how do you become a professional personal trainer

Steps to Become a Personal Trainer

Full Answer

What is the top salary for a personal trainer?

The base salary for Personal Trainer ranges from $52,931 to $90,128 with the average base salary of $73,372.

Is a personal trainer career worth it?

A major draw that California holds for many personal trainers is the highly competitive starting salary. According to US BLS surveys, personal trainers in California average around $48,000 per year and climbing.

What are 3 types of certifications that you can get to be a personal trainer?

The top three nationally recognized personal trainer certifications in the U.S. are NASM-CPT, NSCA-CPT, and ACSM-CPT.

Do personal trainers make money?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for personal trainers in 2021 was $40,700, which means half earned more than that amount and half earned less. The low 10 percent of those personal trainers earned less than $22,960, while the top 10 percent earned more than $75,940.

Why do personal trainers quit?

I quit being a personal trainer for three simple reasons; money, disillusionment, and career progression. These are the same reasons that thousands of other personal trainers have quit the industry too. They can't earn enough money, lose faith in what they're doing, and no longer see it as a long-term career.

Can you make a living off personal training?

Yes, making good money as a personal trainer is very viable. Even entry-level personal trainers can make upwards of $25 an hour, and easily up to $100 an hour if they are experienced.

How long does it take to become a qualified personal trainer?

Again, the average time it takes to become a certified personal trainer with our online course is 16 weeks. But, even more so than with the part-time course, this time frame can be shortened or lengthened all depending on things that only you can control.

What certifications do most gyms accept?

The ACE certification is widely respected and recognized by gyms and fitness organizations worldwide. American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a widely recognized, accredited nonprofit institute and certification program that trains health coaches and exercise professionals using an evidence-based approach.

What is the difference between a personal trainer and a fitness instructor?

A gym instructor is therefore a position where you have a contracted job, a gym employs you and you receive a salary. A personal trainer on the other hand, is more often undertaken on a freelance basis where the personal trainer will charge their own fees and deal directly with the clients.

Can you make 100k as a personal trainer?

In the personal training industry, 25-32 hours is considered full-time (once again, depending on location and self-drive). In order to make 100k, you need to be bringing in $8,333/ month.

Is there a high demand for personal trainers?

With more and more people becoming interested in health and fitness, personal trainers are in high demand. This is a great time to become a personal trainer, as the job market is booming and is only going to continue to grow.

Can an introvert be a personal trainer?

It doesn't matter if you're an introverted personal trainer. It doesn't even matter if you have a quiet or shy personality. What matters is how these things influence you in business or social situations. Introverts are often fantastic listeners and find it easy to read people.

What are the cons of being a personal trainer?

Here is a list of four cons of being a fitness trainer:Inconsistent income. Whether you work for yourself or for an employer, income can be inconsistent as a personal trainer because your earnings depend on how many clients you work with each week. ... Challenging clients. ... Risk of injury. ... Inconvenient work hours.

Is it hard to become a successful personal trainer?

Becoming a successful personal trainer requires more than earning certifications and proving your abilities. It's a daily practice of training individual people in a way that your clients want more of you and continuously striving to build and keep a loyal client base.

Is personal trainer a stressful job?

If you are the kind of person that absorbs peoples' stresses and energies, personal training will likely crush you. To be able to handle this type of stress, you will need to have the skill of listening empathetically while not internalizing what your clients dump on you.

What is the average career length of a personal trainer?

The Average Number of Years That Personal Trainer Stay in a Job. By looking over 45,858 personal trainers resumes, we figured out that the average personal trainer enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 31%.

How to become a personal trainer?

To become a personal trainer, you’ll need at least a high school diploma, GED or equivalent, but you might want to consider getting a college degree in kinesiology, exercise science or another related field. To get certified as a personal trainer, most programs require you to be at least 18 years old, be CPR/AED-certified and have two years of fitness experience. You’ll also need to prepare for any certification exams and pay applicable fees.

What certifications do personal trainers need?

Most personal trainers need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification so they can aid clients in case of an emergency. These certifications usually require taking a class in person and passing a test. They typically take a day to complete.

What is personal trainer?

Personal trainers are passionate about health and help their clients meet their fitness goals. They develop workout plans, assist in clients’ exercise routines and advise them about general health, nutrition and lifestyle issues. In this article, we discuss how to become a personal trainer and answer some common questions about this career path.

What is physical education?

Physical education: This program includes topics like exercise psychology, fitness instruction methods, motor skills development and anatomy. With a physical education degree, personal trainers can teach clients basic exercises and fitness regimens.

What is a kinesiology degree?

Kinesiology: This program covers subjects like human movement, anatomy, and health and fitness. Personal trainers who have a kinesiology degree can develop a strong foundation in creating fitness plans and injury prevention techniques.

How do personal trainers work?

Whether you work independently or for a fitness company, you’re responsible for building a roster of current and potential clients. You may be able to develop your client list by asking for referrals from current clients, advertising your services or networking with potential clients.

What skills do you need to be a fitness coach?

Communication skills: To discuss fitness goals and show clients how to perform exercises, you need great communication skills . You should be able to speak clearly, listen accurately and use body language and gestures effectively.

What is the first step to becoming a personal trainer?

Once you've decided that becoming a personal trainer is right for you, the first step is choosing a certification program . Consider a certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies ( NCCA ), renowned as the gold standard in health and fitness. All ACE Certifications are accredited by the NCCA.

How old do you have to be to get a personal trainer certification?

To be eligible for the ACE Personal Trainer Certification Exam, you must: Be at least 18 years old. Have completed high school (or the equivalent). Hold a current CPR/AED certification with a live skills check. Present a current government-issued photo ID with signature (driver's license, passport, military ID).

What do you get when you pass the ACE certification?

You'll also receive your certificate and a wallet ID card to verify your credentials to potential clients and employers.

How much will the number of certified personal trainers increase in 2028?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, between 2018 and 2028, employment in the field is expected to increase by 13% . If you're interested in becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, here are a few steps to make the process seamless. Begin.

How many hours of continuing education do you need to become an ACE?

Maintain Your ACE Certification. In order to maintain the high standards set by the NCCA, ACE Professionals (and others in the industry) are required to earn 20 hours of continuing education credits (2.0 CECs) every two years.

How to become a successful personal trainer?

Consider business training. Many personal trainers pursue owning their own gyms or operating as independent personal trainers. As you become more successful, this may be something you consider. Pursue business training or courses to help you learn more about the basic skills of owning and operating your own business.

Why is it important to be a personal trainer?

As a personal trainer, it's important for you to build a connection with your client and guide them through the gradual body changes they're experiencing. This requires you to learn how to effectively encourage and motivate your clients and how to be a coach. Being a coach involves learning more about the psychology of what you do or say ...

What is a daily practice of training individual people in a way that your clients want more of you and continuously striv?

It's a daily practice of training individual people in a way that your clients want more of you and continuously striving to build and keep a loyal client base. This may mean developing an approach to training where clients see the results and benefits of working with you and consider working with you to be a necessity.

How to train a client?

Train the client based on what works for them. It's important for you to remember your client has different needs and preferences from how you like to work out. Choose equipment and exercises that works specifically for them, and consider their personal preferences as you develop their workouts. For example, if you have a client who dislikes ...

How to gain new skills?

Gain new skills by earning new certifications. This may also help you expand your expertise or find a new specialty. Various national professional organizations offer certifications in specialties like:

How to train people for free?

2. Consider training people for free. Consider training other people for free to help you develop your skills. Ask your family and friends if any of them or people they know are looking for a trainer. Offer your help to people in the gym who seem to struggle with specific equipment or exercises. 3.

What are some exercises to do outside of the gym?

This exercise outside of the gym may include things like: Practicing standing a certain way to improve balance. Keeping a food diary or workout journal. Practicing breathing exercises.

How old do you have to be to become a personal trainer?

Before you begin with a personal trainer course, you’ll need to have a few items checked off before you can get certified. These are: 18 years or older. High school diploma or GED. CPR/AED certification. Most personal training certification bodies require these items before you sit down for the final exam.

How many education routes are there to become a personal trainer?

As we talked about in this guide, there are five education routes you can follow to become a personal trainer:

What is a fitness mentor?

An accredited program, such as Fitness Mentors , NASM or ACE , means that it has been credentialed by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE) or other top accrediting bodies. While there are other personal trainer program credentialing bodies, the NCCA is considered the gold standard.

How much does a personal trainer make?

The good news is personal trainer salaries have an average median of $58,318 and 10% make over $80,000 per year! When you do what you love and you truly help people become their healthiest, happiest selves, your salary may not matter as much in comparison.

How long does it take to get a fitness mentors certification?

Some personal training certifications, like the Fitness Mentors CPT, can be obtained in a month with rigorous study. Most programs, however, take 3 months or more to complete the coursework, study and pass the final exam.

How many hours of training is required for a personal trainer?

Plan on committing anywhere from 75-100 hours to doing so. Here’s a breakdown of the expected study time for each personal training program specifically: NCCPT: 80-100 hours is the recommended study time. FITNESS MENTORS: 80 hours is the recommended study time.

Is NCCA certified personal training recognized?

More importantly perhaps, NCCA-certified personal training programs are generally recognized at most health facilities, meaning if you go with one of these you are almost guaranteed a job at a corporate gym.

How to learn to be a good trainer?

Talk to experienced trainers. Work out with various coaches. Ask questions! Try as many different things as you can. You will learn a lot early on, and you will eventually discover your niche, your area of expertise, and the styles, spaces, and nuances that work best for your own training.

How many steps are there in personal training?

These seven steps will help you get your personal training career started on the right foot!

What is the difference between a certified personal trainer and a certified group fitness instructor?

The difference between a certified personal trainer and a certified group fitness instructor is pretty clear. Both are excellent career choices in the fitness industry, and your choice comes down to personal preference. You can even do both! You can get certified in one now and the other later.

What certification is required for a chain gym?

For example, the chain gym Equinox requires an NASM certification, while The Town Sports Corporation (NYSC, BSC, PSC) requires ACE.

How much does a certification cost?

Certification programs aren't cheap. Most range from $400-$1,000 depending on the package bundle you purchase. It will be more expensive to include more materials you want in a study bundle: textbook, online portal, practice tests, flash cards, and other options. Although these packages are expensive up front, you must look at it as an investment. It's important to gain a certification so you can learn the skills to legally and safely train clients, while earning a substantial income.

Can you do a workout on your own without difficulty?

If you can complete a regimen on your own without difficulty, your rep will be bolstered. It's also important to try everything. Don't be the bodybuilder who shuns CrossFit or the spin instructor who shuns yoga! Become well-rounded with each new arc of the fitness circle.

Is it enough to be a personal trainer?

Being passionate about fitness and living the fit lifestyle is an amazing accomplishment in itself. For some people, however, it's just not enough! If you want to take that passion to the next level and help others live fit, you may consider becoming a personal trainer and turning what you love into a full-time career.

How to become a Personality Development Trainer?

To become a certified personality development coach, it’s crucial to complete a certified training program and obtain a training certification. There have been cases where someone would call themselves a trainer just after three-hour coaching or tutorial. So there is really no one to judge you except your clients.

Skills Required

Empathy: You cannot give an accurate solution to a client’s problem, until and unless you have been in that very same problem. While the job deals with solving client’s personal problems, empathy becomes a lot more essential.

How to get Certified as a Personality Development Trainer?

Although you can start out your personality development coaching without any formal training at all, it is still advisable to undergo training from a respected institution to attain the essential proficiency and skills of a personality development trainer.

What are the best organizations to become a personal trainer?

And two of the finest are the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). So let’s look at what they have to offer.

What does a personal trainer do?

Just think about it, as a personal trainer, you have the power to help people to use exercise to improve their fitness and their lives.

How long does it take to get a sports nutrition certification?

By working for around two hours per day, you could complete the ISSA’s Sports Nutrition certification in just 10 weeks. And the more time you put in will shorten that significantly.

What is the best job to start in the fitness industry?

If you thinking of joining the growing world of fitness, one of the best places to start is as a personal trainer. And it’s a job that lets you better people’s lives by helping them improve themselves through fitness and living a healthy way of life.

Do personal trainers have accreditation?

Many personal trainers are expanding their sphere of influence in the gym. And they are doing that by adding another accreditation to their résumé, that of a nutrition coach.

Is it a must to become an accredited personal trainer?

No matter what the reason, it’s you who will provide them with the program and set the goals that will help get them to where they want to be. So if that strikes you as something you could excel at, then getting your certification and becoming an accredited personal trainer is a must.

Is it hard to become a nutrition coach?

In truth, it’s not that difficult to get accredited as a nutrition coach through either of these certifications. Both are extremely thorough and provide you with all the information you need to help someone from a nutritional point of view.