Well I am looking into becming a personal trainer in the near future and I have been reading around and researching all over about it and every site says something different so I am not being lazy or anything, I did my research. I know that many of you have to be a personal trainer here so I would like to now from personal experience what you had to do to become a personal trainer. Thank you
I believe that you have to have the majority of your brain removed and learn how to tell people to use smith machines and swis balls.
Just kidding!
Telling us what country you are in might help.
If you are unsure of the course you should go to a gym/studio/athletics dept that you would aspire to work at and ask them what they did and they recommend. Which is sort of what you have done on this post but what I have done in Australia means bugger all to you unless you are from here too.
I did a simple 1/2 year PT/Fitness Instructor course and also the Australian Strength & Conditioning Course. That has worked well for me.
Also, you have a fantastic reference here in T-Nation. This is where I get many of my training ideas.
Become a Chek practitioner. Functional training is the way to rip all the suckers off.
As Helga said, what country are you from?
lol U.S.
Depends on who you go through for your certification. I’m certed through NASM, which is one of the more in depth courses. Others companies have different requirements, but for myself, I attended two weekend seminars, did countless text book work, and had a final exam, to receive my cert. Some companies you can just take the test and thats it, others you can probably just pay and get it.
NASM, ISSA, ACE and some others are fine for getting a gym job, but it’s what you do with it after you get it. My studying at the time seemed tough, but I’ve learned more after my cert. than I ever thought.(some things contradicting what I thought I knew), Nothing pays off better than actual training. Learning the basics is really all the certs gonna do for you. You gotta keep learning, forget it all, and re-learn constantly. Unless you just want to count heart rates, and be a personal motivator. It’s your call. Go with someone who requires CEU’s after the cert., some of the seminars here on T-Nation count. Good luck
Don’t bother with school, just put on your resume that you are certified. Or better yet, say you have a PhD in buffness.
Or if you want to go through the lame route, check out a local community college. They usually have certificate programs and I think it looks better if your resume says you went to a college. Now the college route will teach you things that go against T-Nation principles, such as fat is bad but if you’re looking for employment, you’re typical gym will like that you have that.