Any personal trainers out there??

supermom1114

So, since I'm doing well losing weight and going to the gym 5 days a week and eating right, I've felt such a change in my energy and have become very interested in nutrition and fitness and am thinking about getting a personal trainer certification as a part time job while I'm finishing school. So my question to all personal trainers is how'd you go about getting your certification? Who are you certified through? And if you have any other insight to give me that'd be great = )
I know Jillian Michaels has two certifications, is it best to have more than one? Thanks for any info you can give me!

jonathanearnold

Hi "Supermom"

I've been working as a personal trainer for the past 5 years. There are quite a number of certifications to choose from and that sure does make it confusing! If you are looking to get your foot in the door at a local health club, it's best to look for a certification that is nationally accredited. There are only a few certifications that truly are. The top choices are: ACE, NSCA and NASM. These three certifying agencies are all accredited by the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies). ACE, NSCA and NASM are all well recognized and respected throughout the country. NASM however may receive a little more respect due to the rigor of their exams.
Having more than one certification may be helpful depending on what you would like to do. For example, if you plan to work predominately with athletes, in addition to having a personal training certification with one of the above named agencies, having a certification with NSCA as a "Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist" (CSCS) may be helpful. Or, if you know you will be working in more of a rehab field, a certification with NASM as a "Corrective Exercise Specialist" (CES) may be helpful. The second (or third, fourth, etc) certification can be useful in helping you distinguish yourself a little more from other personal trainers. It's kind of like the sub-specialties that medical practitioners have, just without the 3-6 year long residencies!
However, please keep in mind (as with any work field), having these pieces of paper that says a lot about you is nice, but it is really what your clients say about you that makes all the difference!

I hope that helps!

Jon

supermom1114

Thanks so much for the info! Its really helpful = )

SHBoss1673

Yeah, I'm taking the ACE PT test at the end of this month. I just scheduled my CPR class (I let my cpr cert lapse a few years ago), and now I'm taking the plunge. My goal originally to get it at the end of May, but work kind of got in the way, and I had to push it back. But I'm committed! I'll have it. The book is big, and very in depth, but its good info.