How to Become a Personal Trainer?

If you want to start your career in the fitness industry and personal training fascinates you, then you are in luck!  Here, we are discussing how you can kickstart your career in personal training.  This article is a cheat sheet for all those people who want to pursue their careers in personal training.

So, keep reading for more!

Is Personal training the right career for you?

Right now, fitness may be your current obsession.  You like to make fitness goals and routines for yourself and always adhere to them no matter what.  Somehow, you think this is what you want to do forever in your life because it excites you.  But, before taking any decision, make sure you know the hard truth of personal training.

- It requires training and education.  If you want a better prospect, you need to be certified and the best have a degree to prove your skills.  Your credentials are important to land you a good job.

- You need to have good selling skills to be a personal trainer, as it is not a piece of cake to persuade people to follow a strict fitness regime.

- You need to be motivated and exude positivity.  As I can relate from my own experience, anyone on a fitness journey can get easily demotivated.  If you are motivated yourself and love your job then only you can pump up those hopeless souls to stay focused on their goals.

- Besides, you need to be a good listener, a very patient person (sometimes you have work and sometimes you are out of it), and keep track of your client’s training and progress to give feedback.

- You need to be fit enough to demonstrate exercises to your clients multiple times a day.  

How to get yourself ready to become a personal trainer?

Well, you might have some unofficial personal training — learned by working things out on your own at the gym or through working under a trainer. You must have learned a lot through this informal training, still, it is not enough!

Getting certified from an accredited body is imperative for landing your dream job or enhancing your career prospects. 

Now let us map out the how’s and what’s of this journey of becoming a personal trainer.

First thing first – The prerequisites:

The prerequisites are pretty standard.  You should be — older than eighteen years of age, have a high school diploma or GED, and most importantly, get CPR/AED certification.  Both, CPR and AED will prepare you to tackle any safety issue for your client.

Choose the best personal training certificates as per your needs:

The next thing is to choose the right personal training certification program.  Map out how much time you can give to each course.  For instance, a certificate in personal training from an accredited company is the best option if you can give three to six months to it.  Likewise, if you have money, time, and will — pursuing a college diploma or university degree program is a good option for you.

The priority is to choose any program accredited by NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies), NBFE (National Board of Fitness Examiners), or other accrediting bodies.  Many certifying organizations like NCSA (Next College Student Athlete), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association, ACE (American Council on Exercise), NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and others, offer accredited programs.

All of these organizations offer certifications worldwide through interactive learning dashboards, Facebook groups, textbooks, video demos and lectures, online practice exams, and quizzes. 

If your organization allows or you already have a good client base and want to jazz up your resume a bit, you can opt for unaccredited certificates programs too. 

Give the exam & pass it now:

Prepare a proper schedule to help you train yourself for the exams.  Prepare yourself from the practice test resources, audio lectures, books, webinars, videos, Facebook groups, and other online content.  The test will most likely be computer-based, while some are on-site examinations too.  Once you pass your exam — you are a certified personal trainer now.

Discover your specialties and start working:

Once you have cleared your exams, it is time to figure out where you want to work.  It can get a bit overwhelming as you have many options to choose from.  You can start working in commercial gyms, hospitals & health clubs, corporate clubs, community centers, recreational centers, studios, spas, hotels, and resorts — the skies are limit, literally here!

Once you have discovered your focus area, what are you waiting for?  Start applying and start giving interviews.  I am sure after a few misses; you will land your dream job.

More about personal training career – answering frequently asked questions

Is it expensive to get a certificate in personal training?

The certificate programs cost as high as $800 and as low as $99.  Then there are unaccredited ones too.  So, it depends upon you how much you want to spend.  But, remember, opting for a prestigious organization program will sure cost more but has more value in the job market.  

The cost of the top five personal training programs are as follows:

ACE – between $500 and $740 depending on qualification.

NCSA – between $700 and $2000.

ACSM – between $349 and $1000.

NASM – between $700 and $2000.

ISSA – between $500 and $1200.

Note: Please bear in mind that after 2-3 years (depending on the course you opt for), you need to renew your certification.  For some certificate renewals, you have to pay a fee as well.  

Besides, sponsorship options are available in most of the training programs.

Is it time-consuming to get a certificate in personal training?

It is not very time-consuming to get yourself over with the certification exams.  Generally, it takes three to six months.  If you manage your time properly and make a proper schedule then by six months you would have your certificate.  If you want to get yourself enrolled in any college or university for a diploma or degree program that will require more time.  

How long does each top certification program take?

ACE – 3 to 4 months. 

NCSA – 1 year.

ACSM – 10 to 12 weeks.

NASM – 10 to 12 weeks. 

ISSA – 8 to 10 weeks.

 How to keep yourself updated with the latest in fitness and health?

After your certification, do not just end your fitness education here.  After two years your certification requires a renewal (recertification) to keep you stay up-to-date.  Besides, many accredited bodies offer various workshops and programs that can help you to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the fitness business.

How much will you earn?

It depends upon what kind of personal training services you offer and where you work.  According to NDSM, the average salary can range from $34,000 to $78,000.  Then you can further broaden your horizon and come up with your business ventures or can also plunge in some other related businesses.

Is there anything you need to be aware of before going for this career?

Yes, this career does not offer you a proper schedule like a 9 to 5 job offers. Personal trainers usually work more on weekends and after office hours (when the client is free).  Besides, this is risky business as anytime a client can cancel your services.  So, one week you might be jampacked the next you are idle. 

The takeaway

Personal training is a very rewarding career if you are into it.  Not only does it offer you good money but also allows you to create relationships with your clients. You grow with your clients — you feel accomplished with each success of your clients.  Despite all the goodness, there are some drawbacks to look out for.  Once you have overcome all the obstacles then nothing would be more rewarding than this career path for you.