How to Become a Personal Trainer
Interest in personal training has grown dramatically over the past decade and is expected to continue. In fact, employment of personal trainers is expected to increase by as much as 13 percent in the ten years from 2012 to 2022 . There are many reasons for this including a growing (and aging) population. There is also an increased awareness of the link between acute disease and poor health e.g. heart disease.
- What are the educational requirements?
- What does a personal trainer do all day?
- What makes a successful personal trainer?
- What are the Pros and Cons of the job?
- How well are they paid?
- What is the future of the fitness industry regarding employment?
Requirements of a Personal Trainer
When first considering a career as a PT the most frequent question asked is ‘Do you need to be in great shape?’
The truth is you don’t have to be super fit to be a personal trainer. In fact, you could call yourself a personal trainer and be completely out of shape if you wanted. But you should lead a healthy lifestyle that is an example to your clients if you want to be successful.
Education Requirements
Anyone can offer personal training services. Offering a service is one thing, making a living is another. So while the industry is not regulated, it is competitive as it’s considered a desirable job to many people.
Is this a positive thing? It depends on your perspective. While not having a regulating body means anyone can become a personal trainer. It also means the industry attracts people that aren’t ideal for the role.
Accreditation and certification will also help a personal trainer find employment. For example, without certification, you are unlikely to be employed in a gym. These employers want evidence of training and require certification by an accredited organization.
Why is the fitness industry not regulated? The industry lacks a unified governing body.
What are the certification options for becoming a personal trainer?
There are three options for getting the training needed to qualify as a personal trainer.
If you are 18 or older and have a high school diploma or GED, you can take a personal trainer preparation course. Courses such as these are offered by certification agencies such as NASM.
An example is the NASM Personal Trainer Preparation course . This course takes 12 weeks to complete and covers:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Kinesiology (The study of human movement)
- Nutrition
- Behavioral coaching
- Exercise program development
Once completed the student can apply to take a certification test which is available through an accredited certifying agency.
You may attend a two-year exercise science or health related program in community college. You may also attend a personal training school and earn an associate of science degree. You will then receive the primary education and training required to work as a personal trainer.
These programs include internships where you will learn from an experienced professional. A college degree opens up more opportunities for advancing in the field however and the qualifications will also help if you decide to start a business.
A bachelor’s degree in sports management or health science will take four years. It can be costly, but a degree will open up opportunities for your career. For instance, you will have the science background to specialize in clinical exercise. The B.S. degree is compulsory for many sports management positions.
A Bachelors will also give you the option of going further up the educational ladder. You may choose to pursue a master’s degree or even a doctorate. You will need a master’s degree to become a trainer for professional or college sports teams. Graduate degrees can lead to administrative, teaching or research positions.
Getting Certified
Whether you have a diploma or a college degree, certification will assist with you becoming employed as a personal trainer. The absence of regulation has fostered a proliferation of certification offerings. There are now over 300 certification programs for personal training. Many of these are little more than schemes. You should be cautious and avoid programs such as these that offer a quick and easy approach.
The following four certification programs establish standards for personal training certification:
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
Most gyms and fitness centers will accept certification. Provided it is through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCAA). Certified agencies include the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). It also includes the National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT).
Standard qualification requirements for certification include.
– You must be 18 years or older
– Hold a high school diploma or GED, and have CPR/AED certification.
The certifying programs sell study guides and practice tests to prepare for the examination. The cost of the test varies between $180 and $400. The certified trainer must earn a designated number of continuing education credits. They must also renew the certification after a given period, usually two years.
There are many options available to become certified . And whether you plan on running your own business or gaining employment. You will be competing with those who have undertaken further study and had taken the certification.
What Do Personal Trainers Do?
It depends on the environment you are operating in e.g. self-employed or part of a larger team.
In a broad sense, a personal trainer provides education in many aspects of fitness. These range from exercise technique, recovery, and nutrition. They may also have qualifications in areas such as yoga, strength training, and pilates.
Personal trainers undertake tasks such as:
- Identifying a client’s health and fitness requirements and design an effective exercise program
- Conduct fitness consultations with clients
- Answer questions about health and fitness
- Instruct customers in regards to their exercise recommendations
- Consult on nutrition. Some PT’s are comfortable offering nutritional advice while some avoid it.
A personal trainer conducts hourly sessions (whether working in a gym or self-employed). During this time, clients receive help with their workouts. He or she monitors their progress and gives them advice moving forward.
Characteristics Of Successful Personal Trainers
So what makes a successful personal trainer? How do I know this is the right industry for me?
As a personal trainer, you are responsible for motivating and educating clients.
You will also consult on setting fitness goals for each customer. You will assess their physical condition and provide safe exercise recommendations.
Like anyone who offers a form of coaching. Your ability to help others achieve their goals will be your measure of success and can often a source of inspiration and torment for trainers. The reason being that you can’t manage, your customers caloric intake 24 hours per day.
If you want to build a career in the fitness industry, begin by assessing your personality. It will help you decide whether you are the right type of person to succeed in the industry. As a fitness trainer, you should be a self-motivator and enjoy working with all kinds of people.
Most successful personal trainers share traits and approaches to their businesses as outlined below. How many of these would you list as in your favor?
Caring, Empathetic
You must care about your client’s progress. A trainer cannot expect success when not committed to their client’s goals. Trainers who are more interested in earning and not their customers goals have short-lived careers. It is an industry where you will develop a reputation.
Specialise
Some of the more successful personal trainers have a particular niche. For example middle-aged men, part-time working parents, professional sportsmen, and women. Some work only with seniors who have specific conditions e.g. arthritis.
It makes sense to specialize and serve one particular group of people. Some might argue you are reducing your potential customer base, but the opposite is true. When you identify a market, you can serve them more efficiently. So while the pool may appear smaller, you will be a bigger fish so to speak.
Communication Skills / Management Skills
A great personal trainer is not afraid to ask clients for their input. They are also adept at understanding the personalities in question. Which in turn helps to extract the best results.
Trainers who understand each client’s strengths and weaknesses tend to have better outcomes. Much like an effective manager knows they must appeal to what motivates an employee PT’s should take the same approach rather than handle everybody the same way.
Communication skills are also essential when meeting clients for the first time. The trainer must gain their trust by demonstrating their understanding of the customer’s needs. They must also educate them on setting realistic goals and expectations. Personal trainers also need to be firm with their clients when the need arises to help them meet their objectives.
Detail Orientated
Personal trainers must play close attention to their customers. To do this often involves logging a variety of information. Since many can manage dozens of clients, they must record specific information about each one. Personal trainers can become more detail oriented by working on their organizational skills.
Passion for Learning
Another important part to consider is having a thirst for knowledge. You will need to stay up to date on the latest information in the field. The fitness industry is always evolving. Those who wish to work in the fitness industry should enjoy learning on a continual basis.
Energetic Personality
A good personal trainer has an upbeat personality. This job is best suited to those who enjoy motivating people. Most clients respond to positive motivation and encouragement while working out. Exercise, for some, can be difficult, so the key is to help the clients learn to enjoy it instead of dreading it. Customers are more likely to return if they have a fun personal trainer instead of a negative one. It is the personal trainer’s job to bring out the best in people.
Passion for Changing Lives
Successful personal trainers are passionate about changing lives and helping people reach their goals. Personal trainers must commit themselves to helping clients over the long term. Some clients only need one or two sessions. Others may require the services of a professional for an extended period e.g. many years. Having a strong work ethic is essential and helps PT’s to exceed client’s expectations.
Pros and Cons of Being a Personal Trainer
There are advantages and disadvantages to the work environment. Which can differ depending on whether you are self-employed or work for an organization?
Some of the pros and cons include:
Pros
- Changing people’s lives for the better.
- Potential for a lucrative career. (Depends on the individual and the environment they work in).
- Your client base is already in place along with professional equipment. (If working in a gym).
- Flexibility. You can manage your schedule. (If self-employed)
- Benefits e.g. free gym membership. (If working in a gym)
- The longer you have worked in the industry, the more you can charge. You can also be more selective with your clientele.
- Working in the industry, you love. Most PT’s have a real passion for health and fitness. Immersing themselves in their trade can be rewarding.
- Like most industries, there is a peak season. Often this is the new year ( new years resolutions ) or during the warmer months.
Cons
- Clients often have unrealistic expectations and can be difficult
- Long and often irregular working hours. Clients have to balance training in and around their employment. Which impacts your social life and time spent with family. You are working when it suits your customers and not yourself.
- Cancelations, rescheduling.
- Transporting equipment and keeping your gear up to date (if self-employed).
- High turnover. It depends on the individual to some extent. Some trainers have long term clients while others have a high turnover. Often due to unrealistic client expectations.
- It’s competitive depending on your location e.g. city based trainers.
- There is a slump season (generally around the holiday period e.g. late October / December).
Common Personal Trainer Rates
So how much does a personal trainer make? What can you expect to earn?
Becoming a personal trainer isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. But as a career path, it can be rewarding in many ways. The intrinsic rewards e.g. the personal trainer’s rates are only part of the experience.
A prospective personal trainer will have monetary compensation in mind, and there’s good news on that front as well. The hourly rates can vary along with location and gym affiliation. Rates are also likely to increase as the trainer’s reputation begins to grow over time.
An overview of current PT Rates
In a recent nationwide survey, the NSCA found personal trainer rates ranged from $15 up to $100 per hour. The national average hovered around $50 per hour. Furthermore, prices can be somewhat higher in urban areas than in the country. There are quite a few variables at work, but this snapshot is a useful one.
As time passes, and the trainer becomes established, he or she charge more for their services.
- National Average personal trainer rate: $50 p/h
- Starting Personal Trainer rate: $30 p/h
Group Training Rates
A personal trainer might decide that offering group discounts help attract customers. The per-person rate in a group of five might hover somewhere around $20 to $30. It’s an excellent choice for clients compared to one on one rates.
The trainer might balk at charging less per hour in a group setting. But it’s made up for by the fact that group workouts are a great way to encourage long-term business. Let’s face it fitness is more fun with friends.
Longer Term Discounts
In the interest of creating a stable base of clients, a personal trainer may offer a discount. The discount applies to individuals who sign up for many hour-long sessions at once.
For example, a single one-hour session may cost $50. While a commitment to 10 sessions may reduce the price per session to $40 or $45.
Catering to those who are serious about a long-term commitment is smart. You may consider offering training packages such as single or many months at a time. At this point, the personal trainer may be looking at $30 or $35 per session. It might not sound appealing at first, given that the hourly rate is decreasing. But it has the added benefit of ensuring long-term employment for the trainer.
The thing to bear in mind here is the lifetime value of a customer. A long-term commitment from several customers cuts down on your marketing costs. As the need to attract new customers reduces.
As you can see, a personal trainer’s rates can differ. Personal trainers have the opportunity to watch their earnings increase. This increase tracks side by side with reputation.
The Future of Personal Training
It’s a safe bet societal changes will bring different demands to personal trainers. How this manifests and impacts upon a personal trainer’s education requirements is yet unknown.
An aging population will also bring an older clientele to the fitness industry. This aging population will have particular needs.
The obesity epidemic has and is continuing to bring another set of requirements to the field.
Lifestyle changes and demands of the clientele of the future will require a reexamination. It will impact on the future of fitness training.
The fitness profession will also profit from new findings in exercise science. There will also be advances in fitness methods and equipment. These challenges bring exciting possibilities and opportunities for the personal training field.
To summarize, if you are considering employment in the industry the future looks bright. The industry will grow by 13% up to 2022 and most likely beyond. Those who are successful will embrace change and invest in their clients success. They will also be lifelong learners who understand the industry is always changing.
Are you interested in becoming a Personal Trainer or already work in the industry? Why not leave a comment below and share your opinion with our readers.
