Personal Trainer
Miley Cyrus has one, Orlando Bloom has one and Kim Kardashian has one. What are we talking about? The all-important Personal Trainer. Perhaps this career is not on your top 10 list of dream careers but after reading this article, you may just change your mind.
what does a personal trainer do?
Many people have the misconception that personal trainers simply stand next to clients at a gym and count 1, 2, 3 as they perform exercises and occasionally help the client to lift a heavy weight they are struggling with. This could not be further from the truth! A good personal trainer has a much more important role to play then this. His or her main task is to design programmes to meet the specific health and fitness needs of the client. These needs usually have to do with weight loss and strength gain. The latter of which helps clients gain muscle strength in order to carry out daily activities more efficiently or perhaps participate in competitions. It is also the personal trainer’s job to execute the programme and motivate clients to achieve their goals.
A personal trainer also advises clients on basic dietary requirements to better meet their health and fitness goals. More qualified personal trainers will also assess their clients’ physical well-being and point out problems they may not be aware of like a bad posture or tight muscles.
Why are personal trainers so sought after?
As society becomes more health-conscious, people are increasingly more interested in exercise and diet. While there is a wealth of information on the internet that could provide them with guidance on how to meet their health and fitness goals, many people need instructions on how to perform exercises correctly. Also, many people seek that human touch that only a personal trainer can provide in working together to reach a common goal.
Personal trainers are also in high demand because many people want to start an exercise program but may not know how to and therefore need a trainer to guide them. Then of course there are those who are not self-motivated and even dislike exercising yet recognise the need for it. These are the people most in need of a personal trainer who will push them to exercise regularly and hopefully make it a life-long habit.
How do you become a personal trainer?
You need to be certified! There are various organisations like “Sport Singapore” and The Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness that conduct comprehensive courses to certify personal trainers. There are also organisations from the United States and Australia who regularly conduct courses in Singapore throughout the year.
Participants attend courses which cover topics like anatomy, physiology, diet and nutrition and even the mechanics of exercise machines. They will then have to sit for both a theory and practical examination before they become certified.
However, getting certified is only just the beginning. You will then need to gradually build up your client base. Personal trainers working for a fitness centre or gym have an advantage in this respect as the gym will channel clients to them. Of course, this also means that the gym will take a percentage of the fees charged to the client but it does help new personal trainers get a head start. When you get a good client base going, this is when you may choose to take the plunge and become a freelance personal trainer. This is the ultimate goal of most personal trainers as they will then be able to enjoy the full benefits of this job including the flexibility of planning your own work schedule, charging as much as $200 per hour and of course, being your own boss!