Exercise: When You Don't Know That You Don't Know
When was the last time that you were in the gym and just stopped and looked around?. How many people looked lost, how many kept their body still, did not use momentum to perform their exercises. When was the last time that you saw a big guy using 'little' weights while standing on one leg. Most people join a health club with excellent intentions and lots of motivation, we happily sign contracts for years and fork over our cash whether we go regularly or not.
But there is a sad fact at work here, the vast majority have no clue how to exercise properly. 'Gym science' has survived for years and years with absolutely no scientific base at all. We happily go the club and perform exercises that we have done for years and see others doing yet very few know that they do not know how and or why some exercises are better than others.
If you are sick we see a Doctor, car is broken we see a mechanic. But for some reason when it comes to fitness the vast majority of us just assume that the machines in the gym will do the trick. The doctor and mechanic both perform diagnostic tests, but most people just jump in to exercise with no realization of the consequences of improperly applied exercise. There is a reason that lower back pain and joint injuries plague society, but we continue to perform the same dangerous exercises over and over?. But hey, the doctors are happy.
The few people that know they do not know usually hire a personal trainer, but what if your trainer doesn't know that he doesn't know what he is doing. We all know the kind of education a doctor or mechanic must have, sadly there are few standards that trainers are held to. At last check there are only 3 organizations that require a 4 year degree in health science prior to taking their certification exam. It never ceases to amaze me how many trainers actually believe they are at the top of their profession yet they consistently recommend absolutely the most dangerous exercises with no scientific base from which to justify performing that exercise. There are actually three or four home study certifications that have gone bankrupt but those trainers are still out there with no checks and balances.
Some of those 'gym science' exercises have been proven to cause permanent damage, yet I see them performed daily and encouraged by most trainers. If you contract with a personal trainer please realize that if they do not perform a fitness assessment then they are guessing. This assessment should include health history, posture, flexibility (not a sit and reach test!), balance, and movement analysis. If those tests are not administered than that trainer does not know!. You do not go to your doctor expecting free services and a reputable and well educated fitness professional will not be giving away their services either.
So what to look for in your trainer, start first with education. Preferably a degree in exercise or health sciences. Look for the following three certifications to know that at least the trainer has been exposed to the knowledge.
1) National Strength and Conditioning Association ( NSCA) -CSCS or CPT
2) National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) -CPT, PES
3) American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
Bryan Fass, BA, ATCL, CSCS, NREMT-P
Bryan Fass holds a bachelors in sports medicine, is a certified / licensed Athletic Trainer, Nationally certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Nationally Registered Paramedic. With over 10 years of experience in clinical and fitness settings.
Precision Fitness is an advanced personal fitness, corrective exercise, post-rehabilitation, and sports performance facility with locations in Cornelius and Mooresville, NC.
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