With the health boom on the rise, people now understand the significance of having a fitness routine. And if you’re passionate about fitness and thinking of building a career in this field, there’s no better time than now. Becoming a personal trainer comes with many benefits. For starters, you will have control over the working conditions and schedule. And besides the good pay, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience as you’ll get to help people realize their fitness goals.
Are you curious about the requirements for becoming a personal trainer? You can find everything you are eager to know from this article.
What is a personal trainer?
You can define a personal trainer as a professional fitness expert who helps people achieve their fitness goals through exercises, nutrition, and lifestyle changes. They use their expertise to create tailored exercise and nutrition plans for their customers. They also educate their clients on the most beneficial health and fitness habits and demonstrate how to perform different movements correctly. But a personal trainer is very different from a gym instructor, as personal trainers often work on a freelance basis, where they deal with the customers directly, charging their own rates.
How to become a personal trainer?
To become a personal trainer in Australia, there are some crucial steps you should go through. These include –
1. Get the minimum qualification to work as a PT: The minimum qualification for PTs in Australia is a Certificate III in Fitness, which involves a course that takes a total of 6 months to complete. An review of the principles of anatomy, physiology, and exercise programming are provided in this thorough course.
2. Obtain a Certificate IV in fitness: After you have the basics of fitness, it’s a good idea to obtain the next level of qualification – Certificate IV. This certificate course provides comprehensive instruction on the latest training techniques, nutrition, and business practices. It is a must-have for personal trainers who want to work independently or establish their own business.
3. Gain some practical experience: In order to be employed as a personal trainer in gyms and fitness centres, it is typically required that a PT possesses prior practical experience in the field. Gaining practical experience in the fitness industry is easy – volunteer at a gym, get some hands-on training by shadowing experienced trainers or even train friends and family. All these choices are excellent ways to hone your skills.
4. Register with industry bodies: Before you get started as a PT professionally, it’s important to register with industry associations like Fitness Australia and Physical Activity Australia. Fitness Australia is a national industry body, and an affiliation with the body will show your potential clients that you qualify for the industry standards for fitness training.
5. Get a job/start a business: Anyone desiring to nurture a fulfilling fitness industry career has two options: either start a business or work at a gym. The former offers more flexibility and independence while the latter provides valuable experience and networking opportunities. In the end, it’s crucial to weigh the two choices and choose the one that’s best for you.
6. Promote yourself: As a Personal Trainer, you have to be proactive in building your clientele. Leverage social media sites to connect with potential clients, create a website to highlight your qualifications and services, and network with other fitness professionals for greater visibility.
7. Get insurance: As a personal trainer, you are responsible for offering advice to clients. But sometimes, this advice can result in injury or property damage. Public liability insurance NSW is necessary for your protection and the protection of your company. It covers the financial losses incurred from claims made by third parties who have experienced injury, damage to property, or similar financial casualties due to your business activities. Click here to learn more about public liability insurance NSW.
8. Keep updating with new skills: It is essential to remain informed of the latest developments in the health and fitness sector. To do this, you can attend seminars and lectures, sign up for online classes, and read industry journals. With this, you will surely be a leader in your industry.
How much does a personal trainer earn?
The ability to choose your own schedule and compensation is the primary benefit of working as a personal trainer. And if you are knowledgeable, and know how to promote yourself, you can make good money as a personal trainer. The average pay for PTs in Australia, according to the website Payscale, is around $49,000, but this does vary by location. If you’re in New South Wales (NSW), you can easily earn around $59,000. And yes, personal trainers (PT) are very much in demand in Australia, so there’s a strong job growth prediction in this profession.
Conclusion
Becoming a personal trainer is no walk in the park, but with dedication, hard work and the right knowledge, it’s definitely achievable. Taking the steps outlined in this blog will help you to become a qualified and successful personal trainer.