Who Says I'm Overeducated? This Week's Topic - Marketing

How can I make a living doing something fulfilling? This is one of those questions that we all ask ourselves at one point or the next. The answer to this question lies in finding a market for your talents. Sometimes, you won���t know what your talents are until you���ve taken a few wrong paths. One way to discover new talents is to go to school. This weekly column explores different college degrees as a way to help you investigate different educational paths which will hopefully lead to fulfilling careers. This week, we���re going to take a look at what it takes to become a certified personal fitness trainer.

Fitness Training Gaining Popularity

The Health Club industry in America is growing at a feverish pace. Health clubs are springing up in strip malls, business parks, and in the suburbs. Americans are on a health kick, and this is great news for those who are looking at a career in fitness training. Many of those who join health clubs prefer private strength and fitness training to group workouts, and are willing to pay more for a personal fitness trainer. Depending on the club and the demand for a trainer, personal training fees can amount to a great yearly wage.

Earn your Fitness Instructor Certification

Personal trainers are generally athletic people who know their way around a gym. They���ve already picked up the basics to fitness training and mainly need to learn why certain exercises help the body in specific ways, and how to do those exercises using good form. They also need a basic knowledge of human anatomy. There are many fitness instructor certification courses offered through reputable organizations. Once you have a certification from an industry recognized agency, you are qualified to work at most health clubs around the country.

Add Specialized Certifications to your Personal Training Repertoire

There are a number of different certifications available for the personal trainer. With each certification comes more knowledge about health and exercise, and also more credibility with potential customers. Apart from a fitness training certification, you can also become certified as a pilates, gyrokinesis, or yoga instructor, to name a few. These specialty certifications will also allow you to raise your rates when providing specialty services. The investment you put into specialized certification will generally pay off with more customers and higher fees.

If athleticism is one of your strong points, and you feel at home at a gym, then you might want to consider personal fitness training as a possible career. Ask a few of the physical trainers at your gym where they earned their certification, and get their recommendations on other reputable certification agencies.

About the Author
A freelance writer, Kirk Bangstad is an artist manager and singer working in Chicago, IL. His previous experience includes consulting for technology companies in the Silicon Valley and serving as a field director and publicist for a statewide political campaign. Kirk holds a B.A. in government from Harvard University.