Do you have/are you a personal trainer????

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nickiben
nickiben Posts: 117 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey!

Im really interested in doing a personal trainer course - does anyone have a personal trainer? Is anyone out there a PT who could maybe give me some advice/tips? I currently work in a office, totally bored and want to do something Im passionate about and enjoy. But the course is expensive so I want to make sure im doing the right thing.

Any advice anyone could give me would be most appreciated!

Thanks

Replies

  • scantrll
    scantrll Posts: 271 Member
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    I'm interested in this too, so bump.
  • MermaidChica
    MermaidChica Posts: 3
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    I joined LA Fitness May 7th. I had lost close to 30 lbs on Jenny Craig and had taken bike riding up the past several months. I was now ready to take it to another level. it is wroth every penny! I love it. Although sometimes I am tired and do not want to go, I love how my body feels.
    You can read about one of my personal training sessions on my blog:
    http://mermaidrising1.blogspot.com/2011/06/grrrrrl-power.html

    I am 49, currently 184lb, 55" My highest weight was 226 and i was very out of shape cardiovascularly. I was only going to train with a personal trainer for abut 4-6 visits, but now I am trying to keep it. it is invaluable and I am learning a lot and enjoying it. I tried three different trainers for one session each before choosing the one I am with now.
    Mermaid
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
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    I'm working on several certs now. Something to keep in mind is you want to try and at least get one accredited cert (like ACE). Most certs out there (AFAA, ISSA, etc) are amazing, but not accredited.

    Best option is to talk to local gyms and see what they want. That way you can apply for jobs.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    ACSM
  • thurberj
    thurberj Posts: 528 Member
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    I'm 56 years old and need to lose 30-40lbs and get back into tip top shape. I have planned 2 weddings for my 2 daughters in the last two years, and went through the death of my mother-in-law and favorite uncle, selling my house and moving in the last 3 months......so.....I decided that this summer was for ME!! My husband is very supportive and my gift to myself was working with a personal trainer 2 times a week for the summer while I am off from work. I also play tennis and do Zumba.

    I love working with a trainer. She has a background in nutrition and I show her my food diaries and we discuss ways to fine tune it. She really pushes me to work hard and has me on an interval training routine with weights. It does cardio and strength training at the same time. I've noticed positive changes already and feel like between logging in to MFP and making the money I spent on the trainer I will hold myself accountable and do this for the long haul.

    When school starts in the fall I will probably only work with the trainer 1 time every week or two, but the beauty of the program she has me on is that I can do most of the exercises in my home after school when i am back to work.

    Give it a try, but make sure you "interview" the trainer first to see if you connect with them. Good luck!!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    the gym I joined has a PT. I get a monthly 15 min session with her. she monitors my progress and does the body fat test. I think the best PT for me is the mirror.
  • queen_bea
    queen_bea Posts: 118
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    Im currently studying. Its hard work but its reeeaaally interesting and helpful to know about your body!
  • nickiben
    nickiben Posts: 117 Member
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    This is all great feedback, thanks!!!

    Do you have a PT at the gym, or at home?
  • SarahNicole317
    SarahNicole317 Posts: 302 Member
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    Make sure you choose the right certification. Just because you pass the course doesn't mean you are a KNOWLEDGABLE trainer. Make sure you can either discipline yourself to study ACSM cover to cover or find a cert that offers workshops. Too often, with group fitness and pt certs, people take them, pass because they are easy, get hired, with no actual experience or knowledge.
  • TaneeisFitforLife
    TaneeisFitforLife Posts: 433
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    I'm a PT & the best thing to find is another PT to mentor you....if they are confident & truly love what they do they won't think of you as competition. :) everyone here has already told you everything else I was going to say lol
  • CoachKaren
    CoachKaren Posts: 90
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    I am a Certified Personal Trainer. (NASM, ACE, Master Certified ISSA, NSCA, and AFAA) I am also TurboKick Certified, Hip Hop Hustle Certified, a Boot Camp instructor, TRX instructor,and completed PFI program. My best advice is to research the program that you want, understanding that each program, while the fundamentals are the same, they each have a different focus; and BE FOREWARNED that learning is addictive. I cant get enough. WHATEVER program you chose, dive into it head first. The knowledge is incredible. Good luck and enjoy!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I have a personal trainer at the gym that I go too, and I don't know what I'd do without him. They are very expensive, that is true, but they are very worth it.

    I see my trainer twice a month for an hour each, and I go do a 5 min cardio warm up before we hit the weights for an hour. We do free weights, machine weights, squats, lunges, hip bridges, dead lifts and the list goes on and on. Since I've started seeing him in January, I've went from 180 to 160, have dropped a pants/dress size and just look more toned over all.

    I also agree that you need to interview your trainer. My trainer and I have two totally different personalities (he's very laid back and I'm very high strung) but we make it work. He knows when I'm having an off day and can talk me out of it to get my head back in the workout. He also knows when I'm just complaining out of a pure laziness and is not afraid to tell me to shut up and do the exercise. I think the most important thing is that he always gives unconditional support and never ever makes me feel like i'm stupid because I don't get an exercise or I can't lift a certain weight.

    I think that without him I never would have gotten as far as I have. When my sessions run out in September, as long as I have a full time job, I will def. be buying more.
  • nickiben
    nickiben Posts: 117 Member
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    A lot of the qualifications that you guys mentioned I dont recognise, as I think theyre US and Im from UK. But the course Im looking at is certified by REPs and City and Guilds, and I will have the qualifications needed for jobs in UK gyms (as checked current vacancies as to what is required). After a while, I would love to work for myself, doing home visits and group evening sessions. Do most of you that are PT work in a gym or have your own business? If you work for yourself, is it hard for a while with the reduced income until you gain enough clients? Thats what scares me, as I have a huge mortgage to pay, so need to be earning the whole time.
  • OneFitMom_
    OneFitMom_ Posts: 151 Member
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    Totally interested in this topic!
  • dawnrenee567
    dawnrenee567 Posts: 292 Member
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    I've been using a personal trainer since the end of January/beginning of February. Since the beginning of the year I've lost just over 50 pounds but more importantly 10 inches off my waist, 4 inches in my chest, and many more inches in my thighs, arms, etc. My trainer is wonderful, and really pushes me without being obnoxious. I'm lucky to work out at a small chain gym (Fitness 19) so they always have trainer 'specials' and my sessions are really reasonable.
  • alison2429
    alison2429 Posts: 236 Member
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    Hi there
    I have a P.T and I am in the U.K! I have had her for about 4 or 5 years and although that will sound like a luxury she has not put her prices up in that time and she offers more of a therapy and P.T mixture. I started with her twice a week but reduced to once to save money but also because I was motivated my self and had learned so much from her. I keep thinking that I should stop but as has become one of the family and my hubbie feels that it is money well spent - not because of how much weight I have lost but more because he knows how important it is for me to have this ME time. She also enters races with me - at no cost to me (she says she would probably be doing the race anyway).
    I don't know if that helps you but I would recommend researching the training well. I could ask her what she would recommend. If you are interested in finding out more I could give you her web site. Just message me.
    Best of luck.
    Alison
  • nickiben
    nickiben Posts: 117 Member
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    That's great Alison, thank you! I'm doing the future fit course in advance personal training. It's also good to hear of uk people who have a PT. That would be great if you could ask her about it. As it's not such a big thing here as in US, I'm frightened the there isn't as much of a demand for it. But love sharing all the knowledge I've gained, an enjoy helping people sonthis is what I feel I should do. My current employer is the only one I've worked for since I finished school, so to change jobs into something totally different is soooo scary!!!
  • nickiben
    nickiben Posts: 117 Member
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    Is there ant I'm Pts out there the could give me any advice? (not that I dont appreciate any other advice from anywhere else, but at least I'll be more familiar with uk qualifications)

    Thanks!

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