As physical well-being and fitness become more and more popular worldwide, many people are turning to personal trainers and instructors to help them achieve their fitness goals. With the ability to provide more tailored, individualized services than traditional gyms, personal trainers can offer a faster, more effective route to fitness, and they get paid well for it.
If you’re passionate about training and exercise, then personal training could be an attractive career choice. You’ll be able to apply your knowledge and skills to help people better themselves, not to mention the potential financial benefits. If you’re ready to take the next step and start your journey to becoming a personal trainer, check out these 3 tips.
Define your Niche
This might not seem like the most obvious step when thinking of becoming a personal trainer, but it is undoubtedly one of the most important and can determine the early steps you take and the path of your career moving forward.
Do you want to work with athletes? Help people lose weight? Or maybe you’re looking to help bodybuilders set that new world record. Whatever niche you decide to work in, each will pose its own unique challenges and opportunities, and you’ll need to optimize your business and operational strategy to suit the particular needs of your clients.
Get Qualified
The proper certification and qualifications are essential for all personal trainers. Under UK law, trainers must have completed the necessary training before running their business and training clients. Complete a level 3 reps course to give yourself the legal standing from which to build your business, ensuring there are no issues down the line.
While getting qualified is a necessary legal step, it will also work to instill confidence in your clients by assuring them that you know what you’re doing. Consider taking additional courses on top of the compulsory ones, these will only work to improve your knowledge and understanding, which can then be applied in sessions with your clients.
Employed or Self-Employed?
This is an important choice you’ll need to make when moving forward in your career as a personal trainer. Both the employed and self-employed paths come with benefits and drawbacks, evaluating both carefully will help you make the decision that is right for you and your career.
Being employed as a personal trainer by a gym will give you access to employee benefits such as holidays and contracted hours. However, there might be a salary cap and you’ll have to work the hours specified and with the clients, you are given.
Being self-employed will allow you to shape and direct your business as you see fit, you’ll be able to hand-pick clients and tailor the service you offer. However, you’ll need to source a premise and carry the cost, as well as take legal and financial issues like tax and insurance into consideration.
Conclusion
Choosing to become a personal trainer is a career path that more and more people are taking. As personal fitness continues to be a number one priority for a lot of people, the demand for trainers and fitness instructors continues to rise.
There are a number of things you’ll need to consider before starting your personal trainer journey. Finding your niche, obtaining the qualifications, and making the decision on whether to be employed or self-employed can all have an impact on the trajectory and ultimate success of your career. Follow the above advice and ensure you’re taking the proper early steps before becoming a personal trainer.