What are the intricacies of physical boundaries in personal training? Tune in as we dissect the unregulated fitness industry and address the critical question: should trainers physically touch their clients? We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll understand the significance of proper assessment, the necessity of client consent, and the advanced education that sets elite trainers apart. We'll discuss our Level 2 certification, highlighting how our trainers collaborate with physical therapists to ensure safe and effective training practices, making a case for why legal and professional consultation is indispensable.
This episode also covers advanced physical training techniques that every trainer should know. Learn about essential soft tissue mobilizations and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and get acquainted with the extensive exercise library from our partners at the Prehab Guys. We stress the importance of liability insurance, ensuring you're protected while providing top-tier service. Finally, we outline the rigorous certification requirements, including 100 supervised hours in approved physical therapy clinics and testing in front of a therapist, to demonstrate the high standards we uphold.
Want to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!
What are the intricacies of physical boundaries in personal training? Tune in as we dissect the unregulated fitness industry and address the critical question: should trainers physically touch their clients? We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll understand the significance of proper assessment, the necessity of client consent, and the advanced education that sets elite trainers apart. We'll discuss our Level 2 certification, highlighting how our trainers collaborate with physical therapists to ensure safe and effective training practices, making a case for why legal and professional consultation is indispensable.
This episode also covers advanced physical training techniques that every trainer should know. Learn about essential soft tissue mobilizations and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and get acquainted with the extensive exercise library from our partners at the Prehab Guys. We stress the importance of liability insurance, ensuring you're protected while providing top-tier service. Finally, we outline the rigorous certification requirements, including 100 supervised hours in approved physical therapy clinics and testing in front of a therapist, to demonstrate the high standards we uphold.
Want to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!
Welcome to the Show Up Fitness Podcast, where great personal trainers are made. We are changing the fitness industry, one qualified trainer at a time, with our in-person and online personal training certification. If you want to become an elite personal trainer, head on over to showupfitnesscom. Also, make sure to check out my book how to Become a Successful Personal Trainer. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. Have a great day and keep showing up. Howdy y'all. Welcome back to the Show of Fitness podcast.
Speaker 1:
Today we're going to talk about can you touch your client as a personal trainer? Let's keep it PC. I'm not talking about doing weird, inappropriate stuff, but there's a common conversation around can and should trainers be allowed to work with their clients with their hands? And the answer to that gray area is it depends. You have to realize the fitness industry is unregulated. It is a free market. That's the beauty of it, but also it can be frustrating, because what can you do, what can you not do as a medical professional? There's a fine line between things that you can and cannot do as a fitness professional. There's that gray area. So we're going to talk about that gray area and what you can do as a trainer and with our level two certification when we're going to Lifetimes.
Speaker 1:
We got Boston coming up September 21st and 22nd. We have Dallas-Mansfield August 30th 31st. We will be in Chicago this week as the 27th and 28th of July. With our partnership we go and teach trainers at Lifetime but also trainers within the Show Up community Anyone who's inspiring to become a trainer are programming with the CCA. But a lot of soft tissue mobilizations.
Speaker 1:
It's a little introduction into our level two certification. Our level two certification includes corrective exercise, soft tissue mobilization techniques, as well as a nutrition course. You get to work with Mel the RD. You get to learn from physical therapists myself. We have social media. We have advanced anatomy programming. Our level two. I'm a little biased. It's the best certification out there for continuing education and specializations for personal trainers and we're going to teach you that you can touch and manipulate your clients under the realm of the proper assessment which we teach. We're just giving a little glimpse.
Speaker 1:
During these weekend seminars you will learn release techniques of the infraspinatus, the upper traps. We're going to get into the peroneals, muscles around the elbow, the main six areas that we focus on the ankle, the knee, the hip, thoracic, shoulder, elbow. These are regions where you should be familiar with the muscles and what they do. That's why we teach you the 77 muscles and you need to be able to point them out on the human body and give at least one action. So our test there's nothing like this in the fitness industry.
Speaker 1:
To get your level two, we're still in the beta phase of this groundbreaking certification, but you will test in front of a physical therapist. You will go to a therapist that's approved by Show Up Fitness and you will need to be able to showcase your skills appropriately assessing a client, know how to manipulate certain soft tissues, name muscles on the spot. The test will be about 20 to 30 minutes and once you get that approval, imagine how awesome that is. You can go out there and say I actually have a certification that was approved by a physical therapist. I am an elite, respected, qualified personal trainer and I have a team that I work with. That's exactly what you need to separate yourself from all the trainers out there who are getting these specializations that are just textbook based. You're going to go to a therapy clinic and test under someone and they're going to give you a green light or a red light, just like what would happen at a powerlifting meet. You have to get two out of the three green lights. Ask Katie to pass to get that okay score. That lift is going to be accepted. Two green lights you will need to get that approval during this test. We need more hands on accountability.
Speaker 1:
So I've consulted with a lot of legal professionals fitness professionals. So I've consulted with a lot of legal professionals, fitness professionals, looked online to find out what is accepted, what is not. There are trainers out there who get a stretch lap and that 60 to 70 hours gets the thumbs up. But then there's trainers out there that are stretching at Equinox that have a basic certification like NASA, mesa, issa, and they are passively taking clients through end range emotions. That I feel is not appropriate. I observe and I go wow, that's crazy. That trainer is able to do that movement with a client, but we can't do soft tissue mobilizations. I need to learn more about this. So when I've consulted with these legal professionals, basically what it comes down to is do you have the clearance from the client to do what you're about to do? We are not doing any type of spinal manipulations, lock men's tests like athletic trainers or physical therapists. We're not treating injuries. Hey, come to me, you sprained your ankle, I'm going to palpate and tell you what you have. No, and that's why you have a team and part of this certification, you have to shadow a physical therapist for 100 hours. You will learn so much in those 100 hours of what you can and cannot do.
Speaker 1:
So when a client comes in with low back pain, you assess, you do a PAR-Q, you find out they had surgery three years ago. Well, you connect with that physician, you have them go meet with your therapist and then you're going to get what you can and cannot do those contraindications. But even that, you get that report that says that you can and cannot do this. It doesn't mean you can be negligent, start doing stupid exercise and then hurt your client oh, that's your fault, you couldn't handle it. Your capacity's screwed up. I'm fine, nothing's going to happen to me because you signed a piece of paper. Talking to Dr Waterbury, he always chuckles. He says when you go to a hospital, look how much paperwork you sign Does that give the physician the okay to get drunk and do some crazy surgery and be negligent? No, people are suing hospitals all the time and winning Just because a client does a par-Q and you do a medical history and you get that signature, it doesn't mean that you can go out there and start doing inappropriate things.
Speaker 1:
So what we're teaching within these soft tissue mobilization techniques are certain hypertonic areas. With the appropriate amount of pressure, it can downregulate the nervous system. If it's chronic pain and there's some sort of central amplification, we can apply pressure to that area appropriately and it's going to help with pain in that area. And if it doesn't, worst case scenario, nothing happens. We're not manipulating joints. We're not manipulating the neck. These are areas that are out of our scope of practice. Again, we're not doing Lachman's test, something that athletic trainers and therapists do, to determine if the ACL is ruptured. No, we are practicing appropriately as fitness professionals and for a therapist or a chiropractor or anyone who pushes back and says, no, you are not able to do that, you need to take a step back and we're not trying to overstep our boundaries. This is a part of a team. So your therapist, you better believe they want you to work with some of this low-hanging fruit and if you're able to refer to them, the process is going to be so much easier and better for the client slash patient, because we know our scope.
Speaker 1:
Client comes in tingliness on the arm, shooting down radiating pain. That's not in our scope. You refer out. So you have to educate the client. When they come in, you go through the biopsychosocial model of pain. Why is it when you go to granny's house she can't smell that terrible stench, but you can, and to other people it may be even worse. You got a buddy who has to run outside and gag or throw up. That's central amplification. Why is the nervous system heightened?
Speaker 1:
Watch the YouTube from Dr Chris Stetton Mayo Clinic. He does a great job of looking at the acute, slash, chronic aspects, all things that we address in the in-person. So when you go through these seminars you're going to learn the areas that we can manipulate. We're going to educate people first Is it acute, is it chronic? And then when you get into the assessment, you have the PAR-Q physical activity readiness questionnaire, red flags, medical history.
Speaker 1:
So if you need to refer out, a client comes in with a low back issue, you refer out. If they've had surgery and you'll see why I'm making reference to this at the end when I go through a negligence lawsuit. If a client can't put their hands above their head, well, let's do a test to see if they have internal rotation, external rotation you can do an empty beer, can test a break test and if they fail, refer out. And again, ideally, like we're implementing here in Santa Monica and San Diego, we are rolling this out in the next couple months. We will have a therapist on staff so you would just chat with them via a quick text or, if they're there, ask them. You'll have that clearance and confidence to know what you can and cannot do If they fail a break test. You know why don't you come back later this afternoon when Doc Jensen's here and you can go through A, b, c and D just to make sure everything is okay.
Speaker 1:
We are looking out for the client's best interest. We're not overstepping our boundaries and saying we are therapists or chiropractors, athletic trainers, because we are not. But we are competent individuals that can assess pain within reason and determine if there's some techniques that we can implement that will be appropriate and helpful versus. No, that is out of my scope. I need to refer out, just like with the ACSM wrist stratifications.
Speaker 1:
A client comes in, they have high blood pressure. Well, we can train them. But if it's 180, over 110 and they haven't been to the doctor in a couple of years, I'm going to make an educated decision right there and say you know what? I bet it's going to be better for you to go to a doc and get checked out. Hypertension is. Hypertension is a silent killer. That number is the highest I've ever seen. Probably not going to take you through a workout today, let's get that clearance. But if it was 141 over 91 and they're really stressed out, they don't sleep very well. They just need to move more. They need to optimize their sleep, manage their stress, we can implement an appropriate program, maybe just to see the core movement or an accessory isolated movement for the 30 to 60 minutes that they're there and they're not going to have a heart attack. But if they were to come in and their blood pressure was slightly elevated but they tell you they have chest pain the last four days, that's a red flag you need to refer out.
Speaker 1:
So I think it's scary for trainers and also therapists and chiropractors to hear that there's a certification where trainers can touch their clients. It's appropriately within our scope. Where you're not overstepping our boundaries. You do and will learn range of motion tests. You're going to learn red flags.
Speaker 1:
Then we get into the real fun stuff. Those are the mobilization techniques, whether, if it's going to be, soft tissue mobilizations, the infraspinatus, the pec, minor upper traps, stecco method, peroneals, even some foot exercises. Let's not get too kinky here. We're keeping it PC, but we will go over ankle techniques that will help. Maybe there's some mobility drills that would be appropriate.
Speaker 1:
And then PNF proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation you can choose one of these. And then PNF proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation you can choose one of these. You can choose all three. What is appropriate for the client? You are the expert, so you will have the confidence and competence to implement the strategy that is best. And then you're going to do some strengthening exercises and with our partners at the Prehab Guys, we have a huge library that you should definitely be utilizing. With their app we have a discount for 50 bucks off. The app is a game changer because it gives you a ton of exercise that you can also send to your clients. You can email me at info at showupfitnesscom, or send me a DM and we can get you a link so you can get that set up.
Speaker 1:
It's exclusive to Show Up Fitness and that's our partnership, as we continue to only work with the best, which leads me into our recent partnership with Insure Fitness Group and this is a policy for personal trainers that has negligence as well as malpractice. We're not saying that's what you're going to do, but this insurance will cover you, and so it's $169 per year. Insurefitnesscom, backslash, partners backslash show up fitness, use the coupon code, show up and that's going to get you the discount for that liability insurance. I highly highly suggest getting it, just because it's going to give you that relief Knowing if someone were to try to sue you, you at least had that coverage. It doesn't mean that what you did was appropriate, but it's going to give you that insurance, that car insurance. It doesn't mean you can go get blacked out, drunk and drive all over the place. You need to have the appropriate insurance and that's what we now have. So this is a great partnership that's going to get you the best deal $169 for the entire year and that's what you need to have.
Speaker 1:
As the third part for this certification. So, part one 100 hours supervised by a physical therapist I suggest you go to two or three different clinics. We will give the okay if they are show up approved, and I say that because there are some insurance-based companies that will just be, you know, turn them and burn them. They're doing 20 clients every hour doing ultrasound. That's not what we're looking at. We want you to link up with qualified therapists and that's going to better the scope for the fitness industry, because the more partnerships that you have, the stronger your network is, the better your clients are going to be and you're going to be more confident. You're going to get more clients from them with the referrals as well. So 100 hours, that's part one. Part two you have to test in front of a therapist. They're going to get more clients from them with referrals as well. So 100 hours, that's part one. Part two you have to test in front of a therapist. They're going to quiz you on the muscles of the shoulder, the hip, the knee. Our level one tested the 17 muscles around the shoulder. So we're going to throw in the 14 muscles of the knee but on top of it. Can you tell me what this muscle does, the sartorius, the adductor magnus? And you can't. I think it works with extension. No, you need to be confident. Okay, the adductor magnus, the anterior fibers is going to flex. You're going to adduct internally rotate Posterior fibers are going to extend. Anatomy is the foundation for getting better with programming. We also have live calls with dieticians. Katie's doing advanced programming. That's just there as a support system for you to level up and build your confidence, whether if you need to get interviewed or your resume improved for other gyms because you're already training level two. So that's the second part in front of a therapist and the platform is going to have everything needed for your success with anatomy and programming and the nutrition. With Mel, you're going to get 1.0 CEUs for continuing education and then the last thing is you will need that insurance and once you get all three of those, you will have your level two certification and you will literally be one out of a thousand trainers. You're going to be able to go into any clinic and talk shop with physical therapists and they're going to be like oh shit, what are you a therapist somewhere else? That's how sharp these trainers are that are getting this level two certification. So, with that being said, I want to review a verdict against a personal trainer, because you should be scared as a trainer going through that final destination game. What if a client were to fall and their head bashes into a mirror and then a pipe from the ceiling comes down and it goes through their eye? Dead Client's dead, how are you going to feel Like shit because you left your fucking phone out on the table? Don't do that. Little things like that, always going through passive negligence. What that means is you didn't do it on purpose. Trainers get to show up in a CPT. They're not doing stupid shit like this. You're going to read about here in a second, but you should always be concerned, at least aware of what are worst case scenarios. If a client has high blood pressure and they have a shoulder injury and they didn't sleep well and they're coming off a divorce and you decide to do an AMRAP 135 for 100 reps and they get rhabdomyolysis and they're a beginner well, yeah, you should be held liable and something bad should happen to you, because that's fucking stupid. Stop doing stupid shit, trainers. There needs to be more accountability and we don't see it. Everyone just, oh, get this certification and then you can train wherever you want, whenever you want. Never get your programming checked. You can go out there and do stupid shit, it doesn't matter. You're trying to help people. I'm passionate. Fuck you. We need accountability. We need to raise the bar for the fitness industry and you doubling down on anatomy, soft tissue mobilizations and partnering up with therapists and dieticians. That's exactly what's going to help this industry become more qualified and respected. This is the shit right here that pisses me off. So the action alleged the plaintiff client began personal training in an effort to stay active, as recommended by her physician. The physician had previously performed back surgery on the plaintiff. In the court filings she alleged that she informed the defendant trainer of her condition and was assured by him that he could train her in a safe exercise activities. Given her physical condition from the surgery. She was later injured during her last workout with the personal trainer on March 4, 2008, when she claimed to have suffered severe and permanent injuries to her back. The allegations were made against the personal trainer, where the plaintiff alleged that the trainer recklessly and negligently and carelessly failed to perform proper fitness evaluation of the plaintiff before devising an exercise routine. Devise a safe and proper exercise routine for the plaintiff. Consider the plaintiff's prior injuries and physical condition before preparing for an exercise routine. To conduct a health risk appraisal. To take the necessary and proper steps to minimize the risk of injury to the plaintiff. It's like what do you mean? They didn't do this. All trainers should be doing it. If you are not assessing a client and reviewing their physical activity readiness like holy shit. And here's the best part. The trainer had previously been certified as a strength and conditioning specialist by the NSCA and they had a degree in kinesiology. Apparently, the trainer never had the plan to fill out a medical questionnaire since he felt he knew the client's body quote unquote inside and out. However, he did candidly admit I knew her for a year and a half and I guess I wasn't thinking that maybe I should have her fill this out a medical questionnaire to cover my ass. That's his words. During the pre-trial testimony, the trainer admitted that he had no contract document with the plaintiff and he had not used any medical questionnaire in connection with her training and he had no written records whatsoever of the workouts the client ever participating in. On the day the client was injured, the plaintiff, who weighed 125 pounds, was directed by the trainer to perform sets of burpees, jumping jacks and deadlifts with a 75-pound weight load. Apparently, there was no rest. Each exercise was provided by the trainer. What the fuck are we doing? Burpees, jumping jacks and deadlifts. Look at the programming we teach at Channel Fitness, where, within the CCA, within the Metcons, at the end, we would never approve this. It's not to say burpees are bad or jumping jacks are bad or deadlifts are bad, but in that combo with the client who had back surgery, what the fuck are we doing this for the trial on cross-examination by the plaintiff's lawyer and the trainer admitted to knowing about the ACSM American College of Sports Medicine and the NSCA National Strength and Conditioning Association and their recommendations for having the client fill out medical questionnaire prior to training. However, the trainer admitted despite the recommendations of at least these two respected fitness industry organizations and I love that because in the court of law they go to respected certifications ACSM and NSCA. While the trainer admitted that he should have followed the NSCA recommendations on client medical clearance, he ceased viewing that rule as anything more than a recommendation because he did not keep up with his NSCA certification. So here's what we need to consider. Points to consider while certification as a personal trainer is not a license issued by any government entity, it does provide some evidence of competency. But just because you have that competency, it doesn't mean you can forego the responsibility of keeping records, doing what's in the best interest for the client. You need to be held accountable. I'm glad this fucker got in trouble and the thing that really pisses me off. It's just a little slap on the wrist. The client was awarded $980,000 and you could be thinking that's a lot of money. That's awesome, great for the client. But that could have been avoided. If they're working with a qualified trainer like you, and if you had your level two, you would have a therapist on your team, so it'd be very easy for you to say no. I'm going to take you through a simple assessment today. We're not going to do any crazy squatting, lunging, jumping. I want to see how you move. At any point you feel discomfort, let me know. Have them fill out that medical questionnaire. You notice that this is a red flag. You send it over to your therapist. They then assess them. They send them back to you. They're going to work with me one time a week, but I want them to work with you one or two additional times. Here's what you're not doing. Contraindications A, b, c and D. And then now you implement a safe and effective program with overload, based on the client's goals. Anytime something feels off, you regress it. Now, just because you have the medical clearance from the DPT doctorate of physical therapy, it doesn't mean you go fuck around with a BOSU ball doing burpees and backflips and deadlifts that are inappropriate. So you see, when we talk about that gray area, if you are a great trainer which you are you're listening to this like, yeah, I would never fucking do that. Exactly so, when we do these soft tissue mobilizations, we are not manipulating the joint while we're pressing on the infraspinatus. Let's see how your rotator cuff and labrum hold up while we're doing abductions and jamming a elbow into your infraspinatus. No, we are doing things appropriately within our scope and this certification gives the trainer the skills. We're really excited about this. Show up fitness, changing the fitness industry. One qualified personal trainer at a time. Go to the website, sign up for the level two. You should have a certification. Ideally, you're showing up in the CPT, but we're not being biased. If you have your NASM, your ACE, your ISSA, nsc, acsm, one of the big six, you can then get into the level two. Level up your anatomy programming, corrective exercise strategies with live calls with Josh, katie and Travis I teach mentorship. Every Tuesday we go over building books of business, revenue streams and just any ants that you have going through your mind. Automatic negative thoughts. Danny and mel switch off every other week nutrition one week, social media and client acquisition the next. We are here to help provide a platform in a community for you to be successful. Please hop into the show notes, check out the video from dr stettin slettin, I believe, sorry and then give this sucker a five-star review. Throw this into your story. Let people know if you want to become a qualified personal trainer, you got to show up. Get into that Facebook group Qualified Personal Trainers Community. And lastly, the next in-person two-month October 7th. Next seminars are going to be in Chicago this week. Boston Westwood September 21st and 22nd. Dallas Manfield, august 30th and 31st. That will be our first seminar for a Friday and a Saturday. This is part of our weekend seminar tour with our partnership with Lifetime. They want the best and we're providing the best. Have a great day. Y'all remember big biceps are better than small ones and keep showing up.
