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Old Forum Benefits of certification

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primaliron

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Hi guys first time posting.

I am a young personal trainer and use kettlebells alot with my clients. I love the philosophy and have been using the RKC Strongfirst materials to guide my training for the past 3 years. Before then it was typical teenage uninformed bodybuilding. I have full intentions to get the Strongfirst KB and in the future the BB and BW to . For me to get these certifications it is a huge financial investment for me.

I would just like to hear from some of the already certified instructors what specific benefits they have recieved from the weekends and maybe some advice as to what you would do in the meantime.

 
 
Jamie, many people, including me, will tell you that the 3 days of your SFG cert will be, hands down, the best 3 days of education you've ever received.  You should go for two reasons - first, because you'll learn; second, because you'll be able to place the letters SFG after your name and that means a lot.

In the meantime, plan to take the user course, or at least plan to work with an SFG 1-on-1 periodically.

-S-
 
One of the huge benefits that I have had is that even in a room of other fitness professionals, just understanding the principles that StrongFirst teaches give you a very competitive base of knowledge that others just simply don't have or are really not great at relaying.

Speaking from my own personal experience, the certification weekend are called  instructors courses for a reason. We are students and teachers of strength. It shows in the way you will coach after the weekend.

I second Steve's suggestion of getting to a user coach or working with a SFG in person. Feel free to hit any of us here on this Forum or any of the SFG groups on Facebook would be a great place to connect with people as well.

On another personal note, after you earn your SFG here's what I would suggest you do.

1) Put on your instructor shirt

2) Get your manual and put it next to your computer

3) Find this thread

4) Answer your question as an SFG who was asked the same thing in person.

5) Realize that it's not the destination, it's the journey

 

Now go get strong brotha!
 
Thank you guys for the responses.

4 ) is an awesome idea. I look forward to doing that in the future
 
Being a StrongFirst instructor also means you learn to look deeper and not see a kettlebell as merely a tool, you see the concepts behind the tool and the movements with the tool.

 

Let us know if you have any other questions :)
 
To piggyback on what others have said, as a young, relatively inexperienced trainer, the three things that are going to enable you to get better are reading, working with excellent teachers/coaches, and experience (both in your own training  and athletic accomplishment, and in time spent teaching others).

It's been said that experience is a hard teacher because you take the test first and learn the lesson afterwards. Reading and working with excellent teachers and coaches helps the tests go better and makes it easier to learn the lessons.

In the meantime, IMO, the biggest thing you might get from the cert that you can sort of approximate on your own is paying attention to detail. Before going through the cert (in the RKC days) there were a lot of fine points in the books and videos that I either knew were important, but was sloppy about implementing, or whose importance I did not fully appreciate, or which I had completely overlooked. Even after the cert, it is easy to get sloppy unless you consciously review and do things to keep yourself honest (such as watching yourself on video).

Making every rep and every set you do a learning experience for yourself will help you recognize problems your clients may be having and how to correct them.

 

 
 
Thanks for the awesome answers guys. This is the stuff I was after.

I feel I am on the right track with regards to reading, watching and learning from those doing what I would like to. I have everything Pavel and Dan John has put out and my collection of books grows by the week.

I must say this is this most gentlemanly forum I have ever been a part of and long may it stay that way.
 
Target date would more than likely be next year unless I have a financial windfall before then. I have been steadily progressing with KBs for a few years now and have built upto pressing the 40kg with each arm at a BW of 80kg, have completed the snatch test in under 5 mins and am comfortable with using doubles for the technique side of the testing.

It is the nuances, the atmosphere, meeting like minded people and achieving the standards set by Strongfirst that excite me to get the instructor cert.

 

 

 

 
 
You are going to be more than fine. Look forward to seeing this post updated accordingly when the time comes

 
 
Benefits? No more "trial-error", but "system-success" -  top coaching under the guidance of StrongFirst Masterminds, interconnected "simplex" system, 80-20 exercise selection, programming 101, community, family. Do it.
 
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