How do you become a personal trainer?

[Jpotch]

So i'll admit off the start i have my hands pretty full with my professional career, running a farm, and building a new house, and having a family; but i've always wanted to dabble in personal training as well.
So i know we prob have a ton of guys on here who are trainers and im just wondering on how you go about doing this... Are there degree programs and/or certification programs for this? If there are degree programs what courses were necessary in college? Are there different levels of education one can pursue? Also about how much time is invested in becoming a trainer?
Thanks in advance for the insight

 

[Presser]

My wife and I are ISSA certified, which out here is respected or atleast was years ago, no idea latley, but you would be best suited to go to a few gyms and ask what they prefer now days and then get that cert as it varys alot , i remember when i got mine 12 years ago it was very popular here but on the west coast they prefered something totaly different, so its all relative i suppose, and u can get it through the mail or online pretty easily

My wife actualy took my test for me and wrote my essay,lmao, sad but true, not that i didnt know the shit, i just didnt care to take the actual time to fill out shit i already knew, i know SAD

 

[mkdk]

Dont feel bad FDR got someone to take the bar test for him and he became President.

 

[Presser]

Dont feel bad FDR got someone to take the bar test for him and he became President.

lol, yeah i guess im not so bad afterall,lol

 

[big in vegas]

I let my ISSA certification expire, but I went with them because they are one of the most respected certifications in the industry. However like Presser said, some gyms prefer other certifications, Ballys for example have their own that you have to get. I have worked in several gyms and most were fine with ISSA, others liked or preferred others, but in the end a certification is a certification. If I hadn't landed the job I have now I was actually going to get the CSCS certification which is one of the best ones you can have now. It requires a college degree, but the last I checked it didn't matter what degree you had.

And also like Presser said, most if not all are take home tests with a text book that they give you X amount of time to complete. If I recall correctly, ISSA gives you 2 years, but will tell you if you work on it daily it only takes a couple months. I had mine done within 4-6 months because I was doing it after I got off of work. It wasn't hard, the essays and the writing parts were the hardest, but still not too bad if you know the material. It was stuff like taking someone's specific goals and designing a routine for them. Take like a golfer and design a training routine for them along with supplementation and nutrition although unless you are a nutrionist, you can't give "too in depth" advice for legality reasons.

 

[bigghorn]

100$ for anyone to get me one.. Lol.. Is your wife busy Presser? Lol

 

[Presser]

100$ for anyone to get me one.. Lol.. Is your wife busy Presser? Lol

Yeah she taking my bar exam lol

 

[Presser]

Oh and I think we paid $500

 

[Jpotch]

Good info guys. Thank u

 

[nuknuk]

Before you do anything, you need to ask yourself where will you work, at a gym? Home? clients home? Do you have clients lined up already? What will you charge? If at a gym, will you be independent or work for the gym, if so, what is the split? or gym rent fee? Insurance cost?

 

[Presser]

All great points

 

[Jpotch]

Before you do anything, you need to ask yourself where will you work, at a gym? Home? clients home? Do you have clients lined up already? What will you charge? If at a gym, will you be independent or work for the gym, if so, what is the split? or gym rent fee? Insurance cost?

I was wondering how all that would work....I have a handful of people in the hospital that have asked for training and to be honest right now i prob could only take on 3 or 4 at the most.
In your experience do gyms usually mind if you work independently from their facility? I dont think i would want to be an employee...

 

[big in vegas]

Any gym I've trained in hasn't cared if I worked independently as long as the client and myself had memberships. That's all they asked

 

[Ox 51]

Can you ever support yourself as a trainer, or is it strictly a part time thing you do with a full time job? I've thought about it myself, just not sure what kind of income you can expect.