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Old Forum Contention - Abolish "Exercise Science" Degree

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Christine, I think you are right.  I did an internship with a trainer/PT when I was considering to be a PT and he recommended I look into studying in Australia.  He said he thought their studies were more advanced and had more scope in their practice.

Russell, I've taken two intro physics courses and I am still bad enough at physics that I don't understand stuff like lever arms and cannot understand that stuff with weightlifting.  Maybe you are right it could be cool to take a kickass ciriculum based in a lot of the intro sciences biology, physics, anatomy, physiology, movement.

Russell I think one reason that academics surrounding strength and conditioning is so bad is that its really hard to hold trainers accountable because it is a complex and open system.  If a trainee doesn't gain strength the trainer can just say, "we were focusing on core functional strength not big muscle."  If a trainee doesn't gain fitness it's, "he wasn't sleeping enough at night how can he expect to gain fitness my program was fine."  If a person doesn't gain strength its "he was playing his sport so much all I could do was help him maintain strength."  If a person doesn't increase his squat its "we were focusing on quick feet in ladder drills that will translate to field play much more."

 

I mean the only way you can really hold a trainer accountable for good training is if the trainer wants to hold himself accountable and that is so rare.  If people learn on national level its good to lift heavyweights and you get standard goals like Pavel is trying to implement here like bodyweight barbell press for strength, snatch test strength and fitness, that would be great imo.
 
I am very curious and look at differents Colleges in USA, in sports medecine and applied sciences.
I didn't find any under graduation or graduation in " sports and sciences " covering all the curriculum listed above.
They are graduation but more specifics , sports and nutrition, sports and...
There is no " college " in Australia, and in France, a college is a " high school ", and " hight school " mean the top level in education, ENA,..
Very confusing.
 
Funny one.

I did Sports Science Degree. I thought my Degree was very good, only quarrel really was it would have been good to have some hands on experiance with some of the modules. Modules covered such topics as bad and good chat up lines, how to minimise hangovers and some were about biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports nutrition, Sports Psychology.

Most people in the UK who do sports science degrees are limited in jobs. Generally the main avenue is often in the UK to fall into the PE teacher job area, which to me had no intrest. I worked in the fitness industry as a fitness instructor, personal trainer role and my knowledge of many things, thanks to my Degree put me light years ahead of some of the clowns out there. It wasnt hard really to get a guy pumped up and lookin good, without the use of anabolic agents, though ill admit I knew little about actual strength training.

Most the peps I know, many alot better than me struggled couldnt get jobs in the field and ended up in a completely different field not actually using there Degree. But still a Degree always tells a story. Its a badge of Discipline. A guy/gal as dedicated 3 years of their life to study. It says good things about a person. But regarding jobs there may be more practical degrees out there. But I enjoyed university, enjoyed the course and I dont regret it for a second really. And im glad theres cool Degrees like this out there. After all it is a Science as worthy as any other.
 
Aaron, every graduate and super graduate are struggling in Europe, in France, in UK, whatever the studies.
In Australia, the opposite, not enough graduate and it is quite easy to have a
working permanent visa for " special skills ", and graduate level in Sports are in the list of " specials skills ".
Studies are very expensive here, not in France and don't know in UK, and I don't know if most of the Australians prefer to study or work quite young with a certificate. But, Australia need graduates people, whatever the age, to work at the head of big enterprises or organizations.
I would like to come back in Europe with my family, but know very well how hard is to find a good job.
In Australia, everything in Fitness is " new ", but no qualified trainers, it is a huge problem. The best are coaching Professionals Team, but if you are not an athlete and rely on a personal trainer, you have 80 % of clients injured by
this Personal Trainers certified in 3 months and with only 2 hours/ week of " anatomy " and 6 hours of practice, 2000 $ for this course in a Tafe or on line,
as long you have paid you pass...plenty of good jobs in Sports in this country.
 
Here is another angle.

Is the time and cost of a degree, worth it in the log term?

I recently read about a lady that incurred $300,000 student loan debt, to become a veteranarian.  Because the industry has so many Vets, the average starting wage is $48,000 a year.  That's alot of time and money, for that kind of income.

A person can do the SFG, FMS, some other recognised personal training cert, and be making money way sooner and with way less debt.  I'm not saying it's not beneficial, but is it really worth it?
 
Christine, ye from when I was at uni 7 years ago degree prices have tripled in the UK. The last goverment had this bright idea to get everybody going university, I wouldnt say that it had anything to do with getting lots of students into loads of Debt for finacial gain and keeping the employment figures down, im not that Cynical, hhhhhmmm. Lots of Graduates which as stated most likely wont get jobs and in lots of debt. Not me I dont do Debt.

Austrailia seems the place to be for the Fittness industry. Personal training unless your in rich areas of the UK is a no go in the most . Then others way one could make money is  by doin dumass exercise classes like spinning or there are poor a#@ Kettlebell instructors doin exercise classes everywhere, not the Strongfirst guys and gals one of the few organisations  doin it right.   The fitness industry mostly makes me sick these days and as with many of the people in it.Even when I go the Gym, its hard to not get sucked into the insanity that goes on around me.
 
" ... I’ve taken two intro physics courses and I am still bad enough at physics that I don’t understand stuff like lever arms and cannot understand that stuff with weightlifting."

Does anyone else find it ironic that the OP does not understand how increased lever arms can cause low-back injury/pain yet wants to abolish those academic programs that teach this?  Interesting.

-Al
 
Aaron,
Very easy if you are UK to work in Australia and in your field.
People are nice and the weather also in Western Australia. A lot of space. I love this state but miss my family.
Never met one UK not happy to live in Australia !!!
The same, the fitness industry make me sick, I can't say a PT must be graduate, but a minimum...
Of course, they don't last, for 2000$ they can work and charge between 60 and 100$/ hour.
They give up because they must get up too early and work during the week end.
It is a perpetual turnover. Fitness Australia can't investigate and solve all
the complains, too busy.
Same as Brett Jones, how can you have a certification in Sports or Fitness " online " without any practice ???
Daniel, I agree with this PT trying to find anything to tell clients why they don't have results, and definitively not talking of the same " sports and sciences " studies.



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You all understand why " my written English " is no good ! I don't " need " to have a good English to work in my field ! As long as I am understood, it is enough, and prefer to train and read this forum when I am off !!!
Aaron, I am waiting for you to open the first " StrongFirst " school of strength !!! In down under !!!
 
Christine, the prospect of a warm country certainly sounds very appealing. As for Strongifirst ill be the first to admit with regards to Kettlebells Im a novice. I work in a enforcement capacity now but will admit the passion for health and fitness is still there.Thats the trouble with people they all just want the quick fix, with the Kettlebell and strength training it requires one to be patient. You rush with kettlebells and you looking for an injury fast, im coming the belief that one should maybe put in 12 months of swings and heavy getups before they even think about snatching and cleaning and pressing.  But finding such good discipline and focus in people is a fair quality.
 
I must agree, Aaron, too many instructors are using the kettlebells in a wrong way, clients are not getting stronger but weaker because injured.
Despite years in Strength training, just certified DD last year, I still feel novice, the more I learn, the more I realize how I have to learn and train.
I use the kettlebells today only for my personal training, with barbells and body weights exercises, sprints in intervals and easy
I also don't trust in kettlebells for the average clients in PT sessions, they are not ready to train hard, not motivate enough...anyway, I am not fitness trainer, so, I could be wrong.
Australian government are looking for " skilled " people in various field, could be the only country of the word !
 
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