IDEA
Press Release - IDEA
Personal Fitness Trainer Recognition System Hailed As Industry Breakthrough
 Back to 2003 Press Releases
San
Diego – The IDEA Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT) Recognition
system – an unbiased and impartial professional standard designed to
assess the expertise and experience of personal trainers – has been
identified by John McCarthy, Executive Director of the International
Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), as “an industry
breakthrough.” And he predicts, “the concept, which recognizes the highly
differentiated skill levels of personal trainers, will begin to sweep
the industry.”
Many personal
trainers seem to agree. Over 1,300 trainers from all 50 states and eight
countries now participate in this program. This new industry standard
is designed to benefit consumers seeking qualified personal trainers
as well as trainers working to develop a successful career path.
“Personal
training has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years,
with an estimated 100,000 personal trainers active in the United States
and a training base of more than four million clients,” says Kathie
Davis, Executive Director of IDEA Health & Fitness Association.
“There are, however, two primary problems confronting this profession.
No clear set of industry standards for personal trainers exists and
no career track for either entry level or experienced trainers has been
identified or defined.”
The IDEA
PFT Recognition System addresses these problems by recognizing specific
quality benchmarks for personal trainers who have demonstrated their
commitment to education and/or certification and the highest ethical
standards. The IDEA PFT Recognition System – which has four levels of
achievement – takes into account a trainer's educational background
(certifications, degrees, CPR, CECs, etc.), their years of experience,
their dedication to industry service, their standing among peers and
clients, and their commitment to a code of ethics. Currently, the IDEA
PFT Recognition System recognizes 17 personal trainer certifications
and six personal trainer certificate programs.
All of the participants in the IDEA PFT Recognition System are listed
in The International Personal Trainer Registry, an online database.
Found on IDEAfit.com, this directory is a free-of-charge service to
consumers and allows them to easily identify and contact the world’s
leading personal fitness trainers. Other leading health and fitness
websites as well as many trade and consumer publications have established
links to this online locator.
The
IDEA PFT Recognition System is open to all personal trainers who meet
the criteria, which was developed by the IDEA Personal Trainer Committee,
a group of leading trainers from the United States and Canada. IDEA membership
is not a requirement, however, IDEA members may participate in this program
for free. For trainers who are not IDEA members, the cost is $75 for two
years.
“As a non-aligned
organization that does not certify fitness professionals, IDEA is in a
unique position to administer a program of this nature. For more than
20 years, IDEA has been dedicated to providing continuing education and
promoting high standards for fitness trainers and instructors,” IDEA’s
Davis adds.
To receive
a brochure or an application for the IDEA PFT Recognition System, call
800-9994332, ext. 226 or, e-mail Recognition@IDEAfit.com
or, visit the IDEA website at: www.IDEAfit.com.
IDEA is
the world's leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals
with more than 19,000 members in over 80 countries. Since 1982, IDEA has
provided health and fitness professionals with pertinent information,
educational opportunities, career development programs and industry leadership
while helping them enhance the quality of life worldwide through safe,
effective fitness and healthy lifestyle programs. For more information
on IDEA events, publications, educational products, member services or
other activities, visit the IDEA website at: www.IDEAfit.com.
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