Personal Trainers Or Ppl With Degree!

[slim jim]

hi guys. heres the deal, i want to become a personal trainer and have decided to take up a sport science related degree. but i dont have any past experience of science or biology. would this therefore be fesable?
also, what is the pay like as a personal trainer?
and another thing, while being a personal trainer with my own business i would also like to work in a sports institution, with a sport science degree would this be possible? or do i need to do further studying?
please,any personal trainers or people with degrees in sport science related degrees please please help!!!!

thankyou

a worried and confussed slim jim

 

[Screwdriver]

The pay for a Personal Trainer, if the ads in the paper/on the side of cars/websites/magaines are anything to go by - ranges from $40 to $100s an hour.

Obviously the more success and high-profile people you train, the more you can charge.

Personally I'd rather you didn't get any fancy qualifications and offered your services as an amateur trainer to the low-budget end - sure you'll never be rich and famous - but why should good health be limited to those with excess cash to burn?

 

[AJP]

What do you mean by sports institution?

There are a number of certifications, the vast majority of which do not require a degree. The CSCS, considered the best/highest certifcation available, is the only one that requires a bachelors degree - in any field, does not have to be exercises science, kinesiology, sports science, etc. The test is intense, from what I hear.

Other certifications still require a good amount of studying, some have different approaches though, for example a clinical approach opposed to an applied approach.

Depending on the health club, most clubs have a set list of certifications they require for trainers they hire.

 

[goergen1]

Personal Training

I am going to touch on this in a few different directions. First:

hi guys. Here’s the deal, I want to become a personal trainer and have decided to take up a sport science related degree. But I don’t have any past experience of science or biology. Would this therefore be feasible?

A college degree looks good to employers and potential clients. Also know that freshmen going to college most likely have no past experience either. So, yes it is feasible.

Find somebody who is great and learn from them. Neither of the two biggest influences in my training career had a degree in a related field or a certification. They were just the master's of real usable knowledge. You will become a better trainer learning from these people than from anything else. (Do not just go to someone you think is smart, find a person with a great reputation.) Remember, you are a sponge, learn from everyone you possibly can.

Second:

Personally I'd rather you didn't get any fancy qualifications and offered your services as an amateur trainer to the low-budget end - sure you'll never be rich and famous - but why should good health be limited to those with excess cash to burn?

Don't listen to this crap. If you want to have a career in the health and fitness industry you have to be able to make a good life for yourself. If you are charging a premium that means that you have marketed yourself well and that you are producing the results to back it up. You deserve what you are charging.

If you want to hit the low budget people train them in groups. My best advice is to make sure that you are earning no less that $75 per hour. $100 or more is realistic. Specifically with groups. If you are going to do anything do it as a professional and have a goal of making six figures.

Third:

There are a number of certifications, the vast majority of which do not require a degree. The CSCS, considered the best/highest certification available, is the only one that requires a bachelor’s degree - in any field, does not have to be exercises science, kinesiology, sports science, etc. The test is intense, from what I hear.

Find a reputable certification. The most recognized in the country are from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, American Council on Exercise, American College of Sports Medicine (this is a more clinical one), and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

It does not really matter which one you get. Different people and employers will like them differently. I have had them all. In the end your clients know letters after your name are good and won't really know what it is anyway.

Like AJP said you will have to define a sports institution. There are a lot of ways to interpret that term.

Lastly know that personal training is a sales job. You are in the business of filling the wants and needs people have when it comes to their health and wellness. Get good at finding those for everyone you talk to and make sure that you can show how you are going to fill those wants and needs.

Good luck and enjoy yourself. The fitness industry is a lot of fun. Anything you can imagine is possible.

 

[M.J. Quiocho]

Aloha & Howzit Gang!

The post-replied information presented is quite helpful.
I'm impressed at the information the person before me offered. It was very well communicated. I could read and feel the sincerity of sharing.
YOU sir see things through a telescope rather than a micrscope.
Seeing the "big picture". Right On!

There are only a few things I can add to what has already been mentioned.
Learn as much as you can from all sources of education especially a "live" teacher and challenge the knowledge so that you will understand and recgonize your "self-worth" and potential.
Remeber that your approach to people is important and also allowing people to feel that you are openly approachable too.
And last, no matter what certification or degress you achieve, never forget your "human credentials" - humility, honesty and humanity.
You gotta like people...all kinds to work with and learn from.
Good Health To You & Best of Luck in 2007!

Aloha for now...
mikey q.

 

[slim jim]

thanks for the great advice people. especially goergen1.
but inevitably ive got more questions now then i started with!
first off,after i have got my degree in a sport related course, i would like to start my own business, but first as you say i will have to learn from anothere personal trainer. but am i correct in then assuming that i would have to work in a gym and then get information from the personal trainers there? and how much does it cost to enter one of these personal trainer courses?
how long does a course roughly take?
i live near a wealthy area and the area i live in is middle class, so i would be targeting these people for work. i just wondered what the protocol on acctually training these people is? i mean do they have to come to my house to train?

ps. when i said a sports institute, i should have said it would be doing whatever i get a degree in. i no that sounds slap dash, but im currently undecided on exactly which degree to chose from, there are so many related to the kind of thing i want to do so im doing my research at the moment.
pps.i have the grades to go to a good uni but iam staying home and traveling to uni (not that far)however, its a very poor university, i want to know from someone who has been whether or not this is that important in terms of passing? because wouldnt most of the work be done individually?
thanks, sorry so long^

 

[slim jim]

would doing a degree in sports coaching be the best degree for a personal trainer? as it looks at performancxe analysis and improving?

 

[goergen1]

More Questions

first off, after I have got my degree in a sport related course, I would like to start my own business, but first as you say I will have to learn from another personal trainer. but am I correct in then assuming that I would have to work in a gym and then get information from the personal trainers there?

A gym is the easiest place to start. In hindsight, looking at my own career, find an independently run facility and get to know the owner. Business is a challenging thing to learn.

Working at a chain gym will give you contact with a lot of people as well as a lot of different trainers. It will be very good for your training experience and easier to build a reputation as a personal trainer. It is a little harder to learn the business end due to the fact that the company either owns the gym or it is a franchise. That means that the creative business minded people are probably not there.

how much does it cost to enter one of these personal trainer courses?
How long does a course roughly take?

I am going to assume you are talking about certification courses. The cost varies depending upon the certifying body. From about $250 - $600 plus travel to the testing site. Plan to spend 2 - 3 months studding before you take the exam. You will have to explain training principals in the context of the certifying body that you are taking it from. That means if you get 2 different certifications, you may have 2 different answers to the same question.

Look in your area for a fitness facility to work at. Many will hire you without a certification; give you a period of time to get one. Some will help with the cost if you agree work there long enough.

I have the grades to go to a good uni but I am staying home and traveling to uni (not that far)however, its a very poor university, I want to know from someone who has been whether or not this is that important in terms of passing? Because wouldn’t most of the work be done individually?

As long as you get your degree very few people will actually care where it is from. They will be looking for experience and personality.

would doing a degree in sports coaching be the best degree for a personal trainer? as it looks at performance analysis and improving?

That type of degree will lean more toward coaching individual sports. It depends if that is what you are looking to get into. If you are looking to be a personal trainer / strength coach degrees that would be good are:

1. Exercise Physiology
2. Biomechanics
3. Kinesiology

No matter which degree you choose, minor in Marketing or Business Management. Make sure you pay attention and apply what you learn. This will help you start thinking about business as well as thinking in a broader range that can be applied in any industry, not just personal training.

Thanks for the kind words guys.