"Psychology majors make the best personal trainers"

[ThaiFighter_83]

That's what one gym manager told me recently. What do you guys think of this?

Are there any good psychology books I can buy to learn?

[JohnnyBicepsCOM]

if they know about fitness, yes.. proper psychology can make a great impact on your client and his or her progress

[bigfrog]

if they know about fitness, yes.. proper psychology can make a great impact on your client and his or her progress

In my Exercise Science degree we were required to take 5 psych classes. Mind/body connection, motivation, reasoning etc is very important to your clients health.

[DoItUp]

most kinese degrees have you take psych courses or health councelling courses- I've already taken 2 in my first year. A psych degree would allow you too help the clients that are still in the precontemplation stage-you would be able to get them to start exercising because you know how to talk them into it. However a psych degree won't help one bit in the middle of training. I would rather take a trainer w/ a kinese degree who took psych courses over a trainer who has a psych degree

[Govithoy]

A psych degree is a bit overboard. I'd honestly shake my head if any of my then-fellow psych majors told me their main goal was to be a personal trainer...shouldn't you be busy learning about physiology, nutrition, corrective exercise, etc.?

The kin program at my university has a pretty solid pysch component, which is really all that's necessary. It's not to say that a psych degree isn't interesting or worthwhile to complete, but majoring in kin would definitely be a more applicable degree. As well it would better prepare you should you choose to take it farther than being a personal trainer at "ze local jeem," when "I read it on T-Nation" isn't really enough anymore.