Anna Kournikova is a personal trainer? That was news to me when I heard that Anna Kournikova was hired to be one of the personal trainers on the Biggest Loser. Most people know Anna Kournikova as a tennis player, but is she a certified personal trainer? I looked into this just in case you too wondering about it and discovered some interesting things.
Is Anna Kournikova Certified?
I did a Google search for “Anna Kournikova personal trainer” and “Is Anna Kournikova a certified personal trainer?” I couldn’t find any proof that she was certified until I found websites where I read that that Anna Kournikova is certified by the ISSA – International Sports Science Association.
That’s great, but the bigger question is “when was Anna Kournikova certified?” So I called the ISSA and asked them. The ISSA told me that Anna Kournikova was certified as a personal trainer on December 23, 2010. Her certification expired on 12/23/12.
So it may be she became certified prior to the taping of the biggest loser TV show.
But certified or not, does Anna Kournikova know as much about exercise as Bob Harper – or even Jillian Michaels or the other personal trainers appearing on the show? Since it appears shes recently certified, odds are not as much. Both Bob and Jillian were likely doing personal training long before the Biggest Looser made them household names.
What is the ISSA Certification?
The ISSA is the International Sports Science Association. Its been around a long time and is a respected organization. As I understand the process, people study at home on their own and then when they are ready, they take a test that is mostly composed of essays. There may also be a video portion where people demonstrate an exercise technique. People send the test back to ISSA to be graded.
I've taken essay tests in college so I can tell you that essays are pretty hard. Essay exams are good because they help demonstrate a greater level of understanding than a test that’s made up of multiple-choice or true and false questions. That’s very good.
The Biggest Loser: Good or Bad?
The Biggest Loser is more about TV ratings and “branding” than actually helping people. Most people regain the weight they lost and some research finds the TV show messes up the metabolisms of contestants. Unfortunately, The fitness industry has been too chicken to address the shortcomings of this TV show.
Other than myself, I don’t remember seeing anybody in a national fitness trade journal even raising an eyebrow over Jillian or Bob Harper selling weight loss supplements. The only thing I could find was an article in the LA Times that was critical of the Jillian Michaels Kettleball DVD. All that notwithstanding, I think hiring a professional athlete to play the role of a personal trainer takes things to an even lower level.
What if there was a reality show about doctors giving people advice about medical disorders and Anna was hired as one of the “doctors”? There would be blood in the streets caused the outrage by physicians! The fitness industry on the other hand just seems tickled to death that “personal trainers” are getting some national attention.
While personal trainers are not doctors, personal trainers do PRESCRIBE the most powerful drug in the world – exercise.
Should You Watch The Biggest Loser?
If you use it for motivation, great. Just don't follow the insane exercise routines people on the show are forced to do. Also, consider where the exercise advice is coming from for trying to do what you see on TV.
As a competitive gymnast for eight years, in fact competing both at school AND in a private gym for four of those years, qualified me to coach gymnastics.
As a personal trainer, basically, I was qualified, but I did not have the paper and did have to take classes and tests to be “certified.” Think about it, most of us learn to read, not at school where a teacher took tests and paid money to qualify, but from our parents and siblings who know how to read and prove it daily, not by any measured test, but by the fact they can read.
What? They are not good enough to teach us-they have no paper!-how dare they! But seriously, it’s about the law. And money. And time. And I do hear what you are saying.
After coaching, but before I became a trainer, I went to cosmetology school (which I loathed) and after borrowing $15,000 for the tuition, I was appalled to walk into Macy’s and see these (mostly) women selling products by offering a free make-over.
I had to lose a year of my life, 40 hours a week, and the job I had that year was still $6,000 less than what I owed (if I didn’t have to worry about housing, transportation, food, or my child!).
I could have forgone school and taken a job there, earned more money than I spent and maybe, be wishing I had that piece of paper. I don’t really know. I just know I was as irritated as you are. That was 18 years ago.
You know how to get past it? Just know that YOU are doing the right thing. Stop thinking about it, since it will drive you insane. Better yet, you did exactly what I would do, you came to the net, wrote an informative and interesting article and now I’ve had the pleasure to read it.
So… my rambling is done, I helped no one, but I understand from all sides. If I was NBC, I’d do that, too. In the old days, the studios always sent stars to this school or training and that. There I go again, rambling. Yeah, try not to think about it. 🙂
Teraisa, I ramble too – a lot lol – and you made a lot of sense. thanks for writing and I am glad things have worked out for you 🙂
Ill be honest with you being a NSCA certified personal trainer it took me 15 months of extremely hard work. And to think someone can take a course online and further more just do some essays @ home to be certified has me thinking what could they possible learn in a few weeks or months for that matter? Jus Sayin
Jesse, its an interesting point you make. I believe Anna was only on Biggest loser for one season. I wonder if what you bring up had anything to do with that?
Joe,
Excellent article! Too many aspiring trainers worry too much about getting certified instead of being the best they can be, thereby making them “qualified.”
Joel, thanks I could not agree more 🙂
THANKS JOE!! It bothered me from the beginning Anna being a trainer. Just because she’s a pro athlete doesn’t make her a trainer. Her experience is elite, pro level, healthy, young, and sport specific. Her working with special pops scared me from the get go. This is not her experience. I’m sure there’s a host of exercise physiologists, clinical exercise specialists, physical therapists, and EMT’s waiting off camera waiting to step in.
Lori, glad to help and you are right about the personal trainers having off the camera assistance of EMTs, doctors, RDs, etc. Unfortunately, more often than not, reality TV is far from what happens in real life.
Joe,
Totally agree with and enjoyed reading your article. Here’s something you might find amusing.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40423712/ns/today-entertainment/t/biggest-loser-where-are-they-now/#.TrSSwN7iGU8
J thanks for passing that along to me! Ive always wondered what happened to the former biggest looser contestants
Hi! I was looking for an answer to the “Is Anna K certified” question and came across your post! I think you’re right — the fact that she’s certified doesn’t necessarily mean she’s qualified. And judging from her performance on the show so far, I really don’t think she is qualified to be helping these people who are in SUCH serious need of good, careful training.
Tabatha, thanks for dropping by and I appreciated the sights you shared about Anna on YOUR website! I admit I have still not caught BL this season but I was interested how you noted that Anna seemed to perceive she show was about her and not the contestants. I’m really going to have to record the show. I saw you want to be a personal trainer. let me know if I can offer any guidance to you. It sounds like you really are headed in the right direction -no probables about it 😉
It is obviously a publicity stunt and a good one at that because we are talking about it among others. I highly doubt she even took ANY exam and am fairly certain she would fail something along the lines of NASM.
I’m going to watch the show and see how she does before I make anymore comments as she could be portraying personal trainers in a good or bad light.
I guess I’m just trying to look on the positive side of things hoping something as big as this show will continue to raise awareness about America’s obesity problem and seek the help of qualified fitness professionals like us or at least start some sort of exercise program on their own.
Eric, I think if you put it in that light – calling attention to obesity – then I think you make a good point. I will have to watch the show myself. I admit its been a While since I watched it. I just got tired of the “drama” and the crazy amount exercise they had people doing. For me it just gave people the impression that they had to kill themselves to lose weight.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/fl-hk-fitness-profile-anna-kournikova-101611-20111014,0,4158377.story
Here is an interview with Anna. While I agree certified does not mean qualified, I don’t think she is the worst person for the job. I see people with years of experience that I consider terrible trainers.
Its already been said that she has been coached and trained by elite her whole life; someone like herself is not just going through the motions and most likely learning along the way.
Personal Training in America is very unregulated and far from perfect. But, I for one have no problem with any nationally televised show promoting what I do for millions to see.
Haven’t seen the show yet, anyone care to comment on her training?
Thanks for the article. Still, I have my doubts about her but even if her technique is “perfect” how do we know she is not being coached behind the scenes? I looked at your website and saw you are NASM certified. I have a good idea what you went through to attain that certification. Why didn’t Anna get a similar cert? I am very willing to give her credit if she takes a test that is proctored.
Joe- I actually had run into Brett (the trainer from last year’s season of the Biggest Loser) at the AAAI/ISMA conference in Atlantic City, NJ in June. When he told my friends and I that Anna was going to be on the show, we were shocked. We had the same reaction and question: How is Anna qualified to be on the show? I agree 100% with your comments…. certified does NOT mean qualified!! I am certified by AFAA for personal training,(I took my test in 2007) but due to circumstances, I was unable to start training people. I therefore do NOT consider myself qualified to train. I often get asked to train people (I teach group fitness classes), however I tell them, I am certified, but not qualified and would be doing them a disservice if I took them on as clients. Thanks for looking into this.
Dear Joe,
Thanks for the investigative work regarding Anna Kournikova. I was dismayed at hearing she was personal trainer, for I felt she did not have the qualifications, athlete or not. Reality is people are visual and the probably the only reason she was picked is because she is visually appealing. I also agree with your comment that no one would dare argue the safety or effectiveness of Biggest Loser, which is ashame because people need to realize most reality shows are about ratings and money. There should be a reality show about the biggest loser on why it is only a short fix for a long term problem.
Keep up the good work on providing the public with useful information.
Gloria thanks and you make a good point. I would like to see somebody look at all the past contestants on the Biggest Looser to see how much weight they regained. That should be pretty easy for a documentary film crew to determine. That is a movie I would like to see.
Hey Joe, I am so glad you investigated this because I was wondering…is she really qualified? I personally was shocked when she was announced to be the next trainer on Biggest Loser. I wonder what is NBC thinking? hmmmm….anyways thanks for the great info. luv your newsletter
Thanks Bernadette, appreciate the feedback. Great website you have by the way!
I’m just not sure that’s fair. She was, after all, a professional athlete and I’m sure she’s learned a great deal along the way and has worked with some of the best trainers in the world. Experience counts for a lot.
Rachel, I hear what you are saying. I have a unique perspective in that I have personally graded the tests of many former athletes who want to be personal trainers. They often feel (I know because they tell me this) that because of their athletic past, that they know what it takes to be a personal trainer. I can tell you that If they do not study prior to taking the test, they invariably fail the exam -and fail it miserably! Being an athlete helps, but it is not the same as being a personal trainer.
Athletes are not equipped with the knowledge to prescribe exercise to people who have health issues – like many of those who are on the Biggest Looser. This is why former athletes need to be certified.
I like your website by the way – keep up the blogging!
just because someone is an athlete does not make them a trainer…. Usually these individuals are the worse ones… thinking because they scored lots of TD’s or was named All-American make them a trainer with out proper studying and preparing… Give me a break…
Great post Joe, big fan of your work!
Thanks Bill, I’m a bigger fan of YOUR work 🙂