The Fitness Tip Jar... Certifications

In theory, many fitness professionals support the new move for our certifying organizations to gain accreditation. In case you have not a clue as to what I am talking about, let me explain.

"The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is the accreditation body of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). The NCCA accreditation serves as a benchmark on how organizations should conduct certification."

You should memorize that verbatim, because what it means, if you can remember it, is that if you are certified by one of the recently accredited certifying organizations, you now have more credibility because you are certified by an accredited certifying organization.

Got that?

Yes, finally we can proudly say that we are not just certified, but that we are certified by an organization that is accredited - and that should give us some real clout, right? So now that we have increased credibility and clout, does that mean we will finally get increased pay?

There was certainly a lot of buzz about accreditation at the ECA convention the year it all started, but I could not completely follow it because all I'd had to eat was a few protein bar slivers. But I did manage to pick up the fact that some of the smaller and specialty certification program providers were not happy.

Seems like I also gathered that presenters were also concerned - something about providing real content in workshops and getting it approved - or they as presenters have to be approved or accredited - I'm not sure, because my mind started to focus on getting a $10 sandwich.

But I DO know that certifying organizations have NEVER given credits for just choreography workouts, even though that's what most of us go to conventions for in the first place. There must be real content and real education going on in a workshop - not just some dancin' around - if you are going to be re-certified!

I have kept up my certification by attending workouts workshops, but I took my actual certification test a few years ago, and will admit that when I really need to refer to the various planes, I still have to look up the difference between the frontal plane, sagital plane and the... other... plane.

Wait! Let me look it up in my 1987 copy of the instructor manual that has a sticker on it that says "ACE formerly" stuck directly over "International Dance-Exercise Association (IDEA) Foundation"...the transverse plane!

What I am wondering on a personal basis, as one who is now certified by an accredited certifying organization, will I be grandfathered in? I'm still good, right? I sure hope so! I've spent about 60 classes over the last 15 years to pay late fees to keep my certification current so I wouldn't have to ever test again!

And what does all this mean for non-accredited certifications? Does it mean that you CAN'T teach your yoga, pilates, or Thomas the Promise kick-boxing class because your certifications are not accredited?

Look, most of these smaller certifying organizations are run by people just like us - they know that you can't make a living just teaching classes. So they have made it their real job to put together certifications to give us what we really need to know to teach a specialty class - and at a fair price that we can afford without any further damage to our feet.

Some are even providing us this ability to venture into new programming without having to spend 100 classes to attend a conference by allowing us to get certified on-line.

But honestly, I never cease to be amazed by all the charity workers in our profession who, just because they're not making anything as a group fitness instructor, begrudge those that have turned their love for fitness into a real job. Comments are often posted in forums that decry any new product, program or idea that will hopefully give us something fresh, as a "money-making" scheme - like it's a crime to actually make money in fitness.

Just because we are the bottom feeders in the industry, we should not be so hard on those that are working their butts off and still struggling to make a living to pay their bills, like we are - or our husbands are... unless you're that person living in the '72 Chevy under the bridge.

Let's face it, as far as certifications in group fitness are concerned, as long as you can tell people you're certified - heck, even just "trained" - isn't that enough for former couch potatoes who are just realizing that a grapevine is not the remnants of an healthy afternoon snack?

So if this increased credibility does not lead to an increase in pay - I won't hold my breath because the Valsalva Maneuver might invoke a sudden increase in my diastolic (or is it systolic?) blood pressure - do we need to form a group fitness instructor union, or what? Or would that just be more classes to teach for more fees that we'd have to pay?

Okay, I am finally reaching my point, my grand idea to improve our lot in life, and hopefully move us up on the food chain, or at least out from under the bridge. We may still continue to be the fitness bottom feeders, but our feet may appreciate the concept.

The Fitness Tip Jar - continued: The Fitness Tip Jar... the solution?

Fitness Tip Jar - Introduction
Fitness Tip Jar - What It Costs to be a Group Fitness Instructor
Fitness Tip Jar - Why We Settle to do Charity Work
Fitness Tip Jar - Certifications and Options
Fitness Tip Jar - The Solution?