15 Steps How to Become a Personal Trainer

You may be asking what are the certification of a personal trainer? or how to become a personal trainer? or how to become a personal trainer in the gym?  and many more. Take it easy, the answers are here in this article.

However, before we go deep into the content, let me clarify who a personal trainer is.

So who is a personal trainer?

A personal trainer is an individual who has qualified to work in health clubs, fitness studios, gyms, recreation centers, hospitals and other relevant areas where they provide training tips.

The training tips improve the overall health of the group or the person being trained.

In fact, exercise has several health benefits such as preventing chronic illnesses and helps in recovery from illnesses like cancer, diabetes, blood pressure among others.

Types of training tips offered by a personal trainer include aerobics and resistance training or strength training.

Steps on how to become a personal trainer?

To become a personal trainer you need to have certain qualifications or certifications, which are discussed in this article.

These certifications are result oriented and will allow you to deliver a successful skills to any fitness client who want to become fit.

Here are the steps on how to become a personal trainer

  1. Get qualified
  2. Choose your fitness specialty
  3. Register for personal trainer certification programs
  4. Get the required trainer skills
  5. Sit for the exams and pass it to get personal trainer certification
  6. Get insurance
  7. Find a personal trainer jobs
  8. Build your fitness brand

These are discussed in details as follows

Step 1: Get qualified to become a personal trainer

Yes, you need to get qualified. You cannot coach any person if you do not have the necessary skills and not over 18 years. Therefore, this is the first step on how to become. 

So, what are the qualifications of a personal trainer?

For you to be a personal trainer, you need to qualify from various certifications programs.

There are various training or lessons offered by professional bodies, to support those who want to become a personal trainer. It will also enable you to avoid mistakes as a new personal trainer.

There are also examinations that you must pass to get certificates.

To be precise, here are the qualifications of a personal trainer.

You must be 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have at least two years of physical fitness experience 

In fact, the qualifications of a personal trainer vary depending on what you aim to specialize in.  You can specialize on aerobic or resistance training.

Also, there are several classes that someone in the fitness industry can specialize in.

In addition, you have to abide by the rules and regulations of the government.

For that matter, you are not allowed to influence a group to participate in illegal acts like robbery, killing among others.

Step 2: Choose a fitness specialty

Yes, you need to know what you want to pursue. Actually, every person has it area of interest and you too have a unique personal interest. 

Therefore, you need to choose a fitness specialty prior to becoming a fitness trainer.

There are several specialties in fitness industry, for that matter, select a specialization that matches your skill sets, personal interests, and professional goals.

Once you have selected your specialty, review the various fitness certifying bodies and each of their fitness certifications.

Register for the program that makes the most sense, from a preparation and professional outcome point-of-view.

You can select the best specialty depending on your interest to avoid trainer mistakes.

Here are the best specialties you can choose:

  • Athletics and Sports: as a personal trainer, you can help athletes improve their core strengthening, balance, speed, and performance and get more income.

how to become a personal trainer

  • Weight Management: As a fitness trainer, you  can work with fitness clients who are overweight, obese and big belly bulges who want to manage weight, or manage their lifestyles. 
  • Orthopedics: You can work with clients who have knee pain, arthritis, or other chronic conditions.
  • Medical Exercise Specialist: As a personal trainer,  you can work with post-rehabilitation clients who are recovering from conditions such as heart problems, muscle sprains, or orthopedic surgery to enjoy the benefits of exercise.
  • Nutrition: you can help clients with the diet portion of their goals, giving them specific advice on how they can eat healthily and lose weight.

Step 3: Register for personal trainer certification programs

The next step is to identify the certified body and register for the course you are interested in and make fee payments.

In fact, for you to get a personal trainer certification, you have to undertake a given fitness program that is offered by various organizations.

 This can take varying duration depending on the specialty.

However, for a full course, you need to have 200 hours of study including exams. That is two years of study.

Some courses can take hours to get completed. For instance, taking only specialized courses such as squats can take a few hours and you are done.

However, for two years of studies, you will be taught a wide array of units such as anatomy, physiology, philosophy, techniques, and teaching methods.

In addition, many professional bodies offer other credentials including sports facilities, vocational schools, community colleges, gyms among others. Remember the best company is all you need to get your certificate from.

What does the personal trainer certification cost? 

The personal trainer certification costs vary from about $300 to more than $1000, and may not include the study materials and workshops.

While the cost of the exam for fitness programs ranges from $250 to $600 depending on the certified body.

Where to get the best personal trainer certification programs to become a personal trainer?

Here are some of the professional bodies where you can get your personal trainer certificate after completing your course.

  1. National Academy of Sports Medicine

You need to have a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer certification.

Before getting the certifications from NASM, you need to register and sit for exams.

They provide lessons that will pave your way to a skilled personal trainer.

After training, you will be required to sit for exams, which you have to pass. 

Actually, the National Academic of Sports Medicine provides an optimum performance training model that enables all fitness trainers to successfully train any fitness client who wants to become fit.

  1. American Fitness Professionals & Associates

AFPA is a professional body that provides optimal training skills to those in the fitness industry.

They offer several practical skills including, nutritional and wellness skills.

Some of the most commonly offered lectures and certifications include Personal Trainer Certification Course, the Advanced Personal Trainer Certification Course, and the Master Personal Trainer Certification Course.

Therefore, they can equip you with the best skills and techniques to perfectly train anyone who wants to become healthier through fitness.

Apart from all those, they also provide a wide array of physical activities to society such as yoga, Pilate, boot camp, and various fitness classes for children, adults, and elderly people.

  1. National federation of personal trainers (NFPT)

They also provide a wide array of courses for those who want to become a personal trainer.

In fact, this organization gives out exams to students, and other learning materials.

NFPT provides Certified Personal Trainer credentials to its students after successfully passing their exams.

These equip any personal trainer to deliver optimal services to any fitness clients and get paid good money.

You can learn online through their website portal and fitness program design software.

  1. American council of exercise (ACE)

You can also get your certificate as a personal trainer through the American Council of Exercise.

They provide the perfect courses for the students including practicals that enable you to acquire the best skills of all time.

In fact, ACE is the largest nonprofit fitness certification, education, and training organization in the world offering ACE Personal Trainer Certification Exam online.

You can register from any location and get the lessons and exams plus your certificate online.

So be sure to get the best from this professional body.

  1. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA)

Another professional body where you can have self-study to get your personal trainer certificate is the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America(AFAA).

It provides rich reading materials both online and offline.

After the study, there is an end examination test that is given. You have to pass the exams in order to be awarded the certificate.

The exam can be initiated online or offline.

They also provide the practical aspect of the training through their well-designed software.

Furthermore, you can get their learning materials on their online shop or on their workshop.

Other bodies include

  • International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
  • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

Personal trainer certification test

This part is very important since you need to acquire the best skills and certifications.

So, you need to sit for your exams and ensure that you pass the test.

The goodness is that most personal training certifications are computer-based tests that you can do online.

However, you have to pass the exams in order to get your certifications as a personal trainer.

personal trainer certification

Step 4: Ensure you have the required skills

So, what are the skills of a personal trainer?

As a personal trainer, you need to have enough soft skills to enable you relate with clients and others. For that matter, you need to have the following skills read here 

Step: 5 Get personal trainer insurance

It is important to take insurance coverage after getting personal trainer certification?

Yes, insurance coverage is very important for everyone who is involved in any business.

It helps you cater for any loose in case there is damage. Therefore, as a personal trainer, you need to have insurance for the liability of your job.

This is one of the best strategies to stay safe and grow your monthly income while coaching any fitness client. Actually, 99 percent of businesses have insurance coverage and they are doing well.

For that matter, you need to apply for insurance coverage, visit any certified insurance organization or you can apply online.

How to Get a Personal Trainer License

Do You Need To Get A Personal Trainer License after getting personal trainer certification?

Most people in the fitness industry have to get a personal trainer license in order to qualify as a fitness trainer.

Actually, having a license is one of the requirements for any legal business in every country.

Therefore, getting a license is guaranteed a successful business. However, for a personal trainer, there is no license requirement.

You can, therefore, offer your skills and services to a group of people or individuals who want to become fit or recover from chronic illnesses.

However, you must get certifications as a personal trainer in the fitness industry.

Step 6: Find a personal trainer jobs

The big question is here, how to find a personal Trainer Job after getting personal trainer certification?

After getting your certificate and the required skills, now you are set to find a job. Happily, there are a variety of places you can work as a personal trainer, not just at a gym.

In fact, you may be a fitness employee of a health club, recreation center, hospital, or business or work as an independent contractor for them.

Furthermore, you may also train clients with various chronic illnesses at home base.

Summing it up

For you to become a personal trainer, you have to qualify and acquire a personal trainer certificate from a certified organization. You need also to abide by the rules and regulations.

Having insurance cover is another important thing you should have to secure your activities.

There is no license required for you to become a personal trainer.

However, you need to have a personal trainer certificate. So, you will need to register with professional bodies to learn various lessons and sit for exams either online or one-on-one.

You must pass the exams in order to be awarded a certificate.