Five Questions For a Five Star Fitness Professional, Darian Parker Ph.D – Personal Trainer
Print This Post
By Sal | June 16, 2009
This week I'd like to thank Darian Parker, Ph.D for participating in this feature and for taking the time to answer my questions. Darian has his Ph.D in Sports Education Leadership from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Master's and Batchelor's degrees in Kinesiology from James Madison University and is a National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer (CPT).
Dr. Darian works for WTS International, an industry leader in the field of spa management and consulting, and is the Fitness Director at Club Ridges, an exclusive private community center located outside of Las Vegas. Club Ridges features a state-of-the-art fitness center and the world's very first Jack Nicklaus-designed Bear's Best golf course.
For fun, and in his spare time, Darian has founded Connect to Fitness, "an organization dedicated to helping fitness professionals and those aspiring to be fitness professionals become successful in an ever growing and changing fitness industry." Connect to Fitness serves the Las Vegas Valley, but Dr. Darian is looking to expand the influence of this organization and wants to create a nationwide network of top-level professionals from the fields of fitness, health and wellness.
Check out the Connect to Fitness blog as well Dr. Darian's personal blog. Darian Parker has set the bar high for the fitness profession and is going beyond the call of duty to help improve all areas of the health and fitness business.
1) What was your reason for getting into, and how did you get into, the fitness business?
I got into the fitness business because first and foremost I love being able to serve others, and also because it was an extension of my passion for sports. As a former scholarship track and field athlete in college, I have always been interested in the how the body worked and training others to reach their peak performance. Over the years I have trained quite a few people and everyone has been so different and important in my learning and growth in the industry.
My entrance into training began as a graduate assistant in the James Madison University Kinesiology Department where I helped to run a faculty/staff fitness center. I really enjoyed that job and also teaching undergraduates in my Kinesiology 100 class. After doing that for two years I moved onto work on my doctorate in Sports Education and Leadership and worked with clients off and on during that time. I was more focused on becoming a professor, but I eventually decided I wanted to get back into the training. I began working for Professional Fitness Institute in Vegas while finishing my Doctorate and it really sparked me to get full time with training and I was able to do that fairly soon as I transitioned into working at Club Ridges here in Vegas. It is a private high-end fitness center here in Vegas managed by the company I work called WTS International. As an NSCA-CPT I feel great about working in the residential fitness environment and it is something I would like to continue to do for the foreseeable future.
2) How do you feel about the way fitness/a healthy lifestyle is portrayed in the media?
Fitness and healthy lifestyles are portrayed in a "get it quick" fashion. The media is not interested in promoting commitment and consistency in health and wellness. Everything is about getting fit quickly and not doing that much work. The media makes you think that if you spend 5 minutes a day or if you just do these few things then you'll be in tremendous shape. But most competent fitness professionals know that the road to fitness is a life-long commitment and it is about what you do 10 years from now, not what you do 10 weeks from now.
3) What is your training philosophy? You can give me your "Elevator Pitch" or the long version, your call.
My training philosophy involves teaching the type of desirable behavior that I want my clients to exhibit. Specifically, I believe that as a trainer one should teach safety, technique and consistency in following the program design and help clients find their personal value in health, fitness and wellness.
4) How has the fitness business changed since you first started training clients?
The fitness business has changed drastically since I first began training clients. More and more people are hiring trainers these days. Also, I feel that training has become more commercialized. I feel like while we have some very talented trainers out there, that we also have many horribly unqualified trainers roaming around in gyms, homes, etc. In a sense I feel like the profession has become watered down and it is difficult to find knowledgeable and competent fitness professionals. However, there are some great professionals out there. Still, we need to improve the overall quality of trainers who are working with clients.
5) What's the biggest problem/most common hurdle that you have to help your clients deal with? Nutrition issues, motivation issues, commitment issues, something else?
The biggest problem is without a doubt consistency. Clients who are not consistent with both their training program and following nutritional guidelines always have difficulty getting the results they want. I always tell my clients...it will never be me as the reason to why you have not succeeded. I come prepared and am ready each session and make sure I am doing my part. I always put it back on client so that they know that I am invested so they need to step up and be invested as well.
Related Posts
Topics: Personal Trainer Coaching, Training Education, Training Philosophy, Training Style | No Comments »
Comments
« Video: Personal Trainer’s Professional Journal Review, Part 2 | Home | DVD Review: Core Conversion from the Gray Institute »