Onward, Upward

For the past few weeks I have been hinting at some changes in my life, both on my blog and basically in every conversation I've had with people (I have a hard time hiding big news that involves myself because I always want people to share in my excitement!). Despite wanting to scream these developments from the rooftops, I have done my best to keep the details quiet, mostly in case everything fell through.

I am glad to report that it didn't fall through, and I am moving forward. Today I gave my notice to the hospital where I have worked as an Aide for 2 1/2 years and I am going to begin working full-time at the personal training studio where I currently work full-time.

Leaving Physical Therapy for Personal Training is, on the surface, a downgrade. Here's why I say "downgrade" and "on the surface." Historically (and still currently, to an extent), obtaining a physical therapy degree that allows you to practice involves a great deal more education than becoming a personal trainer. The training field has always been a step or two behind in requiring degrees to be able to sit for their exams, versus PT (physical therapy) which has, at least for several generations, required a minimum of a bachelor's degree to practice (and now requires a minimum of a doctorate if you begin school now).

It is because of this educational gap that there are a lot of trainers out there who really have very little credibility or know-how other than the ability to study for and pass a single exam that then gives them "certification" and allows them to work. Disclaimer: not all bad trainers are uneducated, and not all uneducated trainers are bad - I am merely speaking in generalizations. Discounting the exceptions, training is a lot easier to get into than PT, and often is regarded as a "lesser field" in the world of healthcare.

This is all about to change.

A combination of an "obesity epidemic," the Baby Boomer generation hitting retirement age, a high demand for competent personal trainers as more people want personalized services for everything, and wages for trainers that are competitive (or sometimes better) with PT salaries has meant big things for the field of personal training. More and more highly educated - often former PTs - are sensing a business opportunity about to tip.

This is where I come in. I, along with several other people I am in contact with, want to change personal training and fitness as we know it. Some people I have spoken with aren't in it for the sake of the profession, but are riding a wave of success that comes with credibility. For myself, I want to build that success from the ground up by bringing personal training to a higher level. This means applying my own education - as it is so far and as I plan on continuing it - to the field to better myself and provide a better service to my client. By doing so, I say to my client, "I can provide you with a better overall workout due to my comprehensive understanding of the human body systems and the effect of exercise on them." That may sound like a mouthful, but my point will be made. Additionally, and this is a big point, I want to change the focus of personal training. Too often clients, enabled by their trainers, associate "being fit" with "having big muscles" or "running a few miles." I associate fitness with quality-of-life. How well can you perform your daily activities? Can you participate in your weekend softball league without injury or days of soreness afterward? Are you prone to injuries in your every-day life due to muscle imbalances, joint instability, or excessive weight? Are you depressed, feel lethargic, or feel unmotivated?

I want to show people how to train to combat one or all of these aspects of fitness. I want to show them that physical and mental health are not only related, but connected. I want to teach them that if you train movements, not muscles (a common theme in the up-and-coming fitness views), you not only will achieve the "look" that most people come to a gym seeking, but you will achieve real, applicable, functional benefits, as well.

This is the mantra that has been bouncing around my head for some time now, and I have been offered the opportunity to put it into play. While I am nervous to the point of being slightly physically ill, I think a lot of it is excitement. It's not often I choose to embark on something so ambitious as to completely change my life's plan. Granted, the end goal is the same, I just jumped onto vastly different pathway to it - and it might be for the best. I'm hoping that before I was trying to get from here to Seattle on back roads, and now I'm cruising on I-90 all the way. (I had to throw in an obligatory lame analogy).

So, wish me luck as I venture out (after Labor Day) into this new wilderness. And hey, if you wanna come work out with me, I'd be glad to fit you in :-)