How to Become an Acknowledged Personal Trainer
It’s one thing to earn a personal training certification and begin your career as a trainer, but another thing entirely to stand apart from the rest. Personal trainers fill up all types of gyms. They’re a dime a dozen. Acknowledged personal trainers, however, are rare, and they have put in a lot of work to get where they are.
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Expand your knowledge beyond the basics taught in a certification course. The fundamentals of biomechanics, biochemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology found in most personal training certification courses will only take you so far. Because of the complexity of the human body, it is necessary to take this knowledge to the next level. Read books by established fitness professionals like Eric Cressey, Mike Robertson, Mike Boyle and Alwyn Cosgrove. After you finish their books, read their articles. Don’t simply use the ideas they provide; expand on them. Basic fitness knowledge won’t set you above the rest, but innovative and effective ideas will.
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Create a portfolio featuring each client you work with. A portfolio is the personal trainer’s lifeline. You will show this compilation of past clients to potential clients and future employers. Keep records of everything. Track all of your clients’ progress in terms of measurement, weight lifted, number of workouts performed, type of workout performed, body weight, and body fat. You may want to include before-and-after pictures. In addition, ask your clients to provide testimonials if they like what they have achieved. These testimonials are the most important part of the personal training portfolio. Potential clients will read them and immediately see that you have helped others reach their goals.
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Market yourself effectively. Any good businessman knows that knowledge and success will only take you so far if you aren’t marketing yourself. Occasionally donning the businessman’s suit is part of the personal training profession, whether you like it or not. If nobody knows about you, then you won’t get work. Create a website with a virtual version of your portfolio. Let the entire world know what you have to offer. Fliers are an effective marketing tool for those living in small or medium-sized towns. Business cards, however, are a staple for the personal trainer. You want to be able to hand out a little piece of yourself for everyone to remember, regardless of whether you’re in the grocery store or the gym.
Tips & Warnings
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Keep duplicates of your portfolio, in case something happens to the original. Having online and offline copies will insure that you never lose the biggest tool for advancement in your career.
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Don’t walk into this process thinking that you’re going to become an acknowledged personal trainer overnight. Regardless of how well you perform the steps, rising to the top of a profession takes time and dedication.
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