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See for reference:

Questions about the practice of medicine: Questions about CEU's, and a good response with other site examples.

Our own meta on attracting experts

Both of these embrace expert level questions, which our do not ask somewhat deems to be off topic

trainer certification -- it’s for professionals, but not about the profession

I would propose changing that. I think that if we opened it up to be able to talk about fitness as a profession including continuing education and the merits of various certifications and what they are for, we can get a wider base of very good answers, and also attract the fitness professionals for whom these things matter.

Along with that, as evidenced by this meta question, because we haven't attracted the high level experts, we lose the few that wander by.

This is part of the professionals question from health, as answered by a CM mod:

That's awesome: Professionals asking professionals about the questions they have in this field.

Those questions will and should include certifications, methodology, research and meta discussion, as well as "I get pain in my toes when I squat".

Currently as I look around, I can probably answer a vast majority of the questions with GOMAD. Stronglifts. Spot reduction and somatotypes are myths. Eat less exercise more.

I think we can be a lot more than that, and be successful at it.

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I think that's a pretty solid idea. To be honest, a lot of the best questions on here are from expert-to-expert already. Some person who's an intermediate athlete is getting an answer from another person of similar skills but with some different experiences.

Currently as I look around, I can probably answer a vast majority of the questions with GOMAD. Stronglifts. Spot reduction and somatotypes are myths. Eat less exercise more.

It's very true. What's interesting is that the questions are often different but the answers end up being the same. Most of my answers are a couple of paragraphs linking back to things already written.

I don't think you're stating as much, but I'd just like to be upfront that I'm sure we all know plenty of "professionals" in the fitness industry who are dangerous to their clients. I'd certainly love to have more of the content on here, but I wouldn't want to pretend that a 22 year old personal trainer has more credibility than a 65 year old self-instructed Ironman.

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  • Why wouldn't the 22 year old have more credibility? or at least equal? Someone that is 22 and certified, has most likely completed recent college and training courses, while the 65 year old Ironman likely knows "what works for him". Not really relevant, since most of the high level experts are experienced researchers, and neither of those would fit into that. But I agree, a combination of certification and experience would fit high into the ranking scale. – JohnP♦ May 13 '15 at 18:25
  • I'm using really broad strokes here, but the "22 year old personal trainer" is the one I see in gyms who passed the ACE exam: it's not hard to do and is a far cry from a "real" trainer who's worked with a broad base of trainees across a broad range of abilities. It's just not captured in the credential. Guys having people do bicep curls on the bosu ball, etc. Every crossfit instructor who bangs up a student is a "certified" trainer. – Eric♦ May 13 '15 at 18:32
  • your question motivated me to do this for future ease in linkability fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/24595/… – Eric♦ May 13 '15 at 19:29
  • Ah, yes, I see your point. I was thinking of the CSCS and better level certifications. I agree ACE can be passed by almost anyone that spends a weekend cramming. – JohnP♦ May 13 '15 at 19:45
  • Again, it doesn't need to be solved per say, but just aknowledged that a "certified professional personal trainer" can mean a lot of things. – Eric♦ May 13 '15 at 19:54

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