Personal Trainer Schools and Careers Guide
What is a personal trainer?
Personal training is one of the fastest growing segments of the health and fitness industry. From athletes to senior citizens, people from all walks of life are using personal trainers to help them learn how to exercise, lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. A personal trainer performs the role of educator, motivator and coach.
Becoming a personal trainer requires learning about personal health, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and managing stress and lifestyle changes in future clients. Personal trainers are relatively well-compensated, because people often pay top dollar to work out and achieve their fitness goals with a private, personal trainer.
How is personal training practiced?
Personal trainers meet with their clients from one to several times each week, usually for an hour at a time. The personal trainer guides the client in his/her workouts, utilizing flexibility, weight training and aerobics. Monitoring body fat and heart rate levels help track the client's progress.
There are numerous employment opportunities for a certified personal trainer. For example, employment can be sought at private health clubs, rehabilitation clinics, hospitals, spas, cruise ships or resorts. Some personal trainers start their own businesses once they have an established client base.
Personal trainers need to have a multitude of skills. Helpful personality traits might include being analytical, patient, nurturing, persistent, organized, an effective motivator and, most importantly, a good listener. Personal trainers should enjoy working with different kinds of people and be self-motivated. You don't have to look like a body builder to be a trainer, but you should definitely lead a healthy lifestyle to be a good role model for your clients.
How much money can I make as a personal trainer?
Personal trainers can charge anywhere from $25 to $200 an hour, depending on professional background, clientele and services.
What degree or certification is available?
Comprehensive programs leading to certification might include 300 hours of education plus 200 hours of gym time to become a personal trainer.
Where can I get training?
- Alabama
National Personal Training Institute - A RESIDENTIAL Program in Orlando, FL- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Alaska
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Arizona
- Cortiva Institute - School of Massage Therapy - Scottsdale
- Providence Institute - Tucson
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Arkansas
- Bryan College - Rogers - Rogers
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- California
- Bryan College - A campus in Sacramento/Gold River
- Santa Barbara Business College - Bakersfield
- CNI's California Personal Fitness Training School - Costa Mesa
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program CA - CDM - Costa Mesa
- FITA Fitness, Inc. - Newport Beach
- Santa Barbara Business College - Palm Desert
- National Personal Training Institute - Riverside
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program - San Diego-Vista
- National Personal Training Institute - San Francisco
- Santa Barbara Business College - Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara Business College - Santa Maria
- National Personal Training Institute - Santa Monica
- Santa Barbara Business College - Ventura
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Colorado
- National Personal Training Institute of Colorado, LLC - Colorado Springs
- Heritage College - Personal Training - Denver
- National Personal Training Institute - Lakewood
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Connecticut
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program - Norwalk
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Delaware
- National Personal Training Institute - Wilmington
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- District of Columbia
- National Personal Training Institute - Vienna, VA (near DC)
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Vienna, VA (near DC)
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Florida
- Heritage Institute - Personal Training - Fort Myers
- NPTI - Personal Trainer Certification *Residential Program* - Orlando
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Georgia
- National Personal Training Institute - Alpharetta - Atlanta
- National Personal Training Institute - McDonough
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Idaho
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Illinois
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program IL - Chicago
- National Personal Training Institute - Lisle
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Indiana
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Iowa
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Kansas
- MTTI-WellSpring - Lawrence
- Pinnacle Career Institute - Lawrence
- Pinnacle Career Institute - Training in Kansas City, MO
- Pinnacle Career Institute - Training in Kansas City, MO
- Heritage College - Wichita - Wichita
- Heritage College - Personal Training - Zero in on campus in Kansas City, MO
- National Personal Training Institute, CO - Training in Lakewood & Colorado Springs, CO
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Kentucky
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Louisiana
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Maine
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Maryland
- National Personal Training Institute - Vienna, VA (near MD)
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Vienna, VA (near DC)
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Massachusetts
- National Personal Training Institute - Waltham
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Michigan
- National Personal Training Institute - Rochester Hills
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Minnesota
- Globe University/Minnesota School of Business - Brooklyn Center
- National Personal Training Institute - Brooklyn Park
- Globe University/Minnesota School of Business - Plymouth
- Globe University/Minnesota School of Business - Rochester
- Globe University/Minnesota School of Business - Shakopee
- Globe University/Minnesota School of Business - Waite Park
- Globe University - Woodbury
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Mississippi
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Missouri
- Heritage College - Personal Training - Kansas City
- MTTI-WellSpring - Kansas City
- Pinnacle Career Institute - Kansas City
- Pinnacle Career Institute - Kansas City
- Bryan College - Springfield - Springfield
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Montana
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Nebraska
- National Personal Training Institute, CO - Training in Lakewood & Colorado Springs, CO
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Nevada
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- New Hampshire
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Waltham, MA
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- New Jersey
- National Personal Training Institute - Hoboken
- National Personal Training Institute - Turnersville
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- New Mexico
- Apollo College - Albuquerque - Albuquerque
- National Personal Training Institute, CO - Training in Lakewood & Colorado Springs, CO
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- New York
- American Academy of Personal Training - New York
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Hoboken, NJ
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program - Training in Norwalk, CT
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- North Carolina
- National Personal Training Institute of North Carolina - Morrisville (Raleigh-Durham)
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- North Dakota
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Ohio
- National Personal Training Institute - Richmond Heights
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Oklahoma
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Oregon
- Everest College - Tigard - Tigard
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Pennsylvania
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program PA - Philadelphia
- Mt. Nittany Institute of Natural Health - State College
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Rhode Island
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program - Training in Norwalk, CT
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Waltham, MA
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- South Carolina
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- South Dakota
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Tennessee
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Texas
- ATI Career Training Center - Dallas/Fort Worth
- ATI Career Training Center - NRH - North Richland Hills
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Utah
- Utah Career College - Layton
- Eagle Gate College - Salt Lake City
- Utah Career College - West Jordan
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Vermont
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Waltham, MA
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Virginia
- National Personal Training Institute - Vienna
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Washington
- National Personal Training Institute - Bellevue
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- West Virginia
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Wisconsin
- National Personal Training Institute - Training in Brooklyn Park, MN
- National Personal Training Institute - Personal Trainer Program IL - Training in Chicago, IL
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
- Wyoming
- National Personal Training Institute, CO - Training in Lakewood & Colorado Springs, CO
- PCI Online - Web-Based, Online Programs
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