Regulating fall prevention exercise classes....

As a certified personal fitness trainer who works with clients of all ages and of all physical abilities, I am frustrated by the lack of a governing body that oversees the fundamentals of practicing "certified" trainers. The reason I am so perturbed by this is what I have observed while watching trainers in the gym and in group settings.

I do not claim to know it all and to have all the right answers. Quite the contrary, I am a person who is forever seeking more wisdom, more knowledge, and more insight into the movement of the human body, especially corrective exercise techniques. I want to know how can I help a person the most? If I observe an inefficient movement pattern, I feel it is my obligation as a certified health and fitness professional to be able to prepare an effective program that will help that person move easier, with less pain.

There is no governing body that checks up on “certified” trainers and how they practice. The result is thousands of bad experiences, unnecessary injuries, and wasted efforts. The older I get, the more I value my time and my effort. I consider the older adults who I strive to help and if they have one bad experience, they might give up on the message: it’s never too late to benefit from consistent activity; consistent activity done correctly.

In my seated exercise routines, I constantly cue the viewer how to breathe correctly, what muscle to concentrate on during each movement and mostly, to stop if the movement hurts.

In the meantime, please be careful. I hope one day there is a regulating body that implements ‘surprise visits’ to senior fitness classes everywhere. Each instructor should be “graded” on principles, techniques and overall safety. I am deeply disturbed that unqualified instructors are not only causing injury but also negatively influencing people’s attitudes about exercise.