“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
― Socrates
Remember that spark of passion that led you to your fitness career? Like any fire, it needs tending and nurturing. If the idea of more education elicits painful memories of late-night cramming and pop quizzes, it may be time to reframe, reimagine and rekindle your yearn to learn. It’s time to transform knowledge into power.
It’s no secret that continuing education is vital. In fact, the Pew Research Center found that 87 percent of adults in the workforce acknowledge that “it will be essential or important for them to get training and develop new skills throughout their careers to keep up with changes in the workplace.”
Read on for ways to help you fan the flames—joyfully—with a little extra inspiration from some famous folks along the way.
Knowledge is Power for Your Brain
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
― Henry Ford
First, a little physiology: You need to keep your brain in shape, too.
According to a review in Frontiers in Psychology, much of what we know about the relationship between learning and brain health can be attributed to Marian Diamond, the “mother of neuroplasticity. Her seminal work influenced a paradigm shift for scientists when she first proved that the brain shrinks with impoverishment and grows in an enriched environment at any age
Science also has shown the link between exercise and a healthy brain.
“Brain health is important to everyone,” explains Cody Sipe, PhD. “Indeed, the right kind of exercise can protect against neurodegeneration, the natural decline of brain functions that accompanies aging.” His article on ideafit.com, “Boosting the Brain Health of Older Adults,” is one of many that offers brain-boosting articles to learn from on . And Sipe (offers courses on the subject, too, that shed light on the science of aging and the brain.
Knowledge is Power for Your Career
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”
― Abigail Adams
Okay, so learning is inherently good. But it’s practically important, too, especially if you want to enhance your business. Sherri McMillan, MSc, defines having a thirst for knowledge as one of the key elements to a successful career.
“You can’t do better if you don’t know better!,” she explains. “Learn everything you can about exercise science, nutrition, behavioral change, lifestyle coaching, business and leadership. Attend conferences and workshops, read, listen to podcasts, hire coaches, and find mentors. Learn best practices and stay on the cutting edge so you can be the best in your community.”
That’s just one of the pearls of wisdom from McMillan’s article, “10 ‘Exercises’ to Build a Stronger Career” coming your way in in the Summer issue of IDEA Fitness Journal.
Meantime, here are some resources to get you started now:
- The IDEA® World Convention, July 20–24. This is an investment in your future. Learning is amazingly fun at this event, also known as the “Super Bowl of Fitness,” as you choose from 250+ sessions presented by 170 subject matter experts. Special pricing is still available, and you can earn up to 24 CECs, with opportunities for more in pre- and post-event Intensives.
- Brand-new courses from 2022 IDEA® Personal Trainer Institute. We’ve just launched 17 new courses from our March personal trainer conference. Pick and choose something new from this bundle of courses to earn CECs, stay current on research and exercise trends, and enjoy quality time with the best fitness leaders in the industry. This is the first time we designed courses specifically for the online student,” says Jordan Leeds, IDEA’s director of online education. “They are teaching one person at a time, and it creates a more intimate feeling.” He adds that these are his favorite courses—ever! Worth checking out for sure at ideafit.com > education. And, hello, these are free with your IDEAfit+ Membership. You can also view all of these courses through IDEAfitTV, with access to over 750 full-length educational videos.
- IDEAfit PRO SHOW and IDEA Listen & Learn CEC podcasts. The IDEAfit PRO SHOW delivers easy, fun listening and inside information from industry leaders and experts in an entertaining, conversational format. Our editor in chief, Sandy Todd Webster, even has a favorite. IDEA Listen & Learn CEC Podcast lets you earn CECs while you’re out running, cleaning the house or simply laying on the couch! This is a great time to peruse the catalog of topics and choose anything that appeals. Managing editor Judy Minich has her favorite, too.
- Webinars. With 50 choices, you can explore business and personal growth topics anytime, anywhere. Stay current with IDEA, too, and how we’re evolving to better help you inspire forward.
- IDEA’s eBooks are real page-turners. If you haven’t explored these focused content collections yet, you’re really missing out! Each is thoughtfully themed and carefully curated to make getting the information you need easy and entertaining. For instance, here’s a great source to add fresh takes to your group ex classes.
- The CECs you need. Why all the emphasis on CECs? “Most agencies require you to renew your certification every 2 years,” says Linda Morreale, IDEA’s educational product manager. “Some require 20 hours of continuing education credits to renew. But it’s different for every agency, so it’s important to know your agency’s rules.” Learn more here about why continuing education credits matter. You can also easily link to the Fitness Journal quizzes here—and remember that they’re free for IDEAfit+ Members.
Knowledge is Power for Your Humanity
“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.”
Malcolm Forbes
Beyond the technical skills you learn or the CECs you need, education can also lead us to places out of our comfort zones. Important places. Places that make us not just better fit pros, but better humans.
Consider, for example, Kellie Walters, PhD, in her article “Weight Bias: How Does it Influence Our Industry?” Walters speaks to the inherent discomfort we may feel when learning a new way to consider the world. “Reading this article may stir up emotions and thoughts that are unexpected,” she says. “There may even be times you feel defensive . . . There is likely a reason you’re feeling this way, and I commend you for leaning in, listening and learning. Most importantly, remember that you are an ever-evolving human. Just as we remind clients to keep the focus on their goals (not their shortcomings), we can be confident we will do better, day by day.”
The idea of leaning into important social topics is front and center in Chrissy King’s “Creating Inclusivity in Fitness Spaces,” as well. She writes: “Maybe you’ve never thought about the topic of inclusivity and diversity and you don’t understand how racism impacts health. That’s okay. As an industry, we can learn; we can pull together; and if we do that, we can expand the circle of wellness to include everyone.”
IDEA is committed to presenting these types of topics because they’re important to all of us—as individuals, professionals and members of the global community.
Knowledge is Power for our Members
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use the change the world.”
—Nelson Mandela
Whew! That’s a lot of education! But as a fit pro, you owe it to you clients to keep learning about the best ways to help them. As a person, you owe it to yourself to keep on growing and evolving.
And IDEA? Well, it’s our honor and privilege to keep providing the tools you need. We hope to see you at IDEAWorld, but we’re always thrilled to connect with you through ideafit.com and our Inspired Service team.
If knowledge is power (and we believe it is!), then you can count on us for the most powerful kind of strength training there is: Education that empowers you to keep inspiring the world to fitness!
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