Who Should You Invest With? FS or PT?
My short answer to the question is this: If you’re on a tight budget and you’re thinking short term, got with the PT. If you’re thinking Longterm gains and more ROE, then a Fitness Specialist is your best bet.
For one, a FS has most likely carved themselves a career in the health and fitness industry. As such they are more likely to stick with you long term, and you won’t have to worry about turnover. Staying with the same person means they have better understanding of your needs, goals, strengths and challenges. And since a FS has broader scope of practice they can help you with things like nutrition, movement assessments, behaviour modification etc. All of these things mean better long term investment, because the same person can help you track your progress, and help you adjust for future challenges.
This isn’t meant to be a knock against personal trainers. However, in my experience, most PTs are in it temporarily before they move on to another job. So if you’re not in it for the long term, you don’t mind switching trainers, and you’re on a tight budget hire a PT. But if you want to build a hefty and reliable nest-egg of health and fitness, one that takes you into your later years then a FP is the way to go.
What’s in a Personal Trainer?
The term “personal trainer” brings to mind someone who knows their way around fitness. It’s someone who tells you which exercises to do, watches your form, counts your reps, writes you a program etc. And also someone who motivates you and helps keep you accountable. However, my main issue with the term is this: because it isn’t a regulated profession, anyone can get away with calling themselves a personal trainer.
This has made it incredibly easy to become certified as a PT. All you have to do is pass a weekend exam covering basic knowledge of anatomy and exercise. In particular, memorize the major muscle groups and reps, sets ranges for different anatomical adaptations. Also things like planes of motion, and different fitness protocols (aerobic, anaerobic, strength etc.). All of this, however, is superficial knowledge to get you by, until you figure out your future interests.
This isn’t to say there aren’t many great PTs working in the industry. However, it is a very demanding job where very few people go above and beyond what’s required. Most PTs are happy designing simple programs, counting reps and giving basic coaching cues. And most clients are happy with just that…until they know that they can get more.
What’s In a Fitness Specialist?
Simply put, a fitness specialist is a personal trainer who has decided to turn their job into a career. This means the person has to put in the resources and effort into going above and beyond the basic requirements of a PT. For example, formal schooling, continuing education, focus on professionalism etc. I was fortunate enough to work in a place with some great people who turned their PT gig into a career as fitness specialists.
I’ve been working in health and fitness from about a decade, doing various things, personal training being one of them. Other things include instructional and coaching seminars on nutrition, and exercise. I’ve trained and coached people for different physical activities and sports ranging from skiing and squash, to soccer and weightlifting and powerlifting.I have been a certified personal trainer with a the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologist for 8 years+. And aside from attending educational conferences and courses for continual education credits, I hold a number of different certifications. This is the reason I refer to myself as a fitness specialist who also does personal training, as opposed to just a personal trainer.
Get Your Money’s Worth
Anyone who has never worked with a FS thinks they know what they want when they hire a PT. They think they want someone to either help them lose weight, or build muscle. At the very least they want someone to show them around the gym and tell them what to do. But in my experience most people undergo a shift once they understand their capabilities. Once they begin to move in new ways, and feel new things as a result, they want more.
I’ve been around long enough to see people leave their PT for someone else, because they weren’t getting the value they wanted. And I don’t just mean dollar value, but much more than that. They begin to understand purpose behind movement, as opposed to just going through the motions. As a PT I sat in the passenger seat with a map, and told my client how to get from A to B as quickly as possible. As a FS, I can give my client the option of the quickest way, or the scenic route.
The scenic route involves workouts on some days, movement exploration on other days. It also involves planned recovery workouts, and conversations about current research. Furthermore it involves education, dispelling health and fitness myths, and empowering clients beyond the gym.
And I’ve also thought about it in terms of dollars and cents, because at the end of the day we all need food on the table. A PT’s time is worth less than that of an FP, we can fight about that. You’re not just paying for what’s happening inside the session. You’re also paying for the hours that an FP puts in outside of the session. Courses, certifications, conferences etc.
Final Thought
Most gyms have a high turnover rate of personal trainers. People come and go all the time. Some get into it because getting certified is easy, and it’s a way to make quick $. Or so they may think. The truth is it takes PTs a while before they can make anything significant to live off. And most can afford to do that because they’re usually still living with their parents. This is why it is easier for younger people to tolerate some of the challenges of the profession.
Many PTs end up becoming physiotherapists, chiropractors, teachers etc. Very few stick with it long term, and who can blame them? The irregular hours, fluctuating pay checks, high physical, mental and emotional demand can take a toll on your well-being. You can have a client at 6 am and then one at 8 am…but the 8 am may cancel last minute and you may not have anyone until 12pm or later. There’s no easy way to spin it, it’s tough work, no matter how passionate you are about it.
All this to say that with a FS you are almost guaranteed to have found someone who will genuinely care about your longterm well-being. Why? Because they have cared enough to put in the long term effort, resources, and time to go beyond the PT certification.