Training Certifications The good, bad, and the Ugly

Well, I have received quite a few emails on what certification should I get or what classes should I attend. The bottom line is most certifications companies are in the business to make money and not to educate.
For example, look at National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). They have quite a few certification the CPT, CES, PES, but did you ever notice the training programs all look the same. It is called box thinking. Box thinking is when you take the same methodology and apply it to ever program even if the method doesn't work. I know this from experience. When I was helping developing programs for NASM on their courses they wanted it to follow their CPT model. They said if you can create that program make sure to throw in the CPT twist, which will make the Trainers have to buy the CPT. I was shocked and eventually I decided this was enough and I needed to coach and educate people on my own. I know NASM is not the only company out there doing this, but it is the one I have the inside scoop on.

So the bottom line is go and attend workshops and don't waste your money on a certification. A certification say hey look at me I can pass a test. The bottom line is can you apply what you learned from you own perspective or are you sold 100% on the course you just completed. I would recommend reading the companies books or the research they cited in their books. You can learn a lot more from the companies books instead of taking their certification. I would say the best books you can buy are the following:
Gray Cook "Athletic Body in Balance
Mike Boyle Functional Training For Sports
Paul Cheks - he has a lot of great books and research articles
Pavel Tsatsouline - He has a lot of great books
Sahrmann - Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairments
Kinetic Loop Training System - workshops

So certifications mostly likely are a waste of money and will add some alphabets soup to your name. The real education is in a degree that last forever and can never be taken away. Please fee free to post your thoughts.