Never before has there been such enthusiasm for staying fit and trim. Unlike the magazines and commercials pushing wonder pills and get-thin-quick diet schemes, personal trainers stand as the representatives of fitness training that is not only effective, but also safe and healthy. Educated in proper exercise form and nutrition, people rely on these trainers to guide them to their wellness goals. The best trainers demonstrate their prowess not only with a diploma, but with a healthy-looking, well-balanced body to match.

Those who choose to take up the profession of personal training are typically passionate about helping one person, or a small group of people, to improve the quality of their bodies. Trainers work in such environments as gyms, health clubs, resort destinations, and even in the homes of their clients. Rarely is personal training full-time work; most trainers juggle a few resident hours at a health facility with giving personal sessions to desiring clients. Trainers devise their own workout routines and customize them for each person with whom they work.

Education for personal training is specialized, and trainers are required to be certified for special features. This preparation can span in length from a few days to a couple of years. They are expected to be able to lend their services at the expert level upon being hired. Postsecondary degrees like bachelor's or master's aren't required, but can lead to promotions and higher pay. In terms of career stability, personal trainers luck out; as the profession is likely to see continued growth in the years to come.

Career Specializations

• Yoga Trainer: These personal trainers specifically offer classes and training in the ancient and flexibility-boosting practice of yoga. Certitification is needed in order to claim this specialization.
• Pilates Trainer: Trainers can choose to concentrate their education on Pilates, a specialized and highly popular form of exercise. They must seek out certification in Pilates so that they may demonstrate proficiency within this specialty.

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Degree Levels

• Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science, Physical Education, or Kinesiology: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree in the Same Fields, Including Management Training: 1-2 years to complete

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Education and Certification Requirements

The minimum required degree to become a personal trainer is the high school diploma. Most personal trainers enter the profession after having earned their associate degree in personal training. However, increasingly more employers are demonstrating a preference for applicants with higher degrees, such as bachelor's or master's diplomas.

These high-level degrees are not required to be in the field of personal training, but it's helpful to earn diplomas for related subjects like exercise science and physical education. In addition, training in management skills is highly recommended, especially for those aspiring trainers who would like to escalate up the employment ladder.

Classes taken by those studying for a career in personal training center around deepening their understanding of the body. Anatomy and other natural sciences, exercise physiology, and bio-mechanics are typical course subjects. Students can also begin to specialize their training even at this early stage. Those interested in working with the obese, for instance, would take classes in disease management as well as exercise technique. Youth fitness, senior fitness, and injury prevention are other potential class options. (BLS)

In order for personal trainers to offer specialized services, they must seek certification in each field in which they claim to be an expert. Yoga trainers, for instance, must be certified by organizations sponsored by The Yoga Alliance. At least 200 hours of training are required before the student is allowed certification.

Pilates teachers are obligated to seek certification from The Pilates Method Alliance, which also demands two hundred training and educational hours in order to earn. To increase their appeal to gyms and clubs, many trainers also seek certification from organizations like the American Counsel on Exercise and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

This trend has led to an increase in disreputable certifications, so verify the excellence of any program by checking its recognition by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Most employers will not accept a high-level degree as a replacement for these certifications; they have become a standard expectation nationwide. (BLS)

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Salary Information

Personal trainers who earned a high school diploma earn, on the average, $18,000 annually, after 10 years on the job. Those with associate degrees bring in $20,000 per year. $30,000 yearly stands as the average salary of those personal trainers with a bachelor's degree. Master's degree-holding personal trainers earn approximately $43,000 every year.

Because they work part-time, it is rare that personal trainers receive insurance or retirement benefits from their employment. The best paid personal trainers find work in California; New York; New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; and Massachusetts. Salary can also increase depending on your experience level, certifications, and length of stay at one particular position. (BLS, American Council on Exercise)

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Job Outlook

The future is incredibly bright for the personal training profession. The rate of employment will increase much more quickly in this field than it will in others. A 29 percent increase in employment is anticipated by the year 2018. Such positive statistics and figures are likely due to augmented concern about obesity.

Beside the commercial popularity of the fitness boom, the Baby Boomer generation is also becoming more conscious about its health, and those in this age group are turning to personal trainers for guidance at an increasing rate. In order to be competitive, many health clubs and gyms feel pressure to offer more unique and tailored services to their clientele than other facilities. Hence, personal trainers will be seen as a resource customizable to the unique demands of gym members, another predictor of the job's increase in appeal. (BLS)

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Related Careers

Nutritionists and dietitians specifically focus on the nutritional needs of a unique individual, helping him or her to adopt eating habits to arrive at a particular wellness goal. Physical therapists work one-on-one with clients, as would a personal trainer. But their goal is not so much aesthetic fitness achievement as it is recovery from surgery or dramatic injury.

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