Honestly the fitness field has become an utter joke.
Many fitness corporations are hiring individuals with only a high school degree and are predicating their entire search criteria on sales experience and communication skills. Individuals who accrue a single personal training certification are calling themselves fitness professionals which is mind boggling to say the least. I also find that many managers have an overtly biased outlook on personal training certifications and place an emphasis on hiring individuals who are certified with the same organization.
Urban Meyer- your profile also lacks credentials, a degree, background, experience or anything else related to getting professionally recognized in the fitness industry.
When it comes down to it, many of the big box gyms do emphasize selling products to clients. That is where the profit margins lie. As in any field, there are good and bad professionals.
I may have only a BS and CPT certification, but I’d pit my strength training, athletic, bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongman lifting experience against any PHD/ Masters degree level Therapist or Doctor.
They can know how to best rehabilitate a muscle with a basic exercise, but I’ll be able to show a person with that healthy muscle how to lift it stronger, faster, and in a myriad of different ways.
There are too many factors to take into account when evaluating the performance of a personal trainer or fitness professional.