As a NASM-certified Personal Trainer and a NPCP-certified Pilates instructor, I have to do continuing education. This is a good thing. I love learning new stuff and my clients get fresh things to do.
However, I do bitch about my homework and sometimes about the structure of my continuing education courses. The point of all this education is to serve clients, to help them get to their goals, and to keep them safe. I love all the nitty-gritty bits and even the random factoids. However, super technical definition questions on the quizzes and tests do not help me train my clients better.
It is theoretically possible that one of my clients will ask me to explain the difference between bound water and bulk water in connective tissue, but I doubt it. The practical application of the difference is to ensure that we stay hydrated. That’s something I’ll tell my clients. (OK, fine. Bound water in connective tissue is in liquid crystalline formation, which increases viscosity, thereby promoting flexibility and elasticity. Bulk water is the rest of the water in the tissue; when there is inflammation or edema, the proportion of polluted bulk water in the fascia is larger. Happy now?)
What I want in my education is practical, useful stuff for my clients. I love some academic details, but those aren’t what make me a good trainer or instructor. Test me on what matters, people!
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