Menopause education for personal trainers matters, but are we educating, or are we educationxplaining?
“It’s your hormones.”
“Stop doing HIIT.”
“You need to lift heavy.”
“It’s cortisol causing your menopause belly.”
You’ve probably heard some version of these.
Welcome to educationxplaining.
It isn’t about explaining menopause. It’s about over-explaining what you don’t fully understand.
It’s what happens when a complex subject gets turned into a simple rule. Then repeated with enough confidence that it starts to sound like fact.
And menopause is a perfect example.
Menopause isn’t one-size-fits-all
Every client’s experience can be different.
Symptoms can vary. Their training history can vary. Their goals, health, lifestyle and preferences can vary too.
NICE recommends tailoring approaches to the individual and recognises that menopause symptoms can vary from minor to severe and change over time. It also highlights the importance of maintaining muscle mass and strength through physical activity.
So telling every menopausal client they need to train the same way doesn’t make much sense.
Women deserve better than being reduced to a collection of symptoms, hormones and Instagram soundbites.
You don’t need to know everything
As a fitness professional, you’re not there to diagnose menopause or prescribe medical treatment.
You are there to work within your scope of practice.
That means knowing what you can help with.
Knowing when you need more information.
And knowing when someone should be signposted to another professional.
Because scientific-sounding isn’t the same as evidence-based.
And a grain of truth isn’t the same as good education.
Your learning should keep moving, the Level 3 qualification gave you the foundations.
Your clients will keep changing and your learning should too.
Professional development isn’t about admitting you got it wrong.
It’s about recognising that there is always more to learn.
Your Level 3 PT qualification isn’t the end of your education. It’s the foundation. Qualifications and courses are a key part of keeping your professional knowledge up to date and relevant.
Ready to stop educationxplaining Menopause and start learning?
Explore Parallel Coaching’s Level 3 Award in Understanding Women’s Health & the Menopause and take the next step in your professional development.
Dedicated to More
Hayley “Stop Educationxplaining Menopause” Bergman
Parallel Coaching
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