Training people, without any cert's or qualifications?

[rock_ten]

Now, I know that now commercial gym will employ you unless you buy a relevant certification, but how about if you work for yourself or for an independant gym that doesn't require you to have particular qualifications?

I doubt many trainees would care, so long as you were providing the kind of service they expected.

Also, as I understand it, there's not legal requirements for someone professing to be a "personal trainer" to have a particular qualification (correct me if I'm wrong, and state what country you're talking about), and even if there was, I can't see how being someone's "workout partner" for money could be a problem.


Does anyone here not have a cert. and still train people?
Is it a **** idea? If so, why?

Thanks

--Joe

[timperry]

There are plenty of trainers in gyms who don't have certs. You'd be surprised in how many people without certifications are better trainers than a certified personal trainer. It just proves that the piece of paper certification is a joke

[HardGainer82]

A person without a certification is definitely capable of being a better trainer than someone who has it but lacks the knowledge.

The problem is that it's very difficult to get liability insurance without a cert, and if your "workout partner" gets injured from the service they pay you for and decides to sue you, you're in a world of ****.

[kserajuddin]

A person without a certification is definitely capable of being a better trainer than someone who has it but lacks the knowledge.

The problem is that it's very difficult to get liability insurance without a cert, and if your "workout partner" gets injured from the service they pay you for and decides to sue you, you're in a world of ****.

yeah - it's wrong for a lot of reasons -

And not only that, but eventually your client will ask you about your training and cert - every single one of my clients has asked me at some point - either our first consult or after our 30ths session, it always gets asked -

Do you want to lie at this point? I don't think so - I can't think of any other major profession where it's so easy to get qualified to practice - does anyone else know of any? I'd be real curious -

[nickmanzoni]

yeah - it's wrong for a lot of reasons -

And not only that, but eventually your client will ask you about your training and cert - every single one of my clients has asked me at some point - either our first consult or after our 30ths session, it always gets asked -

Do you want to lie at this point? I don't think so - I can't think of any other major profession where it's so easy to get qualified to practice - does anyone else know of any? I'd be real curious -

PORNSTAR!


but seriously. I would be nervous to train major amounts of clients. I had a personal trainer I work with all day long say how great he was because of his cert, and then the other day was fired because someone busted their front teeth out of their head while in a session with him...


Trust me: we have certs to get insurance, and for no other reason did I get one.

[rock_ten]

Plus, I'm not buff or strong, so I would have no other source of credibility if I didn't buy a cert.

I'm seriously thinking about doing one. I just graduated with a biochemistry degree and am thinking I'd love to have a go at PTing. I want to try it before I get a cert, though. I have a good home gym already, but no where to set it up right now. If I could find a place and get the gym sorted then I guess I could train people there?

Regarding insurance - if your clients sign a waiver or disclaimer, or whatever, then does that cover your ass in case of an accident or something?

hmmm...

[The Adam]

You'd better have that certification and insurance before venturing into the field. But hey, it's your life and entire business career on the line.

[carl.c]

Almost all professions require a certification of some sort. The two main reasons are 1. Establisises a conmen nomenclature. 2. demonstrates to the public and insurance companies that you have at lest a basic competency in the field.
People love to run down the certified personal trainer but you could look at any field and find people who are certified but suck at their profession. I don’t know how many people use the Kaiser medical program but they have make you sign a contract that says you can’t sue for more then 1 million dollar. The reason for this is they are the most sued medical group in America. I refer to them as killsye since I find their doctors to be the worst of the worst. The doctors there have medical certifications.
How many times do we here about the auto mechanic that rips people off or do poor quality repairs. Mechanics carry the ASE certification.
How many contractors use inferior product or construction techniques and they are licensed by the state to build things.
You don’t here the general public saying their certifications to practice suck and there is no reason for them to carry one. No they blame the individual.
In are chosen field we run down the certification process because it started out with nontrained people doing what they enjoyed doing since there was no set standard for practice. As the industry grew the need for certification grew, at this time there should have been a national certification of basic standards created. This never occurred do too many factors so what we are left with is a system where anyone can create a certification and give out plaques saying you know what you’re doing. Things are slowly changing but too many fly by night certs are out there and when the general public comes into contact with these trainers they are left with a poor impression of the industry as a whole.
SO my recommendation to you is hit the books for a while and get nationally recognized cert and enjoy a very rewarding profession.

[MVP]

yeah - it's wrong for a lot of reasons -

And not only that, but eventually your client will ask you about your training and cert - every single one of my clients has asked me at some point - either our first consult or after our 30ths session, it always gets asked -

Do you want to lie at this point? I don't think so - I can't think of any other major profession where it's so easy to get qualified to practice - does anyone else know of any? I'd be real curious -

I have never had a client ask what certification(s) i have, though they are hung up on the walls in the office. I dont see anyone looking up to read it. That's just my exp.

[MVP]

The problem is that it's very difficult to get liability insurance without a cert, and if your "workout partner" gets injured from the service they pay you for and decides to sue you, you're in a world of ****.

Has anyone ever heard of a Trainer getting sued? It is kinda hard suing a Trainer who you have worked with for a while, built rapport with, and that client loves you

[nickmanzoni]

Has anyone ever heard of a Trainer getting sued? It is kinda hard suing a Trainer who you have worked with for a while, built rapport with, and that client loves you

Untrue.

I have a trainer I worked with chip the front teeth out of a client of his last week, who's underage. You better believe the clients parents are suing the **** out of him.

[HardGainer82]

Has anyone ever heard of a Trainer getting sued? It is kinda hard suing a Trainer who you have worked with for a while, built rapport with, and that client loves you

That's ridiculous. We live in a hyper-litigious society, and people will sue at the drop of a hat, rapport or no.

Google "personal trainer sued" or "personal trainer lawsuit" and read the headlines. You need to protect yourself, and the "love" of a client isn't enough assurance for me...

[mikieson]

There are plenty of trainers in gyms who don't have certs. You'd be surprised in how many people without certifications are better trainers than a certified personal trainer. It just proves that the piece of paper certification is a joke

I agree 100000000.99999944949883%.....I have just quit, but I built houses and everything inbetween for 14 years. I have never had any certificate or anything...And neither did my boss "friend"..Sometimes you just "know" how to do something...OR...You learn from trial and error..

Same goes with me and building pc's...I have no degree..but I make some side money from it....

OH....Same goes with my photography...I do weddings and portraits with no formal training...

[josephinedalton]

There are plenty of trainers in gyms who don't have certs. You'd be surprised in how many people without certifications are better trainers than a certified personal trainer. It just proves that the piece of paper certification is a joke

And that is why the value and respect for trainers in general is declining.

As for the "piece of paper"... you're right. I got my ACSM HFI cert (supposably the most respected cert on the market at the time) and it didn't do a thing for me. I still had to work my way up like the trainers who had no certs at all