Paul Chek’s Position Statement
What Is An Authentic C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professional?
Why are many Practitioners prescribing Ray Peat’s Approach and others when such advice seems to go against what C.H.E.K stands for?
I have been asked this question time and time again since C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professional (CITPs) became recognized as authentic practitioners of a unified holistic life coaching, rehabilitation, and conditioning system. In the past two years with the rising popularity of Ray Peat’s work, I have been inundated with calls, emails, letters and direct queries as to why there seems to be a growing trend for many CITPs to recommend Ray Peat’s methods when they seem to go against the C.H.E.K approach. The confusion among my students, the public and other professionals has reached the point that it concerns me.
Here is a recent example of an email I recently received this week that is a good example of what I’m referring to and exemplifies a common thread of numerous communications:
Before I share my position in this regard, I want to point out that letters like the one above regarding CITPs and Ray Peat’s work are not isolated incidents. I could put just as many letters on the table asking the same question about CITPs using many other popular expert’s methods to the degree that their students, patients, clients, and even family members are confused as to what they are actually practicing. I make this point to illustrate that I have no intention of singling out Ray Peat. This issue actually has nothing to do with Ray Peat, or any other specific teacher’s work. It has everything to do with what is and what isn’t standard practice for a C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professionals.
Principles To Live and Practice By:
I initially developed the C.H.E.K approach over a period of 12 years of intensive study, clinical practice and research. I made my living and built my reputation as a holistic rehab therapist by accepting primarily medical challenge cases. I also attracted and had a large practice of elite athletes, mostly who had found me due to their inability to resolve chronic health and performance problems. I came into the healing arts with a long work history as a farmer, mechanic, welder, logger, exploration and water well driller, and was trained in the Army to repair weapon systems in Cobra Attack Helicopters. I have studied and practiced far more than most professionals in the healthcare field in my almost three-decade career, with education obtained from a very wide variety of fields and experts. The extensive training I gained in these areas of study taught me:
That most all machines and organisms function on principles and laws.
- That there are absolute essentials or “basics” that must be met before anyone can safely assume that problems are emerging from higher-order systems; this is true both for living organisms (bodies), electronics, and machines.
- That in every field of endeavor, well skilled pioneers have identified systems that can be effectively used to evaluate and correct any problem in bodies or machines. These systems should be used until another system proves better!
- That addressing any higher-order dysfunction without first testing lower-order (yet more essential) support systems only brings short-term results at best; addressing higher-order systems to address symptoms often results in progressive damage to essential supportive systems.
- That there is no such thing as a short cut when it comes to restoring human health and function!
To this day, I can effectively utilize the information and methods of any and all others I’ve learned from within the context of the essential working principles I both live by, and teach. Though I have made progressive improvements in the CHEK educational programs as it (and my own knowledge) has grown and evolved since starting the Institute in 1995, the entire C.H.E.K Advanced Training Program is built upon the use, and assessment of relevant, essential body-mind systems. I teach my students to master foundational systems using a functional principles approach and methodology to helping people around the world cultivate health and well-being.
My educational platform does not teach cookie cutter plug-in programs what-so-ever. First and foremost, CITPs are taught how to think critically, analyze the data gathered carefully, and custom craft an individualized plan to restoring health, wellness and high-performance from a holistic perspective. Therapeutic protocols are carefully recommended as a response to detailed assessment and evaluation procedures of any client’s body-mind systems utilizing the framework with what I refer to as: C.H.E.K Principles.
I have always encouraged my students to study a wide variety of resources and to seek out seasoned experts with viewpoints that may enhance their own and genuinely help others. Anyone who is truly a C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professionals, regardless of additional training, can, and does live by, practice and teach the essential C.H.E.K Principles. To illustrate this point, consider that there are a myriad of schools that teach auto mechanics, with a wide variety of philosophical and technical differences between them. Yet, anyone that is actually a mechanic knows that regardless of what approach you take to any problem a mechanic may face working with engine problems, there are four essentials that must be checked and cleared before attempting anything else:
- Is fuel available to the engine intake from gas tank to intake?
- Does the engine have adequate oil?
- Is there a functional spark occurring in each cylinder?
- Does the engine have adequate compression to create internal combustion?
CITPs are taught to use similar principles to assess, evaluate, and coach their clients. An example of the system of principles I created for my students is the C.H.E.K Totem Pole, which signifies the exact order in which any evaluation should be conducted so that essential sub-systems are not overlooked.
Who Are the Authentic C.H.E.K Institute
Trained Professionals?
A CITP is not determined by whether or not they incorporate the methods of Bill Wolcott, Ray Peat, Charles Poliquin, Gary Gray, Bernard Jensen, Paul C. Bragg, or otherwise. A C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professional can be identified by these criteria:
- “Self-Authority”: CITPs are living examples of their own expression of the C.H.E.K philosophy. To the degree that any CITP presents themselves with body shape problems, diseases, or unresolved health issues that they are not taking definite and noticeable responsibility for, they are not practicing as a C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professionals.
- Individuality: CITPs all know the importance of biochemical and structural individuality and no CITP practicing the methods I teach will be found giving out cookie cutter diet, exercise or lifestyle program(s). Nor will they take a this-for-that approach with nutrition supplements, drugs, or otherwise. One man’s medicine may bring on another man’s disease!
- Test First: CITPs who practice my teachings all know to test any new approach on themselves to the degree that they feel and embody the possibilities and potential of any given approach before applying such methods to others. You may want to ask them which teacher they are following so you know what you are witnessing. If you meet a CITP practicing Ray Peat’s work or any other who does not exemplify mastery of their diet, lifestyle and mind commiserate with being a teacher or leader, I would recommend that you should suspect that they are no longer practicing, or living as a C.H.E.K Institute Trained Professional until proven otherwise!
- Basics Up: All CITPs understand the importance of meeting the basic requirements for healthy living and functional biomechanics. No CITP practicing as a CITP will use a symptoms first approach unless it is essential for pain management; all efforts will be geared toward restoring essential functional/survival systems to working order.
- Behavioral Modification: All CITPs know that most people’s problems result for making poor, and/or uninformed choices. Therefore, they focus their efforts on behavioral modification through lifestyle management, not symptom suppression!
Conclusion
I have personally trained thousands of students in the C.H.E.K programs, as has many of my Faculty. I personally trained the senior instructors who teach for the C.H.E.K institute. When anyone meets any authentic CITP, they are usually impressed by the fact that CITPs diet, exercise and lifestyle activities reflect what the C.H.E.K Institute represents. CITPs are fit, clean, well educated, informed, open minded, holistic, and will not preach or practice dogmatic approaches. Authentic CITPs are capable of gleaning the best methods from any and all teachers they study with. By applying those teachings logically and integrating them effectively with common sense competence, they live the principles they have learned in their C.H.E.K training and education.
If you are confused at what you’re hearing or seeing, you can easily understand my position and underlying philosophy and functional working principles I teach. Any of you will easily be capable of identifying the CITPs that not only talk the talk, but also walk their walk!
I invite anyone – public or professional – to view my free video overviewing the C.H.E.K principles CITPs are taught. Please visit the C.H.E.K Institute F.A.Q. page.
Resources
- The Essential CHEK Philosophy
- The C.H.E.K Principles video [link to]
- How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (2004/2012). C.H.E.K Institute, CA.
- You Are What You Eat! CD/Workbook Program (2003). C.H.E.K Institute, CA.
- The Last 4 Doctors You’ll Ever Need: How To Get Healthy Now! (2012). Available from www.PPSsuccess.com
- The 1-2-3-4 of Overcoming Addiction, Obesity and Disease. e-Workbook and Audio
MP3. (2008). Available from www.PPSsuccess.com - Paul Chek’s Personal, Professional and Spiritual Success Mastery Program: www.PPSsuccess.com
