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Personal training certification is a role reversal for students and professors

Story and photos by Sabrina Picou

Professors and other faculty and staff are being trained by students at LBCC who are working to obtain their personal training certification. Every Thursday in the gym from 1:15 p.m. – 3 p.m. they are striving to be healthier and encouraging colleagues to do the same.  

The kinesiology department offers a personal training certification program and the last class of the program is known as the kinesiology practicum, which consists of the students training faculty and staff.

Kinesiology assistant professor and director of the personal training certification program, Mark Cipolla believes the program helps provide students with hands-on experience and allows them to make LBCC a healthier place to work.

“For the students, real-life life experience what they are going to be doing out in the field when they get hired as a personal trainer,” Cipolla said.

Alexis Garriott, lab coordinator at LBCC participates in the workout class in the gym on Thursday by performing side lunged with a kettlebell.

The program not only teaches the aspiring personal trainers how to properly train clients but also informs them on how to run their own businesses.

The personal training certification program is designed to be completed in two semesters, upon completing those two semesters students are ready to take their National Academy of Sports Medicine certification exam.

The fieldwork observation class is another course students take in this program, after completing this class students may have a job opportunity ready for them.

Professors and other staff and faculty participate in the class in two groups, the first group starts at 1:15 p.m. and ends at 2 p.m. and the second group beginning at 2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. which allows for some flexibility in schedules.

Professor and technology help desk manager, Laura Rantala is trained by student Lizbeth Valenzuela and enjoys the location of the workout class.

Instructional Specialist, Laura Rantala performs a squat during her afternoon workout at the LBCC gym. “I heard about it (the workout class) from a colleuge and I thought it would be a good way to workout while I’m at work and learn something new too,” Rantala said.

“In this particular location I like that I am already here at work so that’s really helpful and that I’m actually learning a lot I’m not just working out I’m actually doing it right so that’s been good,” Rantala said.

Kinesiology student, Steven McNiel is a part of the personal training certification program and enjoys that the program allows him to help others achieve their goals.

“It (the program) helps me to figure out what to do in certain situations with clients that need that extra help and need those certain steps to get to where they need to be with working out,” McNiel said.

Some staff members have specific goals in mind when working out and hope to achieve them by the end of this program, like instructional lab coordinator, Alexis Garriott.

“I’m getting married next year and I was not always as heavy as I was when I started and so I thought now is the time to get back into the gym, and the best thing I’ve gained is what I’ve lost so far which is 13 pounds and I feel a lot stronger, a lot more confident, I’m showing my arms again and I’m not hiding behind clothes anymore so it’s been a wonderful program,” Garriott said.

The personal training certification program is a 13-week workout class and will end at the end of the fall semester and will continue again with new students in the future.

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