How To Become A Personal Trainer
There are several different pathways in regard to becoming a personal trainer, though certification and post secondary education programs are the most common. In case you completed one of vocational fitness or health programs you can sit the exam and obtain the certification without any extra preparation. Alternatively, if you obtained a four-year college degree in related field it can be treated by the employer as the equivalent to a personal training certification.
How To Become A Certified Personal Trainer
How To Become A Certified Personal Trainer
Certification is not mandatory in order to become a personal trainer; however, the vast majority of employers have policies requiring that personal trainers had at least basic personal training certification. To become a certified personal trainer in most, but not all, instances you need to fulfill following basic requirements:
- be at least 18 years old
- have a high school diploma
- have a first aid certificate
- have a certificate of proficiency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR/AED)
A personal training certification course typically includes study materials and/or workshops, and an exam. It can take from one week up to 12 months to complete the program depending on a type of a course, studying pace and your own experience. To become a certified personal trainer can cost you anything between $70 to $1000 dollars, depending on the credibility of a certifying agency. Widely recognized personal trainer certification courses cost around $400 and above, including study material, exam and live workshops (if applicable). Most personal training certification programs utilize a self-study model, and some organizations offer online certification courses. In order to stay up-to-date with health and medical guidelines and to offer programs to their clients that are safe, effective and motivational certified personal trainers must renew their re-certification every 2-3 years depending on a certifying agency. You would be required to gain a certain number of continuing education credits to apply for the re-certification. The continuing education can come from conferences, workshops or additional certifications.
A vast number of organizations offer personal training certification courses. However, most leading fitness centers require their personal trainers to have certification from an organization accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
How To Become A Self-Employed Personal Trainer
How To Become A Self-Employed Personal Trainer
Being self-employed has many benefits. You will gain the freedom of being able to choose how you work, when you work and with whom you work. Being your own boss also offers the considerably greater income potential. Beside working in their clients homes some personal trainers hold sessions in their homes, where they have a room set up with necessary equipment. In this instant it is important to make the setting professional looking. You could also rent and share a studio with other personal trainers. In either case you will need to acquire a necessary set of personal training equipment. To set up your own business you will need to follow small business regulations in your state. In addition you will need to learn the basics about taxes and the accountancy, business and marketing. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to acquire personal trainer liability insurance.
How To Become A Personal Trainer in A Fitness Club
How To Become A Personal Trainer in A Sports Or Health Establishment
Personal trainers can work in fitness centers, gyms, health clubs, recreation centers, yoga and Pilates studios, country clubs, hospitals, universities or resorts etc. Working in these establishments can have a few advantages. Firstly, gyms provide the credibility one needs when first starting out, secondly, it gives the chance to learn from other personal trainers and, thirdly, a steady stream of new clients. If you were wondering how to become a personal trainer in this setting you may choose to follow one of the typical pathways:
- Gain a personal training certification and apply for a job. If you look to work for a specific employer check with them first what qualification they prefer.
- You can start as a “floor” trainer in a club or a gym to accumulate necessary experience and then apply for a personal training certification (some employers do not require their trainers to be certified but most do). Some gyms pay for their trainers personal training certification as an incentive for continuing to work there. You may call local health and fitness establishments to find out whether they have a similar program.
How To Become A Successful Personal Trainer
How To Become A Successful Personal Trainer
In order to become a successful personal trainer in this highly competitive industry you may apply following principles:
- After getting a basic certification choose your specialty and continue education.
- Accumulate experience and continually grow and learn to stay on top.
Read about exercise and nutrition in order to offer the clients the most current advice based on scientific research.
- Become an authority that has expertise but also manners. Be driving, motivating and empathize with your clients.
- Create your own brand or style training to stand out from the competition.
- Choose you market and create your online presence–set up a website and continually market online.
How To Become A Successful Personal trainer – First Steps >>
Congratulations on your decision to become a personal trainer. Despite national reports of unemployment personal trainer’s demand is on the rise. Mainstream consumers are starting to embrace personal training, which is currently one of the leading growth trends in the fitness industry. Once considered within the reach only of celebrities and wealthy socialites personal trainer’s services are now valued by more people who are willing to pay. For these reasons your chances of getting a job as a personal trainer are more than excellent!
Personal Trainer Job Description
There are many personal trainer job descriptions. Here are a few of them:
- A personal trainer teaches and helps people to exercise correctly and to achieve better fitness, health and overall well-being.
- A personal trainer assesses the clients’ level of physical fitness and helps them set and reach their fitness goals.
- A personal trainer provides fitness assessments, instruction and supervision to individuals or small groups of clients.
Sound knowledge of exercise and the benefits of regular physical activity are essential to become a personal trainer. Personal trainers may be employed by sports and health centers or work as self-employed or freelancers.
Typically personal trainer job involves:
- Demonstrating how to carry out various exercises and routines
- Watching clients do exercises and showing/telling them correct techniques to minimize injury and improve fitness
- Giving alternative exercises during workouts or classes for different levels of fitness and skill
- Creating programs for clients, monitoring clients’ progress and adapting programs as needed
- Explaining and enforcing safety rules and regulations on sports, recreational activities, and the use of exercise equipment
- Giving clients information or resources about nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues
- Giving emergency first aid if needed
Required Personal Qualities for Becoming a Personal Trainer
Becoming a personal trainer can be a very rewarding career, but to bag a job and to attract clients you need to be equipped with certain qualities and skills.
Customer-service skills. Many personal trainers are required to sell their services, motivating clients to hire them. Therefore, fitness trainers and instructors must be polite, friendly, and encouraging to get and keep their clients.
Listening skills. A personal trainer must be able to listen carefully to what clients tell them to assess correctly the client’s fitness levels and desired fitness goals.
Motivational skills. Getting fit and staying fit takes a lot of work for many clients. To keep clients coming back for more classes or to continue personal training, personal trainers must be able to keep their clients motivated.
Physical fitness.A personal trainer needs to be physically fit because their job requires a considerable amount of exercise. Also the clients will be looking up to you as a role model.
Personal Trainer Working Hours
Becoming a personal trainer means that you will have to work around the client’s schedule therefore your work day will not start and end at the same time. As a personal trainer you may be required to start work as early as 6.30 since many clients choose to exercise before their working hours. A personal trainer may also have to work during weekends. Many personal trainers choose working part-time which allows them to accommodate studying or another job. Personal trainer career offers great working hours flexibility if you are self-employed or a freelancer.
Personal Trainer Salary
Personal trainer salary ranges from $15.000 to $111.000 and depends on years of experience, education, establishment and location, etc. The median fitness instructor’s salary in the United States is around $36,900 a year or $17.74 per hour, excluding self-employed (May 2012 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States.) The bottom 10th percentile of personal trainers are earning less than $17,340 per year while the top 10% are earning as much as $65,180 per year. According to 2010 survey independent contractors make a significantly higher hourly rate ($42.50) than employees ($25.50) and typically work 2 hours less per week (17h) than employees (19h). According to Beaurau of Labor Statistics Report for 2012 a personal trainer you could be earning more than 45% of all employees in US.
If the above sounds like a promising career follow to the next page to learn about the best personal trainer certification programs for 2015 >>
