I want to be a personal trainer. Advice?

DeathGrin
DeathGrin Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I understand its a long road ahead of me, but I'm seriously considering this as something I'd like to do in the future. Are there any personal trainers around here? If so, I'd absolutely love to have a little chat, see what the job entitles, your feelings towards it and what you had to do to get there. Please, feel free to PM me or just post here if you'd like.

Hope to hear from somebody soon!

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    qBKsL3m.jpg

    If you have specific questions, go ahead and post them so others can join in.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    From the range of personal trainers I seen.. anyone can become one.. but only a select few I would actually listen to.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    You are young enough that, if you really want to do it, become an actual professional. Get a degree in exercise science, do some internships to pick up practical experience, join professional organizations like ACSM and NSCA, get a national certification, develop your own vision and your own areas of expertise.

    The profession already has thousands of "fitness buddies", but it can always use more professionals.
  • DeathGrin
    DeathGrin Posts: 4
    From the range of personal trainers I seen.. anyone can become one.. but only a select few I would actually listen to.

    Would you mind explaining where you came from, where you were before you got into personal training? Did you go to college for it, get a certification, something else altogether?
  • DeathGrin
    DeathGrin Posts: 4
    You are young enough that, if you really want to do it, become an actual professional. Get a degree in exercise science, do some internships to pick up practical experience, join professional organizations like ACSM and NSCA, get a national certification, develop your own vision and your own areas of expertise.

    The profession already has thousands of "fitness buddies", but it can always use more professionals.

    Yes, I am young enough. I'll be going to college soon and I'm trying to get a feel for what I would most like to major in. I have a passion for exercise and health. I've taught children and adults martial arts for quite some time, and I love the leadership and ability to pass on a new set of techniques and skills.

    Mostly I'm trying to decipher whether I should be a "fitness buddy" or a "fitness professional".
  • ryansgirl13
    ryansgirl13 Posts: 20
    Most of them time you no not need a degree to be just a personal trainer, at least not in Ohio. All you need to be is 18 and have a high school diploma or GED. The test is pretty hard and is expensive like $500. I took a class in high school that helped me prepare for that test , but I never took it. I would say if you want to do it DO IT! You could also go to school for exercise science! There are TONS of options! I hope it helps!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Since you have an open road ahead, if it is your passion, major in something relevant in college. Kinesiology, exercise & physiology, etc. That will put you worlds ahead and give you more options than "just" being a personal trainer. Then you can worry about additional certifications and areas of focus.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    From the range of personal trainers I seen.. anyone can become one.. but only a select few I would actually listen to.

    Yup.

    I know some personal trainers whose advice I would never, ever take. They took a weekend course and got a certificate. No AP studies, no degree . . . just an online course with a piece of paper prize at the end.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    You are young enough that, if you really want to do it, become an actual professional. Get a degree in exercise science, do some internships to pick up practical experience, join professional organizations like ACSM and NSCA, get a national certification, develop your own vision and your own areas of expertise.

    The profession already has thousands of "fitness buddies", but it can always use more professionals.

    Yes, I am young enough. I'll be going to college soon and I'm trying to get a feel for what I would most like to major in. I have a passion for exercise and health. I've taught children and adults martial arts for quite some time, and I love the leadership and ability to pass on a new set of techniques and skills.

    Mostly I'm trying to decipher whether I should be a "fitness buddy" or a "fitness professional".

    If you can make a profession out of what you like doing, I'd say go for it. In particular, studying a field you already enjoy will make college MUCH easier, which can make doing it professionally even more rewarding.

    For me, going from the point where I was just trying to knock out my requisite classes and transitioning to the point where I was focusing on History, which has always been a personal interest of mine, was a complete night and day switch. I was ready to quit in my Freshman year when I was focusing on core classes. But when I started focusing on History, a discipline i enjoyed, I loved it, even if the teacher was bad.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    You are young enough that, if you really want to do it, become an actual professional. Get a degree in exercise science, do some internships to pick up practical experience, join professional organizations like ACSM and NSCA, get a national certification, develop your own vision and your own areas of expertise.

    The profession already has thousands of "fitness buddies", but it can always use more professionals.

    Yes, I am young enough. I'll be going to college soon and I'm trying to get a feel for what I would most like to major in. I have a passion for exercise and health. I've taught children and adults martial arts for quite some time, and I love the leadership and ability to pass on a new set of techniques and skills.

    Mostly I'm trying to decipher whether I should be a "fitness buddy" or a "fitness professional".

    This is certainly the time of your life to try things out. If you do go to college, you might be able to take some classes w/out declaring a major and/or work at a student rec facility, talk to some advisers, etc to get a feel for the profession.

    Personal training can be rewarding. It is also a lot of work. You have to be available when people want to work out, so it is not uncommon to work in the morning, then go home, then have to come back and work the evening as well. It is also not uncommon to work 6 days a week. You have to have some entrepreneurial and sales skills because you normally have to make your own business. Even at a club, no one gives you clients.

    But if you are good and have strong professional ethics, you can make a difference in people's lives and you can build close relationships, which can sometimes serve you well in the future.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    DG,
    Of course I'm sure you know the old mantra “You can do whatever you put your mind to” or “It’s never too late”. Both are true but none truer than “If you do what you enjoy, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
    The main thing is to do what you’re passionate about, if you really enjoy it and like helping others then take the dive.
    I am going to start a new path down fitness myself soon targeting children’s fitness. I have been coaching youth sports off and on for a long time now and have been evolved with coaching my sons teams for several years now, I love being a positive influence in the lives of youths. I came to the realization that, this is what I am passionate about and should have done it years ago.
    I have contacted my local community college and they have several programs that offer certificates and degrees, I would image your local CC would have the same offerings. You can also talk to local gyms about their requirements and ask to speak to one of their trainers and get their opinion first hand.
    I hope that I have helped and I wish you the best in your endeavors.
    V/r,
    DW.
  • missyont
    missyont Posts: 79
    From the range of personal trainers I seen.. anyone can become one.. but only a select few I would actually listen to.

Categories