How to Become a Personal Trainer
You’ve decided you want to become a personal trainer and help others to achieve their fitness goals? If so, you’ve selected a rewarding career and one that offers clear opportunities for progression. Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has suggested that, between 2014 and 2024, there will be over 23,000 job openings around the country for this role. If you are currently looking for a health and fitness job in Tucson, head on over to our careers page and submit your information.
If you’re struggling to know where to start., we’ve got some advice for you today!
Step One – Consider the Career
Before doing anything, we urge you to sit down and really consider what your life would be like as a personal trainer. If you rush into the decision and find that you’re actually not the right fit, you could be wasting not only money but also your own time.
If you’ve never had a personal training session before, we highly recommend booking one because it can teach you more about what the job entails, the key characteristics of a good personal trainer, and how it all works (you could even ask them questions/advice about the career choice!). In terms of characteristics, personal trainers need to be organized, self-motivated, good listeners, analytical, persistent, patient, and more.
As a trainer, you could work with a range of people. As well as the average gym-goer looking to get into shape, you could work with budding athletes, those recovering from an injury, absolute beginners, and many others.
If you’re happy with your research and you’re still sure you want to proceed, this is great news!
Step Two – Qualification and Certification
With the national certification bodies in the U.S., they normally only require a high school diploma (or an equivalent) in order to get a place on the examination. However, it may be worth considering an advanced training course, certificate, or even a degree to set yourself up in the right way. Although, depending on the circumstances, a degree can always come later as you look to hone your skills.
Before choosing a specialty and the pathway on which you want to embark, you’ll need two certificates; automated external defibrillator (AED) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Since physical emergencies can happen in this field, most national personal training certification organizations will require these two steps.
Download The Course: CPR AED-First-Aid-Certification-Course
Step Three – Choose a Field
Whichever field you choose, you’ll need to ensure that the certifying organization has been accredited by an independent third party. If you know your field and you even have an employer in mind, simply ask them for their preferred certification and you’ll know exactly which route to follow. If you aren’t sure, there are many different certifying organizations including;
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- National Council on Strength and Fitness (NSCF)
- National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
- International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA)
While most you’ll find are accredited by the NCCA, equally acceptable accreditations can come from the DEAC.
Step Four – Launch Your Career
If you pass the exams and have your personal training qualification, you’ll have taken the first step. Although it seems scary, it’s now time to head into the real world and put those hard-earned skills to the test. The reason why personal training is steadily becoming more popular is because of the sheer number of options you have. If you went into the examination with no clear path in mind, you could still work in a Tucson gym, offer your own freelance training in local facilities and community centers, work in hospitals, offer in-home training, or even work at a resort.
Conclusion
Whether you want to offer an all-round service or specialize in orthopedics, athletics, weight management, or injury recovery, the choice is yours. As you build experience and learn the trade, there’s no reason why you can’t start your own business and have full control over your career!
