STAYING ON TOP OF CONTINUED EDUCATION

Staying On Top of Continued Education

Strategies to not be overwhelmed.

By: Eric Bugera

• The pace of information entering the continued education space can be daunting.

• Refining your consumption to credible sources and most importantly – actionable content – can declutter your education.
• Ask yourself, “What can I do with this information?”

The Problem

Continued education is a huge market in the fitness industry, primarily because no single certification, degree, or competition can impart all of the knowledge that your clients might need. Depending on your background, trying to parse through the incredible amount of resources available to you on the internet may feel daunting. An overwhelming amount of content exists – much of which attempts to integrate a more evidence-based approach. The appearance of infographics, citations, and the most up-to-date peer-reviewed research is popping up more and more – even on social media. Here’s what you need to know to stay informed.

The Bigger Picture

Science moves slow – this is by design. What you have personally experienced to get to this point in your own training will provide the foundation to assimilate better information and refine your methods. Any high-level certification worth its salt can be used to not only buff up your credibility (and liability insurance), but it can provide a broader lens with which to view training. This is especially beneficial for younger trainers because there has been only so much time for you to experience training results personally – you should be tempering your knowledge with acquired and experience-based learning styles until such a time where both can collide.

Social media moves fast. What seems new and ground breaking to you may have existed in the training sphere for decades – but rebranding in the name of historical ignorance, clout, or the necessity to remain active can make it seem like rapid changes are happening all around you. 

But remember, science moves slow.

You may have entry level experience, or even a few years under your belt – but social media can make you feel like you’re constantly behind. You can reconcile this overexposure to information by one simple question: 

What can I do with this information?

While you may glean greater insight into anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, or training philosophies as they permeate the industry – what actionable information have you truly been exposed to? Does what you have read affect your sets, repetitions, exercise selection, or training outcomes to any significant degree? Chances are the overwhelming majority of information from credible sources will alter your current methodology by the most subtle of degrees. Do not be shaken. Science moves slow, physical adaptation moves slow, paradigm shifting information rarely exists. You are likely more right than you are wrong – knowledge gaps are simply being filled to help you understand nuance.

The Solution

Continued education is one of the most important aspects of being a coach. It breathes life into your skills and provides the skills necessary for a long and prosperous career. With that in mind, learning to skim through the plethora of courses, textbooks, articles, captions, and “content” should be top priority. Having a deep understanding of your craft is never a bad idea, but that is a refinement process that can span years. When overexposure to information is happening right now, the great equalizer is gains. How does what you’re consuming affect your next workout?

Action items:

• Diversify your educational content amongst numerous resources.
• View each piece of content through the lens of your own training and that of your clients.
• Pluck actionable content for immediate use, or for future use under the correct context.