Chances Of Becoming A Personal Trainer

The use of a personal trainer has become a popular method of achieving health and fitness goals in recent years, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. A certified personal trainer can evaluate your current fitness level, design a program based on your needs and goals, monitor progress and help you see results. If you want to become a personal trainer, you need to understand what clients are looking for to increase your chances.

Certification

There are no state laws governing personal training as a career or requiring certification. However, most facilities and clients will demand that you are certified by an accredited organization to ensure that you have acquired a basic knowledge of health and fitness. An accredited certification tells an employer or client that the organization has covered essential topics and tested you adequately on them. Different certifications are available, including those through the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Research before you sign up to see what certification best suits you or your potential employer.

Experience

Clients feel comfortable working with an experienced trainer and facilities like to hire them. However, this does not mean that you won't get hired if you are new to the field. This is where your employer or potential employer can help you. Some facilities require a probationary period where you need to complete in-house training so that they are comfortable with you taking on clients. Others also offer mentoring with an experienced trainer to help guide you as you begin to see clients. Both of these can help a new or experienced trainer increase their client base.

Education

Certification is not the only form of education and increasing your education can increase your chances of becoming a trainer. Colleges are now offering two and four year degrees in personal training or related fields such as exercise physiology, kinesiology and biomechanics. If you do not want to spend a couple years training you can continue to educate yourself by going to seminars, workshops and completing home-study courses. Certifying bodies require their members to re-certify every couple years and complete continuing education as well.

Considerations

Personal training can be considered a luxury even though regular exercise can decrease your risk of disease. If you live or work in an area where people do not have disposable income, you may not have as much work. Also, the charges and cancellation policies that you or your facility have in place can affect your business. You need to have fair, written out standards so your clients understand their contract and you build a successful business.