How to Become a Certified Personal Trainer :

If you have a passion for fitness and you like working with people, becoming a certified personal trainer could be the perfect career for you. As the Developed World's population become ever-more overweight and obese, you will have the opportunity and responsibility to help people get healthier and change their lives for the better. So what steps do you need to make to become a certified personal trainer? Below are our thoughts on how you need to go about this.

1. Be Committed

You need to make sure that you're ready to put in some hard work. Becoming a certified personal trainer requires you to study and complete a suitable personal training course. Once this has been achieved, finding new clients and staying up on the latest fitness trends and research requires focus and a genuine passion for your work.

2. Choosing a Personal Training Qualification

There are a large number of personal fitness trainer courses out there, but choosing one doesn't need to be difficult. If in the UK, only consider courses that are accredited by REPS and ideally the qualification that you obtain will be a Level 3, as this is the standard employers will require for you to be at to personal train at their facility. You then need to search out a course that fits in with your needs. If you currently working, then maybe an online course might suit you better. Many students also like to attend a residential campus to complete their qualification as the concentrated learning environment helps them to focus their mind on the task ahead of becoming a certified personal trainer.

3. Get a Job

Network within your community, visit gyms in your area and ask if they employ certified personal fitness trainers. Also try to get yourself on cover lists for studio classes that you are qualified to teach. This is an excellent way of working your way into a position at a gym and you also have a large pool of potential personal training clients that you can "advertise" your skills to during the class.

Another option is to run your own personal fitness training or boot camp training business. There are some legal procedures that you need to take care of first. Choose an entity, a business name, register your company, obtain liability insurance and target potential clients by marketing yourself.

Certified Personal Fitness Trainers have also experienced success by working for corporate wellness departments, hospitals and universities... so keep your options open.

4. Market Yourself

Once you have become a certified personal fitness trainer, it's time to get your name out there. One of the most effective marketing tools in the fitness industry is word-of-mouth. So start spreading the word. Set up a media account for your business, make some flyers, create a newsletter and buy good quality business cards. Start with people you know and places that you frequent and move outward from there. At the beginning, you made need to offer free consultations and taster sessions to attract new clients.

5. Stay Relevant

The fitness industry is constantly evolving. Research is constantly being updated and new products introduced. It's your job to stay up to date with continuing education, which is not only vital to your relevance as a personal trainer; it's a requirement for your continued membership with REPS. In order to stand out among the competition, try to find a niche personal trainer interest and develop your specialism in it.