What do I have to do to become a Personal Trainer?
I'm really interested in becoming a personal trainer. I've been lifting, running, swimming, being active for years now and I love it so much. I think it would be such a fun job to help other people learn to love it too! Does anyone know online courses you can take to become a personal trainer? how long does it take? Is the test hard? Costs? Thanks for any info.!
Serious answer: I honestly don't know
Spirochete answer: Learn a bunch of outdated and useless exercise techniques and methodologies then overcharge for unbelievably horrible advice. Also, learn to put people on treadmills and charge them $100/hour while you stand there talking to other people. By all means, never learn how to teach squats and deadlifts. Be sure to focus on curls and swiss ball exercises ONLY.
The range is pretty large, you can become a 'club-certified' trainer in a weekend or so, but wouldn't be qualified to teach people much more than how to turn on the dreadmill.
At the higher end is the CSCA certification that usually requires a college degree in exercise science (or a related field) and a solid 3 months of studying for the test.
Wow spiro, bitter much? ;) j/k
Not all trainers are like that! Mine has taught me to do squats the right way, we do all kinds of strength training with free weights too (inc deadlifts). I know my trainer has certifications, I don't know what kind but you can do a search online and find them. I believe there is some kind of national certification program or something that trainers do and then there are others as well. So yeah, I don't have an answer but I know Google does!
Original Post by floggingsully:
The range is pretty large, you can become a 'club-certified' trainer in a weekend or so, but wouldn't be qualified to teach people much more than how to turn on the dreadmill.
At the higher end is the CSCA certification that usually requires a college degree in exercise science (or a related field) and a solid 3 months of studying for the test.
do you have a link for the csca certificate? I did some search and it is basically a culinary school certificate:)
Hi! I have been thinking about becomeing a personal trainer too. Here is a good web page I stumbled across.
http://www.starting-a-personal-training-busin ess.com/personal-training-certification-schoo l.html
Original Post by safina1:
Original Post by floggingsully:
The range is pretty large, you can become a 'club-certified' trainer in a weekend or so, but wouldn't be qualified to teach people much more than how to turn on the dreadmill.
At the higher end is the CSCA certification that usually requires a college degree in exercise science (or a related field) and a solid 3 months of studying for the test.
do you have a link for the csca certificate? I did some search and it is basically a culinary school certificate:)
Opps, got my acronyms mixed up, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is the organization which offers a 'Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist' (CSCS) certification, they also offer a less rigourous 'Certified Personal Trainer' certification.
I'll be a certified ass kicking trainer next year....lol....
not the same as personal trainer though.
A university degree in Kinesology would be preferrable but it's not necessary. You can be certified by doing courses but they differ by country/state/province, etc, I assume. Ask a trainer at your gym to see what he/she did.
i am a personal trainer at la fitness. Its really not hard at all. What i learned when getting the job is that its more about motivation for most people than abstract work outs or anythign liek that. when i train athletes yeah its good to know monkey curls and hang snatches but when it comes to personal training energy and knowledge is what is going to get you the job. knowing how many calories are in a pound knowing realistically how to set goals how many calories are burned at rest from pounds of lean muscle mass (10 pounds of lean muscle mass means your burning 3500 calories or one pound per week just by resting, doing nothing.) the certificate you have to get is like 70 bucks and is not hard to get at all. tons of places offer a program. its pretty rewarding and you get great money if you do a good job and get word of mouth. if you were in the area i could get ya a job haha!! any other questions just ask.
Original Post by totalcontrol05:
i am a personal trainer at la fitness. Its really not hard at all. What i learned when getting the job is that its more about motivation for most people than abstract work outs or anythign liek that. when i train athletes yeah its good to know monkey curls and hang snatches but when it comes to personal training energy and knowledge is what is going to get you the job. knowing how many calories are in a pound knowing realistically how to set goals how many calories are burned at rest from pounds of lean muscle mass (10 pounds of lean muscle mass means your burning 3500 calories or one pound per week just by resting, doing nothing.) the certificate you have to get is like 70 bucks and is not hard to get at all. tons of places offer a program. its pretty rewarding and you get great money if you do a good job and get word of mouth. if you were in the area i could get ya a job haha!! any other questions just ask.
and here, my friends, is why I think personal trainers deserve their own circle of hell!
This person's post seriously makes me want to vomit.
Wow! Thanks for all the replies guys. I will look into the sites that you suggested. And spiro, calm down, lol, don't eat the poor girl alive! She was only being helpful! Thanks everyone!
~Jessie
im actually the guy. and spiro. your ridiculous.
Original Post by totalcontrol05:
Its really not hard at all. What i learned when getting the job is that its more about motivation for most people than abstract work outs or anythign liek that.
So in other words, your a $75/hour cheerleader?
And that 50 calories per lb of lean mass is an overestimate.
Original Post by spirochete:
Original Post by totalcontrol05:
i am a personal trainer at la fitness. Its really not hard at all. What i learned when getting the job is that its more about motivation for most people than abstract work outs or anythign liek that. when i train athletes yeah its good to know monkey curls and hang snatches but when it comes to personal training energy and knowledge is what is going to get you the job. knowing how many calories are in a pound knowing realistically how to set goals how many calories are burned at rest from pounds of lean muscle mass (10 pounds of lean muscle mass means your burning 3500 calories or one pound per week just by resting, doing nothing.) the certificate you have to get is like 70 bucks and is not hard to get at all. tons of places offer a program. its pretty rewarding and you get great money if you do a good job and get word of mouth. if you were in the area i could get ya a job haha!! any other questions just ask.
and here, my friends, is why I think personal trainers deserve their own circle of hell!
This person's post seriously makes me want to vomit.
I think if you're taking about personal trainers at some big chain gym, you're generally right. I mean, I'm not going to spend $70/hour on some PT who only has a $70 certificate. That's why it's best to go to a serious trainer who at least has a relevant university/college degree, along with additional certifications & specializations. My PT is very knowledgeable & passionate, keeps up to date on fitness, health, etc and is willing to develop programs to continue helping me with my progress. I don't have a motivation problem at all so I don't need a cheerleader. I just need someone to show me the best exercises for ME to achieve my personal optimal results.
Original Post by totalcontrol05:
im actually the guy. and spiro. your ridiculous.
1. Learn to spell
2. Quit your job because you are horrifying.
OK is this guy an early birthday present to me? Late Christmas maybe?
i love how everything thinks a college degree makes a better personal trainer. not even close. i'm getting my degree in kinesiology exercise science at cal poly. The classes are more about angles and how your body produces force. its a lot of biology and physics. you people have no idea how to train anybody or what it takes to be a trainer. i guarantee you no one in here even knows what myofibril is. or a phytochemical. stop talking **** if you dont know ****
Apparently remedial English isn't part of your curriculum.
:/ I know the difference between your and you're, and its and it's.
This guy rules. He is totally my new favorite poster.
edit: wait, there are classes for being a bitch? SWEET, just in case I need brush up
So you can log your weight -- which allows you to do the following:
- Plot your weight curve
- Analyze the trend of your weight (see under Recent in the figure above)
- Determine the projected target date (see under Overall in the figure above)