Before you can begin to work as a personal trainer in a gym or other fitness facility, it is likely that you will have to obtain a personal training certification. Certification usually requires the successful completion of one or more exams as well as a demonstrated ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. In addition, personal trainers are commonly asked to learn how to use an automated external defibrillator. Most organizations that certify personal trainers also require that those being certified have a high school diploma and are at least eighteen years of age.
If you are already certified in CPR and in the use of defibrillators, you may not have to become re-certified to obtain your personal training certification. If you do not already have these certification, it is possible to obtain them while working on your training certification. It is important to note that you may be asked to renew your certification by completing refresher courses on a regular basis during the course of your career as a personal trainer.
The exam that you must pass in order to obtain your certification will be administered by the certifying organization that you choose to work with. Such organizations include The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, The National Academy of Sports Medicine, The American Council on Exercise and Sports Medicine Australia,
The exams that are administered for personal training certification are usually based on information that is provided through lectures, demonstrations, books, or videos. The topics that are covered on the exams include anatomy, which is the science of the body, and kinesiology, which is a study of the way the body moves. Candidates for personal training certification are also usually tested on their knowledge about weight management and nutrition and their ability to develop both exercise programs and wellness programs. Certification exams also usually include sections on how to preform and assess fitness tests.
In addition to getting certification as a personal training, it is possible to get certification in certain types of exercise instruction. To cite a few examples, fitness professionals can choose to get additional certification so that they are able to teach spinning classes, yoga classes, or kickboxing classes.
In order to receive your personal training certification, you will have to meet the prerequisites and pass the required exams. The institution that you work with to gain your personal training certification is up to you.
