Personal Training Mosman: What Does It Take To Become A Personal Trainer?
What does it take to become a Personal Trainer? I have said in many of the articles on my site and in my Blog, that now is a great time to take the step and become a personal fitness trainer. There are gyms and workout centers for men and women (and both together) springing up everywhere. A couple of years ago I was the only personal trainer in this rural area, but now there are several within a few miles and yet my small business has not felt any pinch and is still growing. The reasons are many, but chief among them is the recognition that a fit lifestyle is much healthier and less prone to illness and disability than the sedentary, over-weight, sit-on-your-butt-all-day lifestyle that seems to be everywhere.
That and the fact that baby boomers are into or nearing retirement age and beginning to feel their mortality. Fit people simply live longer and happier lives. If you are one of those, at any age, who works out regularly anyway, and enjoys helping people and can’t understand why everyone isn’t exercising, why not have a long think about becoming a fitness professional? If you are reading this, perhaps you have already thought about a career change and simply want to be sure to do it the right way. To that end I have put together a few pointers about getting your fitness trainer education and becoming a personal trainer and I have also published a list of Fitness Trainer Schools in the US, and online, on my website for reference purposes. The decision to become a personal trainer must involve a decision to obtain the necessary education and certification and is an imperative step in being recognized as a competent practitioner in this discipline.
As for logistics, you need to look into: whether your business is a partnership or single proprietorship, getting a business permit and deciding if you’ll set it up from home or rent a location. You need to get personal liability insurance and learn marketing. Target market – opportunities for personal trainers are abundant, even in tough economic times. Health is an ongoing concern, no matter what one’s financial health is. Decide if you want to target your community, the corporate world, spa resorts, or people needing physical rehabilitation. You can also target government clients or private clinics, hospitals and sports medicine establishments.
You will be required to do real-life situational evaluations. Given a (hypothetical) clients problems, goals and limitations you will assess and design an appropriate program for exercise and be tested on your performance. Generally, you must meet the following eligibility requirements to become a personal trainer. You must be at least 18 years of age. You must hold current adult CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification at the time of the exam. Candidates registering for online courses must have current CPR prior to registration. It certainly helps if you understand fitness science and don’t just memorize it. This is a case where you can really help people if you have a good understanding, or you could do harm if you don’t. After all, being a fitness trainer is not just about memorizing program design, but understanding the fundamentals of exercise science so that fitness can be prescribed to many unique individuals.
Volunteer – a great way to establish a network of contacts is to volunteer time and effort in community activities. For example, if there’s a fund- raising campaign to buy new sports equipment, offer your services to campaign organizers by saying you’ll give free 10-minute demonstrations or do a free three-minute massage for donors! This is a great way to hand out your business card.
Learn more about Personal Training Mosman and about getting great fitness help.