Requirements To Become A Fitness Trainer

Fitness training is a fast-growing job field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fitness trainers are not licensed by state agencies, but employers and clients require trainers to have professional certification as well as training in safety and handling emergencies. Requirements to become a fitness trainer may also include a college degree or a number of hours worked under supervision.

Certification

Every gym and health club hiring fitness trainers and nearly every client employing a personal trainer will insist that the trainer be certified by a reputable organization. Most gyms specify which certifying organizations will be acceptable for employment at their facility, usually indicating one of the programs accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The American Council on Exercise certification program for personal trainers has requirements fairly typical of NCCA-approved programs. It requires a 3 to 6-month home-study course followed by a rigorous certification examination. The resulting certification is good for two years, during which time you must complete 2.0 continuing education credits equal to about 20 hours of class time study to qualify for certification renewal. Subject covered in the certification training materials and test include nutrition, exercise science and instructional and spotting techniques.

CPR and AED

Many fitness trainer certification programs such as the NCCA-accredited programs offered by the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine require fitness trainers to be certified in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation--CPR--and the use of automated external defibrilators, or AED. CPR and AED use can save the life of a person going into cardiac arrest due to underlying health issues or as a result of the stress of strenuous exercise.

College Degree

Employers are increasing requiring that fitness trainers hold college degrees as well as certification, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many colleges offer associate degrees in personal training within their health sciences program. The NCCA-accredited personal trainer certification course of the National Federation of Personal Trainers is offered as a college course within a degree program. Some employers require fitness trainers to hold bachelor's degrees in a fitness-related field such as physical education.

On-the-Job Training

Personal trainers may be required by their employers to shadow and work with an experienced trainer for some period of time before being permitted to take on individual clients, advises the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Group fitness instructors may also be required to take classes for some period of time and then audition for the position of instructor.

Age and High School Diploma

Most trainer certification programs require fitness trainers to have a high school diploma, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCCA-accredited programs like those at the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine also require certification applicants to be at least 18 years old.