Fifth Series of ‘100 Seconds with 100 Personal Trainers’ — This time we picked two personal trainers who also healthcare professionals!
Sean Lee
NSCA – CSCS, IMU – Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chiropractic, ACE – CPT, Poliquin Group – Poliquin Performance Specialist Level 2
Chiropractor, Personal Trainer
Why did you go for fitness certification courses? When did you get certified?
I was certified in 2009. When I first started on my own training, there was too many contradicting information in fitness and training. . I have been experiencing consistent gain along the journey of my own training and was able to share some tips about fitness to people around me. However, I knew I was missing out some parts of the puzzle. To clear up my doubts and make sure I have gotten the most updated scientific information on training, I then decided to invest in a fitness certification.
Were you actively involved in fitness before getting certified?
Not really, pretty much just weight training myself.
What is your view at chiropractor to pursue fitness education?
It will definitely provide chiropractors more insight in giving out exercising advice to their patients. For instance, the in depth understanding of exercise regression and progression will be a very valuable asset for chiropractors when they are working with patients who train or when they need to offer some rehab program.
Sean Lee back in years ago
What are the advantages did you experienced compared to your classmate, by being a chiropractor, while you were doing the course?
Certain subject in the chiropractic degree was easier for me as I already had prior knowledge before taking them. For instance, the exercise module, parts of biomechanics module and nutrition.
Also, I am very comfortable to discuss about exercise with my patients, especially those who are regular gym goers, ‘crossfitters’ or athletes. There is always something that you can improve in patients exercise program or exercise technique. When patients pull out terms like squats, deadlift, bench presses and so forth, I am very comfortable discussing it with them as these are the exercises that I perform on a regular basis.
To clear up my doubts and make sure I have gotten the most updated scientific information on training, I then decided to invest in a fitness certification.
In your opinion, what are the characteristic of a good PT? Who is your role model in fitness?
In my opinion, a good personal trainer is someone who is open minded and willing to learn. Once you stop learning, you will fall behind the industry in a short time. He/she should also walk the talk and be a role model to their clients. Without actually going through the fitness journey yourself, the trainer won’t be able to understand the challenges and obstacles that his/her clients are facing. A good trainer need to constantly updating his/her fitness knowledge by attending seminar/workshop at least once a year. If he/she does not have a coach, then he/she should be constantly taking courses to improve themselves.
With all of the above, you then need the attitude of keen to help. We are in a profession that our job scope is to help people to achieve their goals. You need to be eager to find out what is their obstacles that they are facing in the fitness journey and presents solutions and alternatives to them. Finally, it’s always good for a trainer to look beyond fitness for “solution”. For instance, if your clients are constantly having difficulty in squatting with full range of motion, it might be that his/her lower back or sacroiliac joint is having restrictions which need manual therapy (for example, chiropractic adjustment) to correct those issues. If you are not comfortable to look beyond what you know for solution, you might not be able to help them to achieve their potential. There are still lots of traits that a good personal trainer should possess. But these are the few ones that I think it is important.
I look up to Charles Poliquin in the fitness industry. I like his way of using holistic approach to achieve fitness goals. He often looked into areas like biomechanics, hormonal dysfunction, nutrition and training philosophy to enhance client’s performance.
Dharvin Chalong Pillay
ACE CPT, Diploma in Physiotherapy at Masterskill University College, Rehab Trainer
Physiotherapist, Personal Trainer
Why did you go for fitness certification courses?
It is because, after few years of being a physiotherapist, I came to the realization that we physiotherapist (generally most of us) treat patients but do not train them. Hence, there is a gap that needed to be bridged between the physiotherapist and the patients. Especially those who require further attention after their rehab sessions. The knowledge that I have acquired from the courses gives me the opportunity to fulfil my patients’ goals even after their rehab.
Were you actively involved in fitness before getting certified?
No, I wasn’t actively involved in fitness but I used to train on my own and applied certain knowledge I obtained from being as a physiotherapist into my training personally and also with my patients.
I have gone from just treating my patients to treating and training them.
What is your view at physiotherapist to pursue fitness education?
I think it’s a great way to upgrade ourselves and it will also benefit our patients by providing them a holistic approach (both rehab and training rather than just rehab alone).
What are the advantages did you experienced compared to your classmate, by being a physiotherapist, while you were doing the course?
It was easier for me to understand the basic subjects in class e.g anatomy, biomechanics and physiology since it has been already covered in the first year of my physiotherapy school. Another plus point was I had already been a physiotherapist for 3 years and the experience of treating patients gives me an extra leverage on top of that.
Being a physiotherapist, how Personal Trainer Development Program course help you in your career?
There has been a tremendous change in terms of my knowledge and career path. I have gone from just treating my patients to treating and training them. This helped me to bridge the gap of what I knew that was present all this while. The my personal satisfaction is, not only have I managed to solve my patients condition but also educate and train them so that they don’t get injured all over again.
To Sean and Dharvin: Again thank you for your time for this interview. FITM wishes you all the best in your future!
Previous ‘100 Seconds with 100 Personal Trainers’ Series:
- Debut
- Bartender and Psychology Student
- Transformation: Female Bankers to Coaches
- Engineering People’s Lives
Related post:
Personal Trainer – To Be Or Not To Be?
Fitness Career Talk: Your Pathway Toward PT & GX Career!
Related Course Information
Personal Trainer Development Programme (PTDP)
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