How to be a Successful Personal Trainer

Personal Trainer Academy

Chapter 1: Is Personal Training Right For Me?

Introduction.

Are you obsessed with fitness? Is working out your passion? Do you long for a career that uses this passion to help others become the healthiest version of themselves?

Most likely, you have answered the above questions what a resounding “YES!” Why else would you be here? If you are seriously considering a career as a personal trainer, this e-book will give you the information you need to become a success.

But what does it take to become a personal trainer? How do I know if it’s right for me? Do I need to go back to school? How much job experience do I need? These are probably questions that have been plaguing you for quite some time.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if you see a future as a personal trainer. Is this something you would enjoy doing for the rest of your life? Can you envision yourself as a personal trainer ten years from now? How about twenty? Are you passionate enough to devote your life to motivating and coaching others to push themselves both physically and mentally?

Again, if you have answered positively to the above, personal training could be the career for you. Here are some other questions you should be asking yourself as we begin our journey together.

How much experience do you have?

Do you currently have a career in the health and fitness field and wish to take it one step further? Are you fresh out of school and looking for a career that will fuel your passion for physical training? Are you thinking of a career change? Do you have a degree or want to go back to school to earn a degree in physical fitness? Do you wish to go take online courses to further your knowledge?

What path do you wish to explore as a personal trainer?

Do you plan to work for a major, a local franchise corporation or a privately owned gym? Do you wish to open your own fitness center? Or work one-on-one with your clients in their home or yours? How about working strictly as an online personal trainer?

Are you certified? Do you plan to get your certification?

Do you have a plan to further your education? What courses do you want to take?

Do you have a marketing strategy?

Are you willing to utilize social media to promote your brand? Do you wish to start a blog, podcast and or video blog? Do you have a product line in mind? How much effort do you wish to put into marketing? Are you going to hire an assistant to handle your social media or do you plan to manage it on your own?

What is your desired customer base?

Adults? Youth? Co-ed? Local? Global/Online?

Do you fit the profile of a personal trainer?

Are you physically fit? Do you work out regularly? How is your diet? In other words, do you practice what you preach?

Don’t worry if you can’t answer all of these questions straight away. I am here to help you, we will go through this process step-by-step, hand-in-hand. I can offer my guidance and advice through my expertise and experience. But you have to be willing to do the work, as it is, after all, your journey. But I promise that it is well worth the effort!

You can do it! I believe in you! You obviously have a passion for personal fitness or you wouldn’t be here! And passion is a big part of what it takes to become a successful personal trainer.

What About Personal Training Inspires You?

Still not sure if personal training is your dream job? Ask yourself the following questions. (You might want to keep a journal of your answers to help you along the way.) Remember, in order to be a success, you need to first what fuels your passion.

Does the desire to train and workout every day motivate you to keep going?

Why did you start working out in the first place? To Lose Weight? To Build Muscle? For Psychological Reasons? Just for something to do? Were you advised to start training by your doctor?

How did you start training? Did you join a gym? Take classes? Use online workouts? Did you hire a personal trainer?

How did working out make you feel? How did you feel when someone complimented you on your improvement? Did you achieve your goal? Did working out build your self-esteem? Did it change your overall outlook on life?

How did working out change other aspects of your life? Do you sleep better? Have your eating habits changed? Is working out a part of your daily routine? Have your relationships improved?

Do you enjoy working closely with others? Can you inspire others to achieve their goals? Are you a people-oriented person?

Do you have the drive to work as a personal trainer day in and day out? Will you be able to separate your personal life from your professional life? Will you still be able to stick to a workout routine?

Are you physically and mentally up to the challenge?

Are there any obstacles that stand in the way of becoming a personal trainer? What can you do to really overcome these obstacles? Are you willing to do what it takes?

Take some time to fully explore these questions. Again, take your time, you are not being graded on your answers. But these are things that you need to think about before you pursue a career as a personal trainer. It will involve a lot of hard work and dedication. And you need to be willing to take that commitment seriously.

Reasons to Become a Personal Trainer

Now you may be asking yourself “Is this really worth it? Why should I become a personal trainer? What’s in it for me?”

There are a ton of reasons to take on a career in personal training. And here are just a few of those reasons.

Helping Others

If you don’t wish to help others reach their personal fitness and health goes, then personal training is not for you. Those who seek out the help of a personal trainer want to improve their lives, whether it’s for weight loss, pain reduction, enhance their athletic performance, boost their self-confidence or improve their overall health. Whatever the reason, they are looking to you for guidance, motivation, and inspiration!

Choose Your Speciality

There are endless job opportunities as a personal trainer. From working in a gym to teaching fitness classes to one-on-one athletic training to running a health and fitness website, the possibilities are endless! And if you find that you aren’t happy with your first choice, you can move on to something else. If physical fitness is your passion in life, you won’t run out of career options!

Flexible Hours

Are you tired of working nine to five? Are you not a morning person? Do you want to have your nights and weekends free? Do you already have a full-time job but wish to make some extra money working as a personal trainer in your spare time? One of the best things about becoming a personal trainer is that, in most cases, you can set own hours.

Of course, if you work for a corporation or even a small franchise, you may have to adhere to a set schedule. However, if your desire is to be your own boss, you can work as much or as little as you want and you can choose when and where you want to work!

And yes, you may have to start out working for someone else, but if you are serious about working on your own, you will get there with some time and patience!

Excellent Earning Potential

As personal training and fitness will always be in high demand, there will always be jobs in personal training and physical fitness. As such, it is a lucrative career with high earning potential. The average starting salary for a personal trainer is £24.16 an hour, not to mention commission and bonuses.

And with the chance to earn multiple and advanced certifications, the possibility to earn even more is unlimited! Keep in mind that you can earn even more money by investing your earnings wisely. In addition, you can earn extra income through marketing and/or creating your own website. The most successful personal trainers almost double their salary via blogging, video blogging and even creating their own line of merchandise! If you know how to successfully market your brand, the earning potential is unlimited! Not to mention personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment!

Job Satisfaction and Security

As I said above, helping others to live their best life is extremely rewarding. You will fall in love with your job and it won’t even feel like work. The need for physical fitness and health will never go away, so we can safely say that personal training will be around for the unforeseeable future.! As well, there is plenty of room for advancement, as you can take on more certifications and branch out to other specializations.

Become a Part of a Community

As a personal trainer, you will inevitably become a part of the fitness community, both locally and globally. You will be able to network and socialize with a strong support system of like-minded people whether on the job-site, in the local community or even online.

Maintain Your Physical Health

One of the best things about a career as a personal trainer is that you will be able to continue to pursue your own fitness goals. You will need to stay in shape to keep your job. In addition, you will have to keep expanding your knowledge base to keep your clients informed of the latest workouts and nutritional information.

Job Opportunities

This is but a list of some of the jobs you can land as a personal trainer. I plan to delve deeper into many of these in a later chapter. This is just to give you a general idea of the endless job opportunities that await!

Personal Trainer

Fitness Center

Private Personal Trainer

Athletic Trainer

Physical Therapist

Fitness Writer/Blogger

Wellness Center Coach

Group Fitness Instructor

Pilates Teacher

Yoga Teacher

Kickboxing Teacher

Swim Instructor

Spin Class Instructor

Aerobics/Dance Instructor (and so forth)

Recreational Therapist

Lifestyle Coach

Weight Management Coach

Nutritionist

Online Personal Trainer

Gym Member Sales, Management, Front Desk, Etc

These are just some of the paths you can choose in your journey! As I said previously, I shall get into this further in a later chapter. As well, I will give you advice on how to market yourself to land one of these fun, rewarding, and lucrative jobs in personal training!

Now let’s begin our journey together. I want to use my personal experience as a personal trainer to motivate and inspire you on your path. Throughout this e-book, I will give you both professional and personal advice on how to become a successful personal trainer. In the next chapter, I will discuss how to go about training as a fitness coach/personal trainer, including certification programs, classes, as well as some helpful tips.

Chapter 1: Jobs and Career Paths for Personal Trainers

As I mentioned in the introduction, there are many careers that one can pursue as a certified personal trainer. From working one-on-one with private clients to working in a gym to online coaching, there are dozens of possibilities. In this chapter, we shall take a brief look at the most common jobs for personal trainers. In the following chapter, we shall discuss several certification programs and advise you on how to find a job as a personal trainer.

Why Personal Training is Beneficial For Your Clients

First, let’s take a look at what your clients will be gaining as a result of your personal training. Many are looking to build and tone muscle, while others are primarily looking to lose weight. Some might need physical or rehab therapy after a sports-related or other type of injury, or surgery. Here are just some of the benefits of using a personal trainer.

Health Benefits:

Lose Weight
Maintain Current Weight
Gain Muscle Tone and Strength
Lower Risk for Heart Disease
Lower Risk for Certain Types of Cancer
Lower Blood Pressure
Help Prevent Risk of Diabetes
Improve Mood
Boost Mental Health
Relieve Stress and Anxiety
Increase Lifespan
Improve Flexibility and Range of Motion
Recover from Past or Present Injuries and Other Health Issues
Learn Proper Diet and Nutrition
Improve Strength and Balance
Increase Core Strength
Reduce Fatigue & Lethargy
Help Slow Down the Aging Process

Other Benefits:

Your clients will receive a personalized plan tailor made for their needs, capabilities, goals, limitations, etc.
You will provide them with the motivation they need to get started…and to keep going.
You will educate them on things such as proper nutrition, how to safely work out to prevent injury, and other helpful information to help them achieve optimal health.
Your clients will be accountable to you as you will be providing them with a strict routine and schedule. This will help keep them on track.
They will feel a sense of pride and self-accomplishment as they reach each goal along the way of their specific program.
As their trainer, you will provide them with a set of realistic and achievable goals that they would not be able to do on their own.
You will be teaching them good habits such as a regular workout routine, health eating habits and so forth.
You will challenge and inspire your clients to life a better overall lifestyle and improve their physical health and mental well-being.
Their self-esteem and self-confidence will improve greatly as they progress through their training program.
Personal training may be hard work, but in most cases it is also fun! Both you and your clients will enjoy themselves. If you are working in a group environment, your clients have the added benefit of making new friends and socializing!
One-on-one clients will receive the personal care and attention they need to meet their goals.
As their personal trainer, you will be able to teach them exercises they might not learn anywhere else. As well, these workouts will be personally tailored by you to help them attain their goals.
Those recovering from personal injury or surgery will receive one-on-one training that is designed to help them recover. They will be assured that their workout is specifically designed for their needs.
You will be training future athletes for competitions and team sports. They will be counting on you to teach them how to properly train for their prospective goals.
Their workout program will be specially designed to target those muscles and areas that need the most improvement/enhancement.

Personal Trainer Sample Job Description

Now that you have a general idea as to how a career in personal training can benefit yourself, as well as your clients, let’s take a look at some of the jobs you can get with a certification in personal training.

First, let’s take a look at a sample job description for personal trainer. Below, we shall take a look at some of the most popular jobs for personal trainers. Following is a sample of a job description if you were to search the general category of “personal trainer.”

Sample job description: As a personal trainer, you will be responsible for creating a safe workout environment for your clients. As well, you will design and implement workout routines for a number of classes for various age groups, ranging from youth to seniors. You will be responsible for maintaining your classroom and all equipment, You will write weekly newsletters via email for your clients to keep them informed as well as send out SMS alerts for any schedule changes.

Responsibilities can include:

Research new techniques and trends
Evaluate clients needs, health issues and current level of health and fitness
Design individualized exercise plans per each client
Demonstrate exercises/workout routines
Provide alternative movements, etc for those with limitations
Explain each workout/movement in detail and provide the benefits of each.
Monitor progress of each client
Demonstrate and explain proper and safe use of all equipment
Inform clients of hygiene and safety guidelines of the facility
Administer first aid and perform CPR if needed
Build a positive and professional relationship with each client
Advise clients of any scheduling changes via email, text or SMS
Compose a weekly newsletter to be sent to your clients via email
Inform clients of dietary and nutrition needs, if applicable
Maintain a positive and professional attitude at all times
Encourage, motivate, inspire and support your clients

Now let’s take a closer look at some of the most sought after careers for personal trainers. I have included a brief sample job description for each, as well as a list of some of the possible responsible for that job. Of course, these will differ for each specific job location and position. This gives you an idea as what types of jobs and job descriptions you will find in your search for a job in your chosen speciality as a personal trainer.

Top Jobs for Personal Trainers

Fitness Center Instructor

As a fitness center instructor, you will be in charge of developing group training and classes. These include, but are not limited to: Aerobics, BarSculpt, Barre, BootCamp, CardioBarre, Kickboxing, Spinning, Step Aerobics, and Zumba. You must have a dynamic, outgoing personality and the drive to push your students to do their best. As well, you should be in good physical shape yourself, as fitness instructors not only guide their classes verbally but also physically participate in the workout. As well, you need to be multitask while teaching as you have to focus on each individual to ensure that they are not overexerting themselves.

You must be able to have a thorough understanding of the workout, including the health benefits of every moment. As a group fitness instructor, you can get a job at a corporate or privately owned gym or fitness center as well as starting your own location. You should have experience in a variety of fitness classes, as well as a degree in physical fitness and the proper certification as required for the specific job to which you are applying.

Sample job description: Fitness instructor must possess the skills, knowledge and abilities to create and implement safe and effective exercise and workout plans for a wide variety of clients. Must be up to date on certification and first aid/CPR. Have a strong work ethic and ability to work as a team player. Must be energetic and outgoing!

Responsibilities can include:

Leading group classes by providing detailed instruction and demonstration
Maintaining safety standards at all times
Fulfil required office hours with clients and staff members
Attend team and/or center meetings
Assist with team and individual facility projects, fundraisers, special programs, activities, etc
Motivate clients
Stay up to date on recent news in health and fitness
Attend workshops and seminars for certified personal trainers
Track attendance for all classes
Implement new and innovative fitness programs
Provide information to as well as answer inquiries from clients
Assist with facility social media account
Keep clients informed of any schedule changes
Clean and maintain workout area and all equipment

Athletic Trainer

As an athletic trainer, you will work with your clients to diagnose and treat their injuries, acute and chronic medical conditions. This position not only requires the necessary certification, but in most cases a B.S or even Masters in athletic training will be required. Athletic trainers can work in a medical facility, rehab center and a variety of other locations. As well, you can also work for a professional or amateur sports team. This exciting specialty for personal training offers endless job opportunities should you wish to pursue the necessary educational aspect.

You will most likely work under the direction of a licensed physician. You will work in areas such as therapeutic intervention, wellness education and promotion, and rehabilitation of sports related injuries and other medical conditions.

Sample job description: The athletic trainer will be responsible for assisting both the physician and their assistance with all aspects of patient care. You will obtain and enter the full medical history of each client into the computer system while assessing patients. You will be responsible for all aspects of the clinical care of patients. You must possess current CPR and first aid certifications.

Responsibilities can include:

Maintain all office and patient confidentiality
Adhere to all office procedures
Maintain a professional attitude at all times
Prepare patients for examination
Enter, review and update information into the computer system
Casting and splinting patients as needed
Cleaning all instruments and equipment as per guidelines
Stocking examine rooms
Handling customer needs such as answering questions, assisting with paperwork and follow-up calls and visits.
Assisting physicians, physician assistants and other personal when needed.
Removal of stitches, sutures, etc
Assist with patient check-in and check-out
Assess and evaluate patients needs along with the other medical personnel
Complete all paperwork in a timely manner

Yoga Instructor

Yoga is the hottest thing in fitness these days. While it was once for the elite and those who were into things such as achieving a higher state of continues, now it pretty much mainstream and in high demand. There are many different types of yoga classes today including hot yoga and even yoga classes with animals (cats, dogs, pigs, goats and the like!) In fact, I could devote an entire e-book just to yoga.

But the point is that you will not find it hard to land a job as a yoga instructor. Every reputable gym, health and wellness centers or fitness center, both corporate and private, offer a variety of yoga classes. In addition, there are facilities that are strictly designed for yoga classes. You can opt to become a group teacher or a personal instructor

Yoga focuses on both the body and mind. You will guide your students through exercises in posture, breathing, balance, and meditation. Yoga is not nearly as high energy as other fitness classes and therefore is extremely relaxing. There are many techniques to choose from including Bikram, Vinyasa, and Hatha, just to name a few. As a yoga instructor, you will guide your glasses through strength and balance exercises that will improve both their meditation skills and their range of flexibility.

Sample job description: As a yoga instructor, you will be expected to teach both group classes and private sessions. You must have a dynamic, energizing and outgoing personality and possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. All certifications, including CPR/first aid must be up-to-date.

Responsibilities can include:

Learn each client’s needs and current level of physical ability and personal health.
Lead several classes on a weekly basis
Demonstrate and explain each technique in a precise and clear manner
Offer modifications and support for clients with special needs and/or disabilities
Ensure safety
Adhere to all policies of the facility and regularly attend all mandatory meetings.
Develop and maintain good rapport with each client
Provide your clients with advice and tips on how to improve their form and achieve their personal goals
Clean and sanitize workspace and equipment after each class
Assist with marketing and social media for facility
Participate in outreach events
Create, plan and run specific themed yoga events for your clients

Fitness Writer/Blogger

Do you want to be a writer? Do you have the drive and desire to start an online fitness blog? There is a high demand for fitness writers and bloggers in today’s world. Whether you write a best selling fitness novel or a weekly fitness blog, you will be able to share your vast knowledge with others. Of course, you will want to thoroughly research all your material before publishing to make sure they are 100% accurate, as well as up to date.

As a fitness writer you can work for newspapers, online journals and publications and even write your own fitness manual or e-book. As for fitness blogging, you can start your own website and write a daily, weekly or monthly blog. Or you can search for a job with a gym or fitness instructor. Nearly every business has a blog as part of their website, and they are constantly hiring writers.

If you have the time and motivation, you can become a fitness writer or blogger in addition to almost any other job as a personal trainer. Millions of people earn a living full time as a blogger or start a blog to earn supplemental income. If you are skilled as a writer, this could be a lucrative field for you!

Sample job description: The fitness blogger will make bi-weekly posts on the company website including any company updates or changes to procedures, diet tips, health advice and so forth as indicated by the management. As well, they will be responsive to a weekly newsletter for gym members and class participants. Must be able to multitask and have knowledge of a multitude of social media platforms and apps.

Responsibilities can include:

Write 2-3 blogs per week on topics provided by the management that involve health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, etc. Must be thoroughly researched
Excellent written skills
Ability to meet and exceed deadlines
Can work from home, but must meet with management at least once a week,
In-depth knowledge of social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Health and Wellness Coach

As a health and wellness coach, you will be working with those individuals who are looking to better their overall health. They may have an existing health condition, disability, or illness that requires a major diet and lifestyle change. Your job as a health and wellness coach will be to help them improve their overall diet as well as their physical health.

Sample job description: The Health Coach will provide health education to those with both acute and chronic illness and conditions. They will work with a variety of patients in both group and one-on-one environments. The Health and Wellness Coach will plan and run events and activities on-site for both staff and patients. They must possess excellent organizational and interpersonal skills and have an empathetic, outdoing and professional demeanour at all times.

Responsibilities can include:

Establish a healthy and professional relationship with clients
Communicate with patients via email, phone and SMS
Work as part of a team to facilitate events, classes and seminars for clients.
Possess in-depth knowledge of a variety of health conditions and illnesses. Research any unknown topics and stay up-to-date on all relevant research and information
Attend courses and maintain all certifications, including First Aid and CPR
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Exist an air of professionalism at all times
Respect and maintain patient confidentiality
Attend weekly department meetings
Provide counselling to patients in both an individual or group basis to promote health and wellness in their daily lives.
Work with clients to set goals for their health and well-being.
Exercise sound judgment in adherence to safety and emergency procedures
Complete all data-entry and paperwork in a timely manner.

Swim Instructor

As a swim instructor, you will teach a variety of swimming skills to students of all ages, from toddlers to the elderly. Swim skills that you may teach may include (but are not limited to): treading water, swimming, diving, water aerobics and fitness and water safety. You will be able to find a job at a fitness center, swim club, summer camp program and even schools and colleges that have swim programs. As well, you can get a job as a Water Safety Instructor or Lifeguard.

Sample job description: The swim instructor will teach a variety of weekly short-term courses for toddlers, teens, adults and seniors including basic swimming, water safety, water aerobics and beginning and advanced diving. You must love water and be able to engage with people of all ages and walks of life.

Responsibilities:

Maintain a friendly, energetic and professional attitude at all times
Possess outing interpersonal communication skills
Schedule weekly chores and plan events
Must possess current CPR, first aid and lifeguard certification
Clean, sanitize and maintain pool areas, showers, locker room and all equipment.
Adhere to company policies and attend all meetings.
Inform students of their progress
Offer private classes when needed (for an additional charge as per company policy)

Aerobics/Dance Instructor

Similar to a swim instructor, this position may be part of a fitness training position at a gym or wellness center. However, a lot of people have made a career of simply teaching cardio/dance/aerobic classes. Two of the most popular dance fitness classes to date are Jazzercise and Zumba. As a dance fitness instructor you will lead your class through a cardio dance workout to benefit their physical and mental health. This is one of the best ways to maintain your own physical health as well, as in many cases, you will be teaching multiple classes a week, or even a day! Your typical course should could include: Step Aerobics, Zumba, Jazzercise, Strip-Tease and even Pole Dancing Fitness classes!

Sample job description: Zumba instructor must possess strong dancing skills and background. Must have dynamic and engaging personality. Have the ability to lead as well as tone down certain movements for those with certain health issues or limitations.

Responsibilities can include:

Able to teach a minimum of 5-7 classes per week, must have a flexible schedule as classes are offered early mornings, evenings and weekends.
Must be able to demonstrate and fully participate in all classes
Must be able to break down each routine movement by movement. Also, must be able to adjust routines for those with special needs/limitations.
Assist with group events
Must be able to maintain a high level of energy for 30-50 minute classes
Help maintain, clean and sanitize work area and equipment
Keep clients informed of any schedule changes
Create and choreograph dance routines
Must possess all certificates including CPR and First Aid
Ability to work with other fitness trainers as part of a team
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Adhere to all company safety policies, rules and regulations
Be able to motivate and energize each and every member of your classes

Recreational Therapist

Recreational therapists plan, implement and carry out recreation-based treatment plans and programs for clients with illnesses, disabilities or injuries. They can incorporate a variety of techniques such as drama, music, games, sports activities, arts and crafts and other such activities to help improve their clients physical and emotional health.

As a recreational therapist you will be working to help your clients reduce their levels of stress anxiety and depression as well as build confidence. You will be teaching them social skills and helping them integrate into the community. This rewarding career will put a variety of skills to use and is a great career path for those who wish to incorporate personal training skills with life skills and emotional guidance.

Sample job description: The recreational therapist must have compassion and empathy for those with chronic or acute illness and disabilities. They must possess outstanding interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills. Background in music therapy, arts and crafts and other activities is a must. You must have a strong, dynamic personality and be a team player.

Responsibilities can include:

Implement, direct and organize music therapy and arts and crafts activities to better both the mental and physical health of patients.
Communicate with medical team, management and other staff on a regular basis to provide clinical data and patient progress.
Attend all mandatory meetings with staff and management
Participate in facility events. Be able to plan and implement designed events
Must be able to think outside the box
Must stay informed of new policies and procedures
Must posses above average written and verbal communication skills
Must possess strong interpersonal skills
Determines patient needs through observation and personal interaction
Work with patients, their family members, health care professionals and other staff to provide the best treatment plan.
Create detailed, specialized treatment plans for your clients.
Teach clients how to handle stress, anxiety and depression
Use music, games, crafts and activities to engage clients.
Help clients improve their socialization skills
Record and analyze patients progress
Complete all paperwork in a timely manner.
Accompany patients on group outings and activities

Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach

If you wish to go above and beyond the “typical” job of a personal trainer, a career as lifestyle and weight management coach is extremely rewarding. The additional certifications required for this position will provide you with the ability to offer more than just typical personal training to your clients. This will make your services more desirable to those clients who wish to do more than just tone up.

As a lifestyle and weight management coach, you will advise your clients o how to make the right choices pertaining to their diet as well as their overall lifestyle. Your client’s main goal will be to lose weight. And in most cases, those struggling with weight loss have not already made the necessary changes to their lifestyle to achieve their desired results. As their consultant, you will be able to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. You will help them to identify those obstacles that are keeping them from meeting their goals as well as create goals that are both realistic and achievable.

For the most part, you will be working with your clients on a one-on-one basis. However, you may also offer group courses or a support group system for your clients. This is extremely regarding career and will keep you engaged with your clients on a more personal level. A recreational therapist can work in a medical setting such as a hospital, rehab center, wellness center, retirement home, long-term care facility and many others.

Sample job description: The weight management and lifestyle coach will meet one-on-one with clients to provide motivation, education and support regarding weight loss, personal growth, lifestyle changes and nutrition.

Responsibilities can include:

Meet with existing clients to provide ongoing support
Meet with new clients to set up their lifestyle and weight loss plans.
Assist clients in planning menus for their diet plan.
Run workshops and seminars for clients on health, nutrition and weight loss.
Strong listening, verbal and written skills
Energetic personality
Compassion and empathy for all clients
Ability to quickly relieve issues and conflicts
Work with your clients to set realistic and achievable goals
Monitor weekly progress and celebrate all milestones
Turn in all reports and paperwork in a timely fashion
Teach seminars and workshops on weight loss and nutrition

Nutritionist

As a nutritionist, you will find that there are many career opportunities. You can search for jobs in medical offices, hospitals, schools, health food and grocery stores, gyms, corporations or small business and much, much more!

Having a dual certification in both personal training really gives you a leg up. Most people that hire a personal trainer want to change their diet and eating habits as well as improve their physical strength. Some even go to lengths to hire a separate personal trainer and nutritionist. With both certifications, you will save them time and money, while also helping to boost your income potential. You would be able to charge a little more per session than would someone with one only of those certifications.

Sample job description: As a nutritionist you will asses and generate nutritional advice for clients to improve their overall health and well being by promoting a health diet and exercise program.

Responsibilities can include:

Support communities and individuals in their journey to make health choices in their diet and general health.
Create a range of healthy food alternatives and nutritional information to encourage a healthy diet.
Provide healthy and nutritious recipes and a menu plan
Develop healthy menus for cafeterias in the workforce, schools, hospitals, nursing facilities, retirement homes and the like.
Provide specialized advice on healthy eating habits to a specific group of clients such as youth, elderly, those with disabilities, young adults, adults and so forth.
Advise clients on how to change their diet according to their health needs ie: cutting out/reducing sugar or salt intake, gluten-free, vegan and so forth.
Tailor diet plans for those with specific food allergies
Conduct clinical research, surveys, focus groups and trials on nutrition
Write reports
Prepare and teach classes and seminars on proper nutrition and fitness

Sports Nutritionist

A sports nutritionist is one that uses their expertise in nutrition to apply to how the body turns those nutrients into fuel for fitness training and athletics. They will work with sports teams, private athletes and even wellness programs to implement nutritional educational programs, develop healthy menu plans and focus on nutritional counselling. Normally a university degree specializing in kinesiology, nutrition and exercise science will meet the education requirements for most jobs in this field. As well, specific certification and/or additional training may also be needed.

Sample job description: The sports nutritionist will have training in both dietetics and nutrition as it applies to sports nutrition and weight management. You must be able to inspire and motivate clients that are both individual athletes and members of local

Professionals and amateur sports team. Some travel is required.

Responsibilities can include:

Develop, organize and administer athletic programs, strictly adhering to all policies, procedures and guidelines.
Develop sorts mutrain plans for both individual athletes and teams
Develop menus and diet plans for the above
Tailor nutrition plans for those with specific dietary or allergy needs
Travel with teams to away events as required on a rotating basis
Turn in reports and paperwork by predetermined deadline.
Attend all meetings as required by management

Online Personal Trainer

A job as an online personal trainer is one of the most prestigious and sought-after positions in the field of fitness training. This is partially due to the fact that you can set your own hours and unlimited earning potential. As a line trainer you have the ability to work strictly online with a wide audience of individuals and even groups to improve their fitness, body image, strength and overall health.

Online training gives you the ability to train all types of clients from any location at any time of the day or night. You will really heavily on market skills and social media to promote your online training business. You can customize your workouts for each client or for specific ages and other venues. If you are extremely driven and motivated, this is the path for you!

Basically, you will be setting up your own business so the sky’s the limit when it comes to online personal training. However, there are some companies that hire virtual or online fitness trainers.

Sample job description: Seeking a motivated individual to provide high energy workouts and accountability for our online clients. You must be willing to use social media platforms to promote your courses.

Responsibilities can include:

Keeping account of weigh ins and customer participation in online video fitness courses
Meet with clients bi-weekly online via email, chat or SMS
Create a variety of online fitness videos for clients
Motivate clients to remain accountable and continue participation in paid online training courses.

*For those interested in pursuing a career in online training, I will be devoting an entire chapter on how to pursue a career as an online trainer! Stay tuned!

Senior Fitness Coach

As a senior fitness coach, you will be working solely with elderly clients. You will be working closely with them to improve their health and quality of life. Exercises and workouts will be geared towards those who are older and suffer from a variety of health issues and conditions. You must be aware of the health challenges faced by older adults as well as possess a basic understanding of those conditions associated with ageing.

Senior fitness coaches can find employment in hospitals, retirement centers, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and senior centers.

Sample job description: Senior fitness instructor must be able to motivate and inspire elderly clients to actively participate in physical fitness programs. Must be able to tailor workouts to specific needs of clients. Ideal candidate will be compassionate and caring. Must be able to teach wellness classes as well as fitness.

Responsibilities can include:

Ability to motivate seniors to engage in physical activities.
Teach older adults how to exercise safely and properly according to their various health issues and limitations.
Custom design workouts for individuals according to their needs, health and abilities
Possess current CPR and First Aid Certifications
Create and implement both short and long terms goals with clients
Complete all necessary paperwork when required and on time
Consult with medical staff on a regular basis
Be able to observe when a patient is in danger of hurting themselves
Excellent interpersonal skills and outing, compassionate personality
Cleaning, sanitizing and maintaining all equipment and work area.
Plan and teach a variety of wellness seminars for scenarios including health and nutrition as well as fitness.

Youth Fitness Coach

Youth fitness coaches can work with any age group from toddlers to young adults. You can find jobs for youth fitness coaches at schools, gyms in Derby and fitness centers, hospitals, youth centers and other locations. If you possess a strong desire to inspire and motivate younger clients, than a career as a youth fitness coach is exactly what you need!

Sample job description: Youth Fitness Instructor must be energetic, motivated and dedicated to inspiring youth in a variety of physical fitness classes and programs. Responsible for planning youth and family events. Love of children and the desire to watch them grow physically and mentally

Responsibilities can include:

Background in working with youth
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to inspire, motivate and educate young children and teens.
Ability to interact with parents and guardians of clients.
Plan and implement a variety of fitness programs for children ranging from 2 to 17 years old.
Ability to teach and guide children through workout routines
Organize and facilitate games, obstacle course and team challenges to children
Inspect all areas before and after classes for safety issues
Cleaning and maintenance of all equipment and classrooms.
Ability to work as a team player with the fitness staff
Plan and run youth-centered and family-oriented events
Training and certifications (including CPR/First Aid)

Corrective Exercise Specialist/Exercise Physiologist

A corrective exercise specialist, or exercise physiologist, helps those clients who suffer from joint pain, muscular instability and flexibility issues. You will possess extensive knowledge about the mechanics of body moment and posture to use individualized corrective exercise programs specifically designed for each client. You will be working with your clients to restore their full range of motion. You will be able to work in a variety of areas including hospitals, rehab centers, nursing facilities and retirement homes as well as health and wellness centers.

Sample job description: Corrective Exercise Specialist to empower clients in a variety of programs including chiropractic medicine, athletic training, and physical therapy. Must be a team player as well as a self starter. Looking for a candidate with excellent interpersonal communication skills and an outgoing personality to add to our team of certified exercise physiologists, personal trainers, and corrective exercise specialists!

Responsibilities can include:

Provide one-on-one and group stretch sessions while offering ongoing encouragement and support to all participants
Plan and implement programs for patients
Attend required staff meetings and enhancement courses
Assist clients with individual concerns
Clean, sanitize and maintain all equipment and workspace.
Possess outstanding leadership skills as well as the ability to be a team player
Ensure the safety and well-being of all clients
Adhere to company policies and procedures
Maintain a professional attitude at all times
Current First Aid and CPR Certifications are required for all positions
Attend all center events. Plan events as required by your department

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Strength and conditioning coaches work with athletes to improve their overall performance and prevent injuries. As well, you will be instructing them in lifelong fitness and health skills that will advance their career. You will plan and instruct a variety of strength and conditioning classes as well as meet regularly with coaches to discuss team members strengths and weaknesses.

With a career in this field, you can work with sports teams including youth, amateur and professional athletes in a variety of sports ranging from hockey to baseball to football and gymnastics and more! As well, you can find employment in fitness centers, rehab centers, schools and a variety of other areas.

Sample job description: Strength and conditioning coach must be willing to work with a variety of age groups to train and empower athletes. Able to travel when needed and lead workshops and seminars on a variety of related topics.

Responsibilities can include:

Create and implement detailed athletic programs for youth and adults.
Coach athletes in small groups or one-on-one sessions to reach their athletic potential
Lead workshops and seminars on fitness, health and athletic performance
Effectively communicate with team members, coaches and athletes.
Maintain a personal yet professional relationship with all clients
Properly assess clients strengths and weaknesses
Teach students, clients, etc how to prevent sports related injuries
Help athletes to reach efficiently reach their goals
Design individual programs for each client
Attend weekly meetings
Travel with teams to events, games and competitions when needed.
Clean and maintain work area and all athletic equipment.

Physical Therapist

Physical therapists can work in a variety of settings from private practice to outpatient care to rehab centers to hospitals and nursing facilities. As a physical therapist you will work with to diagnose movement dysfunction and restore physical health for those who have been injured or are recovering from surgery. You will develop a treatment plan while providing massage or simulations to promote healing. As well, you will work closely with the patient and their family or health care provider to implement ongoing exercise and health routines that they can continue at home to improve their condition.

Sample job description: The Physical Therapist will provide diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of chronic illness and conditions and injuries. They will meet regularly with the patient to work on their needs and communicate with required health care professionals.

Responsibilities can include:

Identify patients needs and goals, while assessing their physical well-being
Provide cost-effective treatments
Develop plans using a variety of techniques and exercises to avoid the use of medication and provide a safe and healthy alternative to surgical procedures.
Provide evidence-based quality care for all patients
Consult with clients health care team
Document clients progress and care
Communicate effectively with patients and healthcare professionals
Posses valid licensing and certifications including CPR and first aid

As you can see, there are many jobs for those who wish to pursue a career in personal training. You can even work as a manager, front desk person, receptionist, sales, human resources or any other position at gym health or fitness center if you do not wish to specialize in one of the above areas. Whatever path you choose, you are about to embark on a rewarding career that will change not only your life, but the lives of your clients as well!

In the next chapter, I shall outline the required training and certifications needed for many of the above positions in personal training.

How to be a Successful Personal Trainer

Personal Trainer Academy

Reasons to Become a Personal Trainer

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