The Role of a Personal Trainer

Manage your career with guidance from NFPT.

NFPT Certified Personal Trainers work within this scope of practice for the profession.

The Role of a Personal Trainer is to:

  • Demonstrate and maintain a working knowledge of human anatomy and the concepts of functional exercise, basic nutritional needs and fundamental principles of exercise science
  • Show the ability to design and execute individual and small group exercise fitness programs tailored to the needs and attainable goals of each apparently healthy client in a safe and effective way
  • Understand the need for and importance of screening and client assessment and demonstrate proficiency in conducting these evaluations initially and progressively
  • Help clients reach health and fitness goals through appropriate cardiovascular, flexibility and resistance exercise
  • Demonstrate the ability to motivate others in an encouraging and uplifting way toward improving overall fitness and health
  • Maintain personal integrity, client confidentiality and professional standards for best practice
  • Commit to self improvement, self awareness, continuous learning, personal growth and development in personal health, fitness and mental capacity

Putting your passion to work is what NFPT does. We’ll help you become a certified personal trainer by first qualifying your skills in this scope of practice.

NFPT certification assures potential clients and employers that you have the foundation needed to be successful as a personal trainer. NFPT will support you every step of the way.

What Shouldn’t a Trainer Do?

The NFPT Codes of Conduct include professional standards that you must agree to before starting the NFPT course and again during recertification.

Personal trainers often serve as coach and cheerleader for clients. But when you’re working as a personal trainer, you should avoid these challenging situations which are outside of the role of a personal trainer:

DO NOT give medical or physical therapy advice or attempt to make a medical diagnosis.

DO NOT provide dietary advice beyond general nutritional guidelines. This means do not recommend specific diets, supplements, detailed meal plans, food portioning and/or meal timing.

DO NOT provide body massage or any similar service that could be construed as inappropriate touching.

DO NOT serve as a psychological counselor to clients or become intimately involved in clients’ personal relationships.

DO NOT engage in romantic or interpersonal relationships with clients.

DO NOT push your own preferences for fitness goals on clients who do not want to achieve the same goals.

DO NOT allow your NFPT certification, liability insurance or other standard business standards and practices to lapse.

Why Become a Personal Trainer?

The role of a personal trainer is to help people live a healthy lifestyle and teach what the body can do. Would you like to turn your fitness lifestyle into a career? Most of all, do you want to love your job? Personal training might be right for you.

Personal trainers are driven by a passion for fitness and the desire to share their knowledge. They’re not usually keen on desk jobs, sitting in cubicles staring at screens all day. Trainers want to move! Is this you?

Where Do Personal Trainers Work?

Although most personal trainers work in gyms and fitness studios, you can carve a niche for yourself in places you may never have considered: apartment complexes, community centers, outdoor boot camps, corporate wellness sites, resorts and cruise ships, a client’s home, your own home gym or even online as a remote trainer. Your ideal workspace can be anywhere there’s a concentrated, diverse group of people who want to get healthier. Be sure to check into insurance and local laws and regulations about home businesses before you get started. You can tailor your programs to suit your clients’ needs wherever you decide to work. You’re only limited by your imagination.

Get Certified!

Build a rewarding career by helping others live a healthy lifestyle. As a personal trainer, you can live your dream by sharing your passion for fitness. Embark on a new career now.

Get Certified Today