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Personal Trainer Job Description
Personal training is a job
associated with glamour. Many television actors, movie stars, professional
athletes and even the president have personal trainers. These trainers make
enough from one or two clients to live very comfortably. This is not the case
with most personal trainers.
A personal trainer may work for a fitness center at a college or university, a
private health club, a wellness center as part of a holistic health group, or
independently for individual clients. Trainers who work independently can
make more money and have a more flexible schedule but the task of finding
clients is solely the responsibility of the trainer. Another benefit to working
independently is that you will be able to work with the same clients. A personal
trainer in a club or fitness center can count on regular clients scheduled at
the convenience of the clients during their shift. Unfortunately, you may see
different clients and the other trainers may work with the same clients you do
if they come at a different time.
A personal trainer must be knowledgeable in all areas of fitness including
strength training, aerobic training, flexibility, exercise selection and
training intensity and duration for various goals. Additional knowledge in
specific sports skills and conditioning can help as well. Nutrition is yet
another area that a personal trainer must have a good knowledge base. A trainer
does not need to be an expert in any particular sport or in nutrition but must
have a good understanding in basic concepts. A certification is usually required
for a job in a club or gym and is also a good idea for an independent trainer.
There are various organizations that offer certifications for personal trainers.
Most certifying organizations do not require a college degree. Some offer a
training course before testing. These courses may be in a classroom
somewhere or could be correspondence or internet courses. A web search of
"personal trainer certification" will turn up thousands of hits and numerous
organizations offering certifications for personal trainers. The cost of
certification ranges from $75 to $500 or more but should pay off in the end with
more clients.
Personal trainers are called on to develop programs for weight loss (more
specifically, fat loss), muscular gain, rehabilitation, anti-aging, health
and/or aesthetic maintenance, improved sports performance or even bodybuilding
and powerlifting. It is important to gain the trust of clients by being honest
if you don't have the answers or if you can not help a particular client. When
this happens it helps to have a network of other trainers to refer those clients
to. It is important to continue researching new techniques and supplements. A
stale trainer doesn't get many new clients, and will eventually lose the
regulars.
A personal trainer must be flexible with scheduling to accommodate the largest
number of clients. A trainer may work in a clients home with equipment the
client has purchased. In these cases it is a good idea to have some dumbbells,
theraband, Powerrods, or other equipment to supplement what the client has
available. Some clients may not have equipment of their own and wish to have a
program using bodyweight resistance and "around home" equipment. A client may
ask to be trained at the health club where they work out. It is important to
make sure the club allows this before agreeing to do it. When training athletes
the training venue will be varied depending on what areas of conditioning are
expected. Using community resources such as the high school track, the local
swimming pool, and the less traveled streets can be a great way to extend the
training and gain exposure. This exposure will lead to questions and ultimately
the possibility for new clients. |
