So, you want to know how to become a personal trainer? The following questions were asked by inquiring fitness enthusiasts considering a career in the personal training business. Review the questions and answers below to better determine if becoming a personal trainer is for you.
How to become a personal trainer
Personal training is an unregulated industry. Most personal trainer programs only test the theoretical core knowledge of the subject matter. Now who wants a surgeon who only read and passed a written exam? The same should hold true for people working in the fitness industry. Some certification organizations, such as the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, only require you to pass a written exam as a measure of your understanding. Fortunately, W.I.T.S. thinks differently. W.I.T.S. is the only organization that has both recognized college credits and NCCA accreditation for both the written and practical skills exams for its personal trainer certifications. In addition, W.I.T.S. offers fitness courses and certification testing at local community colleges and other locations in 39 states in the U.S. and in Canada. We have reliable certification programs that are preparing individuals for successful careers in the health and fitness industry.
What is the process of becoming a personal fitness trainer?
The fitness industry is self regulated so you have to be very cautious of what is a credible education, training, and certification program. Many groups use a fast food approach with a weekend warrior crash course or an online course with only a written qualifier exam. As a personal trainer you will be dealing with mothers, fathers, and other family members who are counting on you to be prepared and fully qualified in all the essentials. Find a college-hosted W.I.T.S. personal training certification course. Our courses are conducted as a semester program in various institutions of higher learning. This will ensure you have the best tools to be successful with both clients and employers.
What do most people not know about working as a personal trainer?
Most personal trainers are part time with shifts of either 6am-11am or 5pm – 10pm. It is the cold truth of being available for your clients’ needs and schedules. The other area is that most trainers are not prepared to work after getting the majority of current traditional certifications in the industry. Being in great shape does not prepare you like having hands on training to develop those skills with professional client presentations. W.I.T.S. has collegiate credits for true education and training and is the only NCCA accredited written and practical skill competency exam that ensures a true educational standard similar to other health occupations. Degrees help a ton and open a lot of doors, but fitness centers want the certification too.
Is becoming a personal trainer worth it?
Personal trainers nationally on the average make $30 an hour. It is a very rewarding feel good career as you do change the lives of people for the better. That shared it is a career that has been watered down in the eyes of true health occupations. The reason is that the majority of the certifications only use a written exam as the standard to be a trainer in the fitness industry. Consequently 80% of the trainers are not prepared to succeed in the fitness industry. Being a trainer is a business inside another business [fitness center] and you need to learn to work with people, build relationships from fact based programs that deliver results for a client. You then need to leverage those results to get referrals, testimonials and market yourself inside and outside the club. Not many trainers can wear the multiple hats to grow their own career and business. Being in great shape and having multiple written certification exams helps but it does not prepare you like having hands on training to develop those skills with professional client presentations. W.I.T.S. has collegiate credits and is the only NCCA accredited written and practical skill competency exam that ensures a true educational standard similar to other health occupations. Degrees help a ton and open a lot of doors but fitness centers want the certification too.
Consider that being a personal trainer is a career path that takes years to build up like any other real business. The hours and additional education as a health occupation are needed as a life long developmental tool. You will need long hours of split shifts because your clients have busy lives and usually only need your help 6am – 11am or after work 5pm to 10pm. Like anything else worth getting, it will take time and effort that many are not willing to build on to develop. You can do anything but have a solid game plan. Meet up with the Small Business Administration, which is free, to learn the business ropes. Success does not occur by accident. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Is it worth getting a personal trainer certificate?
If your goal is to be a full blown fitness professional then getting a Certified Personal Trainer credential through W.I.T.S., then yes. To get paid well and to be insurable with personal trainer insurance then you need the credential. Also and more importantly consider that you are working with people’s lives. What works for one may not work well for another person with medical issues, age etc. Learn the effects of exercise and diet through a full blown collegiate online or in-person program at W.I.T.S. to be that health occupation professional that everyone in your club wants to engage. I say W.I.T.S. because all of the others are online read or take a mini course and then test online. That is halfway doing it right when you think about it. Who wants an EMT or dentist etc who only took an online exam.
Which is the most prestigious certification to become a personal trainer?
Prestigious is in the eye of the beholder. Many of the original traditional certifications are viewed by some fitness directors in a different light that hold the same certification. Newer open minded management teams have increasingly done their research and realize that the 80% turnover in the industry is also attributed to old traditional certifications that do not adequately prepare trainers for long term success. Those old time certs are testing and training for a written exam only to qualify to be a certified trainer. No other health occupation allows such a low bar for qualifying or hiring. Those type of trainers as a whole don’t last in a performance based industry.
W.I.T.S. on the other hand is the Lexus that has come into the market (25 years) and established itself as the answer to get qualified trainers that have been educated, trained and tested in both written and practical skills to be a Certified Personal Trainer. Now which one would you expect that employers would rather have in their employment overall. W.I.T.S. is that top brand in today’s world. There is a reason since W.I.T.S. is the only NCCA fitness certification that has accreditation for written and most importantly practical skill competencies. The others just do not match up. W.I.T.S. is the only college credit pre-approved certification class for personal training in the U.S. but the American Council on Education. Employers contact and meet our grads at classes all around North America all the time. Now that is serious prestige!
Do you have to be ripped/fit to become a fitness trainer?
You need to show that you live the lifestyle to lead your clients with purpose. Ripped, maybe not but yes you should look healthy, solid and believe in making your clients the best they can do. Their is nothing worse than a ripped trainer that is clueless with the hands on skills to assess the physical and mental needs of its clients. Individual personal training takes more than copying a workout that is good for you.