A career in personal training can be lucrative and rewarding; it's best-suited for those with friendly, outgoing personalities who desire to help people. Personal trainers have the ability change people's lives for the better. With about one-third of United States adults and 17 percent of children and adolescents classified as obese, a personal trainer has plenty of potential customers.
Developing a Foundation
Some certifications require a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, human performance, nutritional science or a similar field of health, such as the highly coveted NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential. However, many certification programs do not require a bachelor’s degree. Since most certification programs shovel a lot of material at you in a very short period of time, and then test you afterward, it would be in your best interest to learn some basics before taking your certification course. One of the most important things you will need to know is the anatomy of the musculoskeletal structure. The organization from which you will receive your certification may also require a preexisting certification in CPR and first aid.
Choosing a Certification
Choosing a certification program will depend upon how much money and time you wish to spend. Prices for certification courses can range from $200 to thousands of dollars. Courses vary greatly in time from one weekend to even a few days per month for several months. Some courses are taught in various cities around the United States, and others are only offered in certain areas. Another very important determinant in choosing a certification is making sure that it is nationally recognized. Some of the most recognized certifications come from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, the American Council on Exercise and the International Sports Sciences Association, to name a few.
Working For a Health Club
If you plan to work for a particular health club, talk with the director of personal training to see if there is one certification that is more highly esteemed for that club than another. Ask to look at the biographies of the personal trainers that are employed by the club to glean some information on the club culture, and what the club expects from its trainers. Some health clubs have their own personal training certification that they will require you to take before you can start personal training. These classes would teach you the basics of human anatomy and physiology, along with a working knowledge of muscle movements and exercise program design.
Continuing Your Education
Once you become a certified personal trainer, it is always important to continue learning and applying new knowledge to your practice. The certification program that you choose probably has continuing education requirements that you must fulfill in order to keep your certification active. The acceptable fulfillment to the continuing education requirement is different for each certification organization. The information will be listed on the organization's website. For instance, you may see a list of continuing education classes that are offered by the organization and how many continuing education credits that the class is worth. To keep your certification current, you must complete the appropriate number of CECs in the time allotted.
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