Fitness trainers help develop effective, safe exercise routines for people looking to achieve and maintain fitness goals. They also assist their clients in choosing the proper diet and nutrition needed for a healthy lifestyle.
Undoubtedly, personal training is a rewarding profession. It allows you to improve people’s lives and see real results over time. If you are fascinated with this profession and want to delve into it, the good news is that you can get fitness training jobs without breaking a sweat. You can search for a job online with top-rated job aggregators like Jooble and even get the job done online. Online fitness training offers virtual services like coaching and advising to fitness enthusiasts. This article will walk you through the way you can start a career as a fitness trainer, whether virtual or on-site.
Steps To Becoming A Fitness Trainer
Becoming a personal trainer can be an excellent career choice if you enjoy working out and helping others reach their fitness goals. Although there is a high possibility that you have done unofficial training in the past; perhaps by coaching or developing a fitness plan for yourself. There are more steps to complete to thrive in the profession.
Below are the steps to take to become a certified fitness trainer.
- Education
A high school diploma is the least educational requirement to get certified as a fitness trainer, find employment, or set up your own business. This will ascertain that you have the basic knowledge needed to carry out simple tasks. You can also get a degree in physical education to make you stand out.
- Health Certification
Another step toward realizing your goal of being a fitness trainer is getting the necessary health certifications, such as CPR and AED. AED (Automated External Defibrillator) certification helps teach trainers how to help a client needing emergency treatment before medical professionals arrive. However, the knowledge of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) will be needed to treat a client having cardiac issues.
- Specialization
There are many programs in fitness training. These programs include weight management, health, fitness, bodybuilding, etc. While it may look normal to be a jack of all these trades, having a specialty will make it easy for you to grow to be the best in whatever you choose. Hence, choose a specialty that suits your passion, skill set, personal interests, and professional goals.
- Fitness Certification
After getting your health certification, the fitness certification comes next. You need to be certified by organizations, such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the American College Of Sports Medicine, the American Council On Exercise, etc. Certification by any of these bodies will attest to your status as a professional fitness trainer and increase your chances in the job world.
- Portfolio
Although fitness trainers don’t need to accumulate the type of portfolio that photographers, models, and others in the entertainment career need. However, they also need something to show their work. Your portfolio should contain the learning experience you have as well as the jobs you have done.
If you are just starting, you should focus on your qualifications, learning experience, and strength to compensate for the lack of experience. Also, your portfolio can contain the journey progress of your clients, with their permission, of course.
- Job Application
Now that you are ready to take your first job as a fitness trainer, it is time to put yourself out there. Network with people who can connect you to a job. Also, the internet has made job search very easy in recent times. Take advantage of every internet tool to find the right job for you. Upload your CV and Portfolio on LinkedIn and connect with prospective employers on the platform. More, subscribe to job websites to get regular job updates.
- More Education
While a high school certificate holder can easily become a fitness trainer, getting more education can help increase your worth. You can get a degree or associate degree in physical education, nutrition, public health, or other related courses. Also, you can take classes on subjects you need to give the best to your client. For instance, taking weight management classes for weeks or months can make you a trustworthy weight-management trainer.
Conclusion
Fitness is a goal for many people these days. People want to be fit, look good, and be healthy. However, being a successful fitness trainer requires a lot of hard work, skill, and experience. Also, how you train your clients is important, but how you treat them is even more important. This article has extensively discussed the process of becoming a fitness trainer. Take the time to learn about the job before choosing your career.