Question # 1...

[ViKtoricus]

New to this forum. Hi.

I'm currently saving up for an ACE certification. Not a trainer yet, but working on it. But I have questions about the job.

Question # 1...

What CAN'T I have my clients do?



Like, I can't have them do a 90-set per bodypart Arnold-style program even if they claim they are desperate to become a pro bodybuilder. Yes, those things are obvious.

At the same time, I have never seen a single personal trainer who'd give his or her client a "traditional strength program". I'm not talking about giving such a program to a person who's trying to lose weight. I'm talking about a person who's goal is to actually, God forbid, get bigger.

And when I talk to these trainers, they're like, "You should eat a high protein diet and do bench presses for 3 sets of 10 if you want to get big". I never hear any of them refer to the traditional programs, such as:

* Any routine out there that involves lifting sets of five reps.

* The super effective Push/Pull/Legs split ideal for anyone aspiring to get more muscle.

* Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program.



I see personal trainers who'd spout about this great intense exercise routine that would give their clients killer pecs, and proceed to demonstrate some odd variation of a basic push-up. This is cool if the client wants to be a circus freak, but all he wants is a good chest exercise to add to his mass-building program.

And then when it comes to legs, the same personal trainer would be like, "Oh, yes. Do squats. But doing them on a bosu ball will give you more functional strength".

All that made me wonder if any of the programs I know are not even allowed.

I would hate to have my clients do jumping jacks in exchange for a good squat workout.

 

[Jrahien]

Most, if not all certifications give you the insurance to give your clients any type of exercise regiment as long as it's justified to benefit them and not put their health at risk. There's also a bit of a gray area in that, if there is a type of regiment that may lead to injury (such as the type of training that body builders do) you can cover yourself with informed consent.

So, all of those examples you gave are going to be perfectly fine under ACE. You'll only be in trouble if you do something blatantly dangerous or against the wishes of a client.

 

[Goldfish]

The main reasons you don't see many PT's doing those programs are:

1) 90% of gym members don't want to be huge or see the value in super strength.
2) 90% of people who do want to be huge or see the value in super strength think they're above the need for a trainer.
3) A large portion of PT's aren't personally focused on max muscle or max strength, either.
4) Therefore, being a trainer who specialises in strength or bodybuilding and has a pool of clients to establish a solid business is rare.

None of that's a particularly bad thing, BTW. I'm a strength guy, and I will train my clients for strength. If someone doesn't want a strength trainer, they can't get another trainer and that's fine. We'll both be happier that way. It just means that if I were working in a commercial gym, I'd need to be THE strength guy in the gym, so that I can train my niche. And even then, I'd want a steady supply of people who want to be pretty and healthy, who don't mind doing strength training so long as it gets them to their goals.