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Everything You Need To Know About PT: How To Become A Personal Trainer

Learn how to go from gym-bro to gym-pro with this guide!
A personal trainer encouraging a woman to continue doing pushupsGetty

How do you become a personal trainer? Well, first you’ll need to receive a ‘personal trainer certification’ that qualifies you to coach fitness. 

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Personal training can be a very lucrative career if you have the right skillset. With enough accreditation, you could even become Hollywood’s next big celebrity trainer – the sky’s the limit! In this article, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about becoming a certified personal trainer.

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Qualifications You Need

The key to reaching a wider range of clients is having an impressive list of qualifications under your belt. Qualified certifications will be approved by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Qualifications like the ACE Certification, NASM, and NSCA are among the best you can aim for. Additional AED/CPR training will help equip you with all the knowledge and skills you need to help people of all ages and walks of life!

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Certification And Training

In Australia, you’re required to take the SIS30315 Certificate III in Fitness to begin as a gym instructor. After passing the exam and getting your licence, you need to seek out a mentorship at a gym to get recommendations and hands-on experience for at least one year.

Depending on how well you’ve adjusted, you can then take the course for SIS40215 Certificate IV in Fitness. The Cert IV course can take between 16 weeks to 12 months to complete, but this certificate broadens your horizons in terms of nutrition, motivation, psychology, and more. It’ll provide you with the tools you need to step-up your trainer game!

Universities That Offer Personal Training Courses

These Universities offer the standard Cert III as well as Cert IV courses for any special programs you need in your physical training career:

Online Personal Training Courses

If you want to save money, online training is great for those on a tight budget! During the course of your studies, all students are required to work at a gym or studio for 30 hours with a certified personal trainer. To maintain a level playing field, the curriculum is the same for both full-time and online courses.

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Duties As A Personal Trainer

As a personal trainer, you’re responsible for both your clients exercise schedule AND their diet & eating habits. The job of a personal trainer is to become the clients voice of reason that inspires them to take care of their own health and nutrition long term. It’s also your responsibility to check-in on them to make sure they stay on track physically and mentally.

Traits Of A Good Personal Trainer

To inspire others, you need to be approachable, flexible, and motivational! Some people may be really eager to work with you, while others may need pep-talks and feedback to keep them coming back to the gym. It helps to understand that everybody’s different and can benefit from a variety of methods. It’s your job to remind them of how far they’ve come while making sure they follow your nutrition plan. If you can embody patience, compassion, and versatility, you’re sure to attract a good client base in no time!

Personal Trainer Career

Once you get your fitness regimens and techniques down, you’re ready to compete in the fitness world. You need to promote your services by becoming personable and forming bonds with your clients in and out of the gym. Your regular schedule will become clearer as you balance clients during peak hours, and you can spend breaks by advertising your work on social media platforms.

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A personal trainer encouraging a woman to continue doing pushups
(Credit: Getty)

Working Conditions

As a personal trainer, you can use standard workout routines, motivational talks, and live feedback to track client’s daily progress. However, it’s also important for you to take care of yourself before caring for others. You may find yourself struggling to unwind if you don’t take the weekends off, so make sure to keep stress in check so you can be in a healthy state of mind. Wellness clubs often incorporate meditation exercises to help gym-goers and trainers find peace while working out, so don’t be afraid to join in with your clients!

Average Salary

In Australia, the average hourly rate for a personal trainer is estimated at $AUD28 with a monthly salary of $AUD30,000 to $AUD72,000. Depending on how many years of experience you have, clients may be willing to pay up to $AUD70 dollars an hour. You can also get higher incentives the longer you work at a gym or fitness club, so it helps to get started as early as you can!

Job Availability

Personal trainers are in high demand these days, and it can be a very flexible career. You can inquire for job openings at 24-hour fitness clubs like Anytime Fitness, Fitness First and Active Wellness.

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Get Fit For Training

There’s more to being a trainer than just being buff and educated – it takes people skills, perseverance, and a love for inspiring others. Now that you’ve got all the info you need, you’re ready to join the roster of certified personal trainers all over the world!

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