Are you tired of the stress and monotony of your current job?
Do you yearn for something more fulfilling?
Do you feel like you should be doing more to improve both your body and your mind?
If you attend a gym regularly you’ve probably seen fitness instructors, coaches and personal trainers working with your fellow customers and helping them on the way to achieving their goals. Maybe you’ve even had someone help you on your way to your own goals. If so you’ve probably seen not only the dramatic results that they’ve been able to get for their clients but the fun and camaraderie that’s been built up in the pursuit of those results.
If you’re not from an athletic or sports science background then you’ve probably written yourself off more than once. You probably don’t feel you have enough knowledge about human anatomy or nutrition, or the basic tenets of Health and Safety to do the job well.
The good news is that wherever you are the chances are you can get all the training you need conveniently and affordably, wherever you are in the world.
If you’re in the UK, for instance, check out this link below to see the benefits and salary you could gain by training to be a personal trainer;
https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/personal-trainer-salary/
Before you sign up to any courses, though, I recommend you ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I enjoy pushing my mind and body beyond their limits?
- Do I want to help people achieve their goals and be the best that they can be?
- Do I follow trends and movements in fitness and follow experts in blogs and on social media?
- Do I want variety and flexibility in my work?
- Do friends and family come to me for advice on their workout regimes and nutrition?
- Do I like working with people and building rewarding professional relationships?
- Am I a good communicator who finds it easy to explain complex things in a way that’s easy to understand?
- Do I find it easy to make friends and socialize at the gym?
- Could I talk for hours about the benefits of fitness and nutrition?
- Does the thought of sitting at a desk all day make me feel queasy?
- Would I one day like to run my own business?
If you’ve answered yes to all these questions then a career in fitness is perfect for you. And making yourself perfect for it could be easier than you think.
But what, exactly does a personal trainer do?
It’s no exaggeration to say that personal trainers can change (and, yes, even save) lives. They help people achieve things that they never could have believed and give them a sense of confidence and self-worth that they’ve thought forever unattainable. They help people, look great, feel great and conquer their own personal demons through fitness.
For all the marvelous things that personal trainers can do, the job itself is actually fairly fun and rewarding and great for your career development. You’ll be learning new things every day and helping others learn too. You’ll probably even learn some new things about yourself.
It’s a common misconception to see a personal trainer as a drill sergeant who spends the day barking orders at terrified, sweaty gym goers. Nothing could be further from the truth (although some clients may require some tough love to overcome their hurdles).
The most important thing you’ll be doing is listening.
By listening to clients’ goals, hopes, desires and concerns you can use the knowledge that you learned from your initial Fitness Trainer Courses to tailor a program of diet and exercise to help them achieve their dreams. But your responsibility doesn’t stop there! You also have to keep them motivated, willing and ready to bring their A game to every session. That’s easier said than done, and your people skills will help you determine what the correct approach is for each individual client.
To be a great personal trainer you’ll constantly be striving to improve your knowledge of fitness and nutrition on a day-to-day basis. If you’re a food conscious gym junkie, you’re probably doing all of this anyway so why not get paid for it?
What are the benefits of being a personal trainer?
Glad you asked. If you’ve read along this far then you’re probably already thinking about some of the benefits of this career change. Being a personal trainer offers enormous job satisfaction, continuous personal and professional development and the opportunity to branch out on your own and be your own boss. Let’s go through some of the other benefits:
- You get to help people to change their lives on a day-to-day basis.
- You can see the results as your clients achieve their goals and share their happiness.
- It’s a low stress, high reward job. In fact, CNN Money identified it as one of the Top 20 professions in the US.
- It’s one of the fastest growing professions out there.
- Because of the constant stream of demand, personal trainers enjoy a job security that’s practically recession-proof
- Getting certified means that you’ll have continuous support and opportunities to develop your skills.
- You can eventually start your own business (as a consultant or even by opening your own gym).
- You have variety and flexibility, and if you start your own business you will be able to pick and choose your own hours.
Wait, what was that about owning my own business?
That’s right! Wherever you begin your fitness career, most personal trainers consider starting their own business the endgame. You might think that this includes the enormous overheads and maintenance costs of owning your own gym, but the reality is that personal trainers have more opportunities than ever to share their knowledge with clients without the expense of owning their own gym.
Fitness instructors needn’t own their own gym to make a living and are as desirable in fitness ‘boot camps’ and corporate wellness facilities as in any gym. Many are often also qualified physiotherapists and so bring their expertise to hospitals and physical rehabilitation clinics.
Digital technology has also led to an exponential rise in online personal trainers. A lot of clients prefer simply to be guided from afar due to their work or personal commitments and there’s money to be made from imparting your knowledge and expertise to them through the internet. By sending them exercise plans and diet / recipe information and checking up on their progress by Skype calls or sending and receiving photos you can help people achieve their goals all over the world.
Even if you prefer the personal touch and helping clients achieve their goals face-to-face, it’s a smart move to at least incorporate some elements of online coaching into your repertoire.
What can I expect to earn?
Starting salary for most fitness instructors is around £15,000 GBP / $19,000 USD with an average of around £19,000 GBP / $24,000 USD but in-demand personal trainers tend to be able to earn a whole lot more.
Top personal trainers command salaries in the hundreds of thousands. The knowledge and expertise you will gain as a personal trainer is helping millions of people all over the world to change their lives so it only stands to reason that in a supply and demand economy people would be willing to pay good money for the skills and expertise that you gain throughout your career.
