Certified Personal Trainers work with individuals to develop healthy workout regimens and diet plans. They listen to the clients to find out personal fitness goals, and then provide instruction and supervision to strengthen different muscles of body part. They may demonstrate various exercises to improve their client’s technique, physical strength and often combine weight training with cardiovascular activities. These professionals also measure their client’s strengths and weaknesses with periodical fitness assessments.
In addition, Certified Personal Trainers educate their clients in many other aspects of wellness, including life style changes and nutrition guidelines to lead a healthy life. They also motivate clients by setting some goals and providing required feedback.
Certified Personal Trainers mostly work in a gym, fitness center or rehabilitation facilities. These professionals also work on a freelance basis. Some trainers also specialize in specific forms of fitness, such as yoga, and provide personalized instruction to clients who wish to learn those forms of exercise.
Educational Requirements
To become a Certified Personal Trainer, the aspiring candidates have to earn at least a high school diploma. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that employers now prefer the Certified Personal Trainers with a bachelor’s degree in a health-related field like exercise science, physical education or kinesiology.
Students study the courses in these areas include nutrition, exercise physiology, human psychology, kinesiology etc. The aspiring candidates may also complete fitness assessments and learn rehabilitation techniques for better job prospects.
Certification
Certified Personal Trainers aspirants can obtain certification from various professional associations devoted to fitness and related areas, such as the American College of Sports medicine, the International Sport Sciences Association, or the American Council on Exercise.
Skill set
Apart from knowledge in physical fitness, Certified Personal Trainers possess wide range of skills such as effective communications and interpersonal skills, tolerating clients’ poor response, understanding clients’ interest, motivating capacity, patiently listening abilities etc.
Job Outlook and Salary
The job outlook for a Certified Orthodontic Assistant remains excellent in USA. According to BLS, the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 13% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Certified Orthodontic Assistant was $33,020 in 2013.