see that I have made progress by leaps and bounds.  And as my Mother in Law has started reading my posts she said to me the other day, “Maybe you need to read your own post again.” After a particularly hard day.  She was right.

Learning points from Volume 5 – this was a time of self doubt, some disastrous training sessions and fear of failing as a trainer.

What I learned…

1. Don’t fake it until you make it, rather “Take it until you make it.”
2. Don’t count yourself out until you are told otherwise.
3. Out of every disastrous situation there will be some good to come.
4. If you work hard, all good thing come to those who deserve it.

Learning from Volume 6 – At this point the true human nature was starting to show from clients, and I realized that there were various clients that I was encountering on a weekly basis. This one I had a good laugh over. I completely forgot this post, and some of the so called tricks I used and some I would never use again. Here is the summarized version…

I was encountering clients who complained, those that whine and moan that it’s hard and I don’t like this or that. What the hell, did you think this was going to be easy? Did you get this out of shape overnight? You didn’t wake up one morning and find a fatter version of you looking in the mirror, so why would you think that you let yourself go and you will undo all the neglect in a couple of weeks? This may sound mean but sometimes I push them to the brink of the capability so that when the next workout comes they are quiet, nervous of what I have to bring, or what I can do. Then when the workout is easy they are joyful and feel as though there has been progress. It keeps them motivated a little bit more. Mental tricks so I like to think.

Then I encountered the “I Know What to Do” client. They came to me with the best intentions and they listened to what I had to say… until they got comfortable. They would take the program I wrote, and bugger with it enough to throw the plan off. Some of my clients left their plans with me because they want me to be there to monitor, mainly weights. But many of the client remembered what they had done with me, stuff they liked, and add it in. It wasn’t quite as bad as the client who makes up exercises though. I sometimes had to shake my head and ask where they saw some of the crap they did. Some of the crap people made up was hilarious. What I did with these clients was to have them write down all the stuff they had added in, and tell them I was reorganizing it for them so it was more efficient. Then I would throw all the crap out and go back to my original plan, with one or two of their things and they were be as happy as a kid with candy, and rarely knew the difference.

There were also the “selective hearing clients”. These were the ones that would hear what they wanted to hear. They never seemed to hear the tips for form or for suggestion into the program, like YOU NEED TO STRETCH!!!!! I had clients that are walking two by fours. So I had to take ten minutes out of the workout to stretch them out. I realized that clients were like parrots and could be trained. Repeat word enough and the parrot learns it… for clients, drill it in enough times and they started to remember.

The last and most frustrating of all the clients I had at this time was the “show up when you want and do what you like.”

I had one of these. Called in to cancel all the time or just didn’t show at all. When at training this client would say “I don’t like that so I won’t do it.” Fine then do what the hell you like. When they came to complain that they have not lost weight or such, I explained to them exactly why they hadn’t made any progress. I was blunt and truthful, period. In this category was the client who came to see me hung over. In my case they did this once. Sick I could sympathize, but half in the bag was a different story. My remedy for a hangover was circuit training with light weight and high reps. Add in a set of box pushes, which consisted of pushing large carpeted plywood box across the gym floor. They never came in hung over again.

Learning from Volume 8 as 7 was just a brief letter home

This post occurred early in January of 2006, and I am going to leave this one as I wrote it.  This was an interesting one as it was the TSN turning point so to speak.  I am very fortunate that I came back to this as it gets the fire of desire re-burning within me.

I needed the holiday. I was starting to break down and the holiday was like a recharge to the system. I have a new out look to training and a new desire to train, and become better than I was in 2005. This was brought about by the management asking us to think about goals for the New Year. I have vowed to become a more competent trainer in the Athletic Training Zone. To read more and research more in order to become a more versatile trainer, and on a personal level, to begin a more balanced and effective program (also include an effective trunk program) Another personal goal is to go back to school in some capacity and do continuing education classes, once again so I become better.

Most of this getting better does include education, whether it is classes to upgrade or returning for a master’s degree. Why do you ask? Well over the holidays I asked myself, “is this as good as it gets?” and I think the answer was yes. I don’t desire to be good, I desire to be great. To be great I think that a master’s is a way to go. I am going to look into my options for a Master’s Degree and then talk it over with Pamela, and if it can be done, then it shall be done.

This desire that has overcome me has come from, I guess to some extent, repentance. To repent is to have a change of heart, a change of mind and a change of attitude. My heart is even more into becoming great than before. I am becoming increasingly more comfortable in my position, which means relaxed. I need to stay on my toes, to be on edge, which keeps me training at my best. The change of mind comes due to the other trainers and my new supervisor in the Athletic training zone challenging everything that I know. I am now asking more questions and discovering new material to enhance my training. The change of attitude is the simple fact that I do not want to settle for anything, I want to be at the top. I have to desire to have my name known. Around work the names like Charles Poloquin, Craig Ballantyne, Alwyn Cosgrove are thrown around. These men are huge in this business and have made enormous names for themselves.  I know it sounds vain but I want to be seen as that in the future. Maybe a Master’s degree in not the only way, but my focus this year is to find out how to get my path to greatness started. Our Bachelor’s degrees are not the final step. Our Bachelor’s degrees are merely licenses to allow us to further continue to learn.

Disrespect also fuels my desire at the moment. Where does it come from? The other day as a field house attendant was moving a guy out of one of the gyms I had booked for testing; the guy asked why he was being moved. Charlie told him because there was personal training going on the gym. The guy looked over and said, “he’s not a personal trainer.” When I heard who had said it I was angry. This guy is an outside trainer who trains one of our trainers. What a screwed up situation. He has no formal education. Sure he looks good…if you like that chemically enhanced look. He had the nerve to tell one of our best trainers that he couldn’t be a personal trainer either. He said you have to look the part. I have sweats and a pair of runners, doesn’t that make me a trainer, made him one. Funny thing is I have never talked to this guy, said a word to him or even looked at him in the wrong direction and he has an opinion of me. He is already in my “I wouldn’t piss in his ear if his brain was on fire” file, and I have never even talked to him.

That what we are challenged by, a lack of education for the general public that has the preconceived idea that to be a good trainer you have to have 24 inch biceps and a back you can play movies on. I have forgotten more than a guy like that knows and still people will go to see him. But then I think that those clients will come to see me, once they don’t see the results and/ or he hurts them. I just needed to vent a bit.

Funny how things seem to work.

With a new year coming I like to do a bit of cleaning up of old papers, programs and computer files.  Then I come upon this file called the “chronicles” and I think it is a Seinfeld reference… you know what, it is!  Then I remember that before the Masters degree, before the blog I would send emails back to friends and family about what I was doing, learning and growing as a professional.  I called it the Chronicles because at the time I was a huge Seinfeld fan.  I would write about my week and at the end summarize the key points, from that particular week.

We mention that in the profession many coaches look to the team ahead of them to see what that particular team is doing for training. When in fact many of the teams should be looking back to where they have been… do the athletes have a training base so that they can train properly, before attempting a training program that the athletes may or may not be able to complete.  The same for all of us, as we are a sum of all our experiences.  So, within the holiday spirit, and the thoughts of Ghosts of Christmas Past, I want to look back at the Chronicles.  There were 20 so called “volumes” and over the next few days I will attempt to highlight some of the key learning moments for all of you.  I hope you enjoy them…

From Volume 1…  First week actually paid as a full time trainer.

1. Apply to any place even if you do not see a posting, if there is a posting, the job potentially has already been filled.  What’s the worst the company can do, say no.  Take a chance.
2. Be confident in your ability, you went to school, it’s in your head just learn to put it to use.
3. Be organized, it helps.
4. Have fun, I have the greatest job in the world because I get to go to work in track pants and runners every day.
5. Choose your attitude. Wake up and say this is going to be a great day.  I am excited to go to work.
6. Be there.  Focus on your clients as if they are the only thing in the building.  When I have more than one client, I focus a little attention on each one for a moment.  For that moment the client and I are the only ones in a 160 000 square foot building.
7. Make the clients day.  This is a fine line but get to know them as people and not just clients, however…
8. Last but not least, when you train, you are the professional, you are the boss, and you know what is best. Listen what the clients said about their last trainer did, but you are your own trainer, so develop you art and stick to it. If you have to be a hard ass then you have to put the foot down. Clients respect that, they expect that and they pay for you to put the foot down.

From Volume 2… this particular week was my second week on the job.  It was a time of getting to know my clients.

So here is what I have learnt from the past week.

1. Dr. Greg Gannon said it best, “Training is part art and part science,” and I do believe that. Well if training is an art, and dancing is an art, then training and dancing go hand in hand. So my experience and advice is to learn to dance. Get up, shake your ass, I went to school and I know the steps so at first it may look odd but hey, the chicken dance looked odd and it’s still around. I’ll eventually get my rhythm right. You have to crawl before you walk, right?
2. Do not under any circumstances doubt or under estimate yourselves. You know what you are doing, just do it and don’t hold back. Some of the most brilliant minds were considered crazy at first.
3. You will listen to what your clients have to say, and you will eventually meet their goals. When the realistic goals that you and your client had talked about and agreed upon turn into unrealistic goals in the clients mind, continue on with your plan. Explain things as if to educate them. You are in essence a teacher. If they still don’t listen, tell them, “Yeah we can do that,” and continue on with the original plan and they will not know the difference. Stick with what you know best and what works.
4. Push people and they will surprise you because they are capable of more than they let on. Clients come to see use because they need to be educated, motivated and generally have their rear ends kicked a bit.
5. I am coining a term. The term is “WOG” – Wog is that point between a walk and a jog. When a client asks how fast to go, I say, “I need you to Wog. I want it faster than a walk but I don’t want you to jog, I need you to Wog.” That is proof that I am a fitness geek.

From Volume 3… This was a time of figuring out how to manage time, schedules, and clients while practically living at the gym for 13 hours a day.  I still wonder why my wife, Pamela stuck around through that, as it was as difficult on her as it was for me.

So here in a nut shell is what I have learned…

1. Be organized but…
2. Be flexible to find new or alternative ways to get things done
3. To be flexible you must persevere.
4. To persevere you need feedback to…
5. Continuously learn and seek out new ways to learn. Seek out new ideas. They may trigger old ideas of yours to return to be seen a new way or teach you to view things from a different approach.
6. Engage your clients because it helps to foster them to become loyal to you as a trainer and as a person.

From Volume 4… one month in and the long days were adding up.  My exhaustion was evident in the tone, and length of the volume but still I carried on.

What I learned this week…

1. Treat every customer as if they were the first of the day.
2. Take a breath and regroup your thoughts once in a while
3. Happy staff make for a happy environment for all those around
4. Keep your ears and eyes open.

Disclaimer: If there is a post that could earn negative feedback, this will be it.   I am not here to attack levels of knowledge, experience or skill; I am here today to educate the consumer to make the informed decisions.

The other day I watched a video of a person who was training a group of young hockey players.  The video was horrendous.  The kids were doing a random circuit with techniques and movements that made me cringe.  And yet this person running the session is considered my competition; they are located here in Calgary.  What pissed me off even more was that they were charging even more than I do for that garbage they called a training session.  Yet this is not uncommon.   I have heard it on numerous conversations.   I had heard a story of a young woman who hired a trainer.  She had mentioned that at the first session the trainer worked her so hard that she was physically sick.  The trainer had the audacity to say, “don’t worry, that is normal for the first few weeks of working out.”  NO, IT IS NOT NORMAL.  IT IS IF YOUR TRAINER HAS NO BLOOODY IDEA OF WHAT HE OR SHE IS DOING.

This profession at the present moment has no regulating body, to state who can or cannot do what we do.   You know, people go to their doctor and just trust that the person doing the physical is a doctor, or at least they should be if they are located in an office and not a van in a back alley.  People spend more time researching information on electronics for their home than they do researching the certifications, backgrounds and knowledge of their “trainer” how is looking after their health and well being.  They just trust that the person with the title TRAINER on their back knows what they are doing.  Guess what, many don’t have a sniff of what they are doing.  I used to be concerned with what others in the city had for certifications, and who was working where.  Then I stopped caring because I would see on bios’ that had the certification CANFIT-PRO… IN PROGRESS.   Bloody hell, it is a weekend course.  Am I reading this on a Saturday and when I go back to the bio on Monday is said that it is completed.  So someone with a weekend course knows as much as I do, and went to school for 11 years of university.  Seriously?  And on a bio, do not list one of your certification as Current CPR and First Aid.   The janitors at the gyms I used to work at had CPR and First Aid, but that doesn’t mean that they are a “trainer”.  I have been known to tell people who want to be a personal trainer, but not want to go to school, to not do it.  Leave it to the people who want to put in the time and do it correctly.   And don’t get me started on the certifications people running boot camps have!

And don’t get me wrong, I am not here to tell people who can or cannot do their job… well actually I am but I do not have the authority to fire people that need to be.  I find it a slap in the face for all of us who have worked hard to get where we are today to have this happening in the profession.  Really I am here to educate the consumer, those who are buying training or coaching to ask what certifications and education your prospective coach or trainer had, and do not feel bad to walk away when they say, “I don’t have any education, but I am passionate and have experience working out.”  The only workout you should be getting at that point is running away before they talk you into buying sessions.

What we also need to realize is that there are a few different certification out there that can confuse the consumer, but for each of these certifications there are associated scopes of practice.  Those scopes of practice are there to give “trainers” guidelines as to what they can or cannot do, but rarely do these trainers adhere to them.   So that is why I am here, to help you, the consumer out.  Here is what you need to look for.

Some form of Post Secondary Education (College, University Degree or a Masters Degree) – this person at least has the basic understanding of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics depending on the number of years in school.

Certifications – This could be a long list but I will hit the most common and important to look for.

Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association (AFLCA) … and I would have to put CANFIT – PRO in with this group.  It is a weekend course but it is a start for those wishing to get into the profession.

Scope of Practice The AFLCA certified Resistance Training Leader is able to:

1. Lead a safe exercise session by providing effective and appropriate exercises in order to meet the needs of participants.
2. Provide weight room monitoring and equipment orientation.
3. Lead exercise groups that are based on AFLCA standards and NFLA guidelines.
4. Lead introductory resistance training programs.
5. Lead participants that are apparently healthy.
6. Use the Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating, Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, and Par-Q

In reality, these are your weight room attendants.  They cannot Write programs, but they can show you how to use a piece of weight equipment.

Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology – Certified Personal Trainer (CSEP-CPT) – to achieve this, the candidate must have a University degree or diploma, with the necessary prerequisite course work.  They must attend the modules, and pass the practical and written examination.  The Scope of Practice is as follows.

A CSEP-CPT™ is sanctioned by the CSEP to:

1. Administer the CPAFLA to apparently healthy persons, as determined by all negative answers on an unmodified PAR-Q or a PARmed-X (conveyance form) signed by a physician stating unrestrictive physical activity/exercise. All CPAFLA fitness appraisals must be preceded by the participant signing an informed consent form as outlined in the CPAFLA manual.
2. Interpret the results of a client’s fitness appraisal in relation to the Health Benefit Zones for persons of similar gender and age as provided in the CPAFLA and CSEP-CPT manuals.
3. Provide a tailored physical activity, fitness and lifestyle plan to help the client address any particular weakness identified and/or interests expressed including individualized exercise prescriptions using various modes of exercise and exercise equipment.
4. Design and lead exercise sessions with a client or group of clients using various pieces of fitness/exercise equipment.
5. Monitor and document a client’s physical activity/exercise program leading to safe and effective program planning and progression.

The CSEP-CPT™ is NOT sanctioned by the CSEP to:

1. Use an ECG for any purpose.
2. Utilize any assessment protocols other than the CPAFLA and those specifically listed in the CSEP-CPT Candidate’s Study Guide.
3. Use assessment protocols that require maximal exercise
4. Design, implement and monitor exercise prescription strategies for populations with medical conditions, functional limitations and disabilities.

Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology – Certified Exercise Physiologist (CSEP-CEP)

This is the highest level of certification within Canada at the present time.  This candidate must have a University degree with the necessary prerequisite course work.  They must attend the 4 modules , and pass the practical and written examination.  They must maintain on a yearly basis a specified number of credits that are associated with teaching, course work, presentations, etc to maintain current status and demonstrate academic upgrading in the field of exercise physiology.  This is the one certification that may allow someone to use the term… PERSONAL TRAINER.  The Scope of Practice is as follows.

A CSEP Certified Exercise Physiologist® is sanctioned by CSEP to:

1. Administer appropriate assessment protocols (both submaximal and maximal) for the evaluation of physical fitness to individuals who have been screened, signed an informed consent form and/or who have been cleared for unrestricted or restricted activity by a licensed health care professional.
2. Provide physical activity clearance following further queries to positive responses to questions 4, 5 and/or 7 on the PAR-Q. For example, an individual could be cleared for physical activity/exercise by a CSEP-CEP if:
   1. in question 4 it was determined that the dizziness was associated with over breathing during heavy exercise or sudden postural changes;
   2. in question 5 it was determined that the joint problem was an old knee, ankle, houlder or other old joint constraint; and,
   3. in question 7 it was determined that the individual had a “cold” or relative contraindication such as, but not limited to, controlled diabetes or stable medicated blood pressure.
   4. Provide physical activity clearance to clients who are screened out by PAR-Q questions 1 and/or In these instances, until additional information is gathered, the CSEP-CEP can recommend tailored, low intensity, progressive physical activity (such as walking).
   5. Seek medical clearance for clients of any age who are screened out by PAR-Q questions 2 and/or 3 which deal with potential heart problems before providing physical activity recommendations.
   6. Provide physical activity clearance and recommend tailored, progressive physical activity for clients over age 69 who do not respond positively to PAR-Q questions 2 and/or 3 which deal with potential heart problems.
   7. Provide physical activity clearance to clients over age 69 and recommend tailored, progressive physical activity.
   8. Provide physical activity clearance to youths under age 15 who have consent of their parent or guardian.
   9. Interpret the results of an individual´s fitness assessment to determine the individual´s health-related fitness level and/or performance-related (function, work or sport) fitness level.
   10. Use the outcomes from objective assessments to guide decisions regarding physical activity/exercise: prescription, demonstration, supervision and monitoring, fitness and healthy lifestyle counseling and act as a personal trainer.
   11. Suggest healthy dietary practices in concert with physical activity/exercise programs for healthy weight management.
   12. Suggest dietary practices for health-related nutrition and performance-related nutrition.
   13. Use a heart rhythm tracing to observe heart response during a fitness assessment and a structured exercise session.
   14. Evaluate and treat both asymptomatic and symptomatic populations with medical conditions, functional limitations and disabilities, through the application of exercise and physical activity, for the purpose of improving health and function.
   15. Perform evaluations, prescribe conditioning exercise, and provide exercise supervision, health education and outcome evaluation.
   16. Work with apparently healthy asymptomatic and symptomatic populations such as older adults, children and youth, and obstetric populations, and to society as a whole, in health enhancement and the prevention of impairment and disability.
   17. Provide appropriate exercise therapy to clients including, but not limited to, those with musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, and metabolic conditions.
   18. Accept referrals from licensed health care professionals trained to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions and/or medical conditions.

A CSEP-CEP is NOT sanctioned by CSEP to:

1. Administer assessment protocols and prescribe exercise and/or therapy to acutely injured and diseased individuals who are not within the boundaries of the above scope of practice.
2. Diagnose pathology based on any assessment performed.

Now, when it comes to strength and conditioning for an athletic population the one common certification that someone should be a National Strength and Conditioning Association – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. That really is the gold standard in the industry.

As I said there may be more certifications but many are related to the clinical or therapy side of things.   But in reality, it is about being an informed consumer.  Just because the person is “jacked” or has been working out for year, does not make them qualified to be taking responsibility for your health and well being.   Seek out those of us, who have put in the hours of study and dedication, have the knowledge and the credentials to perform in this profession correctly.  And by doing that, those of us who should be here, working in this profession will flourish, and those who want to take the short cuts will weed themselves out.

Once Again, Yours in Health and Performance

Jeff Osadec, MKin, CEP, CSCS, HLC2