What does it take to be an Exercise Specialist?  Well, it takes more that writing out a workout schedule/fitness program, and it requires more intelligence than just pushing people through hard exercises and tough workouts…

In my previous post, I stated some frustrations I have with the fitness industry, and I questioned what makes a trainer truly “great”.

I received several responses, and after deleting the very entertaining emails challenging me to “try your workout to see for myself”, I found that the most common question (of serious inquiries) was along the lines of, “if that’s what wrong with trainers, then what are they actually supposed to do?”.

To answer this, the first thing we need to do is consider value.  What is it about a trainer that makes him or her truly valuable? His/her looks? His/her accomplishments?  Personality? Of course not – the value is in the expertise.  This expertise is supposed to help the trainer deliver an exercise solution to the client. Those solutions should be aimed at 1. Results, 2. Safety, and 3. Lasting success.

Ask yourself a few questions:

• Do you want to get to your goal safely and efficiently?
• Do you want to avoid stumbling points during your progress?
• When you achieve a fitness result, do you want those results to last?

Of course you do – and it is possible to attain these goals when we apply an understanding of bio & exercise mechanics.

For a trainer to be truly great, he/she would need to be able to look at exercise deeper than the consumer-level, and develop an “inside-view” of exercise. In other words, they’d need to know the anatomy and understand the forces we are inflicting upon it, so they can make more responsible decisions for the client.If our joints/joint tissues become compromised, our training opportunities will become limited — leading to a loss in the fitness progress we’ve made up to that point.

However, with an understanding of bio & exercise mechanics, we can achieve our goals efficiently, and have our results last longer… Because there will be less “collateral damage” along the way.  This is possible via the application of progression, and employing resistance profiles that are consistent with the goal and joint design.

So what does it take to be a truly great trainer and exercise specialist?  Here are some key understandings, and areas they focus on:

• Challenging the muscles, but still preserving the joints
• Never attempts to force or impose passive ROM
• Works within available ROM
• Works within pain-free ROM
• Chooses/designs an appropriate resistance profile
• Remains focused throughout the entire session
• Progresses challenges appropriately

Lastly,  I am sharing with you a piece of the intro-chapter to out modular study program we use with interns and new trainers.

Thoughts? Comment below.