American College of Sports Medicine - Health / Fitness Instructors Certification (also known as Fitness Instructor Level 2). Conducted at the NIE (NTU campus) by A/P Steven Tan, A/P Michael Chia and others. Surprise ! Dr Bervyn Lee was my instructor too (he's the guy who hosted Extraordinary People in an old TCS documentary).
Wasn't cheap and certainly wasn't easy. It was a very educational experience. I learnt the theory and lab work behind all the gym work I put in over the years and also how to show others the way to better health and physique.
Made friends during the course, among them were fitness professionals from private gyms and physiotherapists from Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
American college of Sports Medicine - Group Exercise Leader Certification (also known as Fitness Instructor Level 1).
Was debating whether to take this course or AFPA (American Fitness Professional Association). I was not impressed by the AFPA sales pitch at that time so I decided in favour of ACSM (lucky me!). Not to say AFPA is crap but the Singapore sales pitch was crap. Also checked out FISAF (an Australian certification hosted by Fitness Network in Singapore).
Singapore Life Saving Society - CPR course.
Can't go anywhere in the fitness industry or continue course work without passing this. Actually it was kinda fun.
You learn how and when to administer CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) and the intervals betweeen each breath and compression. We practised on rubber dummies until we got everything right. Everyone passed of course, you can't leave the hall until you pass even if you turn blue in the face.
Singapore Sports Council – Fitness Instructor’s Course.
The least coveted and the least noteworthy of the fitness courses I’ve attended. It comes free even if you ask someone to mark your attendance during the class. It's what every gym jock knows already, nothing new here. But it's a pre-requisite to the more advanced courses like ACSM.
I heard tales from fellow trainees who interned at gyms (which I shall not mention here) where the trainers shoot steroids behind their closed doors. She just happened to walk in the door saw some trainers injecting themselves and they turned around and asked her not to come in.
International Inline Skating Association – Instructor Level 1 Certification.
Got hooked on the inline skating (blading) craze a while back and decided to learn to teach blading too. Being able to blade and being able to teach it are quite different. Also had to learn many blading styles and tricks.
Sad, didn’t pass the Level 2 certification. Was having a bad day during the test and everything just sort of went flat.
Skate Assist Volunteer (SAV) program.
It’s a program by Skateline and National Parks Board to promote safe blading in the parks. Volunteers go out in the park to help out those poor souls trying to learn how to blade.
3 rules to live by :
- help anyone in need (no race, sex, looks prejudice)
- no soliciting for business on behalf of Skateline
- full safety gear on at all times
Fencing Trophy
Did a lot of things back then. One of them was Fencing. Picked up foil, epee and saber though I was best at foil. Won a year long inhouse competition and got this trophy for my pains.
It’s a program by Skateline and National Parks Board to promote safe blading in the parks. Volunteers go out in the park to help out those poor souls trying to learn how to blade.
3 rules to live by :
- help anyone in need (no race, sex, looks prejudice)
- no soliciting for business on behalf of Skateline
- full safety gear on at all times
Fencing Trophy
Did a lot of things back then. One of them was Fencing. Picked up foil, epee and saber though I was best at foil. Won a year long inhouse competition and got this trophy for my pains.
