HOW IT'S DONE AT STEPS

How We Train Trainers

You may be asking yourself why would you want to train trainers? Aren’t they trainers already? Well, yes and no. What we require of STEPS trainers is more than can be acquired from earning a certification or even a degree in many cases.

At STEPS we have an extremely varied clientele in terms of age, fitness level, goals, and health and orthopedic concerns. New research comes out every day that can leave even the most recent graduate behind the times. That’s why, years ago, we developed an internship program designed to address the apparent gap between knowledge and application. An intern may come to us already knowing the names of all the muscles and bones in the human body. Now, that’s a lot of Latin, and Latin is impressive. But we want our trainers to know the best way to train a hypertensive client; when and how to progress a post-rehab hip replacement client; what to do and not do with someone with diabetes, spondylolisthesis, rectus diastasis, and a mean hangover, who wants to race go-carts and bowl 257. You get the idea.

So, how to begin training a trainer? At STEPS, our internship program consists of 10 sessions - 5 with Dr. Irv and 5 with a training manager - covering such topics as shoulder, back, and knee issues, common chronic diseases, core training, etc. While additional reading is frequently required, the emphasis is always on real world application and safe, effective programming. In fact, the intern will take a manager through a series of training sessions with the manager playing the role of client, and presenting any number and combination of issues commonly encountered at STEPS. In addition, interns must observe trainers as they work with their clients in order to learn about the trainer/client dynamic, program design, exercise techniques and options, and different training styles.

All of this is viewed as merely the beginning since experience only comes with time. But there are trainers out there who boast of having10 years of experience when what they really have is 1 year of experience repeated 10 times. At STEPS, we try to create and nurture a culture of continuing education that serves the trainer as well as their clients.

Scott Kinney NSCA-CSCS

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S.T.E.P.S.
Scientific Training and Exercise Prescription Specialists
2424 21st Ave. S. Suite #100 || Nashville, TN 37212
phone: (615)269-8855 fax: (615)269-7068 email: stepsfitness@gmail.com