Commit to Fitness! Make It Your Full-Time Job
Doing what you love: that’s the dream isn’t it? Do you love the challenge of shaping your body into a lean, toned specimen? Are you constantly staying current on the latest fitness and nutrition topics and trends? If you’re passionate about fitness and healthy lifestyles, consider becoming a full-time personal trainer. You could get paid to share your own fitness secrets and help people achieve their goals as well as learn additional techniques. [bctt tweet="If you’re passionate about fitness and healthy lifestyles, consider becoming a full-time personal trainer."] If you think you have the fitness, passion, and motivational skills to be a personal trainer, learn how to make fitness a full-time job… Job Outlook The 2016 annual median pay for fitness trainers and instructors was $38,160. A high school diploma is the typical entry-level education. Employment is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. With more employers, organizations, and residential developments incorporating gym facilities into benefits and amenities, the demand for personal trainers will continue to grow. What Do Personal Trainers Do? Fitness trainers and instructors instruct and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardio, strength training, and stretching. They demonstrate or explain how to perform exercises and ensure clients are using the correct techniques. They monitor clients’ progress and adapt programs as needed. Personal trainers design workout routines specific to the needs of their clients. You’ll evaluate a client’s current fitness level, personal goals, and skills and then develop personalized training programs and monitor the clients’ progress. Personal Trainer Career You may choose to work in a gym setting as an employee or create your own business, contracting with gyms, teaching privately in client’s homes, online coaching or conducting outdoor workouts. The advantages of working as an employee include:
- Health benefits
- Single work location
- Clientele referred by the gym
- Little or no marketing expense
- Equipment is supplied
- Little bookkeeping required
If you choose to create your own business, you’re the boss and you call the shots. There are various channels, such as client’s homes, gyms, studios, and outdoor, to maximize income, and you have the freedom to offer specialized training. Becoming a Personal Trainer What does it take to become an employed personal trainer? The basic steps include:
- Choose a certification body such as American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), or National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
- Decide on a specialty, such as one-on-one, group instruction, and different types of exercise.
- Take a personal training certification course and study hard.
- Take the certification exam.
- Decide on a gym or studio or work as an independent personal training contractor.
- Purchase liability insurance.
- Become a fitness role model.
Education and Certification The required education and training vary by specialty. Most employers prefer certification and increasingly an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in exercise science, kinesiology, or physical education. Programs often include courses in nutrition, exercise techniques, biology, anatomy, and group fitness. Personal trainers also learn how to develop fitness programs for clients of all ages. Many personal trainers must be certified before working with clients or members of a gym or health club. Certification exams measure your knowledge of human physiology, understanding of proper exercise techniques, and ability to assess clients’ fitness levels and develop appropriate exercise programs. Most trainers or instructors need certification in CPR. Personal Trainer Training A program like Meditec’s Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer (ACE) will prepare learners for the exam with courses such as:
- Exercise Science
- Health Risk Profiles and Fitness Assessment Techniques
- Business Administration
- Designing Exercise Prescriptions
- Nutritional Analysis and Management
- Resistance/Weight Training Techniques
- Functional Flexibility, Core and Balance Training
This is a fulfilling career with big potential for growth. You might start out at a large, recognized gym or health club and after a few years of building up your skills, knowledge, and contacts, create your own exercise program videos or books or open your own business. With rapidly developing trends and technologies, the opportunities are numerous and exciting. Take the first step in your journey to becoming a kick ass personal trainer with convenient, online training. Meditec has just the program for you. The Personal Training Certification is developed by industry experts. With this 100% online training, you can learn at your own pace and create a flexible schedule. Enroll today!
