Take Your First Step Into The Fitness World And Become A Fitness Pro
Are you a fitness enthusiast that wants to help other people achieve their fitness goals? Here’s what you need to know to become a professional trainer.
In these unprecedented times, when we’re encouraged to stay in our homes, being active is more important than ever. Indoor gyms are closed, people commute less, and being stuck at home can make us forget about our daily fitness routines. Surprisingly, people have been putting a premium on health and wellness by building their home gyms and joining online fitness programs, causing fitness equipment sales to soar.
For fitness trainers, the pandemic badly affected their business. When the pandemic hit and gyms closed, personal trainers lost both their clients and a place to hold their training sessions. But trainers are adapting, utilizing online channels like Zoom, FaceTime, and other video conferencing applications for their fitness programs. If you were looking to take the first step to become a personal trainer, now is as good a time as any to start; online fitness application usage is rising, and for fitness enthusiasts, online training is the only way to get their daily workout in.
Where Do I Begin?
The first step is to determine if the career is right for you; simply being a fitness enthusiast is not enough. A career in personal training is a satisfying one if you’re in it for the right reasons. It’s fulfilling because you can help people, build relationships. It’s flexible, especially now with most people spending their time at home. But like many careers, it has its pros and cons.
Pros Of Becoming A Personal Trainer
- You’ll help make a difference. People will seek out a personal trainer with the desire to change. Some may want a drastic change, and others may just need someone to check their form. The main point is that they are looking for someone to motivate and guide them towards their fitness goals. You’ll find that helping your client achieve their goal and seeing the progress they have made along the way can be a very rewarding experience.
- It’s flexible. In most cases, personal trainers are independent contractors, but if you work for a gym as an employee, your schedule is usually up to your employer. Working as an independent contractor allows you to set your schedule according to which days and which hours you’d like to work.
- You can build relationships. If you’re good at reading and understanding people, building a rapport with them will be easy. Having a good rapport with your clients gives you the chance to use your knowledge to build the perfect workout routine based on your client’s situation.
Cons Of Becoming A Personal Trainer
- Your income might not be stable. When you’re working as a freelancer or independent contractor, not having any clients means not having any income. Unlike employees who get a base salary every month, most trainers work with their clients and get paid per hour. It’s important to remember that cancellations can happen at any time for any reason. You might have work this week, and you might not the next.
- You’ll eventually deal with difficult clients. You can’t please everyone, but it’s part of your job to try to. While most clients are motivated to follow the workout routines and meal plans you give them, you’re bound to come across clients who don’t. If you’re unlucky, clients might even ask for a refund if they think you’re not giving them the results you want.
- You might have to work at unsociable hours. Most of your clients will have regular 9-to-5 jobs, meaning that your training schedules will have to occur either very early in the morning, late at night, or on the weekends. Be ready to adjust to your client’s schedules. The good thing is that you’ll have a good amount of spare time in between these sessions for “me” time, family time, and other errands that might need running.
- You always have to be “on.” If you’re having a bad day, you can’t show it. You have to help motivate your clients during their sessions, and that can be hard to do when you’re not at your best. If you have a good and long-standing relationship with your client, it might be easier to ask them to move their appointment with you, but for your new and less-understanding clients, you’re going to have to push through with high energy and a smile on your face.
The Process Of Becoming A Personal Trainer
If you’re set on becoming a fitness pro, the first thing you need to do is to do your research to find out what qualifications you need to start the process of becoming a professional trainer.
Certificate III And IV
These certificates are nationally-recognized qualifications that you need to enter the fitness industry professionally. Certificate III provides you with the base knowledge you need to work as a gym instructor or fitness coach. Certificate IV can only be taken after getting Certificate III. This allows you to increase your knowledge and foundational skills to become a fully-fledged personal trainer.
Choosing Your Provider And Get Your Qualifications
You’ll have to compare different training providers to get the best deals on both Certificate III and IV. It’s also important to consider the best learning method for you. You can get short-term and long-term courses, depending on your needs. When choosing a provider, it’s also important to look at their social media sites. Do they have good reviews? Have they been in the industry for a long time? Determining this information will help you find a reliable training provider.
Once you’ve decided on your provider, it’s time to hunker down and take things seriously. Once you’ve started your course, make sure that you finish it. Allot time for reviewing, set goals for yourself, and get your qualifications.
Join an Industry Association
Once you have your qualifications, you can choose to register with an industry association like Fitness Australia. Getting a membership will help you as a trainer to develop your skills even further and provide you peace of mind by offering you insurance. Insurance is very important in this work line. These organizations get you the knowledge and things you need when you’re training with clients, such as professional indemnity, public liability, and product liability.
Memberships in these organizations have different levels depending on your needs, and they can also help you maintain your qualifications and credentials.
Get a Job or Start Your Business
With your credentials, you can choose to take the first step into the professional fitness world by either getting a job or starting your own business. Getting a job can help you learn from other trainers, but it can also help you build connections that will prove useful to you in the future, be it professional contacts or potential clients.
With everything in order, your journey to becoming a personal trainer will be a gratifying one. It’s also important to remember that you should never stop learning. The world of fitness is always evolving, and it’s up to you to continue growing as an exercise professional.