Personal training is a very satisfying career– a $10 billion dollar industry, according to market research from IBISWorld. It’s a constantly growing industry, one that offers a range of potential career opportunities for individuals interested in becoming personal trainers. In this post, we’ll show you all you need to know about becoming a certified physical trainer.
Who is a Personal Trainer?
A personal trainer is a fitness professional who oversees an individual’s fitness program in a fitness facility or private setting. Personal trainers have so much love of fitness, and it shows. So, their focus on a healthy lifestyle, a commitment to a fit physique, and a desire to share their passion with others is apparent, which allows them to serve as positive role models for any exercise challenges or for those who want to take their fitness to the next level.
What does a Personal Trainer Do?
A personal trainer is very active so they take on different roles. But, here are the constant duties of any fitness trainer:
What are the Qualities of A Good Certified Personal Trainer?
As a fitness lover, you should also possess a lot of skills needed to become a personal trainer. Some of the characteristics include being: Of course, you should also enjoy working with people, i.e being a team player. You might notice I didn’t add physical fitness. That’s really because you should be fit to even want to train other people to achieve that goal.
Where does Personal Trainers work?
Most physical trainers are employed in this field working across different sectors in fitness and recreation centers, gyms, country clubs, exercise studios, resorts, and even universities.
Other places a personal trainer can find a job are in:
There are several careers you can venture into as a personal trainer, such as being:
The options are so many in this industry as people are looking to lose weight or take healthy living seriously.
How much does Personal Trainers earn? | Salaries and Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual pay for fitness trainers and instructors was $39,820 in May 2018. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,160, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,090. As businesses, government, and insurance organizations continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other types of health clubs are expected to increase the need for fitness trainers and instructors. So, the employment of personal fitness trainers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.
How Can You Get Certified as A Personal Trainer?
If you’ve decided personal training is for you, your first step is to get certified. Also, earning a Certified Personal Trainer certification can open the door to new fitness paths in nutrition, conditioning, performance, sports medicine and more. So, it is very important to know whether the certifying organization has been accredited. Here are some important questions you can research on the websites of any certifying organization on personal training before you register: Of course, we would also help answer some of these questions.
What are the requirements to become a Certified Personal Trainer?
Different certifying organizations demand different requirements to become a personal fitness trainer. However, the requirements are generally that:
List of High Professional Certifications for Personal Trainers
Fitness trainers are not limited to one certification, so it is important to choose a personal training certification that suits your career path. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is the primary accrediting body for personal training certifications. So, when looking at for certifying bodies, ensure that they are fully accredited by the NCCA. Meanwhile, here is a list of certifying bodies and the certification and cost, namely:
Do I Need to Go to College to Become a Personal Trainer? Degrees In Personal Training
If you don’t want to go to college that’s fine. You don’t really need to go to college to become a personal trainer. But, for individuals seeking career advancement or to specialize in an area of personal training, an associate’s, undergraduate or graduate degree can get the best out of this profession. Fitness is not just all that is needed to become a physical trainer. In university, you can study courses related to personal training. These courses often include:
ConditioningExercise SciencesKinesiologyMotor DevelopmentAnatomy and Physiology
If you want to own your own fitness facility, you can further into courses in Business and Management. Asides from Bachelor’s Degree Programs, you can also take personal training certification courses online or at a vocational college.
How Hard is the Job as a Personal Trainer?
Fitness trainers and instructors may work nights, weekends, or holidays. Some even travel to different gyms or to clients’ homes to hold classes or conduct personal training sessions. Also, some group fitness instructors and personal fitness trainers hold full-time jobs in other fields and teach fitness classes or conduct personal training sessions during evenings or weekends to supplement their income streams. Generally, being a personal trainer is not difficult, but serious work needs to be done if you need to be seen as an expert at what you do. Also, put in some effort in the marketing aspect of it. Clients don’t just fall on your laps.
How Much does it cost to become a Certified Personal Trainer?
Depending on your career level, a personal trainer certification can cost $400-$600, a masters certification can cost upwards of $2,000 for the study materials and exam. Also, the costs of specialist certifications for strength training, senior fitness, or youth fitness typically ranges from $400 and $500.
How Long does it take to become a Personal Trainer?
Generally, you can give yourself at least 3-6 months, depending on your personal training certification program. With a target date in mind, no matter the workload, you can always find a way to cover your courses and prepare for the certification exam.
Steps on How to Become A Personal Trainer
So, you want to help others achieve their fitness goals and also make a career being a personal trainer. Well, that’s really fantastic. Here are the steps broken down for you to follow and land your first paying client as a certified physical trainer:
#1 Get a High School Diploma
A large percentage of certifying bodies require just a high school diploma or GED to sit for their certification exam to become a personal trainer. So, completing this minimum requirement is highly crucial.
#2 Get a CPR/AED Certification
Getting Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification is important because your client might be facing a medical emergency and you might be the only one to help. These programs are designed to train trainers on how to handle basic medical emergencies like Cardiac or breathing or problems and help the client until professional medics arrive.
#3 Find Your Fitness Speciality
Before venturing into the world of personal training, it is very important that you know the field you want to specialize in. Whether they match your interest and professional goals. Once you have defined this, review various personal training certifying bodies and select one that suits your interest.
#4 Prepare And Take Certification Exam
When you have selected your ideal certification program, whether Certified Personal Trainer from ACE or NASM, register for the training program and gather their study materials and attend their training classes as you prepare for the certification exams. Registration for this certification program typically includes an application and a fee. Also, some personal training certifications are usually computer-based tests. Finally, when you pass the exam, you are ready to start working as a personal trainer.
#5 Land a Job as a Personal Trainer and Build Your Portfolio
Now that you are a certified fitness trainer, before you start applying for jobs as a personal trainer, consider these questions:
Where exactly do you want to work?Do you prefer large group training classes or one-on-one sessions at the gym?Would you prefer working in a hotel or country club setting?Are you trying to start your own studio?
This can help you to be clear about your career objectives. Gain experience working at the local gym under experienced trainers. Then, venture out to seek other opportunities and build your connections. Finally, ensure that you are marketing that skill well. Depending on the certification program and workload, it takes 3-6 months. Professional personal training certifications costs about $400-600. As a personal trainer, you can work in different areas such as fitness and recreational centers, exercise studios, gym resorts, private companies and even hospitals. The average annual salary of a personal trainer is about $39,900. On average full time personal trainers make about $60,000/year with potential to make upwards of $130,000/year. So, yeah you can make cool cash as a personall trainer depending on how hard you work. It is imperative that you get certified as a personal trainer if you want to be taken seriously. Learn how to become – How To Become a Personal Trainer Fitness Mentors – How to Become a Personal Trainer in 5 Simple Steps 10+ Best Health Insurance for Young Adults What Is Transportations Design? Schools, Costs, and Programs 12 Affordable Hypnotherapy Training Programs How Can I Become a Yoga Instructor? Schools, Programs and Cost
