How to Become A Personal Trainer

How to Become a Great Personal Trainer

How do I become a personal trainer?

This is one of the most popular questions that I get.

It's a great question, and an important question. With the loss of traditional jobs and a move to service-industry economy in North America, personal training is a way to earn a relatively good living while helping others.

Plus, having read my newsletter, you know I give a lot of current trainers a hard time (and with good reason, most trainers that I see lack a basic understanding of human physiology and human movement, and common sense - some trainers don't even understand the law of gravity).

In my opinion, there is a huge shortage of good trainers in the workforce.

Now it's relatively easy to become a certified personal trainer. Simply look up one of the popular certifications (ACE, NSCA-CPT, or whatever certification the gym you want to work at requires), get their study materials, and then pass their test. Then you certified and can be a trainer. That's it. (So it's easy to see why there are so many bad trainers out there. Remember that the more people the organizations certify, the more $$$ they make...)

However, to become a good trainer, you will need to learn much, much more and invest far more time and education than you need to just get a quick certification.

You will need to start by mastering the basics such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and an introduction to sports medicine.

For without this foundation, it is easy for a trainer to fall for the latest gimmicks and fads. If you don't know how the central nervous system controls the muscles, then standing on a wobbling board while doing biceps curls with a rubber band while reciting your ABC's backwards might seem like a good idea. But if you have a strong education in the foundations, then you'll take one look at that stuff and realize its bunk.

Fortunately, you can learn as much studying on your own as you could by being enrolled in a University Kinesiology program.

The plus side of going to University is that you will get a recognized degree and it also happens that a University or College degree (any subject however) is a pre-requisite for possibly the most recognized certification, that of the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

However, the obvious downsides of University are the required investments in time and money.

You must study on the University schedule and the fees are substantial.

One additional downside to a University education is the heavy emphasis placed on aerobic exercise science. Not only has this lead to the "You must do aerobics for fat loss" mentality, but also to the ill-advised "high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets are best for fat loss and health" nutrition recommendations.

While some coaches regard the formal education process as un-necessary, and feel that all the requisite knowledge can be gained on their own and in the trenches, I am a strong supporter of a formal education - provided the quality of education is high. Perhaps these coaches attended less than stellar Kinesiology programs (which I know do exist).

However, the education that I attained from McMaster University is without a doubt the reason for the quality of my programs and the level of my knowledge. Most influential was the neuromuscular physiology course taught to me by Dr. Digby Sale at McMaster University. But since you will never have the opportunity to attend his classes, I recommend in his place you read:

Supertraining - by Mel Siff

and

The Science and Practice of Strength Training - Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky

Either way, as Michael Master of http://www.earlytorise.com/ says, expect to spend 1000 hours of study to become competent (as he suggests is the case with any discipline). Of course, having a good mentor can significantly decrease the amount of time you will need to study (perhaps by 50%).

There are many "in the trenches" mentors that I can recommend, including:
Alwyn Cosgrove - Alwyn has just released a manual called, "The Professional Fitness Coach Program Design Bible".

Bill Hartman - Bill is one of the most knowledgeable combination trainer/therapist in the industry. Bill is a golf training specialist that can be reached at: http://www.yourgolffitnesscoach.com/

and of course, the programs you will find in my TT Membership Pass - Click HERE to become a Member.

So those are a couple of roads on how you become a competent personal trainer. But they aren't the only ones. I've even met former University-educated engineeers that are great trainers (Stephen Holt - http://www.stephenholtfitness.com/ - he also has a personal training mentor site), as they seem to bring a unique perspective to training.

And I haven't even touched on the business side of things...but I will in future articles,

CB

And here's some feedback on my TT Membership Pass - and a discount still exists for previous customers. Email me for more details...

"I picked up the TTM about two weeks ago and it is great. It's like having an entire fitness library at my finger tips - thanks!"
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Bill Hartman, PT, CSCS, USAW, ART

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Jason Ferruggia Performance Enhancement Specialist http://www.j1strength.com/


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