While the debate rages on in the fitness industry about whether the government should step in to regulate/certify/license personal trainers, California may be one step closer to doing just that. In September, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law that creates a statewide certification system for massage therapists.
Now, I know that massage therapists and personal trainers are two different things. However, the reasons cited for this new law for massage therapists can also be applied to personal trainers.
Senator Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat from Long Beach, says that therapists currently are regulated by a patchwork of local regulations that vary between cities and counties. While trainer certifications don’t vary by where they live and work, they do vary by what type of industry certification they have — if they have one at all — where they were educated and how much experience they have.
Oropeza went on to say that the legislation “will help identify legitimate therapists and make sure they have proper training.” Isn’t this exactly why many people argue that personal trainers need standardized testing and/or certification? So fitness centers and clients can identify who is legit?
The time is approaching when states will step in to regulate personal trainers. The industry needs to respond by either self-regulating, which is happening already to some extent, or by getting involved in the process of state regulations so that at least we have a say in what the eventual law will entail.
3 comments:
Hi Anne,
Self-regulation is not the answer. I have worked in quite a few health clubs where the owners/managers had a very limited understanding of even basic exercise prescription principles.
I have seen some pretty bizarre 'programs' in my time. I always say that a program is more then a list of exercises, it has to produce a specific, desired outcome, safely, efficiently and be consistent with the capabilities (physically, psychologically and behaviourally) and expectations of the client.
Most instructors with minimum qualifications and very little experience received very little ongoing training, professional development or even informal mentorship. As a result they continue to produces 'lists of exercises' rather then true programs.
Typically, the client and often the owner/manager themselves can not distinguish between a program and a 'list of exercises'. So the problem continues unabated.
Unfortunately, inexperienced staff with minimum qualifications and more bravado then brains are more likely to want to hide their perceived deficiencies and not proactively seek assistance i.e. fake it until they make it.
Pay scales, advancement opportunities and corporate culture often reinforce instructors perceptions of 'why should I undertake more training and professional development if I am going to be making the same money?'
Most owners and managers I come into contact with are driven primarily by economic imperatives i.e. they need someone cheap and they need someone now. If they get someone good that's a bonus.
Minimum qualification or certification is necessary but on it's own insufficient. Owners and managers must realize that their staff is one of their most important competitive differentiators.
For example, if you own or manage a bodybuilding gym and you have Ronnie Coleman working for you you'd want to put up a flashing neon sign proclaiming "Ronnie Works Here".
Obviously not every business can have Ronnie Coleman working for them but they can have their own 'superstar' trainer for their specific markets.
Instead of treating their staff as fungible owners and managers need to hire for specific expertise (consistent with their market or markets) and develop them into local 'superstars' in terms of their qualifications, expertise, experience and market appeal.
This creates a new, more powerful, economic imperative whereby owners/managers value and actively promote the expertise, qualifications and experience of their staff and their pay structure, advancement opportunities and culture support their professional development.
Hi Kym. Thanks for your comments. While I agree that fitness center owners and managers need to hire only qualified staff, and train and manage them so that they can and do produce effective programs for clients and members, this doesn't always happen. Many fitness centers hire trainers with a weekend certification and little experience. This has lead to the industry's "iffy" reputation, and the distribution of lots of misinformation about exercise and nutrition. While I'm not saying that government regulation is the answer, I am saying that the industry needs to step up and take some responsibility for its front-line trainers and instructors.
I don't think our industry can self regulate. There are too many competing interests. I would love to see a state wide test. This may lead to fewer trainers but would hopefully raise the standard and create more of a "profession" in the consumers mind.
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