The growing interest in fitness and health makes it a great time to take the step and become a personal fitness trainer.

There are gyms and workout centers for men and women (and both together) springing up everywhere. A couple of years ago I was the only personal trainer in this rural area, but now there are several within a few miles and yet my small business has not felt any pinch and is still growing.

The reasons are many, but chief among them is the recognition that a fit lifestyle is much healthier and less prone to illness and disability than the sedentary, over-weight, sit-on-your-butt-all-day lifestyle that seems to be everywhere.

That and the fact that baby boomers are into or nearing retirement age and beginning to feel their mortality. Fit people simply live longer and happier lives.

If you are one of those, at any age, who works out regularly anyway, and enjoys helping people and can’t understand why everyone isn’t exercising, why not have a long think about becoming a fitness professional?

If you are reading this, perhaps you have already thought about a career change and simply want to be sure to do it the right way.

To that end I have put together a few pointers about getting your fitness trainer education and becoming a personal trainer and I have also published a list of Fitness Trainer Schools in the US, and online., on my website for reference purposes.

The decision to become a personal trainer must involve a decision to obtain the necessary education and certification and is an imperative step in being recognized as a competent practitioner in this discipline.

Reputable fitness trainer schools will help you become a personal trainer by providing the following training in their courses. Make sure that any school you are considering will deliver the following:

You’ll learn the critical areas of Fitness Assessment, Program Design, Upper- and Lower-body Strength Training and Flexibility Training.

You’ll learn how to effectively administer a health history screening, which simply means you will learn to assess a clients current physical condition through testing so you have all the information necessary to develop a safe and effective exercise program and more.

You will learn to become a fitness trainer for one-on-one or small group training. It’s worth bearing in mind that small group training in the form of ‘Boot Camps” can be highly effective at recruiting new, ongoing clients as well as producing a great income source. This is important whether you work at a club or on your own.

You will learn to empower, motivate, challenge and retain your clients.

The schools curriculum should be continually evaluated and updated to ensure that it includes the most current exercise science information to keep the graduates ahead of the competition.

You will have demonstrated your knowledge of exercise science, nutrition, fitness assessment, exercise programming, and training and instruction techniques.

You will be required to do real-life situational evaluations. Given a (hypothetical) clients problems, goals and limitations you will assess and design an appropriate program for exercise and be tested on your performance.

Generally, you must meet the following eligibility requirements to become a personal trainer.

* You must be at least 18 years of age.

* You must hold current adult CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification at the time of the exam. Candidates registering for online courses must have current CPR prior to registration.

It certainly helps if you understand fitness science and don’t just memorize it. This is a case where you can really help people if you have a good understanding, or you could do harm if you don’t. After all, being a fitness trainer is not just about memorizing program design, but understanding the fundamentals of exercise science so that fitness can be prescribed to many unique individuals.

Look for a program that includes alot of hands-on teaching. This will help you know you are doing things right and will increase your confidence.

The right personal trainer course will help with your belief in yourself, and will give you confidence in your ability, and trust in your knowledge.

Deciding on a career, or changing careers can be a little scary, but will be less-so if you do a little ground work first.



By: Cindy Brotherston

About the Author:

If you are interested in helping others to live rewarding and healthier lifestyles, you can join a fitness training school. Once you have completed the course, you can work towards improving the appearance and health of your clients. This could be achieved by helping them to adhere to strict diet and exercise routines and fitness programs.

Functions Of A Fitness Training School

There are several fitness training schools that provide students with the basic knowledge of physiology, anatomy, nutrition, homeostasis and metabolism. They also teach them how to design, manage and implement various fitness plans, conduct physical assessments and train their clients for health safety. You can develop the practical skills in the classroom, along with an externship program for professional training.

These schools prepare students to work with people belonging to different fitness levels and help them attain various goals. This could involve designing weight loss programs for middle aged overweight men and women, leading calisthenics workouts in nursing homes or gymnasiums, guiding world class athletes or preparing exercise routines for children who have special health issues. Students also learn to design anaerobic and aerobic exercises.

Requirements:

A fitness trainer needs to have an Associate of Science degree in sports, medicine, physiology, physical education, exercise science or any health care related field. Most positions require a Master of Science or Bachelor of Science degree.

Career Opportunities After Fitness Training School

1.Health Club Or Gym Instructor: Your salary will depend on the reputation of the gym or health club.

2.Freelance Fitness Trainer: Your clients will pay you directly. Fitness trainer salaries vary a lot. At the initial stages, you could expect around 16,000 dollars, annually. It all depends on the region, experience and education level.

3.Personal Trainer: If you become a personal trainer to movie stars and athletes, you can earn a six-figure salary.

4.Trainer At Private Spas, Cruises, Resorts Or Online: Your services could be employed by a particular chain or by visitors to a particular fitness website.

5.Fitness Writing, Consulting And Athletic Coaching: You could open your own gym or start group fitness instructions at any convenient venue.

Points To Remember

1.For a career in fitness training you need to be persistent, patient, motivating and organized. You should love working and interacting with all kinds of people.

2.You do not need to look like a bodybuilder to become a fitness trainer. However, you should make sure that you lead a healthy lifestyle and become a role model for your clients.

3.Get certified in specialty. It is not required, but it indicates an advanced level of understanding and in turn, enables you to quote higher rates for your services.

4.If you are not sure where you want to work, take some time to conduct research online.

5.If you want to join a club, call the local clubs and ask about their requirement for personal trainers.

6.Market yourself and improve your skills. You should attempt to take special fitness courses, to add quality to your resume. You should also attempt to make the most of available opportunities to acquire hands-on experience.



By: Tony Jacowski

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