Bad Education

We as coaches and personal trainers  have such a responsibility to our clients and athletes; in fact to the public in general.

We create trends, fads, fashions and habits which are followed, believed and lived by. Lives are changed for the better or sometimes for the worse, and sometimes aren't changed at all which in some ways is the most disappointing of all.

We can change lives

I read two articles recently both of which highlighted the absence of informed education and showed the gulf in knowledge that still exists between those coaches who are professional and always endeavour to deliver the best service possible and those who are only interested in themselves or in it just to make money!

Knowledge, experience and professional conduct

I am not going to name and shame here but a well known celebrity trainer is quoted as advising women not to lift heavy weights and giving totally unfounded and truly ridiculous reasons as to why they shouldn't. Some women will believe this misinformation and miss out on making the gains and changes to their health and fitness that they potentially could. The other side of this coin is that it also shows the PT profession, coaches and all in a very bad, poorly informed and uneducated light.

The other article was an excellent piece by the BBC on the state of the nations health and it's impact on the welfare system, the NHS and the tax payer.

As a nation we eat too much, and too much rubbish as well! We drink too much alcohol and are not active enough. Weight related illnesses are on the increase as are waist lines, whilst more and more young people are being diagnosed as obese.

Healthy lifestyle choices make for fit and healthy lives

GP referal schemes are all well and good and are certainly needed but the intervention needs to be applied sooner and the education on how to live a healthy life needs to go further and deeper in order to reach more people earlier and stop the obesity/inactivity epidemic!

There needs to be more joined up thinking between the various government agencies and the fitness industry, more partnerships and opportunities for the general public to access and learn from the coaches that can make a positive difference.

At Lifestyle Fitness, Kilmarnock we have an ongoing educational programme for the coaches and the level of service provided here is excellent, I am not saying this because I am  coach here but because it is true.

I have been involved in this industry in one way or another for 30 years and I still see some poor examples of coaching and client education.  However, this is getting less and less as those who do strongly believe in this industry continue to strive to make it more professional, better educated and up to date on current practice.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment or some feedback here or on my Facebook page Get Coached.