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Practical Examination

by margaret
(Caledon)

I think that Can Fit Pro should hold workshops for the practical examination. The program needs to to develop a written as well a practical workshop component for the exercises and use of machines in real gyms. Many people do not have memberships in gyms and many are not familiar with the latest equipment. For example where I did my Can Fit Program it was a kickboxing centre and the people who run the program did not need to use machines, for their business. I thought it was great but now I have to do my practical at the Good life Fitness centre and am totally unfamiliar about how to spot and use these machines.
Thank you

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Can-Fit-Pro comment

by Mindy

Can-Fit-Pro may be able to certify personal trainers in a short amount of time and with minimal cost - but would you trust your health & fitness to this individual? Do you really think that being Can-Fit-Pro certified is enough? NOT A CHANCE. There is a 4 year University degree called Kinesiology - and even those graduates aren't automatically qualified to train - they have to take a 6 station practical exam, earn hours of training and then take a theory exam to become personal trainers on top of their degree. The Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology is the only body that certifies an appropriately educated and trained personal trainer. There should be no other exception in my opinion. Your health and fitness level - YOUR BODY - is too important to chance it on an uneducated individual.

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More Practical Training Needed

I recently completed the Can Fit Pro personal trainer's course & exam. It gives you the bare minimum that you need. I do not feel that confident to train clients on my own after taking just the Can Fit Pro course especially ones that aren't beginners or that have various problems. The course includes a practical exam but should include a practical component as part of the course as it is basically just theory. It is great that you can become certified quickly with Can Fit Pro but I think the course should be longer & include assignments on designing workouts for various clients which you go through with someone explaining the proper technique of the machines or exercises so you get experience in the practical aspect of personal training.

Jan

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A Good Starting Point
by: Anonymous

I took the personal trainer course and am certified.
After the course I did feel rather afraid to train as I did not feel I had enough hands on with taining people.
I do feel they should have more of this. But I have trained and been trained by trainers in a gym for five years previous. This helped a lot. Then the studing just begins.You have to learn and teach yourself from now on.I also went for an Older Adult certification with them.It has helped me get a job teaching older adults.There is also conferences to got to.Yes,they may be money grabs.But if you try to get as much as you can from the continuing education credits.You are increasing your knowledge.It really never ends.But if you love what you are doing,it is worth it.I could not afford university and would not have wanted to go to school for years.

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Need Real-Life Experience!
by: Lissa H.

Like any course - whether it's a University degree or a simple certification - you need to "walk the walk" and have hands-on, real-life experience. I recently got certified through CanFit Pro, but it was just a formality. I've been training for 5 years and competing in bodybuilding nationally (yes, I'm female - no, I don't do steroids) so I know every range of motion, every muscle group, every connection and - most importantly - FORM. If I hadn't had any of this previous experience from my dedication to the human body, I most definitely wouldn't feel comfortable training someone else.

As always - if you're going to use a personal trainer, make sure they're in shape. If they're not in shape, what are they even doing there?

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more education needed

by Dennis
(Emo, On, Canada)

I do not think too highly of Can Fit Pro's PT Certification. I am certified through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. In order to become certified I had to go to college for 2 years. I took advanced classes in various areas in fitness such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, ect.

On top of all the theory I gained a lot of practical experience. I just think its a little unfair that I receive all this education to get certified and others can do it through Can Fit Pro and become certified so quickly.

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In answer to it being unfair.....
by: Anonymous

I used to teach the PTS course for CanFitPro. Anyone who thinks that it is unfair that someone can take a shorter course and be certified by them has not seen the PTS exam! You need to have a huge understanding of all the things that you learned in your two year diploma in order to PASS the exam - I think that the shame is really that it is marketed that you can take the course and pass the exam - you can't, believe me. It is not the exam that is the problem - it is on par with other exams.

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My 2 cents!
by: Anonymous

I can assure being a PRO Trainer for Canfit and an advocate of fitness for 18 years that I have come across many certified with CSEP...beleive me, they haven't displayed any more knowledge than someone certified with CanFit, like myself. Being a personal trainer is about knowing how to have people achieve certain goals, the CanFit course does more then it needs to in order to acieve that!
You mention Nutrition in your course, unless your certified you should'nt be offering that sort of advice anyway. My point is that we cover it as well but only to the extend required as a personal trainer.
I was a Dept. Head for a club and the trainers that were there you were certified by the CSEP knew nothing more then others. They came to me for answers. Remember, it also depends on who is certified and how they apply it.

Just my 2 cents!

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C`MON..this is ridiculous!
by: Anonymous

The exam is crap!!..the test is NOT as challenging as these Instructors are leading you to believe. #1 it`s multiple choice #2 You are told what will be on the test #3 They give you the practical case study well...well...well in advance so you have ample time to prepare.
Besides if everyone knew what a crock of crap this course is then the instructors would be out of a job! and who wants that?, well, not the instructors that`s for sure...besides who else will read to you from a book for several hours and get paid!!!

The exam is freakin easy and it`s designed that way to get more people working for 9.50 an hour while Good-Life rakes in huge money.

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Education does matter!
by: Anonymous

I fear that individuals from CanFit Pro must be posting many of these blogs. The marketing machine appears to be effective, but to who's advantage. I have great concerns when for-profit individuals/organizations promote their own certifications.

Surely, someone that has taken an undergraduate exercise science degree would never equate a CanFit Pro certification with CSEP and ACSM. The exams are by no means comparable, and the background education and practical training are certainly vastly different. There are numerous articles out there on the importance of advanced certification and education in the exercise sciences. Major organizations in Canada have also openly recognized this requirement.

It is truly a shame that the general public and individuals interested in becoming personal trainers are being told that getting a CanFit Pro certification is sufficient to work in the industry. Often left out of the discussion is the fact that CSEP and/or ACSM certifications are widely considered the minimum requirements for working with various populations. If you want to get hired at a centre that pays well and deals with a diverse clientele, I would take the initiative and get CSEP and/or ACSM-certified.

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No way!
by: Anonymous

Canfit should be avoided at all costs. I took the test the day after the 4 days course and smoked both the pratical and written. If you want to make decent money in this industry then take the hit and spend two years in college and get your CSEP PTS and laugh at all those with only a canfit! If you get a BA in the sciences (4 years of uni) then you can even go for your CSEP CEP which is the highest cert you can get if you live in Canada

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what the f#!%$#!$#K?
by: Anonymous

First of all, you don't need to spend two years in school to become a personal trainer but if that is your choice then do it. Most courses are 6 months to a year. I am sorry to hear you are disappointed about going to school and then having others reap the benefits in well 6 weeks or less, well join the club, it's LIFE! it's like actors who have trained their whole life for school and lose jobs to people who want to get rich on reality tv quickly, or people who don't can't act namely bouncers at clubs, and they get asked to be in movies. It's like going to shcool for fashion or jewelry design and then going to a crafts fair or store and realizing everyone is making jewelry and selling it for just as much, the difference in these things WILL BE QUALITY. IF YOU HAVE TWO YEARS TRAINING, YOU WILL BE A FAR BETTER TRAINER, IN YOUR OWN SENSE, IF I HAVE 6 MONTHS TRAINING, I WILL BE AS GOOD AS I CAN BE TO MYSELF AND OTHERS WITH WHAT I KNOW..THE WORLD IS UNJUST. I AGREE THAT NOT EVERYONE SHOULD BE CERTIFIED BUT HELL LOOK AT YOGA INSTRUCTORS, AEROBICS INSTRUCTORS, GOD EVERYTHING CAN BE COMPARED TO HOW UNFAIR THIS IS......YOUR MONEY AND CLIENTS WILL REFLECT YOUR SKILLS AND TALENT FOR WHAT YOU DO....AND THAT SHOULD BE YOUR GAGE OF SUCCESS, SO QUIT RIDING THE ENVY TRAIN, GET OF YOUR JEALOUSY SEAT AND ENJOY YOUR OWN CAREER....

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canfit = a big joke
by: Anonymous

Canfit is a ******** joke.
I wrote that exam without even buying the books or reviewing the questions/course, but after my 4 year honours bachelor of science in kinesiology.

It teaches you what you learn in the first few weeks of formal education, in fact, i am pretty sure that an average person who has been working out for a few months can pass that exam.

Csep is the real thing, I have the CPT, and tomorrow I have the CEP exam, and that, believe me is about three thousand times deeper than canfit.

other that goodlife money making machine, canfit brings nothing good to the industry, except giving people who know nothing the title "personal trainer", and give the real trainers a bad name.

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compare the money
by: jason

Does that mean the CSEP can get you more income than the Can Fit Pro ?

I know it all depends on experience, but can someone tell me if CSEP would generally make more? If so how much?

Also when you get the CSEP-CEP does your income go up more?

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In response to My 2 Cents
by: Anonymous

Do you seriously think that CanFit and CSEP are comparable? First of all, to even be considered for CSEP-CPT you have to have a minimum of two years towards a degree in exercise physiology or the like. There is no way you can learn everything in a couple of weekends that at CSEP certified individual has accumulated over this time. It is a shame to the industry that such a minimum educational background is sufficient to start training others. What a joke!

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What i think.
by: Anonymous

Personally the biggest problem not with the CSEP or CPT programs its in the clubs just because a guy comes in and is JACKED off his rocker and injecting 1000 different steroids in the gym bathroom means he knows what he is talking about.... and they hire him he goes and gets CPT and auto hired.

That is the way sadly it works you can get a tonne of education but does it mean much? not really it can but most people don't care if you can name 1 muscle on the body or all of them they want results. I have been to many gyms and seen many trainers most just trained in CPT do they give problem exercises to their clients? of course! things that make there clients vulnerable of course i see it daily do i say anything? no because they should see this if someone has back problems you dont give them weights back extensions to "help" get rid of the pain and after they do 2 reps and they say there in pain you say ohhh only 12 more.... GOOD JOB!

Sadly a lot of the gym is just common sense and getting along with people and being friendly is how it works. But this is my opinion flame it all you want but its true.

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Certifications
by: Anonymous

I have seen many great trainers and many bad trainers over the years regardless of the certification. You need an indepth knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics but also a great passion for your work, optimal communication skills and a true desire to help your clients achieve their goals and needs.

Personally, I am CSEP certified and this has opened my way to various opportunities. Not only do I work in a top private club but I also work in a sports medicine clinic, design programs for special populations for recreation facilities and I do contract work for medical and pharmaceutical companies. In order to do so many great things CSEP certification was a mandatory requirement.

Another one of the benefits of CSEP is being qualified to do fitness assessments which is highly requested these days in many companies and corporations for their employees.

I feel that by investing time and effort in your education reaps great rewards and allows you more freedom in your career choices.

That said, I know a few incredible CFP trainers who have never stopped studying and growing and have great careers in personal training.

What I would like to see in the future is a standardized examination process that leads to a nationally recognized personal training registry.
That way, it is not the process but the capabilities, experience and knowledge of the individual that are evidenced.

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Assumption
by: Anonymous

I have recently been certified as a PTS from Canfitpro, and was able to take the CSEP certification process, but due to my job and amount of distance from the area, I could not go for CSEP certification. As well, with all honesty CSEP is mainly a further safety based method to personal training. CSEP focuses more towards fitness assessments and what best serves the safety of the client. Where Canfitpro I found focused more towards the clients actions, with regards too how they achieved their goals and achieving a positive motivational mindset for the client. No offence to CSEP of course, it's a great program, but after being taught there methods for 2 years, it was nice to see the motivational side of Canfitpro, to further focus on what's best for the client!!

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CSEP-CEP Exam Advice
by: Anonymous

All this talk about CSEP-CEP...Can anyone who's sat the exam offer some advice to me? I'm sitting it in three weeks in Vancouver.

If you have any helpful study notes or material you'd be willing to share, that would also be wonderful!

On a side note, I think the decision to take whichever level of education to become a profesional in the exercise science field is a personal decision.

For me, it comes down to the fact that a certain level is required for my particular job - which pays well and is rewarding to me personally.

Regardless of whether someone without a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science could be much better equipped to handle a rehab situation (for example) than the person with the degree. It still takes hours and hours and years of study, dedication and knowledge to gain and maintain that degree or course.

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