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A healthy lifestyle isn't just about looking and feeling great; it's about living a longer, richer life. Unfortunately, most Americans have fallen off the fitness bandwagon. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), a whopping 68 percent of U.S. adults were overweight in 2008 and 32.2 percent were classified as obese. Another CDC report shows that childhood obesity rates tripled between 1980 and 2008, increasing from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent. That makes this generation of young people the first ever to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. As a personal trainer, you can be a part of the solution by helping transform lives, bodies and minds. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about becoming a personal trainer.
What Does a Personal Trainer Do?
Personal trainers educate clients in the principles of healthy eating and exercising, guiding their workouts and tracking their progress. They also help nurture a supportive environment for positive life change by becoming role models and personal cheerleaders for those striving to become healthier, happier people. Specific duties can include:
Other duties can include cleaning and maintaining equipment or creating marketing campaigns, particularly for personal trainers who own their own businesses. Personal trainers can also choose to work in a health club or gym, a medical fitness facility, or anywhere else fitness is achievable, even outdoors or in clients' homes. While many personal trainers are employed by gyms or health groups, others are self-employed.
With obesity becoming a growing concern, opportunities for personal trainers are on the rise. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the fitness industry is one of the fastest growing career fields in the nation, boasting a projected growth of 29 percent between 2008 and 2018 in terms of new positions. The BLS notes that most of this growth can be credited to aging baby boomers with a drive to get fit combined with a national trend in which people are investing more time and money into personal fitness than ever before.
Because personal trainer positions are so variable, and income really varies with a fluctuating client load, personal trainer salaries cover a broad range. According to salary.com, the middle 50 percent earned between $38,188 and $65,081 in December 2010. Many personal trainers do not have health insurance or retirement benefits--particularly those who are self employed--but often have free access to the fitness facilities they serve.
What Are the Steps to Becoming a Personal Trainer?
Want to know what it really takes to be a personal trainer? Here's how to get started:
How to Become a Great Personal Trainer
While getting educated in personal health and fitness and earning your certification is an excellent start toward becoming a great personal trainer, that's only the beginning. A great personal trainer--one who builds and keeps a strong client base--is inspiring and knowledgeable. This often requires the following personal characteristics:
With these qualities and the right training, you can become the personal trainer you've dreamed of becoming. Browse top personal trainer training programs, certificates and degrees to get started.
Resources for Personal Trainers:
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
| School | Locations | Degrees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antonelli College | MS | Diploma | |
| Ashworth College | Online | Diploma | |
| ATI Career Training Center | FL, TX | Associate, Diploma | |
| Branford Hall Career Institute | CT | Certificate | |
| Brown Mackie College | AZ, IN, KS | Associate, Certificate, Diploma | |
| Bryan College | CA | Associate, Coursework | |
| Carrington College | AZ, NM | Certificate | |
| Carrington College California | CA | Certificate | |
| Minnesota School of Business | MN | Associate, Bachelor | |
| National American University Campus | SD | Bachelor | |
| Pinnacle Career Institute | MO | Associate, Certificate |
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