Did you ever wonder what was involved in becoming a personal trainer? Being fitness minded and enthusiastic are two prerequisites for the job – but they are never enough on their own. In today’s competitive market, successful personal trainers must have the credentials to back up their interest and personal expertise.

The main steps toward becoming a personal trainer are:

• Pursue a Personal Trainer Certification;

• Determine a suitable work environment;

• Shop for the right insurance company;

• Market your new business.

Pursue a Personal Trainer Certification

Most gyms and health clubs look for a certain level of education and credentials when staffing their facilities. After all, it is their job to attract and maintain a loyal clientele, and a trained, qualified staff is a major factor in making that happen. That’s why holding a recognized credential is indispensable in today’s job market: A theoretical and practical knowledge of exercise physiology is an essential part of any personal trainer’s education. As the standards for excellence rise in the fitness industry, so do the opportunities for those with the proper credentials and skill sets. Among the most respected credentialing agencies is The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Created in 1987, the NCCA helps ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of a variety of certification programs/organizations that assess professional competence.

When researching certification programs, it is important to select the right one, not the most popular one. That’s because personal trainer certification programs offer education in different skill sets. For example, NSCA skill sets focus on coaching, while ACSM skill sets are more clinical. NASM skill sets are more therapeutic, while NFPT skill sets are aimed more at general fitness.

Determine a Suitable Work Environment

Beyond what personal training has to offer the practitioner – a good earning potential, flexible schedule, and a high degree of personal satisfaction – it is important to think about where you can apply your skills.

Starting off in a health club, for example, would be best for you if you are not comfortable yet with the business aspects of personal training. Most clubs offer some sort of commission-based income. Keep in mind that should you choose to strike off on your own, most clubs have a non-competition clause in an employment agreement so you do not leave and take all of your loyal clients with you.

An alternative to working for health clubs is open a private studio or partner with someone else in a smaller studio. With greater freedom comes greater responsibility, however.

Some of the essential elements of planning to work as an independent trainer include:

• Writing a business plan to include financial aspects of equipping and operating a business;

• Purchasing the appropriate computer hardware and software;

• Approaching a lending agency or bank with a complete business plan to include probable loan requirement.

Shop for the Right Insurance Company

All that you work to build can come tumbling down without a solid insurance policy to protect you and your business. Here, too, it is important to select the right combination of policies for you, not just the most popular ones. The two most prevalent forms of insurance for all personal trainers are Personal Injury Liability Insurance and Miscellaneous Personal Trainer Insurance.

Personal Injury Liability Insurance covers the policy owner against legal claims involving libel, slander, or wrongful invasion of privacy.

Miscellaneous Personal Trainer Insurance the policy holder against bodily injury claims arising out of delivering or failing to deliver services. The good news is that insurance coverage can be much less expensive than you may think.

Some certifying organizations provide discount rates to affiliates through group buying power, making insurance an easily affordable necessity.

Market Your New Business

 Learn to think beyond the gym. That means using creativity instead of money wherever possible. Much advertising in the personal fitness world comes by word of mouth, so building a solid reputation among a small group of clientele can go a long way toward growing your business. Fortunately, there are more opportunities than ever before to extend your reach, including the use of social and professional networking and the Internet.

Above all, it is crucial to see things through the client’s point of view. Helping clients achieve their goals is what keeps them coming back – and it’s what makes being a personal trainer a truly rewarding experience.