As the field of fitness expands, so does the need for competent and highly skilled personal trainers. More often, personal trainers are being used in clinical settings, with high profile clients such as professional athletes and celebrities---even in a research setting. To accommodate the growing need for well educated master personal trainers, certification groups have begun to offer many types of personal training certifications. If there is a specialty group you'd like to work with or specialized environment you'd like to train in, there is a certification offered by somewhere.
History
Gyms used to be small, muscle-head dominated centers for "bulking up and ripping out." Today, you are more likely to see more women than men in a gym; the average age of those seeking personal trainers has increased as well. The medical community has also taken notice and begun employing personal trainers in their practice or research. To capture this shift in the culture, a basic personal training certification came about. Later, specialized certifications emerged to improve the skills of the trainer and satisfy the needs of the clients/patients.
Types
Types of personal training tests include Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), the basic certification offered by all certifying organizations; Advanced Certifications vary by certification organization, but generally include performance enhancement, rehabilitation specialty, and working with discrete populations such as the elderly, children and pregnant women.
Identification
Each certification organization will use different names for essentially the same advanced personal training certifications. The important thing is to utilize a reputable, nationally recognized organization for your initial and advanced personal training certification. The best organizations require continuing education credits to maintain your certifications over time. These groups generally turn out the best personal trainers.
Benefits
The more personal training certifications you have, the more clients you will be able to service. That is, you will be able to work with a variety of clients in many settings, such as research and clinical settings, thereby increasing your opportunity to make the most out of your personal training certifications. You will also be paid more at gyms and considered for more specialized work that often pays more as well.
Significance
Preparation and successfully completing personal training certifications will make you a better trainer, period. People trust their trainers intensely; it is their health and well-being in your hands---it is important to live up to those expectations. Take any opportunity you have to increase your certifications.
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