Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Performance Coach

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. In this day and age just about everyone is looking to lose some weight. Even those who want to gain tons of muscle usually have or will end up with some fat they need to shed. Decreasing body fat is definitely one of the most common goals I encounter. In order to help my clients reach their fat loss goals I will guide them through a series of nutritional and physical habit changes that will lead them to their desired body composition.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. There are unfortunately some dirty secrets about the personal training industry. As a customer you must know that not all trainers are created equally, and some would rather be acting or writing a screenplay instead of helping you achieve your goals. If your "trainer" has his or her eyes on another career, find someone else to help you. There is no such thing as a part-time trainer. Currently there is no governing body that regulates personal training. Picking a credible personal trainer can be very challenging for these reasons. For more information on how to pick a personal trainer please see the question: "What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?"

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. In order to hire the right personal trainer I believe the consumer should start with the following questions:

1) "Are you certified?" Anyone who is worthy of your business should answer yes. They should also possess more than one certification, as anyone who's been in this field for an appreciable amount of time should have a few certifications under their belt.

2) "How long have you been working as a personal trainer?" The longer is usually the better. In this field it can be rather challenging to make a good living. So, if they've been working as a trainer for quite sometime they are good at what they do or very passionate about the profession, hopefully both.

3) "What was the last seminar, clinic, or book you attended/read?" If they've answered all the questions correct until now, but this one makes them uncomfortable, you could be in trouble. Continuing education is extremely important when others' health and safety is in your hands. Unfortunately there are some trainer's who have multiple certifications, and years of experience, but have simply been repeating the same outdated protocols for years. Make sure your trainer is up to date.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Before seeking out the aid of a personal trainer or coach buyers should think long and hard about what they want to accomplish with their training program. Do they want weight loss, if so how much? Will this be decided by a number on the scale or a paints size? After they have a concrete goal/s in mind it's time to think about the cost. One more thing, "get toned" is not a goal. Anyways, back to the cost. When I say the cost I don't mean the price of my services, but how much it will cost you emotionally and physically. Say you want to lose 30lbs, that's great and I would love to help you. But, are you willing to pay for it? Are you going to be able to adhere to the new eating and exercise habits I give you? Are you willing to make the right decision at the company dinner? This is what it will take to truly achieve your goals. Remember any goal is fine, but make sure you are willing to pay for it. Once you have a goal picked out and are ready to commit give me a call. Also, if you need help picking the best goal for you I can help you there also.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Yes, here's a list of my recent continuing education.

Continuing Education 09'

-High Intensity Strength Training for Professional Athletes with John Philbin
-The Future of Functional Training with Michael Boyle, Lee Taft, and Chuck Wolf
-Anatomy Trains for the Personal Trainer with Thomas Myers
-Testing, Treating, & Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to Performance with Michael Reinold and Eric Cressey

Continuing Education 10'

-What Every Trainer Needs to Know About Nutrition with Dr. John Berardi
-USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach Certification with Leo Totten
-Major League Strength Performance Conference with Dana Cavalea, Brijesh Patel, Dr. Perry Nickleston, Jenna Stranzl, John Pallof, Rob Taylor, and Korey Goodwin
-The Yin of Training with Steve Cotter: Balancing Your Program with Breathing and Mobilization

Continuing Education 11'

-West Virginia Strength and Conditioning Clinic
-Villanova Strength and Conditioning Clinic
-Internship with the Strength and Conditioning program at Cal U PA