Strength & Conditioning course

Frogdog

I'm becoming more and more interested recently in strength/weightlifting courses, primarily just to build up my own knowledge and secondly I might like to open up my own weightlifting gym in the future (but that's a bit off yet). While browsing around the internet I've come across this one:

http://www.setantacollege.com/?attachment_id=967

Some questions:

1. Anyone ever do it and if so, would you recommend it?
2. Anyone know of any other similar courses out there and if so, how does this compare?
3. General opinion from anyone - does it look like a worthwhile course?
4. Tell me if I'm seeing this right - each module costs €500. 18 modules. 18 x 500 = €9,000!!!!! Surely there's something cheaper???

Thanks.

itsallaboutheL

Frogdog wrote: »

I'm becoming more and more interested recently in strength/weightlifting courses, primarily just to build up my own knowledge and secondly I might like to open up my own weightlifting gym in the future (but that's a bit off yet). While browsing around the internet I've come across this one:

http://www.setantacollege.com/?attachment_id=967

Some questions:

1. Anyone ever do it and if so, would you recommend it?
2. Anyone know of any other similar courses out there and if so, how does this compare?
3. General opinion from anyone - does it look like a worthwhile course?
4. Tell me if I'm seeing this right - each module costs €500. 18 modules. 18 x 500 = €9,000!!!!! Surely there's something cheaper???

Thanks.

I had a chat with someone about this recently and what was pointed out to me is that 9 grand is a hell of a lot less than you'd pay for most Degrees.

But yeah, i can't afford it either!

Frogdog

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

I had a chat with someone about this recently and what was pointed out to me is that 9 grand is a hell of a lot less than you'd pay for most Degrees.

But yeah, i can't afford it either!

I guess it's not too bad when it's spread over 4 years like this course is. I could and should save a couple of grand each year to pay for the next year.

Inspector Coptoor

I did the RTWTS course first with the IAWLA level 1 coaching cert included.
Doing this would give you exemptions to some of the degree modules (2 or 3 I think)

This way you could see whether you like the setanta set up for a cost of about 900 euro over 6 months as opposed to a commitment to 4 years and 9000 euro.

I felt I wasnt learning a whole pile from the setanta course for the first three months, but after that it was pretty good and the assignments were good, corrected well with good feedback.

Inspector Coptoor

I did the RTWTS course first with the IAWLA level 1 coaching cert included.
Doing this would give you exemptions to some of the degree modules (2 or 3 I think)

This way you could see whether you like the setanta set up for a cost of about 900 euro over 6 months as opposed to a commitment to 4 years and 9000 euro.

I felt I wasnt learning a whole pile from the setanta course for the first three months, but after that it was pretty good and the assignments were good, corrected well with good feedback.

JimmyR

I've done the certificate. I don't think the degree year starts up until December or January.

Is it worth the money you'd pay? For you I dont think it would be.

You spend 6 months learning to coach the Olympic lifts. I can count on one hand the amount of people I know who done this course who could not do anything that resembled either olympic lift, not just my class but others too. Would you want one of these people coaching you if you were an athlete?

If you want to learn to Olympic lift, train with someone who can Olympic lift. You'd get more out of travelling to Limerick, Cork or Dublin to train with a good group than you will get by getting a cert that says your a coach.

As far as the rest of the course goes I'd invest in a few good books and really study them.

Science and practice of sport training: Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky
Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training: Tudor O Bouma
Super Training: Mel Siff

The books aren't cheap but if you really study them and get in some practical training with Olympic weightlifters, Powerlifters, Track and Field atheltes, field sports etc then you will learn alot more and in turn have more to give.

Also get in touch with any coach and I can guarantee you they will only be delighted to answer any questions you have. Nothing stokes a coaches ego as much as someone asking them questions, not questioning them though

So in summary save your money, buy some books, do some training and then see if you still think its worth doing.

Frogdog

Thanks for that JimmyR but if I wanted to open a gym all the hours spent with lifters and all the books bought may not convince some people that I'm qualified to teach the lifts, whereas some framed piece of paper hanging on the gym wall would. I've no doubt it would make me a better lifter, however I guess I'm trying to kill two birds with the one stone.

Transform

How about doing the NCEF or one of those? You could do on and do olylifting/personal training/team training/physical therapists work with a private coach/trainer (even just for pointers) after the initial basic qualification?

If it was me i would get the basics first then get working with someone you admire already making a super living doing what you want to do

Frogdog

Transform wrote: »

How about doing the NCEF or one of those? You could do on and do olylifting/personal training/team training/physical therapists work with a private coach/trainer (even just for pointers) after the initial basic qualification?

If it was me i would get the basics first then get working with someone you admire already making a super living doing what you want to do

Thanks Transform, that's more along the lines of what I'm looking for. I didn't know about the NCEF (I'm completely new to all of this talk of personal training) and I'm just checking out their website now. It seems like the course would give me a good grounding on the whole fitness industry and I could then decide if it's something I want to do or maybe I could then do a S&C course after.

G86

Frogdog wrote: »

Thanks for that JimmyR but if I wanted to open a gym all the hours spent with lifters and all the books bought may not convince some people that I'm qualified to teach the lifts, whereas some framed piece of paper hanging on the gym wall would. I've no doubt it would make me a better lifter, however I guess I'm trying to kill two birds with the one stone.

If you're trying to kill two birds with one stone it defo seems much smarter to do a basic more cost effective course to get that piece of paper, and then spend much longer getting experience with lifters/coaches.

On a sidenote, as a client; experience, a good attitude, and decent numbers in the gym would definitely convince me more than a piece of paper ever would.

itsallaboutheL

G86 wrote: »

On a sidenote; as a client, experience, a good attitude, and decent numbers in the gym would definitely convince me more than a piece of paper ever would.

i too would prefer some massive fucker, that can lift.

And coach obviously