Ever wonder what it takes to become a Personal Trainer? I did, today, and a bunch of other days prior to today. I usually think about it when I'm at the gym, watching personal trainers have sessions with their clients. I try to put myself in the client's shoes, who's clearly struggling doing lunges across the exercise room. And then, I put myself in the Personal Trainers shoes and wonder what they're thinking, how they're feeling...how they got there. I wondered what it'd be like to walk in their shoes...
What is the role of a Personal Trainer?
- To instruct individual clients on the proper methods of exercising according to their age and fitness abilities.
Personal Trainers should have...
- an outgoing personality
- endless enthusiasm
- patience
- charisma
- knowledge
- teaching and listening skills
- flexibility
What do I need to become one?
- Personal Trainer Certification or bachelor's degree in exercise physiology (depending on the company)
- Extensive experience with various types of exercise equipment
- High level of physical fitness ("Your body is your own best advertisement!")
How much can I get paid?
- Ranges from $25-500 per hour depending on client base, location and experience
Where do I begin?
To become certified, most organizations only require for you to be at least 18 years old, with a high school diploma or equivalent and adult CPR Certification (which you can attain through your local community college). There is a whole list of well-known organizations that are NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) accredited. For example, through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), you can take the exam for $219-279. They offer a home study program and note that you would have to buy study materials and pay for expenses for workshops as well.
For Laughs...
Source: "Job Profile: Personal Trainer" by Experience.com and "How to Be a Personal Trainer"by Paige Waehner, About.com.
Photo courtesy to http://dietersden.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/personal-trainer1.243214116.jpg and http://www.carrieandjonathan.com/workingwednesday/personal%20trainer.gif
2 comments:
Amazingly comprehensive info here.
A while back, a friend got into personal training, and absolutely loves it. She balances it with some structured classes and a bit of writing on the side (which also publicizes her business).
What a great career choice!
Why thank you! It really is something I've always wanted to look into but never got around to. But I'm glad I did and hopefully others find it useful.
Your friend sounds like she has an amazing job! :) Career + writing = my dream job!
Post a Comment