About the Personal Trainer Profession ...

 

Personal Trainer Career Overview

Personal Trainer Career Paths

Personal Trainer Job Outlook

Personal Trainer Credentialing FAQ’s

Certified Personal Trainers are employable in a large variety of work settings due to the powerful relationship between exercise, health, and well-being. In many cases the population being serviced depicts the professional environments and work place activities. Role delineation studies suggest Certified Personal Trainers are primarily responsible for “determining the safest and most effective program activities for clients, based on interview, screening, assessment and evaluation, and then implementing the appropriate program components and strategies by instructing, managing, and educating their clients for health and fitness improvements” (NCSF, 2005). The specific job tasks of a Certified Personal Trainer and their supportive qualifying competencies are defined by the scope of the profession document. The scope of practice creates the boundaries of expertise and delineates the minimum competency requirements necessary for safe and effective professional activity.

Personal Trainers work with:

• Individuals on client specific goals
• Athletes on improving performance in key areas of performance-based fitness
• Older adults on a wide variety of health and function-based needs
• Children to enhance physical activity, motor development and to ensure the adoption of healthy habits
• Small homogenous groups to deliver activities geared toward diverse goal attainment and increased participation adherence
• Health compromised individuals to reduce the effects of disease and related consequences
• Corporations to improve the health-related performance of workers and reduce stress and absenteeism

 

Personal Trainers work at:

• Public and private fitness centers
• Athletic venues and sport-specific training centers
• Spas and rejuvenation centers
• Public and private schools
• College recreation centers
• Hospital based wellness centers
• Hotels and condominiums
• Resorts and cruise lines

The responsibilities of personal trainers vary depending on the client and type of services delivered. In some cases a post secondary degree is required from a college or university to develop adequate competency to safely work with special populations. In other cases meeting national minimum competency standards and maintaining a professional aptitude is an appropriate level of qualification to work with those in the general population presenting low risk. Part of the professional development and commitment to ongoing competency is participation in continued education. Continued education allows for career growth with improved and expanded service offerings.