Opinions wanted...

Gregory,

Good morning I hope you are well and having a great Friday. First and foremost we want to commend you on proactively wanting to better yourself. We at the ISSA are proponents of not only our students but fitness professionals in general looking to continue their education and better their existing skill set as this can only help to further legitimize the credibility of our profession as a whole.

While it is great to have feedback from others it is difficult to know if they have your best interest at heart. I like to think of a quote by Mark Twain

" Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can somehow become great."

That being said, will enrolling and paying for the course in question result in more revenue as compared to earning another certification without attendance to this course?

Will the education you acquire equate to supreme confidence to validate being a higher fees to potential clients?

You need to clearly identify what it is you want from your education. Is support important? Is schedule versatility important? Is being able to study when you want important? Is hands on training important?

While we understand you have various options to select from and I am indeed biased I do believe the ISSA is a solid option consider the following facts about the ISSA. We have met the extensive requirements to become Nationally accredited by the DETC recognized by the United States Department of Education, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, met the standards of the United States Department of Commerce which gives us the right to use a .EDU domain, meet the standards of approval for DOD Tuition Assistance for the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, Army and National Guard, are approved for the UK MOD military education assistance ELCAS and our course work is approved for transferability to Nationally and Regionally accredited schools for 3 college credits for schools using the semester system and 5 college credits for schools using the quarter system. Finally we are on the Approved Hiring Lists of most national gyms nationwide and many privately owned gyms as well. For these reasons and others not listed I wholeheartedly believe the ISSA to be a solid option for accredited distance education in the field of personal training.

If there is anything else I can do please feel free to contact me at pgamboa@issaonline.edu. Take care and have a great Friday and upcoming weekend.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I asked the same questions to the Programs Director. These were his responses:

Gregory,

Thanks for your inquiry regarding the Personal Fitness Training program, and the questions you asked. There are very valid in regards to your education, time, money, and career opportunities. Such questions should be asked when looking at this kind of an investment. I will address each of these individually.

In regards to financial reward and personal training, the trainers that I know do very well because they work hard at it. In the economical times that we are in, people want value for their dollar. Personal training is a source of expendable income for most, and personal trainers have to create quality in their relationships and their sessions with their clients in order to maintain them. The amount of money that you will make is directly proportional to the work that you put in. Despite the economy, the trainers that I stay in consistent contact with are busier than they ever have been. Additionally, The U.S. Department of Labor shows that this is one of the ten fastest growing industries in the country.

Addressing the educational questions, the PFT program here at Vatterott is very unique in its approach and its delivery. The cost seems high, but in relation to a 4 year degree it is very cheap considering the time saved and experience that you receive. The program consists of 65 credit hours, which in most four year schools covers the major of your intention. Vatterott cuts out all of the general education classes such as World History, College Algebra, etc. to focus on what you will use out in the field. The curriculum is very similar to what you find in an exercise science program at a major university, only we do it in half the time.

Regarding the curriculum, the variables that set this program apart from an exercise science program is that we take a hands-on approach to education, because personal training is hands-on. Four year schools do nothing to teach their students about field practices in a gym, only clinical applications and human performance techniques where only %1 of the exercise science population is fielded. Four year schools focus on getting scholarly journals published of their professors and receiving grant money in order to keep the program fiscally profitable along with educating the student.

Furthermore, our program has just been recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as an Educationally Recognized Program, which the NSCA endorses fully in regards to our curriculum and delivery to prepare and place the best personal trainer out in the field. The NSCA is one of the top certifications in this field, so having their support and backing says a lot for our program and the students' opportunities.

The gap in this industry is between application and education. In my professional opinion, four year universities do a tremendous job of educating in a clinical setting, but lack in regards to working in a gym setting. Swinging the pendulum conversely, just getting online or buying a book and getting certified provides no education and little application. Most people that work out in gyms have learned their "techniques" from magazines, articles online, and hearsay of which very little is scientifically based or tested. These people are a danger to themselves and to others and furthermore taint this professional personal trainers' reputations. Losing fifty pounds or making yourself look like a bodybuilder by spending time in the gym experimenting doesn't qualify you to be a personal trainer anymore than a lottery ticket winner is qualified to be a financial advisor.

Referring to others' comments about a degree to work in the industry, that is not true whatsoever. The only limitation in my opinion between this program is that my students will have a hard time working at a university, or in a clinical (hospital, medical rehab) facility without somebody making an exception or proving themselves knowledegable otherwise. I currently have or am placing students in every major gym in Omaha. This includes but is not limited to Going Vertical, Xplosive Edge, Urban Active, Lifetime Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and Lakeside Wellness. These gyms see the PFT program as a place where students have over 240 hours of hands-on applicational training in training clients. We have a student-led training program in which there is a pedagogy between the newly enrolled students and those who have progressed over halfway through the curriculum. The learning environment is fun, energetic, and creatively safe because the instructors correct form, evaluate program design, and bring over 30 years of experience combined. I will be frank with you, this DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS INDUSTRY!

On a personal note, I would not be directing a program of this cost and length if I did not think that students were getting an opportunity to chase their dreams and fully succeed in all their endeavors in this field. This is a place in which we encourage our students to dream and in turn they help others improve their quality of life.

I hope this answers your questions, and please feel free to share this with others who have opinions that have not been thoroughly explored.

Sincerely,

Riley Ross NSCA-CPT
Director of Personal Fitness Training
Vatterott College
11818 "I" Street
Omaha, NE