A good personal trainer has a vast knowledge of fitness, healthy eating and exercise. A great personal trainer combines that same knowledge with an in-depth understanding of the body's basic systems and how diet and exercise affect them. When you understand the body as a whole, you can develop programs more tailored to your client's specific, individual needs. You'll also be able to take the results you give to your existing clients to the next level. Certain certification programs and opportunities for study can help you add this knowledge to your practice.
Step 1
Attain certification from one of the major personal trainer accrediting bodies, such as the American Council on Exercise or the American College of Sports Medicine. These certifications require knowledge of body systems and how they pertain to exercise, weight training and a healthy lifestyle. Attend the workshops and classes offered by these organizations.
Step 2
Study exercise science, anatomy, physiology, nutrition or health care at a college or university. If you plant to make training a career, a degree in an exercise or healthy lifestyle related field will add credibility to your resume as well as teach you how the body works.
Step 3
Continue learning at home by reading books written by experts in your field. Compile a reading list that focuses on training for different parts of the body or for different diseases and medical conditions to widen your knowledge about the body.
Step 4
Pay attention to how your body and your existing clients' bodies respond to your training methods. There's a certain amount of knowledge about the way the body works and the way training affects the body that you can only gain through experience, both personal and professional.
Step 5
Shadow personal trainers whose skills you admire. Even if you're a professional who has worked in the field for some time, you can always learn from other professionals who operate at a higher level than you. Consider shadowing outside of the gym setting at a place like a sports medicine clinic, rehab center or nursing home.
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