Even Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) wasn't born with bulging biceps and a Hulk-like back. He had a personal trainer behind the scenes to help him achieve the physique he is known for.
Personal trainers help everyone, from everyday athletes to professionals, realize their strength and work toward their individual goals of improving endurance, performance, and self-confidence. But above all, personal trainers help you build a healthy relationship with exercise.
Having a passion for fitness is just the beginning; Becoming a certified personal trainer requires a few key steps. First, think about what you want your career to look like and think about what environment you want to work in. This could mean a chain gym, boutique studio, corporate gym, or home workout.
Once you have a general idea of what you want to do, here are the next steps to take to become a certified personal trainer.
How to be a certified personal trainer?
Choose a certifying organization
There are several organizations that the fitness world recognizes as the best certification programs. These organizations offer personal training programs, which can be done online and at your own pace with the help of a study manual.
To earn a personal training certification, you must also take a final exam at a location they determine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have also been encouraged to conduct virtual exams.
Although you will generally find package deals for study materials and tests, the regular price of a personal trainer certification can range in cost from around 350 to 2.200 €, depending on the organization you choose and any study materials you want to include.
Keep in mind that each organization has its own rules for retaking an exam (some packs offer a new test for free if you don't pass the first time) and all require a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and a Automatic external defibrillator (DEA) current certification, as well as continuing education courses that allow the recertification every two or three years.
To help you decide which certifying organization to go with, we recommend checking to see if the gym or facility you want to work at has requirements for your certification or an organization they partner with.
If you don't have a gym in mind that you want to work with, think about the type of client you want to train with.
Choose a study program
Regardless of the certifying organization you go with, make sure it is accredited by a third party.
Within the packs of each organization, you can decide which materials will best help you study for your exam. Some organizations not only have a comprehensive manual to learn from, but also videos, webinars, and access to current professionals who can answer questions. Decide what you need to be successful on the exam.
Make sure it's what you need to work
Although a background in exercise science, including a college degree, can help you take the personal training certification exam, it is not required.
Most certifying organizations develop a curriculum and content and provide an education that would essentially consider someone entry level competent to be a personal trainer. Upon completion of certification, gets the minimum you needs for to train tosomeone effectively and safely to achieve your fitness goals.
Keep in mind that more learning generally equals more income. Earning potential increases with a bachelor's or master's degree in exercise science or similar, as well as continuing your education with certification in specific modalities, such as Russian weights o TRX, or how to address specific populations such as pre/post-natal training, senior fitness or sports performance.
The most challenging part is understanding that the job is also about the ability to relate to people, the ability to be empathetic, and to guide and coach someone to change their behavior.
Although you don't need a specific college degree to become a personal trainer, a high school diploma is required. You must also be at least 18 years old. And to sit for the exam, you'll need to complete a CPR/AED certification and submit proof of that certification.
Register for the exam
Some organizations have the exam fee included in your study package, while others will require an additional fee. If you prefer the cost of the exam to be included in your initial total, please make sure it is included as a component of your purchase.
In many cases, you can set the exam date for when you think it will be ready, although some organizations require you to sign up within a certain number of months. Make sure you have plenty of time (most organizations suggest at least a few weeks to a few months) to study all the materials and take a few practice tests.
Get your first personal training contact
If you didn't give much thought to where you wanted to work before the exam, once you pass, you'll want to figure out where to apply for jobs.
Contact different facilities and see if they let you watch a day in the life of the coach there, just to get an idea of what it's like. Each environment has a different vibe, energy, and customer population.
Over time, you'll also want to think about the niche or demographic you want to train, and then where you might focus your continuing education and specializations.
For example, if you have a passion for kettlebell workouts, you can become certified in kettlebells and find a gym that caters to clients who want this type of training. The same goes for pre and postnatal training or fitness for seniors.
Some of the benefits of being a personal trainer, especially once you establish your own client base, is having a flexible hours, rewarding work, plenty of room to grow, and almost unlimited financial potential.
However, it can sometimes lead to working outside of working hours, since you are usually training people before they go to the office or after work; this is especially true if you work out of a larger gym.
Set limits and financial goals
Although it's harder to set limits when working for a gym, it's still important for success. Don't make the common mistake of spending 12-14 hours in the gym and sacrificing your life and health in the process. Burnout can happen if you don't control it.
To help you set those limits, determine your financial goals and then figure out how much you have to work to reach those goals.
You may need to consider ways you can increase your income-generating opportunities, such as training in small groups, In addition to sessions single. Or consider ways to increase your individual rate, especially taking into account travel, equipment, and programming time.
Find common ground with customers
Creating a training program that meets clients' goals is an essential part of the job, but the trainer's role goes beyond just teaching fitness.
Learning about exercise and how to take advantage of that, along with other components of health, is probably the easiest part. The most challenging part is understanding that the job is also about the ability to relate to people, the ability to be empathetic, and to guide and coach someone to change their behavior.
The people you're coaching probably won't have the same enthusiasm and perspective on wellness that you do, so you need to learn how to encourage and relate to that person. And keeping the energy positive throughout the session is very important.
In addition to learning how to keep sessions upbeat, financial planning, time management, and organization are also important to building a business and making it successful.
It is also important understand when to push a client and when to back off, plus how to tailor your routines and tips to the person you're working with to keep them safe, effective, and attractive.
Create an image online
COVID-19 restrictions have also increased the need to build a brand that can expand virtually. Running your business digitally can mean many things, including routines for clients who follow you on their own but communicate with you virtually, doing one-on-one Zoom sessions or streaming classes on your personal Instagram account or through big-name social media accounts. gym or studio.