Much like working out, becoming a personal trainer takes time before you see the results. In order to succeed you need to have the right mindset and a consistent work ethic. Waiting is half of the pain, but once you see the fruit of your labor and become a qualified personal coach the satisfaction you feel will be so good. We have put together a list of things you should do to become the best personal trainer you can be.

1. Complete Your Minimum Requirements

Before you can embark on further education you need to make sure that you are over the age of 18, have your high school diploma or the equivalent thereof, and your CPR/AED certification. As an aspiring personal trainer, you are required to have all of these certifications before you sit down to write your final exam. The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and CPR (Emergency Cardiac Care) can be completed together in most cases, through the same provider.

2. Find The Best Certified Personal Trainer Course For You

The certification body you choose is dependent on you and your needs and wants for what you expect to get out of doing a personal training course. You need to decide whether you will do better in a classroom setting, or if you will do better learning at home. As most courses of study are not one size fits all, look at the different options out there to find what suits you. Is it better for you to go to a university or college, or to do it through a company that will require most of it to be self-study, or even a gym program?

– Time Constraints

How much time do you have, or are you willing to spend on getting certified? Self-study options are often quicker than the university route, but the university will also mean that you have a degree and is probably better in the long term.

– Accredited vs Nonaccredited

Accredited programs are recognized by a legal credentialing body and as such are recognized all over the country by (most) health facilities like good quality programs. These are a safe bet and will hold you in good stead for a while to come. Unaccredited courses do not have this acceptance and may not be accepted by a gym or fitness studio if you try to apply with one. We recommend you don’t do a course that is unaccredited unless you are someone who already has a client base and wants to be more qualified, or touch up on your skills as an add-on course. You want to find an accredited course as it offers more in-depth education and better prepare you for the fitness environment once you graduate.

3. Choose an Exam Date & Prepare

This is the first big step you have to take towards your goal of becoming a personal trainer. People who put it off for too long learn the hard way that it makes realizing your dream much harder. This is why a bunch of programs require you to pick a date right away. This date should be realistic and be accompanied by an equally realistic timeline.
Don’t take the experience of others as gospel. Look at your own schedule, your current workload, as well as any other obligations you have before you set a date for this exam.
Give yourself anywhere from three to six months to prepare. This depends on how you study, your comprehension of what is required of you as well as what certification you are doing.

4. Pass Your Exam

There is nothing more satisfying than passing an exam and accomplishing a new achievement. This is only possible through the hard work you need to put into the previous step. Once you’ve passed the world is your oyster and it is time to start looking for a job, officially, as a personal trainer.

5. Getting a Job as a Personal Trainer

It’s probably a good idea to apply for every job you find, but when you spend all those hours applying for jobs and you get one that you don’t even enjoy, it makes your achievement and all of the time and effort you invested into your passion seem pointless and like it wasn’t worth it. Think about what excites you and apply for those options first. You must consider:

– Where do you want to work?
– The size of the group
– Gym setting vs hospitality industry
– Would you prefer trying to start your own studio or boot camp?

We hope that this cleared up a few things for you. Be sure to make sure your course is accredited.