None of this really matters, though; even if certifications were held to a higher standard, no one can really legislate giving a shit.

The problem is really rooted in the fact that the fitness industry is built around a model of paid non-use. For a commercial gym, the more paying members who fail to show up, the better.

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cheap entry point + hard sell/appeal to conscience + human laziness = profit
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This equation allows for overselling services to a degree far beyond what any given facility could actually handle (were all members to actually show up). And I suspect that it actually rewards poorer results (on average). Scary.

It’s really up to the consumer to self-regulate. In my opinion, what will really change the system will be an increasing amount of knowledge about what works — not by big box gyms, but by the general public.

Like anything purely profit-driven, from Coca-Cola to McDonald’s, the product is just a means to a sale. However, if there’s greater education and expectation among consumers, they will (slowly) adjust to this.

Sure, the first few tentative steps will yield nonsense like vitamin water and low fat Happy Meals . . . The point is that the more people asking questions (and acting on that information), the more changes we’ll see.

What’s wrong with frosted tips ? hahaa.