Authored by Phil Dotree in Exercise
Published on 11-22-2009

If you like to work out, you may have considered a personal training certification. This special certification allows you to work at many gyms as a personal trainer. It’s a fulfilling job, as you’ll help various people stay on track to develop and meet their fitness goals. If this sounds like something you’d want to do, here’s a look at what you’ll need to get a personal training certification.

Considering Your College – If you’ve already taken college classes pertaining to a health program you may be able to get a personal training certification. For instance, if you’ve got a degree in kinesiology, you may simply need to show this to a gym. They’ll often pass you through their programs to allow you to physically train their members. This is less likely to be the case for government institutions.

In other cases, you’ll still have to pass a test at specific gyms or complete coursework. If they have specialized equipment you may need to show advanced knowledge of all such equipment before beginning as a personal trainer. They may simply consider your college education, but not grant you the ability to act as a personal trainer (or personal trainer certification) because of it. If this is the case, you’ll have to work through a course to get a personal training certification. Many gyms offer these courses, as do many schools.

Standalone Programs – A number of standalone programs are available to get you a personal training certification. Some are even available through the Internet. However, if you’ve never acted as a personal trainer before you’ll want to take a hands on approach. Research local facilities that may offer personal training certification. Try to choose one that provides a lot of hours before certification is complete. It’s well worth spending the extra time. Some of these courses provide training from physical trainers that have been in the industry for decades. That kind of experience can be incredibly valuable.

You’ll improve your chances of getting a job at a gym right off the bat. You’ll also greatly diminish the chances of unintentionally injuring one of your personal training clients. Remember that your personal training certification should be as valuable to you as it is to your employer. Choose a reputable program with positive online reviews. Speak to any friends or gym instructors you have that may have pursued a personal training certification.

A personal training certification course often costs several hundred dollars, though cost varies. This may seem like a lot, but it’s small compared to many other costs in the physical fitness industry. Be sure to learn as much as you can from any course work. Learn whatever you can about certifications and fitness. This will ensure that once you receive your personal training certification, you’re able to immediately put it to good use. Finally, beware of extremely inexpensive personal training certifications. These often aren’t recognized by many gyms.

Do you have a personal training certification? Do you work as a personal trainer? Have anything to add? Post in our comments section below.