No Sun Intended Bronzing Powder

No Sun Intended Bronzing Powder

1st rant

So here it is. Bad personal trainers and people who want to be personal trainers but are not. Ever meet this person? They have no official training & yet talk like they are an MD when it comes to exercise. Not one anatomy or physiology class, never even had any bodywork {massage, myofascial release, cranio sacral therapy /or bodywork training} and yet they try to explain the body to others. {how it works} Let's leave that to the people who study how the body works…

Hmmm..it's a tricky place to be….what makes someone an expert? Losing 100lbs, running a marathon, competing in a figure competition? Not exactly, however they at least DO have the experience of what they've gone through and can most likely give some helpful tips. It's just scary when I see people put themselves in a place of expert - who are not - and try to help others….it's the blind leading the blind. HOWEVER - their experience can be extremely motivating for tons of people. It can truly help someone get off their butt and get into action….just careful with the advice kay? {big pet peeve is someone showing another person where a muscle is located….not only to be wrong…but to have no idea the NAME of the actual muscle or what it's true action is…}

This brings me to my next point. There are such little standards for Personal Trainers period. I had the honor of working with an ATC (certified Athletic Trainer), CSCS - Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist. . the list goes on - not to mention studying extensively anatomy & physiology in my bodywork years, as well as present…(lots of massage, myo-fascial release seminars etc). I had the pleasure of working with Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, & some of the most genius Athletic trainers in our country - for a good 10 years. I was blessed with good training, a thirst for knowledge and hands on mentoring/apprentice-ship. Not all personal trainers out there are even certified to teach!! (I have been hearing some horror stories lately) If you do not know what happens to a joint in a certain position, or what happens to the discs in your spine under load and moved into a flexed position (let's say, a straight legged dead lift) they why the hell are you allowed to give a person heavy weights and set them up for a blown disc!

Again, this is such a tricky place to be since there is so much information out there on diet & exercise that with enough personal study, it seems as if almost anyone could be the "expert". College training (some type of degree) is best but not always a surefire way to know if you have a great trainer or not. And that being said….

A good trainer is someone who has YOUR best interest at mind.

They should be able to explain what & why they are asking you to do something - should you inquire. If they cannot, you may want to look elsewhere. Some people (this applies to those seeking trainers) don't really care at all about their joints, they just want to look good. Just go for the burn. Hmmm…….Ok, well you can always do that yourself, get outside, find the steepest hill you can find and run up the thing as fast as your legs will take you…you'll get a burn alright. All for FREE too! Don't work harder, work smarter. Find someone who is educated to teach you how.

So I guess I'm saying I don't want to just throw a bunch of exercises out at you, or yell at you to work harder… I'd rather Teach you how to move right. If you know how to move correctly, you will be able to enjoy your new found exercise routine much much longer, most likely, injury free. :)

So what is the layperson to do? You want a personal trainer. You want to look good and feel better. Ask for their credentials. It's as simple as that. Then research them (and the credentials) And figure out what you want out of the sessions….let them know. Do you have back pain? Do you want to lose fat? Although those 2 workout sessions could look very different - there is no reason a good trainer could not teach you how to get both of those outcomes. :) How the trainer looks is not your best bet for a good teacher. They of course should at least be a healthy weight (not over or underweight) but can they demonstrate what they are asking you to do? Yet another good clue. :)

It's late and I'm starting to drift….more later. oooh….maybe I'll call my next blog,

Motivate & Inspire…not humiliate & degrade. . . yeah? nay?