So, you want to be personal trainer?
Instagram and other social media platforms have done a fantastic job at glamorising the fitness industry. It’s a great thing for health and fitness. Physical and mental well-being is certainly on most people’s radar in some capacity, more so than any other preceding generation. Fitness has been ‘commoditised’ into a very lucrative, well-oiled and successful industry…and business-is-a-boomin’.
Naturally, this has led people to wanting to pursue careers in this industry, particularly as personal trainers. Now, when I said Personal trainer – what did you think? A lot of us will imagine the industry depiction of a chiselled six-pack, a big booty, a fancy car, a six-figure pay cheque and a whole lot of selfies.
But is this the real-deal?
When you receive your hard-earned qualifications and a license to practice your newly acquired skills. Are we destined for a life of Lycra-pants, protein shakes and tens-of-thousands of followers? Whilst exposure is certainly a huge part of your customer base and ‘success’ as a Personal Trainer. First we advise you to ‘check-yo-self’ (Via this article). Why do you want to be a personal trainer? You may well have ambitions of a six-figure pay cheque and that’s great! But first a genuine passion for the profession must, in our opinion, be present.
So what is a Personal trainer and how might you identify yourself as someone suitable for this career path…We have provided a quick checklist of certain attributes and characteristics that may let you know if you’re the right person for the job.
What is a Personal Trainer?
Do you love to exercise? Do you enjoy being at the gym or outdoors? Do you like helping people? Do you enjoy hard work and being dedicated to yourself and others? Do you enjoy coaching? Do you want to work weekends? Does the thought of getting up early to train and help clients excite you? If you answered any of these questions with a “Hell, no!” Then you may want to re-calculate your train of thought (pun intended).
A personal trainer is many things – an instructor, an advisor, a 
motivator, and a friend. In a nutshell, a personal trainer works for the health of individual people of all ages and from all walks of life by designing a workout specific to the needs of the client. A personal trainer models all assigned cardiovascular, strength, and stretching exercises and instructs clients on the safe use of equipment. They’re also responsible for motivating clients through scaffolding activities, monitoring progress, using positive reinforcement, and offering nutritional advice. Overall, the job of a personal trainer can be very rewarding and you can literally change lives!
Whilst you may not be consigned to some of the above-mentioned personal training tribulations forever – building a foundation, wanting to grow your brand and establish yourself in a competitive market will require hard work, dedication and a resolute approach to ‘the-grind’. Sorry to break it to you, but it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows – like most things in life, if you want it, you gotta work for it!
Reasons to become a personal trainer
There are a number of reasons to become a personal trainer. By no means is this an exhaustive list but some things you may want to check-in with before commencing down the fitness professional path…
- Making exercise a part of your normal work routine
- Staying fit and healthy through and for your job
- Working in a positive environment
- Meeting new people and making new friends
- Making a clear difference in people’s lives
- Having the ability to work anywhere and anytime
- Having a career that is high in demand
- Reaping good financial rewards.
Responsibilities of a personal trainer
Depending on where you work, your daily duties may vary. In a fitness centre, for example, you’ll spend much of your time demonstrating and modifying exercises for your personal clients. If you’re working in a hospital, your work may be more hands on with injured patients and require more client monitoring. In an educational setting, your job may mostly involve educating others on general health and fitness issues.
All in all, however, the responsibilities of a personal trainer don’t vary that much and include the following common tasks:
- Designing a routine with exercises specific to client needs
- Modelling exercises and showing safe use of equipment
- Adapting exercises to needs of client
- Giving alternative exercises for different skill levels
- Educating clients on health and fitness issues
- Monitoring individual progress
- Giving emergency first aid when needed.
Of course, these lists are not exhaustive, but at least gives you a few things to think about when considering a career as a personal trainer. It can be a magnificently rewarding and fulfilling job, but expect to work hard and know that nothing is handed to you on a plate.
If you think you have what it takes and you want to qualify or up skill as a personal trainer, please visit our website http://www.ptne.co.uk
We offer a wide range of courses to get you qualified and take your career to the next level!
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