Personal trainers are passionate and committed to staying in shape. They serve as a coach and role model for those hoping to take their fitness to the next level.
If you’re interested in working with clients to help them achieve their goals in the gym, you’ll likely need to earn a personal trainer certification and become more familiar with the specific requirements of the establishment at which you’d like to work.
What is a personal trainer?
At a basic level, personal trainers are experts who create safe and effective exercise programs for their clients. They sometimes also, if they’ve received the proper training and education, assist their clients with nutrition goals which often includes creating meal plans, helping with macro counting, and more.
While their primary expertise lies in human anatomy, nutrition, exercise science, and building personalized training plans, successful personal trainers must be great coaches who are good listeners, analytical, motivational, and nurturing.
Steps to become a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
If you love fitness and want to reap the rewards of witnessing client body transformations, earning certification may be the right path.
Earn your high school diploma.
Most national personal trainer certification programs require candidates to have earned a high school diploma. If you haven’t earned your diploma, most programs allow candidates to fulfill this requirement. It’s always good to start with this given how many people in Kenya Africa ignore this part.
Earn AED and CPR certifications.
Since personal trainers should be able to provide basic assistance in the event that a client experiences a medical emergency, prospective trainers must earn both their AED (automatic external defibrillator) and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) certifications. These typically take around four hours to complete and they must be renewed every two years.
Earn your personal trainer certification.
There are several certifications aspiring personal trainers can choose from. They include certifications awarded from ISSA, NASM, and ACE. Exams for these certifications are typically taken on a computer and range from 120 to 150 questions in length. While each exam differs, expect to have your knowledge in the following areas tested:
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Kinesiology and Biomechanics
• Health and Physical Fitness
• Program Development
• Nutrition
• Fitness For All
Consider earning an advanced degree in a related field.
Do you need a degree to be a personal trainer? No. But with the employment of exercise trainers projected to grow nearly 40 percent over the next decade, it might not be a bad idea to get the education you need to stand out among your peers.
Earning an undergraduate or Master’s degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Athletic Training, or Nutrition can help trainers offer more in-depth and tailored recommendations to their clients when compared to personal trainers who have earned just a baseline certification.
Choose your fitness specialty and apply for jobs.
While you don’t necessarily need to specialize beyond personal training, seeking out specialties that speak to your interest and skillset can expand the career opportunities available to you. In addition, learning more about topics adjacent to personal training can help you become a better trainer and allow you to offer more holistic advice to your clients.
Start building your portfolio by deciding the best position for your skillset.
