Any certified personal trainers?????

[Equalizer]

TweetI'm thinking of getting certifed as a personal trainer and do that for the next 2-4 years while I'm still going to school....I'm majoring in biology and will probably get a minor in dietetics or chemistry then grad school. Ive recently quit my job at the shittiest company on the planet(what can brown do for you?) but somehow they are always ranked in the top companies to work for, I dont know how nobody is happy that works there and that goes for all the hubs/centers Ive ever been in, well except the management because they get paid quite well and dont do shit. Im 24 so I thought about it and this is what I want to do. Really health/fitness/diet is all Ive ever wanted to do since I got into it at 16. I want to be a strength/conditioning for a major university or pro team and thought this would just add to my resume. Who is the best to get certified with? I just recieved my info for ISSA, judging from their manuals and from speaking to others already they are def. on of the better/most recognized orgs. I need some input here.....

[SUGARBABY]

TweetI know a lot of people that work for "brown" and love it - in fact they are all making major bank. Maybe you just had a shitty hub.

[space mountain]

Tweetfirst bro im ISSA and yea they are a well known and very rep .

second i worked for ups for about 6 months and screw it for sure here u make around 65 k yr but u work your ass off i mean 7 am to 8 pm everyday ! with maybe just enough time to piss during the day!

[T-Man007]

TweetISSA is decent. AFAA is decent, but if you take their "Weight Room" cert, you receive a lot more educated in kinesiology and applied physiology than the typical cert. ACE is better than the previous two, IMO, and equal to AFAA plus AFAA's "Weight Room" cert. Ace is good because unlike 95% of certs out there they dont grade the tests in house, they out source the grading. This ensures you actually know your shit before you can pass.

ACSM (American Colelge of Sports Medicine) is next best IMO, but it used to require a degree to sit for the test. I don't know now.

NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) is the top of all, IMO. This one you do have to have a degree to sit for and they have an advanced CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists). Read through any muscle mag and look at how many of the respected people carry a CSCS designation. Many of the trainers at the US Olympic Training Center are CSCS's. I know because both the US Olympic Training Center and the NSCA headquaters are here in my hometown. I have had several CSCS's working for me when I was managing health clubs. These guys and girls know there stuff like the back of their hand.

Now, I'm not saying that someone with an ISSA, or AFAA or anythign else isn't as effective, they just have less formal education in most cases. There are some people who just get a quick 2 day cert and then they take it upon themselves to learn everything they can about appleid physiology and kinesiology and they are awesome trianers. But those people are few. Most people get their cert and don't continue their education. That makes no sense to me. Regardless which way you go make sure you read as much as possible and remember, it most states it is illegal to wirte a diet for someone if you are not a Registered Dietician or a Licensed Nutritionist. Dont even go there bro. You find a good nutritionist who will evaluate your clients for like $35-$50 and you pay for it for them. This way you get them expert advice and you don't assume any liabilities outside your expertise.

[space mountain]

TweetNSCA is imo the daddy also. t-man is right on again here bro..thats the second time ive said that today wtf? lol! I was also ace certified to . i went to a ISSA course in person with mine. u should get that list of dates in your brochure!

[Slightly Enhanced]

TweetACE sucks

[Slightly Enhanced]

TweetI wrote this a long time ago, so it may not all apply


Remember anyone can certify anything. Certifications are different from a License, which is obtained by the state.

Most, if not all, potential clients cannot distinguish one Cert from the next. So go with the cheapest alternative. Or better yet, Certify yourself. Go to your local print shop and have them make you a certificate and business cards.

Most certification programs will not teach you anything new. They are money machines. There to take your money.

I was ISSA certified. Everything I know I learned on my own. If you are in college or live in a big town your library should have more books than you can read – all for free.

What most people do not realize is that being a PT is as much about selling as it is training. If you cannot sell your self and your program, you will not have any clients. And when you depend on your clients to put food on your table you will find yourself becoming more concerned with gaining clients.

Of course if you are good and you can market your self well over time it does become easier to get new clients. But this is not a short process.

Starting out as a new trainer with no one to guide you through the process can be very difficult and discouraging.

My recommendation is for all new trainers to go work at a gym such as Bally. They insure you and will teach you how to sell. (they also require certain certs) You will most likely hate working for them because they don’t give a shit about your clients, but in the end you will know how to build a successful client base on your own. Also Bally does all the marketing for you, and will bring in many new members for you to interact with.

Lastly, many Certification programs offer insurance plans. But you do not have to get certified by anyone in particular to find an insurance plan.

Regardless of your Cert you will need to be CPR certified

[space mountain]

Tweetgood point here ^^^ i am also CPR certified.

another big thing imo is getting along good with your client. with all of mine we just dont talk about training, diet, etc. plus i always tell them they look good etc keep their esteem up!

[Equalizer]

Tweet

I know a lot of people that work for "brown" and love it - in fact they are all making major bank. Maybe you just had a shitty hub.

yea they do make money its just shitty in my area because they are major assholes.

[Equalizer]

Tweet

first bro im ISSA and yea they are a well known and very rep .

second i worked for ups for about 6 months and screw it for sure here u make around 65 k yr but u work your ass off i mean 7 am to 8 pm everyday ! with maybe just enough time to piss during the day!

exactly......i worked there for a few years

[Equalizer]

Tweetthanks for the advice Im gonna look into the info you all have given me....

[T-Man007]

Tweet

I wrote this a long time ago, so it may not all apply


Remember anyone can certify anything. Certifications are different from a License, which is obtained by the state.

Most, if not all, potential clients cannot distinguish one Cert from the next. So go with the cheapest alternative. Or better yet, Certify yourself. Go to your local print shop and have them make you a certificate and business cards.

Most certification programs will not teach you anything new. They are money machines. There to take your money.

I was ISSA certified. Everything I know I learned on my own. If you are in college or live in a big town your library should have more books than you can read – all for free.

What most people do not realize is that being a PT is as much about selling as it is training. If you cannot sell your self and your program, you will not have any clients. And when you depend on your clients to put food on your table you will find yourself becoming more concerned with gaining clients.

Of course if you are good and you can market your self well over time it does become easier to get new clients. But this is not a short process.

Starting out as a new trainer with no one to guide you through the process can be very difficult and discouraging.

My recommendation is for all new trainers to go work at a gym such as Bally. They insure you and will teach you how to sell. (they also require certain certs) You will most likely hate working for them because they don’t give a shit about your clients, but in the end you will know how to build a successful client base on your own. Also Bally does all the marketing for you, and will bring in many new members for you to interact with.

Lastly, many Certification programs offer insurance plans. But you do not have to get certified by anyone in particular to find an insurance plan.

Regardless of your Cert you will need to be CPR certified

Agreed! You are only as good as your the knowledge you posses.

[FUZO]

TweetI PERSON TRAINED IN MY TWENTIES,YEAH THERES MONEY TO BE MADE BUT YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND GET IT.WHEN YOUR IN THE GYM GO UP TO PEOPLE AND SHOW THEM THE CORRECT WAY OF DOING SOMETHING DONT BE EMBERASSED,PASS OUT FLYERS AT THE GYM YOU HAVE TO SELL YOUR SELF,MAKE UP BUSINESS CARDS PUT THEM UP IN THE GROCERY STORE THE GAS STATION EVERYWHERE

[NATE]

Tweetits only rough when you first get going. You have to eat alot time and give away things you should be paid for. Once you establish yourself a base clientel and people in the gym see you training (be xtra careful, you are being judged by your actions and your ability by everyone) you will be off and running in no time. Be confident, open to suggestions and other methods and always display yourself the best you can, you are a walking business card for yourself...

Its easy and fun, dont sweat it.

I apologize if i repeated somebodies post, i didn't read the entire thread.

[Equalizer]

Tweetlots of good info here, I see alot of trainers that really dont know shit, I mean how can you expect to be a PT and look like shit???? This one guy at my gym drinks about every night and he is a PT, kinda funny I thought, guess its one of those do I say not as I do deals with him.