CFP review

by Amanda
(Ontario, Canada)

There is no way that a person should be able to become a certified personal trainer in this amount of time.
I took the course and while the information covered in the course was pertinent, a weekend is not enough time to cover everything that one needs to know to be a successful personal trainer. You need to spend hours studying to be prepared enough to complete the written exam and many more hours (20 minimum is suggested) in preparation for the practical exam.

During the PTS course, there was no discussion on how to be successful as a PT. I was told by the instructor that the actual percentage of those that attend the class and then go through to become personal trainers is less than 20%. That's a pretty low percentage. If CanFitPro wanted their 'students' to succeed why wouldn't they put measures in place to achieve this?

I'm in opinion, CanFitPro is just a money grab. And why wouldn't it be? There are no laws in place for what they can and cannot do. They can charge whatever they like, teach whatever they want and govern themselves. Until this profession becomes regulated by the government it is going to be lacklustre, obscure and gouge the pockets of anyone it can.

If you are really serious about getting into the health/fitness industry take the time to do your research about all the options out there and be realistic. Can you become something great overnight? No, it takes time. Be wise, invest in yourself and attend a government recognized and registered institution.

CanFitPro PTS

by Deborah Bianchi

I took the PTS course Sep/10. I feel there was too much information to cover in such little time. The instructor was great but at times had to rush through chapters because there was a shortage of time. There was also not enough practical especially for someone like me who has never worked out at a gym with machines. I have always done personal and group training at studios. There was also not enough time spent of spotting and setting up machines. If there is a brief course on the above noted subjects I would be interested.

CanFitPro PTS Certification

by Tom
(Calgary, Canada)

The CanFitPro certification course is an excellent program that covers everything you need to know to become a personal trainer. As it is a shorter course its graduates are not experts in their field, and should seek other certifications as well as a university degree in kinesiology or something similar if they wish to make training a career.

I feel that this course offers the most to those who already have a strong understanding of nutrition and how to train the body, such as bodybuilders and other athletes, and who need certification to train others.

My Take On Can-Fit-Pro

by D
(Alberta)

I think Can-Fit-Pro is a business first and foremost. This is not a crime, but it can alienate people. I appreciate the fact that it allows for an entry level first-hand experience in the industry. For me this gave me the opportunity to work in a gym to get training experience before committing to years of school for a degree. I know too many people who went to school for a degree to find it out it was the wrong field for them. So I think that is okay.

Can-Fit-Pro certification seems okay for trainers who already have a decent grasp on fitness concepts, and it does teach some basics that a person should know to be an effective trainer. It is not an advanced certification by any means and has a very narrow range of clients a person can work with. These individuals should be apparently healthy people between the ages of 18 and 65.

I thank Can-Fit-Pro for the chance it gave me to enter the profession and work in a health club setting, before starting my own training business. Running my own business I found the narrow scope of practice quite restrictive and I really wanted to give my clients more.

My main complaint with Can-Fit-Pro is the way they go about continuing education. It is not that I have a problem with continuing education, I actually think any cert that does not require some is crap, the problem is that they want to get a kick back for every continuing education credit (CEC). I had never had a problem keeping up CEC's with in-house training workshops that were put on by the health club, or attending Can-Fits courses while I ran my business, but when I decided to go to school for an exercise science diploma they would not recognize my accredited learning hours unless I paid them an additional $40 per CEC I needed. They said it was a customary processing fee to ensure that my courses qualified for CEC's. I suppose they need to do what they need to do to verify for themselves that other courses are acceptable, but I was floored by the fact that I could sit through shotty workshops and learn little to nothing and continue on my way, but higher learning is only recognized with dollars in their pocket.

All the best to fellow fitness enthusiasts seeking to find their way in this evolving industry.

Can Fit NO

by Lori Murray
(Whitby Ontario)

I think it's absolutely ridiculous that GoodLife Fitness has ANYTHING to do with certification of fitness professionals. It should be completely separate entities. I found CanFit was not a challenge at all, that it was "highschool" and that it is simply a money grab as I've known people who got certified without having even worked out much in their own lives! Crazy!