Personal trainers are exercise professionals who work with clients to help them develop or maintain an individualized fitness
program. This job can be a rewarding one for the right person. If you think it may be something you would like to do, why
not check out what is involved and see if you want to pursue it as a career?
Examine Your Personality
Before you start out, it is a good idea to take a good look at yourself and see if this career is a good "fit" for you. Are you
a self-starter? Do you have a great deal of patience and energy? Are you confident and comfortable telling people what to do?
Are you active and interested in fitness? The more characteristics you have already, the better the fit this career will be.
If you take a look and like what you see, then it is time to take the steps necessary to become a personal trainer.
Get Your CPR/First Aid Cards
Obtaining training in CPR and First Aid certification should be one of the first steps that you take on the road to becoming a personal trainer.
Contact your local fire
department for a schedule of CPR and First Aid classes or for a referral to a local course in the community. After you have
completed each class you will be issued a card that shows you are certified. Both certifications should be completed before you
take your next step.
Get Certified
In order to become a personal trainer, you need to make sure you have the proper qualifications in terms of exercise training.
There are many certification programs available for those who are interested in this field. Some of the biggest and most
well-respected names in the industry include: the American Council on Exercise (ACE), The National Strength & Conditioning
Association (NSCA) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), among others. You can contact them for complete
information on their various programs (or look them up on the web) and compare/contrast to choose the one that most suits your
needs. These credentials show your prospective clients that you have training in fitness, and also help you to market yourself
as a professional trainer.
Consider College
If you are very serious about this as a career, you may also want to look into getting a college degree in an exercise-related
field. Degrees in Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology are some good choices for this field. Not only does having a degree
help expand your knowledge as a trainer, but it helps prepare you for certification by the American College of Sports Medicine (which
many believe to be the "gold standard" in fitness certification). Another option is to get certified by one of the other agencies
out there and work in the field as you pursue your degree. Don't worry, getting a degree is not a necessity in this field,
but it can help to solidify your skills and make your credentials that much more impressive.
Get Insured
In this day and age you simply cannot get by without insurance--especially in a field such as personal training. Many of the
certification bodies offer insurance for reasonable rates if you go through their courses. You may want to check into this
before choosing a program. It pays to have the safety net--just in case. Hopefully, if you have it, you will never need to
use it!
Set Up Your Office
As a personal trainer, you will almost always be either an independent contractor (if you work for someone else) or self-employed.
This means you will need an "office." You don't need to set up a whole desk, but do maintain a file system for important things
such as client information and tax paperwork. Make sure you keep all of your business-related receipts--you will need them for
tax write-offs later on down the line. You will also need a file for each client so that you can keep track of their programs
and progress.
Prepare For Taxes
Being an independent contractor or self-employed also means you will need to set aside money to pay the government. Taxes are
paid quarterly (check with the IRS for dates) so you should try to set aside some of the money that you are paid by clients as
you go. It is a good idea to open a savings account and make periodic deposits to prepare to meet quarterly tax costs.
Market Your Skills
To get clients, you will need to market yourself. This means business cards, word of mouth and perhaps even taking an ad out in
the local paper. Many trainers begin their career at a health club, where there is already a built-in client base. Over time
this will become easier, but in the beginning you should market as much as you can to get your name "out there." Pass out your
business card to clients and friends. Let everyone know what you are up to! Customers can come from the most unexpected places.
Work With The Client
There are several ways to go about working with a client. Many trainers do an initial consult, in which they discuss what fitness
goals the person has, their current lifestyle and exercise program (if there is one) basic health history information. This helps
the trainer come up with a plan for that person's fitness program. Sessions can run any amount of time you choose, but one hour is
most common. This gives you a chance to answer questions, demonstrate exercises and get in a good workout for your client. During
the session you will also want to keep the person's file handy so you can make notes and update it accordingly.
Session Setup
Many people tend to want their training sessions either early in the morning or in the evening after work. You can sell your
personal training sessions one at a time or in packages. There are no hard and fast rules, and you can certainly experiment
around to see what works best for you. Many times trainers have a variety of packages for people to choose from, with the
cost of a package running a little less than an individual session. Hourly rates vary quite a bit, so a good bet is to call
around in your area and get a feel for what other people in your field are charging.
Cancellations
There will be times when a client will not be able to make a session, or will not show up. You may want to have a policy
regarding cancellations or "no-shows" so that you aren't hurt financially if you have a client who doesn't come to a session.
If you develop a short list of policies for the initial consult, you can go over these things with the client then. Try to
keep the list brief, as you don't want to make the person feel uncomfortable.
Stay Current
Make sure to keep track of when your CPR or First Aid certifications expire and update them accordingly. As a trainer it is
imperative that these certifications are never allowed to lapse. You will also want to make sure that you renew your insurance
yearly.
Keep Learning
Most certification programs require continuing education credits (CEC's) as part of ongoing membership, for which there is
usually a fee. In addition, you will want to stay on top of the latest findings in fitness by paying attention to the exercise
community and any new research. Many organizations have a professional exercise journal they offer, if not, keep your eyes
open for new studies, exercises and information in fitness magazines or by talking with other exercise professionals. Keeping
up with the current information in your field will help you to offer the most recent information to your clients, making you
an invaluable part of their exercise experience.
About The Author:
Catherine L. Tully has a BA in Exercise Science and Fitness Management. She has been involved in the fitness industry for
over 30 years and is also a freelance writer.
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