What can a CHEK Exercise Coach do for You?
Column #55, 25th October 2008
“Knowledge is not power, applied knowledge is.” Paul Chek, Holistic Health Practitioner. Internationally-renowned clinician Paul Chek is spreading his expertise to the C.H.E.K Exercise Coaches of the world, creating knowledgeable and competent trainers.
Having studied the CHEK approach to health and fitness for a number of years, actually qualifying as an Exercise Coach earlier this year was extremely rewarding. The CHEK Institute is dedicated to delivering high quality education programs for exercise professionals.
More and more, the desire to get in shape and to stay healthy involves enlisting the help of a personal trainer. Dozens of organizations in the fitness industry now issue certifications to personal trainers, promising competency with each one. But which credentials indicate the most applicable knowledge and skill among the group? What makes one certification better than the other? Who gets results
A recent study conducted by UCLA shows that personal trainers with bachelor’s degrees in exercise science rank among the elite, along with those certified by the American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The study also indicates 13 core subjects as the most important to study, including human anatomy, biomechanics, nutrition, exercise, and weight control. To those elite trainers who have completed the C.H.E.K Certification program, this is no surprise.
“Basically, a C.H.E.K Exercise Coach is trained in the analysis of biomechanics,” Jan Carton, C.H.E.K II, told Australian-based Women’s Fitness & Sport Magazine. “Chek practitioning covers strength and conditioning from a very clinical point of view.”
At the C.H.E.K Institute, based in San Diego, CA, founder Paul Chek is setting high standards that must be met by each and every person before they can call themselves C.H.E.K Exercise Coaches. The C.H.E.K Certification program requires, among other things, that a participant hold a certification or degree in an approved field prior to entering the program. In addition, before completing the intensive four-level program, practitioners must submit a written thesis proving critical thinking and effective communication, much like the requirements for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in exercise science.
Most importantly, C.H.E.K Exercise Coach have passed rigorous written and practical exams, showing an in-depth understanding of advanced level functional anatomy and kinesiology. C.H.E.K Exercise Coaches take a holistic approach, treating the body as a whole.
