PFI Online Blog

Hi All,

Becki just sent me her pictures from boot camp, and (as promised) here they are!  Enjoy

We have had such a great time this week- between Speed and Agility training in the park on Monday, the pool on Tuesday, and the adventure course on Wednesday it’s definitely hard to pick a favorite from this week! Boot Camp week always starts out with a little bit of nervousness- everyone is so focused on taking the NSCA exam, but the students quickly realize that there is so much more to the week than the test. If there was just one thing that I could recommend for every student to bring to boot camp, it would be an open mind. Not everything that we do and say at boot camp is going to fit with your training philosophy, but take the things that make sense to you and use them in your practice. Use this as an opportunity to challenge yourself and challenge your knowledge- that is the best way to grow as a personal trainer, and as an individual.

Recently, the Early Show on CBS ran a segment investigating the personal training industry. While I do not agree with everything presented in this segment (I have not ever come across a gym that will hire a personal trainer with a second rate certification, nevermind someone who has no certification whatsoever), the report does bring up a good point. Not all certifications are worth the paper that they are printed on. There are four certifications that are well respected in the fitness industry: NSCA, ACSM, NASM, and ACE. If your certification does not come from one of these industry leaders you have wasted your time and your money.

Even with a certification through one of these organizations, a 2002 study showed that education (not experience) in the fitness industry is the major predictor of a trainer’s ability to develop a safe and effective exercise program.

Certification and education are important factors when considering your personal training career. The educational program offered through Professional Fitness Institute and our partner institutions concentrates on the art and science of personal training. Through the program, students learn anatomy, physiology, psychology, business, and exercise prescription. Also, PFI students take the NSCA certified personal trainer exam- one of the most well-respected credentials in the fitness industry. So, if you are looking for a CAREER in the fitness industry, and you care about helping people pursue health and fitness, you are the student that we’re looking for.

Hyponatremia (abnormally low levels of sodium in the blood associated with excess water consumption) has received a lot of attention in the media lately, particularly after the article “10 medical myths” was published in the British Medical Journal.  In the article, the authors state that the 8 glasses of water per day standard is a myth created in the 1940’s that gained popularity after it was supported by a well-known nutritionist.  The authors further state that “Existing studies suggest that adequate fluid intake is usually met through typical daily consumption of juice, milk, and even caffeinated beverages.  But drinking excess amounts of water can be dangerous, resulting in water intoxication, hyponatremia, and even death.”   These two sentences have led to a rash of dire reports regarding the “dangers of drinking water”.  What are we to do as fitness professionals?

The truth is that hyponatremia is a very rare condition that develops partially due loss of electrolytes through sweating and through excess rehydration with water only (i.e. no sports drinks!).  Symptoms of hyponatremia include headache, malaise, nausea, and vomiting.  In very rare instances, an individual can develop this condition through consumption of water alone, but the sheer volume of water that the person would have to consume is mind-boggling.  In actuality the risks associated with dehydration after  exhaustive exercise are much more common than those seen with excess hydration after exercise.  The NSCA recommends that athletes rehydrate with 16 oz. of fluid per pound lost during the exercise session.  Other drinks, such as gatorade and powerade, should be considered depending on the specific goals of the client.

A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says that yes, personal training does help! 

The study was conducted on 46 women who were currently training in a health club for at least three months.  Half of the women had been training with a personal trainer for at least three months, while the other half of the women were working out on their own.  The study found that women who had worked with a personal trainer self-selected higher weights on the leg press, chest press,  leg extension, and seated row.  Training with more weight is associated with all of the positive benefits that we always hear about for weight training: increased bone density, increased muscle mass, increased basal metabolic rate, decreased fat mass, etc.  In addition, the women who had worked with a personal trainer also used a greater variety of gym equipment than the women who did not work with a personal trainer.  This is important because people who depend on machines as their only source of resistance training tend to become bored with their fitness routines which eventually leads them to stop coming to the gym!  Lastly, women who worked with a personal trainer reported that they depended on thier trainer for resistance training information.  This seems like an obvious conclusion, but it also means that these women were less likely to rely on information from the television, magazines, and relatives; all of which are less reliable sources of safe and effective information regarding fitness and nutrition than personal trainers.

What does all of this add up to?  It means that as a trainer you will be seen as an information source, people will depend on you to give them a workout that uses a variety of equipment in the gym, and your clients will train at higher intensity levels and will reach their goals faster than the people who are just coming to the gym on their own! 

What a great boot camp we had last week! All of the students brought their best efforts and really made it difficult for us to decide on the final awards! We did finally come up with our Boot Camper and Most Motivated Student of the week (after much deliberation, drum roll please…)

Most Motivated Student: Sean Peeler

Sean showed great initiative every day, and (as this award states) did his best to motivate himself and his fellow students throughout the week. Sean’s positive attitude, insightful questions, and willingness to “get dunked” made him the natural choice for the most motivated student of the week.

Boot Camper of the Week: Nicole Peeler

Wow, Nicole came out to Vegas to kick some butt on the NSCA exam, but we found out that she kicked butt on all of the boot camp activities! The Boot Camper of the week award is given to the student who embodies boot camp- someone who shows leadership, professionalism, promotes team work, helps others, tries his/her best during both lecture and workouts, and is willing to do just a little bit extra to make sure everyone gets the most out of boot camp.

I’d like to thank all of the students who came out to Boot Camp last week!

Keep in touch,

Kristina

I just got back from teaching one of the best personal training labs ever!  This term I am teaching our students “outside the box” exercises to work into thier client routines.  Today’s lab covered torso training progressions that incorporate new balance and coordination patterns.  These exercises use arm movements, torso rotation, and (in the more advanced stages) lunge or squat movements.  The result is a full body workout that burns calories and builds muscle better than any other exercise in the gym!  

I am so glad that I get to teach at PFI, I only wish I knew about it when I was starting out as a Personal Trainer!

Train hard, I can’t wait to see you at boot camp!

Kristina   

One of the best ways to ensure success is to set goals- AND USE THEM! Here are some quick tips to help you set goals that will work for you:

S- specific, what exactly do you want to achieve with this goal? Do you want to loose 10 lbs. of fat and gain 5 lbs. of muscle? Well, say it!!

M- measureable, in order to know when you’ve suceeded, you need to know where the finish line is! Say what the end measurement should be, and how often you’re going to measure your progress

A- action-oriented, how are YOU going to make YOUR GOALS happen? Yes, it would be great if a million dollars fell into my lap, but that’s not how I am going to MAKE a million dollars! What are the choices YOU need to make to get to success?

R- realistic, it’s okay to dream big, but make sure your feet are on the ground! The best goals are those that you think are just out of your reach.

T- timely, if you set a goal without a deadline, that goal will ALWAYS be in the future. Begin with the end in mind and work backwards from there!

Now as you move forward in the New Year, make sure you set SMART goals, keep them somewhere you will see them, and get out there and BE GREAT IN ‘08!

Happy New Year from PFI!

by Daniel Johnson
August PT graduate of PCI Online

“Hello, Charles. This is Daniel Johnson, and I was in your PT online class with PCI a few months ago. Actually, I guess it was only till January or something like that. Tricia Cates filled in for you after a while, but I had you earlier in the process. Not sure you’ll remember me. . .I finished my PFI Bootcamp in August, and I took my NSCA certification test while out there (black guy with locks). I just wanted to tell you that I passed my exam . . .WHEW! (more…)

After students successfully complete their nine online classes the tenth month is their extern. During the extern the student gets the opportunity to go to Las Vegas for a boot camp. While there the student interacts with many different fitness instructors. Two of the people that the students may interact with is Jay Cutler and Jenny Hendershott. Jay Cutler just won the 2007 Mr. Olympia and Jenny Hendershott placed 3rd at the Ms. Fitness Olympia.