Are Personal Trainers and Gym Instructor the same?
A personal trainer (PT) is different to a gym instructor in almost every aspect of their fitness training delivery.
Both services are important and needed, but they meet different needs at a different level of service. They are not in competition with one another but instead complement one another to provide a better overall service.
What is the difference in knowledge between level 2 and level 3 at the Register of Exercise Professionals?
This means that the PT must have a greater knowledge base than a fitness instructor, be qualified to deal with a larger cross-section of the community and train to a higher level of skill and competency than a fitness instructor.
This need for greater knowledge and skill, more time and planning, effort and accountability warrant a higher rate of pay and the additional charges most PTs levy on their clients.
Introduction
Are Personal Trainers on a level with other medical professionals?
They are on a level with other medical professionals; they just provide a different level of service than doctors and physiotherapists.
The role of the PT is in trying to optimise the health and fitness of each client and prevent the slide and degeneration towards injury and disease that is so prevalent today.
Within the level of health professionals, what are the roles of doctors and physiotherapists?
What does the PT do?
Name values and attributes that will help lead to the success of a PT.
What are the advantages of a PT?
What would a wider, holistic way for a PT be?
It is becoming more common to find trainers with qualifications in
For goal setting, what communication skills will be needed from the PT?
What does SMART stand for?
What happens after the client’s current situation has been analyzed and the SMART goals have been set?
Once these goals have been set, the client will be required to alter their lifestyle and begin exercising in line with the strategies that were negotiated and discussed.
What does the PT have to be skilled in when it comes to training programs, etc.?
PT’s need to be skilled in writing programmes both for the personal training sessions themselves and those that a client can and will use in any gym sessions when the PT is not by their side.
They will also need to affect lifestyle changes that include regular activity, positive sleeping patterns and eating choices.
Why is regular contact by the PT important and how can it be achieved?
It is vital that goals and behaviour change be viewed by the trainer and the client as long term adaptations that will become routine and habit in the client’s life
This may be done by phone, email, text message, during a casual meeting in the club, at classes or on the gym floor.
What should a PT encourage in regards to habits, short-term solutions? Lifetime habits?
Ideally, a PT should be developing lifetime habits and changes in people, helping them to discover and define a new way to live.
The client should not view the PT as an emergency approach to help them when weight, lack of fitness and health get to the point that they can’t bear it anymore and are motivated by fear into action.
It is necessary to create positive and enjoyable new behaviours that can form the basis of their life moving forwards.
List some types of environment that may be suitable for personal training.
What could be barriers that might present themselves in different training locations?
What type of record should be kept by the PT?
These notes need to be taken regularly prior to, during and after workouts.
Reassessment records and programme cards should be recorded, completed and filed for future reference. These records should also be kept confidentially as required by data-protection laws.
Sum up, in conclusion, what skills differentiate a PT from a fitness instructor.
The PT must be proficient in communication, client assessment, goal setting, behavioural change, programme design and record keeping.
They must also adapt their skills to suit a wide variety of different clients, venues and equipment choices. It is these skills that differentiate a PT from a fitness instructor
What health conditions may constitute an exercise risk?
PT’s have a legally bound duty to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits (also to protect themselves from litigation) of exercise participation.
What tools can they use?
Screening tools to identify individuals who require further medical evaluation before embarking on an exercise programme.
Which are industry accepted screening tools?
questionnaires, diaries and oral questioning
In the event of a client being deemed unsuitable for immediate exercise, who can they be referred to?
to an appropriate health care professional such as a General Practitioner (GP).
It must be noted that, the client will need to seek medical clearance prior to starting an exercise programme
Are PT’s qualified to diagnose any medical conditions or rehabilitate from injury?
PT’s are not qualified to diagnose any medical conditions or rehabilitate from injury (unless they have a relevant professional qualification).
A health and fitness appraisal should be conducted for what reasons?
In a health and fitness appraisal, what does safety stand for?