Do you have what it takes?
Personal trainers need to be healthy first and foremost! Getting healthy & fit is what personal training is all about and if you walk the walk in addition to talk the talk, you will have greater success as a personal trainer. In addition to a healthy physique you should be patient, well organized, an effective motivator, and most of all, a people person. After all, as a personal trainer you will be working with people to help them achieve their fitness goals.
How to get healthy
Nobody is going to listen to a personal trainer that is unfit. You have to look the part. That means doing what you profess, being fit, having a good physique, and generally embodying what your clients want to achieve.
Other Career Tracks
There are a huge variety of jobs and places to work that personal trainers can choose from. Just a few of the different areas are: corporate fitness, cruises, resorts, spas, online training and more. Check out The Wellness Connection or Resortjobs.com for more ideas on things you can do with your certification.
Beyond Personal Training
Once you're an established fitness trainer at a gym or even in your own business, there are more opportunities available to you. You can consider consulting, fitness writing, athletic coaching (with the proper education), group fitness instruction or even opening your own gym. Whatever you decide upon you.
How To Become A Certified Personal Trainer
List Of Certification Organizations List Of Common SpecializationsChoosing A Certification
There are a variety of certifying organizations, each offering different classes, workshops and exams for getting certified. You should choose an organization that is nationally recognized and accredited. If you already have a club in mind, call and ask them what certifications they require for employment there. If you don't know where you'll work, take some time to research the websites of major organizations to find out: How much the certification costs, what the pre-requisites are, and if they offer a workshop/exam in your area or a home study program.
Choosing A Specialty
This isn't required, but in this competitive market, many fitness trainers are boosting their resumes by getting specialty certifications. Getting a specialty certification means you have more to offer and, even better, you can usually charge a little more for your services. One example is ACE's Clinical Exercise Specialist certification which takes you beyond basic personal training and allows you to work with special populations like people with chronic diseases or injuries.
Improving Your Skills And Education
Continuing education. If you want to keep your certification and be a good fitness trainer, you'll have to continue to educate yourself. Thankfully, there are some companies out there who's sole job is to offer you continuing education courses. Desert Southwest Fitness offers a variety of courses, or you can get your CEU's from your own certifying organization.
Get a Job at a Club
Look online or in your local phone book and call some clubs in your area to ask them if they employ personal trainers. If they say yes, ask about availability of jobs and the steps to take towards getting employed.
Other Job Options
You don't have to work in a gym or even work for yourself. Personal fitness trainers work in all kinds of different areas: corporate fitness, cruises, resorts, spas, online training and more. Check out The Wellness Connection or Resortjobs.com for some ideas on what else you can do with your certification.
Setting Up Your Own Business
Briefly, setting up your home business requires: Choosing a business entity (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.), choosing a business name, registering your company, getting liability insurance, setting up your gym (if you're training from your own home), targeting potential clients, and marketing yourself.
Market Yourself
Once you get things going, it's time to get your name out to all your potential customers. This means taking a hands on approach to marketing using newsletters, business cards, a website, or even setting up neighborhood seminars to create awareness and bring in business. It helps to have some equipment like a computer, printer, and basic publich software to create and print graphics. When purchasing a printer in particular, pay close attention to the "cpp" (cost per page) that the printer is rated at. You are going to want cpp to be below 10 cents optimally. Usually a midrange small business rated black and white laser printer will work well. Be prepared to hawk your services anywhere you can: posting flyers in sporting goods stores, on the wall at the local coffee shops, getting friends and family members to spread the word, and sending out flyers and newsletters to people you know. Offering free consultations and seminars is a great way to get people in the door as well.
Become Indispensable to Your Clients
Being successful at this job takes work, talent, skill and experience. Getting a certification is no guarantee that you'll either get clients or, more importantly, be able to keep those clients. To improve upon your skills, consider joining a national organization, such as IDEA, and attending personal trainer summits, workshops and seminars. Doing this will provide you with new ideas and business connections to work with.