Learning is a Life Long Journey, just like Health & Wellness
Professional growth and development can be achieved through a variety of ways: continuing education, listening to credible podcasts, reading peer reviewed articles, client feedback, and having a mentor are just a few of the ways that Measure Backwards uses to stay current with the health and fitness industry. Similar to many others, the health and fitness industry is constantly evolving due to new findings from research, advances in technology, or the latest fitness trends.
At Measure Backwards, we strive to provide a quality coaching experience to each of our clients by using several methods to stay connected with the industry. This is not just something we talk about because it sounds good. When creating our weekly schedules, we prioritize adding professional development into our daily schedules. Whether it is carving out fifteen minutes to read a peer reviewed article or two hours to prepare for an upcoming certification exam, it is a critical component to add into our daily schedules.
This article will help you gain a deeper understanding on a few of the approaches Measure Backwards takes to stay current with the health and fitness industry.
Continuing Education
Although some people have negative opinions about certifications and feel it is more of a money-making scheme by the organizations, Measure Backwards has a different viewpoint. We instead place high value in education to ensure we provide optimal service to our clients by staying knowledgeable in the health and fitness industry.
For health and fitness coaches, education can come from a combination of credible resources such as earning a bachelor’s degree, completing an internship, attending a conference, previous work experience, or obtaining certifications. However, what will separate a decent coach from a rockstar coach is what they will actually do with all of the knowledge once it has been learned. In other words, there are people who focus on the short-term goal by cramming for an exam, passing it, and then forgetting most of the information a day later. And then there are people who focus on the long-term goal by studying weeks prior to the exam, passing it, and continue to use and expand upon the information for the rest of their lives. The team at Measure Backwards focuses on the long-term, not the short-term approach.
Personal Training, Health & Wellness Coach, Group Fitness Instructor, and Medical Exercise Specialist certifications require recertification every two years to help safely and effectively lead people to healthy, long-term change. Fortunately, there are several options to choose from when it comes to receiving credit towards continuing education such as; specialist programs, live workshops/conferences, and webinars.
One of the most common methods to earn continuing education credits is to enroll in a specialist program. There is a wide variety of specialist programs that include topics related to nutrition, functional training, senior fitness, sports performance, and biomechanics. Fitness and health professionals opt to become a specialist to gain the knowledge and skills needed to take their expertise and business to the next level and make a deeper impact on people’s health and well-being. Credible specialist programs are often times created in collaboration with industry-leading experts and partnered with exceptional, like-minded organizations.
Another option is to attend a live workshop or conference that features guest speakers who are fitness industry leaders that will provide cutting-edge training through hands-on workshops to inspire and educate current and aspiring health and fitness professionals. Attending sessions offers professionals the ability to engage in interactive lectures, in-depth discussions, hands-on activities, and an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals in the industry.
Despite a lower amount of credits offered per webinar session, they are still an excellent option for those who may not have the time or flexibility in their schedules to select a specialist program or attend a live workshop. Whether it is live or prerecorded, webinars offer valuable insight and resources that can be used immediately or saved as a reference for a later time.
Regardless of how a fitness professional obtains continuing education credits, Measure Backwards believes this is an excellent way to stay current with the health and fitness industry. Being actively involved in a professional community that shares similar passions and career goals inspires us to become better professionally and personally.
Credible Podcasts
Over the past decade, podcasts have grown in popularity and many credible professionals in the health and fitness industry have established their own podcast series. Not only do these respected individuals share their expertise, but they often times invite guest speakers to have in-depth discussions related to topics pertaining to the health and fitness industry. Listening to podcasts is not only enjoyable, but it can also easily be added into a daily routine.
A large perk of using podcasts as an educational tool is that regardless of how busy life gets, there are always ways to find time to fit into your unique lifestyle. For example, the Measure Backwards team listens to podcasts in the morning while getting ready for the day, driving, meal prepping, or taking a walk outside.
Podcasts created by reliable health and fitness experts offer a more entertaining and convenient style of staying current in the industry while building a community of like-minded individuals.
Peer Reviewed Articles
Social media, daily talk-shows, and Google are not the best options when it comes to finding factual science-based research in relation to the health and fitness industry. Our team at Measure Backwards relies on scholarly articles as a credible resource because there is a rigorous peer-review process that ultimately determines if the article is deemed appropriate.
Additionally, scholarly articles are written by people who have actually spent years studying specific subject matters and then have it reviewed by other people with similar experience. Therefore, you can trust that the information is valid and not purely based on a person’s thoughts and feelings.
Client Feedback
This particular method of how Measure Backwards stays current may be a little surprising to you, but it is 100% true. When we receive client feedback, it enables us to learn about what kind of information is being put out into the world and how we can best serve our clients through proper education. As coaches, we already know which resources are credible, but we understand that the majority of our clients are frustrated and confused by all of the conflicting information about health and fitness.
As a coach, we believe it is our job to not only support you in reaching your goals, but also to share knowledge and have regular conversations about any of the questions you may have. Believe it or not, our clients are one of the best resources we rely on to help us to stay informed and up to date on what kind of information is currently being shared out into the world.
Mentorships
Measure Backwards views a mentor as someone who is strong and trusted that can provide a solid baseline of career support, keep you grounded, and help you remain self-aware throughout your entire career journey. Regardless of your career choice, you will never know everything there is to know and always have the right answers. This is where having a mentor can be highly advantageous to help guide you through challenges and offer advice to help you grow and develop.
By being present and having regular scheduled check-ins with our mentors, we are able to sustain a trusted relationship that will empower us to become stronger health and fitness coaches. We understand that being a mentee, we must also strive to inspire and educate our mentors knowing that one day we will be granted the absolute honor of serving as an impactful mentor.
In Conclusion
Measure Backwards does not solely rely on just one resource when it comes to staying current with the health and fitness industry. Instead, we utilize several credible resources to ensure we are accurately diversifying our knowledge to provide quality information to our clients.
The team at Measure Backwards does not believe in forcing our own personal thoughts and opinions onto our clients. Rather, we believe in sharing all of the information and letting our clients make an informed decision in what they want to believe, think, and feel. Our number one priority as a coach is to support you in reaching your personal goals that align with your core values, not ours.
Our passion for learning and helping others makes it easy for us to incorporate professional development opportunities into our daily routines. Not only is this something we genuinely enjoy doing, but we also understand it is essential when it comes to providing the best service possible to each of our clients.
Is it important for you to work with a coach who places high value in staying current with the health and fitness industry? Do you want a coach who will share credible knowledge, provide resources, and always take the time to answer any of your questions? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, Measure Backwards would love to work with you and look forward to hearing from you!