Trainers are becoming a fairly common career nowadays. This is primarily because many of the younger generations are more active with their physical health
. This increased activity leads to an awareness that not all physical exercises can apply to all kinds of people. Some people require a specific exercise regime to work, while some require the motivation for it. All of these things can be given by a personal trainer.
Getting into a trainer’s career path is relatively simple, but don’t think of it as an easy job. Trainers have one of the most challenging jobs in the world. Many of their problems aren’t fixed by one singular solution. They are solved by creativity and experience. If you’re planning to become a trainer, here are some essential things you need to know.
You Don’t Need a Degree
Many jobs today require people to get a degree, especially jobs that have a clear career path. However, trainers don’t necessarily need to get a college degree to get into the industry. Many trainers only have a high-school degree when they got into the industry, but they have many certifications. Most likely than not, you want to get these certifications by exercising yourself. You’d also want to take these certifications online due to the pandemic. Thankfully, there are some online continuing education credits for fitness trainers that you can take. There are various levels to these courses, with the highest being certificates III and IV. Getting those certificates can open you to more jobs in the market.
Additionally, other certificates you should strive for are cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator certificates. Interestingly enough, these certificates open you to a career as a first responder or Emergency Medical Technician (EMTs). So you can get a job in those fields as well.
You Need to be Active
You can’t be a trainer if you only do it as a job. Unlike most careers, becoming a physical trainer requires you to integrate it into your lifestyle. This is an excellent benefit for you because not only can you earn from being fit, but you can continue to be fit as well. However, it isn’t a job for most people, simply because it can be seriously exhausting. As a trainer, you’ll have to teach your clients certain exercise regimes and how to do them. You might also have to do the exercises alongside them to show that it can be done. This can take a physical toll on you, and if you’re not active, you’ll probably not make it far in this career.
Stay Healthy Through Your Diet
The primary way you can stay healthy is through what you eat. While you’re not yet a trainer, you must keep an eye out for your calorie count. There isn’t a good baseline for how many calories you should take every day, but the average baseline given by Health.gov is between 1,600 to 2,400 calories every day. Once again, this isn’t a good baseline because body structure varies differently among the American population, but it’s a good average to follow. Generally, you’ll know that you’re healthy and active is by feeling better than before.
Be Active on Social Media
As a trainer, your main target audience is going to be on social media. You must be active in various social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This is where you’re going to market your career to potential clients. Try to join fitness career groups so they can help you reach potential clients.
Earnings
The personal trainers’ industry in the US is estimated to be $10 billion, with an annual growth rate of 2%. This is a big market, and there is some serious room to grow, making this year the prime opportunity for you to join the industry. You can find many people entering this market as a side gig, while some continue their efforts to make it their full-time job. The average earning of a personal trainer is $62,000, close enough to the wage of an average American.
However, you can earn between $30,000 to $80,000, depending on your experience. Some trainers are considered to be the best in the industry who are earning well beyond $90,000. These trainers train celebrities and athletes, and this should be your main goal as a personal trainer.
Being a trainer is no easy job. It is a steep uphill struggle as you have to contend with others who are already leagues ahead of you regarding both experience and physical health. You mustn’t give it and stay motivated no matter what. Eventually, you’ll be teaching your clients the same traits in the future.
