Every day, people seek the advice and knowledge of certified and reputable fitness coaches. Just like when your car breaks down, you take it to a reputable mechanic. You tell them what’s wrong and then let them tell you how to fix it. You ask some questions – as any informed consumer would – but, you generally leave it up to the professional to make the right decisions and get things right again. So, why when it comes to fitness, are people a lot less likely to trust the expert? Time and time again, I’ve had people tell me their goals and then proceed to tell me the best way to achieve them! I find it quite interesting how easy it is for a prospective client to become an instant fitness “expert.”
The theory, “If it works for them, then it is sure to work for me,” is a major problem for these instant experts. First, everyone is different; that means that our injuries, goals and fitness levels are different. There is no “one size fits all” fitness solution – it just doesn’t exist. Some solutions work very well for a large number of people, but nothing works for everyone. Trained fitness experts know this and can help a client through it.
There are so many avenues of misinformation that it is very easy for anyone to get caught up in what they think is right. There are lots of ways to become a qualified fitness coach but here are a few of the ways that DO NOT make you one:
- Watching videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or any other social media platform
- Watching ANY show about fitness or weight loss on television and basing your knowledge of exercise on it
- Having been an athlete in what is pretty much a former life (high school, even college) and then trying to use that knowledge today
You wouldn’t go to the doctor with an ailment and then proceed to explain to the doctor the best course of action to make you better. Well, the same holds true for fitness coaches. If you take the time to seek the counsel of a qualified fitness professional, trust in the fact that they know what they are doing and let them guide you toward reaching your goals.
And, no, I am not saying that I am a doctor nor did I play one on TV… but I did have to act as one in a photo shoot once!
