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Feb 27, 2007 9:22 am US/Mountain
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CBS4 Investigates Personal Trainers Qualifications
DENVER (CBS4) ―
With no requirements for personal trainers in Colorado to be licensed or have certifications, a CBS4 Investigation found that what consumers get from a personal trainer depends on where they go. There are qualifications personal trainers should have, according to experts CBS4 interviewed.
CBS4 went into several health clubs in Colorado and found different answers about what it takes to become a personal trainer.
One employee said: "just take a class." Another said you could take an online course and be a trainer at her gym.
One gym manager said "we have an intern and she's in a program to get certified but she isn't certified yet."
Marc Rabinoff is a professor of adult fitness and exercise science at Metropolitan State College of Denver. He has testified as a forensic expert in 300 lawsuits involving physical fitness injuries, about 70 of those involved personal trainers.
"People are getting hurt all the time," he said.
Rabinoff has been working on a case in Michigan where a lung doctor named Barry Lesser had a personal trainer who did intense stretching exercises on his neck. His attorney said the exercises severed Lesser's carotid artery and caused a massive stroke.
Lesser has trouble answering simple questions. He's suing the trainer and Bally's Fitness. A spokesperson for the fitness chain told CBS4 the company prefers not to comment on the case.
In New York City, Anne Marie Capati, 37, also had a stroke. Hers was deadly.
"The doctor said, 'somebody wrote on the intake sheet that your wife was taking Ephedra, are you aware of that?' I don't even know what that is," said Capati's husband, Doug Hanson.
Ephedra is a stimulant that Capati's personal trainer told her to take. That was a dangerous move for someone like Capati who had high blood pressure. Her family sued Crunch Fitness in Manhattan and won a settlement for an undisclosed amount.
"Do you think personal trainers should know CPR," CBS4 asked.
"Every personal trainer should know CPR," answered Rabinoff.
CBS4's hidden camera found many personal trainers don't know CPR.
"There's usually a nurse or somebody in here (laughter)," said one trainer. "There's usually enough people who know it that we're covered," she added.
Rabinoff said people should ask about a trainer's education. He recommended working with someone who has a college degree in sports science or a related field. They should also have certifications from respected organizations.
Rabinoff said people should ask to speak to three clients that someone has trained in the last 6 months. Find out if they have trained someone with your specific needs. And watch them work out with someone else before signing on the dotted line.
Additional Resources
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