Want to learn how to become a personal trainer and make it a successful career? Fitness is a fantastic industry to work in so if you’re interested in exercise and training, then it could be a perfect fit.
In this guide – learn how to become a become a personal trainer from deciding if it’s the right career to getting certified and landing clients…
- Deciding whether to become a PT
- Getting certified
- Other legal requirements
- Land your first PT job
- Get paying clients
Trainer Essentials articles are written by qualified personal trainers with 15+ years of fitness industry experience. We’ve helped thousands of PTs to embark on their careers, level up their sales and marketing skills, and grow their own training businesses.
1 – Deciding Whether To Become a Personal Trainer
Being a personal trainer can be a fun and rewarding job. If you’re interested in fitness and want to help others achieve their goals, then you’ll probably find it a hugely satisfying career.
But being a PT isn’t for everyone. The early mornings can be tiring and it’s sometimes demotivating when clients don’t stick to your workout programmes and then miss their fitness goals.
So here are some questions to ask yourself that’ll help you decide whether a personal training career is a good fit…
- Am I interested in fitness? This might sound like a no-brainer but if you’re going to be a personal trainer, then you’ll be reading up on fitness a LOT! So it’s crucial to have a passion for both learning about it and practicing it.
- Do I like dealing with people? Personal training is a social job, so you’ll need to be comfortable around people. If you’re an introvert, you might find making conversation all day long a bit tiring. You can adapt your schedule to account for this by adding in more recharge breaks or selling online programs so it shouldn’t put you off. It’s just something to consider up front so you know what you’re signing up for.
- Am I ok working early mornings and evenings? Personal trainers don’t do a typical 9-5 since they need to work around their clients’ availability. This often means training people from 06:00-08:00 and after 17:00 when they aren’t working.
- How much do I expect to earn? A typical personal trainer earns $33 per hour in the USA so ask yourself if this is enough for you to live on. In some cities it won’t cover living expenses and in others it’ll be more than enough. Check out our personal trainer salary guide for more info.
It can also be helpful to speak with other personal trainers about what their job is like. Learning about their daily routine, along with the advantages and drawbacks of being a PT, can help you figure out if you’ll be suited to it.
You might also like… Top 10 perks of being a personal trainer.
2 – Get Your Personal Training Certification
So, you’ve made the decision to become a personal trainer. The second step is to get your PT certification. This will teach you how to train clients and design fitness programmes that support their goals.
Personal training certifications are designed for people without a fitness background. So you don’t need to have any experience or prerequisites. There’s no foundation course or university degree needed, you just need to work through the lessons, practical sessions, and theoretical elements.
Personal training certifications can be completed online or in person. Attending live workshops can be beneficial since you get to practice movements in real life and get feedback and corrections from a tutor. But the content is usually the same whichever option you choose.
It’ll take you 80-100 hours of studying to become a certified personal trainer. If you get your head down you could complete it in two weeks but most people do it over several months.
Online PT certifications are usually cheaper than in-person courses. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) currently offer the cheapest online training at $599. This covers the course, exam entry, and study materials.
However, the ACE certificate isn’t a globally recognised qualification (neither are NASM or ISSA). So if you’re outside of the USA, you may want to research a local training provider like Future Fit, AASFP, or AIPT.
Learn more about getting certified and compare courses with our guide to personal training certifications.
3 – Sort Insurance & Other Legal Requirements
Once you have your personal training certification, there are a couple of other (relatively easy) hoops to jump through. Most countries require PTs to have insurance and a first aid certificate too.
Personal Training Insurance
It’s crucial to have professional PT insurance in place before you start working with clients. In many countries it’s a legal requirement. But even if it isn’t where you are, having insurance can help protect you from the risks of getting sued.
If a client picks up an injury while working with you, then they may make a claim against you. And if you don’t have insurance, then you could have to cough up the damages out of your own money which can be extremely costly.
First Aid Certificate
Some countries also require personal trainers to have a first aid certificate too. You’ll usually need to attend in-person training for this but it only takes a few hours. Online first aid training isn’t usually sufficient for insurance or employment purposes.
The Red Cross or national heart associations are good organisation to get first aid training from. They’ll often run courses that meet the hands-on requirements…
- American Red Cross – www.RedCross.org
- Royal Lifesaving Society (UK) – www.rlss.org.uk
- Canadian Heart Foundation – www.RedCross.ca
- Australian Red Cross – www.redcross.org.au
- National Heart Foundation of New Zealand – www.heartfoundation.org.nz/
First aid courses typically cost between $80-$100 to attend.
4 – Get Your First Personal Training Job
Once you’re certified and legally allowed to work, it’s time to land an awesome personal training role!
Most people begin by working at a gym to build experience. It is possible to be self-employed from the very start but we’d recommend a gym for at least a few months. You’ll benefit from mentorship, professional development opportunities, and a steady income while learning the ropes.
Research personal training job opportunities online or by visiting gyms in person. Then prepare a professional CV that outlines your qualifications, skills, and interests. Think about what makes you different from other people and highlight these things in your application.
5 – Get Your First Personal Training Clients
Once you have a job, it’s time to find your first personal training clients. Gyms will often give you hot leads which is another good reason to begin your career working for one. But selling your services and converting them into clients will be up to you.
So, how do you land your first paying customers? Newly qualified personal trainers often find it easiest to tap into their existing networks. Speak to friends and family about your new career and ask if they know anyone who might be interested.
Once you have a couple of satisfied clients, ask them for testimonials to use in your marketing. These will provide proof that you get results and help to convince other people to work with you.
You can learn more about finding clients and selling personal training in these articles…
- Persuasion strategies for selling personal training
- Personal training sales script – learn how to address client objections
- How to address personal training sales objections
Become a Personal Trainer In 5 Steps
So now you know exactly how to become a personal trainer, land your first job, and sign up clients. Exciting times!
Here’s a quick recap of the process we’ve covered…
- Decide whether a fitness training career is right for you
- Study to become certified by a recognised training provider
- Get first aid and insurance certification
- Apply for jobs
- Get your first clients
The next stage is to apply for jobs or start building your own client base. So when the time is right, check out our professional PT resume templates or course on How To Sell Personal Training. From there it’s about turning fitness training into a successful long-term career.
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