| Massachusetts Introduces Harmful Personal Training Bill |
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| Senate Bill 870 was introduced to the Massachusetts Senate by Richard Moore. The bill, if approved, would place a variety of costly, burdensome requirements on personal trainers wishing to practice in the state of Massachusetts.
In order to offer personal training services in the State, a personal trainer would need to:
- Obtain a degree from an approved educational program;
- Hold a certification from a national certifying organization accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA); and
- Pass an exam developed and administered biannually by the Board of Allied Health Professionals.
The National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) and International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) are working closely with lobbyists to oppose this bill. If approved, health and fitness club operations could suffer significantly as only a few trainers might be available for services. In addition, residents of the State would have fewer trainers to work with as they focus on improving their health and wellness, and the costs of being a personal trainer in Massachusetts would present an obstacle to many people interested in the profession. |
Ok so my question is: why is this such a bad thing? So, this bill would make it harder for trainers because they would actually have to GET A DEGREE IN THEIR FIELD? And that’s bad how? Also, this bill would require all trainers to have a RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATION as opposed to one that is put together in the basement of some schmucks house. There is absolutely no reason to oppose this bill and I wish all states had similar laws. Would you go to a dentist or doctor that didn’t have a degree? Or how about a nutrionist with a degree in equistrian study and a certification that looks like it was hand written by Helen Keller?
I can tell you right now, if NH had a similar bill over 90% of the trainers in the Upper Valley would be out of a job. How’s that make you feel, knowing your working with someone that wouldn’t be allowed to work in Mass? There are something like 50 certifications available nation wide for personal training. I could actually get roughly 10 more letters after my name by next Monday. It makes me sick. I hate to call my self a personal trainer because of the ease at which one can enter into my profession. I have trained more people in the short time I have been in my field then most personal trainers have their entire career. Numbers matter in my profession, not letters. However, letters do show that you have a basic understanding of the fundamentals and you can probably train the average person with out a hitch. Too bad the “average person” doesn’t exist. Instead you have people with imbalances and poor motor patterns who are blind sided by the personal trainer who hard sells them a package.
I hope this bills passes and they move to carry it into other states.
April 27th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Rants |
Ben,
So here it is! I’ll see you on Friday @12:30 with or without Sarah. (I think without)
I”ll let you know how my week went Thursdays are my Weight Watcher weigh in days. I feel lighter!
Thanks for the workout this morning…it was great! Truth be told I like working out. Not all of it but, I do feel better and stronger afterward and when it’s over heavenly angels sing……….
Angie
—-Angel’s Sing!!! That could be interpreted two ways: either working out with me is like Heaven or it’s Heaven when your done. I like the first one.—–
April 16th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Rants |
Sometimes when I deal with severely over weight people they are very self conscious. They are so concerned with how they look, the numbers on the scale or what people think about them. Because they are so self conscious their self awareness decreases.
Story time: This woman comes in and says that she is ready to give up because of the 10 lbs she lost in the last 3 weeks, it came all back on over the last week. So I asked her how her clothes fit when she was down the 10 lbs, she said that she was able to take her jeans off with out unbuttoning them. Then I asked her how her pants fit now, she said they fit the same. So, her pants fit the same now as they did when she was down the 10 lbs, but she got freaked because the scale went back up. She is so self conscious about the scale that she missed how her pants are still fitting the same as they did when she was 10 lbs down.
Self awareness vs. Self consciousness. Some one who is self conscious will have a greater difficulty staying motivated because they will forget all the positives they have accomplished if one negative surfaces. They will also have a harder time learning exercises because they are so self conscious about how they look. They think they look silly, which increases their self consciousness and decreases their self awareness.
April 15th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Rants |
As I sit here, sending out email after email (I would love to know how many email correspondence I do in a day) an sound blurb caught my attention on the TV. My dad was watching “Squawk on the street” on CNBC and a quick blurb came up about how “Weight Watchers” is taking a huge hit this year in terms of loss revenue. Very interesting. More interested is that whenever TV talks about weight loss they almost always show clips of peoples butts and its always from behind as they walk away.
What’s up with that? Is the producer sitting around with the feature about weight loss sitting on his desk thinking to him self, “OK, I need something to really catch people’s attention for this segment. Close ups of people’s asses. Big fat butts. That’s what I need.” Then he sends out a camera man and tells him to only video tape people’s butts and only if they are really fat. So then there is this camera man just walking around filming people’s butts.
Or.
Maybe they just have clips of random butts that they film just for this neccesity.
And, how do you feel if it’s your fat ass that pops up on the Tube? Would you recognize it and claim notoriety? Or, would you pretend you didn’t recognize it?
Don’t lie.
April 13th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Rants |
How often should one see a fitness person?
That all depends on how fast you want results, how much time you have available during the week, where your current fitness level is, etc. Every one is a little different, however, generally I like to see my clients 2-4 times a week, with an average of 3 times a week.
Sounds too good! Who else is doing this? Nationwide? World Wide?
Anyone who is successful in my business!
Mike Boyle – www.bodybyboyle.com
Mike Robertson – www.mikerobertsontrainingsystems.com
Alwyn Cosgrove – www.resultsfitness.com
Eric Cressey – www.cresseyperformance.com
Just to name a few.
The sad thing is there are more people who don’t do what I do than do. Really it comes down to information and either a lack there of or no desire to learn more. A lot of certifications require very little in terms of recertifications. Even for the NSCA-CSCS (one of the hardest certs to get and also the most prestigious) you only have to attend one to two seminars per year over 3 years to keep your cert.
What do you know about how menopause affects women and weight gain? The main thing with menopause is a drop in hormone levels and subsequently how different kinds of food affects hormone level. Really the main thing you are trying to control at all times is insulin level when we talk about fat loss. So with that being said, weight loss and muscle building is still possible during and post menopause. You just have to be much more strict with your food choices. How do you incorporate that into a program? Much more strict with the diet and supplementation.
How do I get motivated to do strength training when lifting weights feels so boring to me?
Pick a goal and shoot for it. I encourage my clients to train for something other thn what they really want. A lot of my clients have a performance goal in mind (for instance to do one perfect push up) that they are really striving for. There is a reason why athletes tend to have the body type most people want. If you train for sport, you look pretty good.
What type of cardio is best for weight loss? High Intensity Interval Training. Come to my lecture next time.
What foods should I eat to lose weight? High protein, moderate fat and low processed carbs. Statistically those types of diets have a higher success rate, are the easiest to maintain and are scientifically backed up with the most research supporting them.
Do the shoes I wear make a difference? Absolutely! Just like the tires should fit the season, the shoes should fit the foot and purpose.
What’s the best diet? See above.
If you are an endurance athlete (i.e. training for a half marathon), how do you lose weight? Huh, that is a different question than I’m used to. I would say (with only having the data you supplied me) adjust your diet and eat a few more carbs. I know I know! But endurance runners tend to need a little bit more energy than protein.
What would be a good/typical pre-bed snack? Low fat cottage cheese, protein powder, all natural almond butter or peanut butter and flax seed. If that doesn’t sound appetizing, lean protein and veggies.
How does one do HIIT training safely when overweight? (I’m worried about straining Knees, for example, while running so I generally stick with a slow jog pace). Anything can be HIIT; it all just depends on what you’re capable of. Walking at a 15% incline at 2.5 to 3.5 mph for a minute tends to get a lot of people.
What do you include in the programs you give your clients? All depends on what results they want. Typically: a dynamic warm up, movement prep/activation, pre-hab, core, main exercise and then an interval.
Cardio? If you’re in a weight gain/muscle Dev. Program? Easy walking on a treadmill at a high incline 2-3 times a week for no longer than 30 minutes each session. Make sure you consume some BCAA’s pre/during and post.
What are your thoughts on overtraining? Wouldn’t most athletes in session be overtraining? (Practice 5 days/wk for 3 hours game day sat and then repeat)- Over training is more about undereating than over working. Overtraining can happen any time someone isn’t recovering quickly enough. I also think true overtraining is a very hard state to get into.
Is it better to do HIIT after a resistance workout? The next day would be a little bit better. Although you can do a short 4-10 minute workout at the end of the session.
Explain the window for before and after your workout again? 2hrs. before and after? Typically the window encompasses 30 minutes before the workout to 2 hours after the workout. That is the time when you can lay a good foundation for work (30 minutes pre), start the repair and recovery process as early as during the exercise and finish the workout with key nutrients essential to rapid recovery at a time when your body is starving for those nutrients.
Do you have experience working with people with food addictions? If so, how do you address this issue? I personally do not. However, most people have very fond feelings towards favorite foods. I would suggest seeking professional help.
What can you replace lunges with? I would have to ask why you want to replace them? If it’s because of a pain issue in a joint, then you are probably doing the exercise wrong. Everyone can do a lunge; it is just an exaggerated step.
April 6th, 2009
Posted by
bendearman |
Lectures |
