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Off-Topic Certification Recommendations

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John K

John K

Level 8 Valued Member
Certified Instructor
Hello,

I recently have decided to change careers from doing something that brings me no joy and a great deal of stress to working in the health and fitness world. My goal is to help folks improve their Physical and Mental health through physical fitness.

So after much thought and discussion with my wife, I embarked on the path to getting a Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification.

I also would like to get my personal training cert (more for employment/insurance reasons) and a kettlebell cert. The latter is mostly why I’m posting this. I know of two - RKC and SFG1.

Obviously this is a SFG forum so there’ll most likely be a bias, but I was hoping some of y’all could share some of the similarities and differences between the two CERTIFICATIONS (being very clear here) and why I might chose one over the other.

I am looking at three things -
1. How it would better me to perform movements
2. How it would better prepare me to teach the movements
3. How it would it better attract business

If there additional considerations, please feel free to chime in on what I may be overlooking.

Certifications are expensive, both in terms of time and money, so I want to carefully choose where I allocate my resources.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
 
A few thoughts, in no particular order.

Many of us here, me included, know that the RKC is the name of the program we all started with, but I haven’t paid any attention to what they do since StrongFirst started in the fall of 2012. I personally am completely unqualified to answer your question.

The other thing to say is that if you were interested in having trainer insurance, and/or working at the commercial gym, you will probably need a more “mainstream” certification like one from the national strength and conditioning association or similar. This in addition to your kettlebell instructor certification.

-S-
 
Congratulations on your career move! You picked a challenging time...

I also do not not know any specifics of RKC cert. My impression is that you'll learn similar things, so I don't know if you'll see much difference in your #1 and #2 above. #3 there could be a difference, but again I suspect not a lot... referrals from the site are likely to be less than the business you generate locally... and the business you generate locally won't know the difference.

I think the more relevant question is "What organization do you want to align yourself with?" I recommend StrongFirst.

I also second Steve's recommendation for a mainstream cert. I did NASM-CPT, and I get my trainer liability insurance pretty cheap through one of their affiliates.
 
+1 to all of this.

Like many, I started training in the system back in the RKC days, and made the decision to continue my education with StrongFirst because of Pavel and the leadership. I don't have any experience with today's RKC, though I follow many great instructors on IG. But I can't comment on the differences now.

For me, it was simple. I wanted to be part of an evolving system that cuts across kettlebell, barbell, and bodyweight modalities, and I trusted that Pavel and the StrongFirst leadership would be the ones on the cutting edge.

Given what I've been able to personally be involved with in just the last 3 years including StrongFirst Foundations, Strong Endurance, Q&D, S&S 2.0, Second Wind, Plan Strong, Built Strong, StrongFirst Resilient, and so many other advancements including now, Olympic Lifting... I'm 100% convinced it was the right decision.
 
What everyone else said except I have no experience with RKC, and my two cents added.
Consistent training since age 12, high level athletics, 29 yrs. personal training ( self-employed 27 yrs. ) ACSM health/fitness cert in 92.
A lot of experience with many types of training and had some excellent strength coaches along the way.
Around 2012-13 figured I could teach myself KB's. Borrowed a 24, practiced for a bit, bought a 32, practiced, bought another 32, then 2 24's
Things going well, but would jack my back from time to time. No Big deal. Christmas vacation 2015-16, teaching extended family KB's,
Jack my back again . Family looking at me funny. Maybe my form is off. I googled Pavel to check my form. Notice he left RKC and started
StrongFirst. Noticed there was a SFG I cert. in Tucson ( I live in Phx.) in exactly 30 days, February something. I sign up.

True Story: Twenty minutes into day 1, after introductions and other blah blah, Zar Horton asks Jeremy Layport to demo 5 two hand swings.
Layport does demo and sets bell down.
Talking to myself, " Oh, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and I'm surprised I have not killed anyone (I'd been teaching bells to clients) or broke my own back and my swings do not look like that and I would have paid the 1599 for that demo and I'm glad I'm here."

Get your StrongFirst certs. and you will need a nationally recognized fitness cert or two IF you go to a chain glo bo etc.
 
@Coyotl

I am a career changer myself. After spending 11 years with FedEx as a driver and Ops Manager, I transitioned to personal training at Equinox Fitness Clubs in 2010.

Here is the path I took with certs and education (I already had my BA in Business Management):

1) PT certification (ACE Fitness) - 2010
2) CPR - 2010
3) StrongFirst SFG1 - 2014
4) Precision Nutrition - 2015
5) CSCS (NSCA) - 2015
6) FMS - 2016

Accessory certs: PlanStrong, Original Strength, TRX, Animal Flow, Pre/Post Natal, Kettlebell Athletics
 
Chrisdavisjr said:
I'd argue that that's the most important qualification of all.
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I would agree (says one with BA in Business-MIS and an MBA). One MUST have a business mindset to make a living at it, especially if you're owning the operation. Enthusiasm and skill and qualification are not enough, unfortunately.
 
In my personal opinion the order needs to be:

1. Degree in Kinesiology
2. your Country's governing body cert (CSEP in Canada, ACSM/NSCA/I think a few others exist in US)
3. CPR/First Aid
4. FMS

The first two for industry credibility, the third for health and safety, and the fourth because assessing and improving movement quality is the foundation of all other assets.
 
I respectfully disagree with the notion that one needs a business college degree in order to succeed as a personal trainer. If one works for a large outfit, they handle the business side of things; if one can afford to be patient in getting started, the word about quality spread with nothing more than a nice web site, a FB page, and participation in the life of your locality.

-S-
 
Steve Freides said:
I respectfully disagree with the notion that one needs a business college degree in order to succeed as a personal trainer. If one works for a large outfit, they handle the business side of things; if one can afford to be patient in getting started, the word about quality spread with nothing more than a nice web site, a FB page, and participation in the life of your locality.

-S-
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I agree Steve. I've hired,developed,and managed several groups of training staff for several different types of facilities and some of the best launched nice careers with a basic cert.
 
Mike Torres said:
+1 to all of this.

Like many, I started training in the system back in the RKC days, and made the decision to continue my education with StrongFirst because of Pavel and the leadership. I don't have any experience with today's RKC, though I follow many great instructors on IG. But I can't comment on the differences now.

For me, it was simple. I wanted to be part of an evolving system that cuts across kettlebell, barbell, and bodyweight modalities, and I trusted that Pavel and the StrongFirst leadership would be the ones on the cutting edge.

Given what I've been able to personally be involved with in just the last 3 years including StrongFirst Foundations, Strong Endurance, Q&D, S&S 2.0, Second Wind, Plan Strong, Built Strong, StrongFirst Resilient, and so many other advancements including now, Olympic Lifting... I'm 100% convinced it was the right decision.
Click to expand...

You make a great point. I have taken all the SF courses and use all the modalities in a complementary way. TSC is a good example of well rounded strength and fitness with all modalities. However, I wish SF would integrate them all even more explicitly in the print materials at least in principles: tension in one OAPU to irradiation to wedging your DL etc. I like the principles-based approach but it takes a while for the non-instructor to connect all the dots in their training.
 
@guardian7, I cannot speak for everyone at StrongFirst, but I do know that we want each entry point - kettlebell, barbell, bodyweight - to be self-sufficient, the application of the principles in a way that doesn't require learning another modality. That kind of precludes integrating them more in the course, certs, and printed materials, but the connection becomes apparent to anyone who takes up a second modality - the principles are the same, and can be widely applied.

As to connecting the dots, that's what we have our certified instructors for, to teach these things to their students.

-S-
 
Steve Freides said:
@guardian7, I cannot speak for everyone at StrongFirst, but I do know that we want each entry point - kettlebell, barbell, bodyweight - to be self-sufficient, the application of the principles in a way that doesn't require learning another modality. That kind of precludes integrating them more in the course, certs, and printed materials, but the connection becomes apparent to anyone who takes up a second modality - the principles are the same, and can be widely applied.
Click to expand...

I definitely found this to be true, and I've taken all of the 1-day courses and the 2- and 3-day certs for barbell, kettlebell, and bodyweight.
 
The best example of the connection between the modalities is in the new 4-hour Foundations workshop. We teach the hardstyle plank, barbell deadlift, KB swing, and push-up - no experience required. And it all starts and ends with first principles. Highly recommended for anyone interested in StrongFirst, but not ready to do a 3-day cert. It sounds crazy, but if you haven’t experienced this type of event, you will walk away much stronger after 4 hours.
 
Mike Torres said:
The best example of the connection between the modalities is in the new 4-hour Foundations workshop. We teach the hardstyle plank, barbell deadlift, KB swing, and push-up - no experience required. And it all starts and ends with first principles. Highly recommended for anyone interested in StrongFirst, but not ready to do a 3-day cert. It sounds crazy, but if you haven’t experienced this type of event, you will walk away much stronger after 4 hours.
Click to expand...

That is a great idea. I don't think sticking to one modality is optimal for the general population (sufficient but not optimal). I thought kettlebells were all I needed until I took the bodyweight and barbell SF course (and read Barbell Prescription). Focusing on the principles, breathing etc. is a great approach.
 
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