ABOUT US

In 1989, after years investigative research and biomechanical analysis, RTS founder Tom Purvis was asked by Dr. Bob Goldman, founder of the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and later the American Academy of Anti-Aging, to do a presentation on the topic of "personal trainers relating to rehab professionals" at the inaugural NASM Personal Training Certification. Subsequently, Tom was placed in charge of creating and evolving not only the biomechanics division of the program, but also the design and implementation of the hands-on, practical educational and examination portions. This was the first national presentation of the unique information and perspectives that were to become RTS.

By 1995 Tom was traveling worldwide presenting the Biomechanics of Resistance Training at such renowned institutions as the Mayo Clinic, Purdue University, the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England, the World Trade Center in Tokyo, Japan, the Malaysian National Sports Complex in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, and Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Buckinghamshire, England. He also consulted for equipment companies such as Cybex, Bowflex, and Nautilus.

In 1996 the depth and technical level of Tom's examinations and presentations increased dramatically, although no organization was interested in providing or promoting such an in-depth and detailed level of study. RTS was created as an outlet for the portions of information that exceeded other organizations' and conferences' tolerance for detail. The primary focus was on the division of biomechanics that came to be known as Exercise Mechanics.

By 1999 the original five day RTS program had evolved into 12 days, offered in four three-day modules. Cadaver anatomy was also added to the curriculum. By this time NASM had decided to eliminate its four-day NASM Advanced certification because it was not as profitable as its two-day NASM Standard version. This was so contradictory to the RTS path that Tom severed his relationship with NASM to focus entirely on RTS.

In the fall of 1999 two basic traveling courses were added to meet the needs of those unable to trek to RTS headquarters in OKC, and so RTS1 and RTS2 were born and the original course became RTS3.

In February 2000 Tom met Greg Roskopf, a fellow presenter at an IDEA event. By September of 2000 Greg was presenting MAT – Muscle Activation Techniques at RTS3 which had expanded to 16 days over four modules. In Feb 2001 Greg started the MAT Internship. The MAT Jump Start program was created as a basic introduction to MAT and was offered as part of RTS3 for several years until it had expanded to enough other sites nationwide.

In 2002 RTS1 and RTS2 became RTSL (RTS Lecture) and RTSP (RTS Practical) respectively, the exams from both of which were required to become a certified RTS. RTS3 became RTS_M (RTS Mastery).

While the Mastery level (RTS_M) course continued to evolve every month that it was presented, the basic program remained largely unchanged until 2008.

Throughout 2007 the RTS course (RTSL and RTSP) underwent complete renovation. A year in the making, RTS123 is the result. RTS123 is a six day program typically offered in three two-day parts. The primary goal of the changes to the RTS® program was to truly make it practical and influential where it matters... within the individual client's Exercise Experience!

Registered Trademarks of RTS LLC

• RTS®
• Resistance Training Specialist®
• MicroProgression®
• Functional Continuum®
• InTension®
• Strategic Variation®
• CoreP.A.D.®
• Progressive Abdominal Device®

Registered Trademarks of Tom Purvis

• Trainer to the Trainers®
• Focus on Fitness®

Other Trademarks in use by RTS LLC

• The Exercise Experience™
• Strategic Resistance™
• Ultimately, it's not about the certification... it's about the EDUCATION!™
• The numbers on the weight are no indication of the resistance.™
• When you put a weight in your hand everything changes.™
• Exercising doesn't make you a resistance specialist any more than having surgery makes you a surgeon!™

NOTE: Only an individual who has passed the related exams, maintains the required continuing education, and remains in good standing is allowed to utilize the titles RTS®, Resistance Training Specialist®, RTSM, or Mastery Level Resistance Training Specialist. Anyone using an RTS title inappropriately or without authorization will be notified to cease, and if necessary the appropriate legal action will be pursued.

Use of RTS trademarks in marketing materials, articles, and interviews

Please use any of the following RTS trademarks/servicemarks where they may be appropriate in representing your philosophy, your methods, your business practices, and/or the guiding principles that help you in the development of various thought processes.

Info on registered trademarks

Any word or phrase you use in business can be identified with "TM" to indicate that you consider it unique to your business. Whether or not it is defendable is another thing. Once application is made and it is deemed by the US patent and trademark office as viable as and ownership is granted then it is "registered" and only then can it be indicated with "®".

The key to trademarks is 1) writing them exactly as they are registered (caps, etc.), 2) labeling them accurately every time they are used, and, 3) defending them!

The Academy Awards almost lost the word "Oscar" because it was becoming used in common language as the term for a high award in general. They bought ads in magazines, etc. listing it as their trademark, and in doing so, kept it. "Cellophane" used to be a trademark and it was lost because it became the common word for plastic wrap. Kleenex and Xerox have also come close to losing theirs over the years for the same reason.

For this reason we encourage you to use them. It helps us keep them in force. But we are required to and will enforce the proper designations.

RTS trademark use

Tell any interviewer, etc. that the specific word/s are registered trademarks of " RTS® - the Resistance Training Specialist® program" and that you will email or fax exactly how it is to be represented. Anything you write should be this same way. It should also be noted that RTS and Resistance Training Specialist are also registered trademarks of RTS LLC.

For example:
In the body or text:
Blah, blah, blah, Functional Continuum® blah, blah blah....

Then at the end of the article (or even right behind the word itself in the body of the article... although this is not popular because it disrupts the flow):
"Functional Continuum® is a registered trademark of RTS®, the Resistance Training Specialist® program."

If you have any questions please contact us at RTScontact@aol.com. If you have used any RTS trademark we recommend that you inform us (and show us) just to make sure that everything is as it should be legally. This is the easiest way to prevent problems.

Thanks for being part of the team helping to change the industry!