introduction

All vocations have one or more organisations representing their profession. For example, the DAA represents Dieticians and CPA Australia represents Accountants.

Within Personal Training, Recomp represents the Body Recomposition industry; Fitness Australia, Physical Activity Australia (PAA) and others represent the Fitness industry; and the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) represent the Strength and Conditioning industry. While there are some overlaps, these are 3 distinctly different industries.

why register

It is important to realise that all industry representative organisations (also called ‘Peak Body’ organisations) are:

• voluntary to join
• not part of the tertiary and vocational education systems
• not a government agency or part of government
• not able to stop a person practicing in their field

Peak Body organisations primarily exist for professional insurance purposes. They make available an appropriate, affordable insurance product to each member by leveraging .

Fitness insurance has become a commodity product that is available from a variety of insurers without registration. Insurance products that cover body recomposition or strength and conditioning insurance are custom policies only available with registration with Recomp or ASCA respectively.

scope of practice

The Industry Peak Body defines a Scope of Practice for it’s registered members. The Scope of Practice defines what is included and excluded from the service offering of a professional member; and, therefore, what the professional insurance covers.

recomp vs asca vs fa/paa

Recomp, ASCA and Fitness Australia and PAA represent distinctly different practices.

• The Recomp Scope of Practice broadly covers the planned manipulation of muscle mass and fat mass using exercise and diet, in both the general public and athletes, for fitness through to competition. Basically it is the planning, teaching and application of bodybuilding training (including powerlifting) and nutrition techniques.
• The ASCA Scope of Practice broadly covers developing the strength and conditioning of athletes for sports performance. It does not cover working with the general public.
• The Fitness Australia and PAA Fitness Scope of Practice broadly covers helping the general public engage in physical exercise for general health and fitness (i.e. the absence of physical illness and injury). It specifically excludes all sports coaching, including bodybuilding and powerlifting, and sports nutrition.

which is right for you?