Most professional fitness certifications, like ACE or NASM, offer certifications for many different specific types of fitness. For example, a group fitness instructor might take the ACE Group Fitness Instructor Exam, while a personal trainer could get their certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) with a weight loss specialization. If you’re a group fitness teacher, you’ll choreograph movements for your own classes. A fitness coach who only works with individual people at once will need knowledge about how to create a fitness plan based on one person’s fitness goals, meaning knowledge about various types of fitness goals is desired.
Explore what different certification courses offer online so that you can choose the best one for your needs. Programs are also offered by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
The prices for each organization range widely, with programs costing anywhere from $450-$1,200 or more. Some programs include the cost of the exam in their program total, so check before submitting your payment to see if it’s included. Many programs offer deals giving you a certain percentage off if you sign up quickly.
While participating in the program, you’ll learn about nutrition, exercise techniques, anatomy, and other topics related to your specific certification. These programs are usually self-paced, meaning you can take as long or as a short of a time studying the coursework as needed. A few programs may require that you finish the coursework in a certain amount of time, such as three months.
Many certification programs offer study materials such as practice tests and workshops to help you get ready. Personal training exams will also test your ability to create exercise programs for different clients’ needs, as well as how to assess someone’s fitness level.
Find a class by typing “CPR classes near me” into an online search engine.
Do an online search to find colleges and universities that offer degrees related to fitness and wellness.
Have a resume that reflects your skills, education, and certification related to the job you’re applying for.
Consider creating your own website or social media page to promote your business. Advertising is extremely important so you can show your value. Offer to meet clients at a gym that you’re a member of, or outdoors if the weather is nice. You can also try working online through a web platform. There are lots of people who don’t have the time to go to a gym, but are willing to work with an online fitness coach. The gear you’ll need to work with clients will depend on your specialized fitness instruction. For example, a personal fitness trainer might need access to things like weights and resistance bands while a yoga instructor needs yoga mats or yoga blocks. Bring one set of equipment to share with your client, or suggest that your client purchase their own equipment to keep with them.
Reach out to people locally by attending fitness meetups or workout events. Consider being an online-only fitness coach who creates videos for a wide audience to reference.
This is especially helpful if you’re nervous about coaching clients by yourself for the first time.
Knowing as much as possible about health and fitness will show that you’re passionate about the subject. Read health and fitness books, attend conferences and classes, watch videos, and participate in other fitness classes to help you learn new things.
Watch other fitness trainers in action to see how they give off energy while motivating others. You might say things like, “You’re doing great! See if you can push yourself a little bit further!”
Practice explaining any safety rules that go along with an exercise, or how to tell when you’re doing an exercise right.
You might have different variations of an exercise depending on the person’s skill level. For example, you might show them how to do a regular pushup with both legs extended, with the modified version being a pushup on their knees.
