Why Hire a Coach or Trainer?
Why Hire a Coach or Trainer
Having your own personal trainer or fitness coach isn’t just for celebrities and athletes, anyone can benefit from hiring a professional for your fitness needs.
Many fitness professionals go by different names such as fitness coach, personal trainer, fitness instructor, athletic coach, kinesiologist etc. There are some differences with each title so let’s break it down.
Most professionals go by the title “personal trainer”, they are qualified to work with the general population and help them improve their fitness goals and general health. Personal trainers typically have a certification through a course or diploma and have liability insurance. Personal trainers work in commercial gyms, private studios, rehabilitation clinics, or online. Many personal trainers are educated in a specialty to work with certain populations like older adults, pre and post natal clients, athletes, or youth, which often requires additional education. Many personal trainers are knowledgeable in general health and nutrition. Personal trainers do not offer direct billing and their service can not be claimed under insurance.
Strength and conditioning specialists are a type of fitness professional that specialises in improving sport and exercise performance. Some professionals may prefer the name to describes what type of work they do with clients and the certification they hold.
Coaches can refer to anyone that coaches clients or groups. Some coaches lead sport teams, after school athletic programs or individuals and may or may not have a certification in personal training. Most coaches have gone through a certification or course before coaching professionally, here’s an example Training and Certification - Athletics Canada.
Kinesiologists are those who have completed a degree in Kinesiology and have completed coursework in personal training, strength and conditioning, and/or exercise physiology. Kinesiologists are often registered with CSEP either as personal trainers or exercise physiologists. Check out the CSEP website to learn more About Us - Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP)
Personal trainers, coaches and Strength and Conditioning Specialists are not the same as athletic therapists, occupational therapists, or physiotherapists. Those professions require a professional degree and are responsible for diagnosing and treating conditions such as injuries.
What can a fitness professional like a personal trainer do for you? Say you have been sedentary for a while due to an injury or illness, a trainer can help create an exercise program for you to start moving again safely. Perhaps you are already active but want some guided instruction on how to reach a specific goal such as running a marathon, entering a sport, or weight loss, then a trainer would be a perfect fit. Trainers and coaches are excellent for teaching their clients how to exercise with correct form, what exercises will help clients reach a certain goal, how to prevent injury and to keep clients motivated. Trainers are also skilled in helping clients break bad habits when it comes to exercise and healthy eating and can offer advice on how to recover from strenuous activity. If you’re interested in working with a personal trainer, book a free 15 min consultation with Superwomen Training
Sources and Further Reading
Occupational therapy: What it is, who it treats, and more (medicalnewstoday.com)