Directions toward a career in fitness.

[EpicLevelWizard]

Headed to my college right now to switch my major to exercise science, I just want to thank you for posting this, it was a major factor in my decision and very helpful. Thanks!

[oatsmore]

Cheers Alan, really cleared up how I want to work in Part 1, Am currently reading Part 2

[freeheeler]

Question about PT courses for women

My wife is currently undertaking a pilates teacher training course and has just passed her beginner level course.

she is also interested in taking on a personal trainer course to add to her reume. She is an accomplished climber and wants to be able to take cliients to our local climbing gym and basically use all the facilities.

Are there any courses that are suitable for her?

do any courses combine nutrition teaching as well?

Any help would be appreciated

Thank You

[3nerney3]

Hey Fellow Trainers.

So I had a question and wanted to get suggestions from other trainers. I am currently deciding where I need to take my personal training career. I have worked with many clients who have seen great results, but I have a certification that is not well known. NESTA. I was thinking about going after my ACE or something with more name recognition.

I have plenty of clients so I am wondering if I even need to change anything at all. I am young -> 22 and also have fitness modeling aspirations. I am open to a lot of different possibilities at this point.

Any suggestions from QUALIFIED individuals would be great!

Thanks,
Alex Nerney

[GeoRockwell]

Nice post Alan. Just started a blog fitrilla.com would love to have you post on it. Or interview you. Drive some traffic your way as well as mine. Let me know man. grockwell55@gmail.com

[Bergemann]

I will be graduating at the end of this year with a degree in Exercise Science and one option I am looking into is ACSM's Health Fitness Specialist or Clinical Exercise Specialist. Does anyone work in a hospital as an exercise specialist? I am mainly wondering what the job market is like because you don't hear much about it. Does anyone have any more information on these 2 career paths and what the major differences are? Thanks

[ironpain]

Thanks for the sharing your learning experiences!!

[zycho27]

great read! thank you for posting this, it was helpful and very informative

[MrCruz05]

Good Stuff Thanks.

[domenic1995]

what are benefits like for you guys? like what about health iinsurance and stuff like that? (for personal trainers at gyms that rarent self employed yet)

[mymirrinpen]

strong inspiration to follow OP.

[SIr RicCuS]

I'm currently on my iPhone, but I'd love to respond to and further read this thread in depth when I get a moment on my laptop.

I just became a personal trainer recently. I'm certified through NASM.

[cary3]

Great post, thanks for sharing!

[BBqChicken1]

Very helpful, thank you.

[5hakaZulu]

This is my passion and always wanted to do it since I was 18. Is ISSA a good start to get in the door?

[alan aragon]

This is my passion and always wanted to do it since I was 18. Is ISSA a good start to get in the door?

ISSA does not have the prestige of certifications like NASM or NSCA, but if you're looking to get a cert without prime marketability in mind, then I suppose you could look into ISSA. But the way I see it, if you're going to put in the time, effort, and $$$ - you might as well get a cert that will give you the most marketing leverage & face-value credibility. An exception to this rule is if you already are successful in the field, & you're just genuinely curious about course content of the smaller certifications, but this doesn't sound like your situation.

[tanikR32]

Alan I messaged you on FB...please respond
haha

[eskulapas]

good

[humzah]

Hey Alan ( I hope you get to read this soon because I really wanted advice from you). I love the thread and the info you've included.
I'm an ex-law student in Pakistan and I do have a good (if brief) idea of nutrition and training because of what all I've put my body through. I'm currently on a cut after a bulk.
Anyway, there is no nutrition related course or program or school here and I'm still very interested in getting to know as much as I can about the field. Other than online courses and websites, can you tell me where it would be possible for me to find such material and if there's any hope for someone who does not have a degree in the field of nutrition/training.
Do respond or PM me if possible please.

[alan aragon]

Hey Alan ( I hope you get to read this soon because I really wanted advice from you). I love the thread and the info you've included.
I'm an ex-law student in Pakistan and I do have a good (if brief) idea of nutrition and training because of what all I've put my body through. I'm currently on a cut after a bulk.
Anyway, there is no nutrition related course or program or school here and I'm still very interested in getting to know as much as I can about the field. Other than online courses and websites, can you tell me where it would be possible for me to find such material and if there's any hope for someone who does not have a degree in the field of nutrition/training.
Do respond or PM me if possible please.

Online is the only suggestion I can give you since I have no idea what Pakistan has to offer. If I were you, I'd look into getting certified by, or at least buying the course material suggested by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). they have 2 levels of certification, one does not require a 4-year degree, one does. If you have more time & money to spend on this, I've heard good things about IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition, which is a distance learning course.

[DGetsCut]

Nice. I'm newly a fan of Anthony Colpo. Thanks for sharing this detailed info in your blog.

Re: Paper title vs Trainers - If people aren't Cut for the job, then it doesn't matter what alphabet soup comes after their name. Knowledge is power, but experience is key!

In a different industry that's also based on individual entrepreneurship: I've met Realtors with a string of credentials who were afraid to call a lead, and veteran Realtors who dominate their market with no extra titles.

Derin

San Diego Fitness Rules!

[GeorgeEls]

Thanks for this post. I am just starting out a career in Fitness and i just love the diversity which it offers, and most branches seem just as much fun!

[shellydisuja]

For making career in fitness industry,you must be a holder of any of the certification courses that are available nowadays.If you have any certifications then you have a great career in this field.

[pipqpi]

Alan, your body blog was informative, it is a little outdated by the write date. Is most of the information still the same? I am interested in becoming a personal trainer. I have the money for the cert's; what would you recommend?

[ThisFitChick]

VERY helpful posts, Alan! Thank you!!!

[alan aragon]

Alan, your body blog was informative, it is a little outdated by the write date. Is most of the information still the same? I am interested in becoming a personal trainer. I have the money for the cert's; what would you recommend?

Can't go wrong with either NSCA or NASM.

VERY helpful posts, Alan! Thank you!!!

You're welcome.

[RogerBigCalves]

I don't know if anyone else mentioned this as their are 11 pages, but the only question I ever missed on the practice test was about the movement assessment. If you look at the pictures where overactive muscles are red (pg. 122, third edition) it doesn't match up with the chart on the next page. I was always used to reading and memorizing in one go. I wasn't sure why I couldn't ingrain the right answer in my head until I realized I had memorized the book, but I had memorized both the right an wrong answers, because they were both in the book. The PICTURE is RIGHT and the CHART is WRONG. Feet turning out is a sign of a tight MEDIAL gastrocnemius (of course if they could both be overactive as well). If i remember correctly I also correcting the spelling of navicular a couple times as it missed spellcheck, but other than that if you know the book the test is simple.

[PowerOfWill1]

Really appreciate you for sharing your career journey. I found it really helpfull.

Thanks.

[RogerBigCalves]

I don't know if anyone else mentioned this as their are 11 pages, but the only question I ever missed on the practice test was about the movement assessment. If you look at the pictures where overactive muscles are red (pg. 122, third edition) it doesn't match up with the chart on the next page. I was always used to reading and memorizing in one go. I wasn't sure why I couldn't ingrain the right answer in my head until I realized I had memorized the book, but I had memorized both the right an wrong answers, because they were both in the book. The PICTURE is RIGHT and the CHART is WRONG. Feet turning out is a sign of a tight MEDIAL gastrocnemius (of course if they could both be overactive as well). If i remember correctly I also correcting the spelling of navicular a couple times as it missed spellcheck, but other than that if you know the book the test is simple.

I had two windows open and posted this in the wrong one if anyone was wondering why it makes no sense.

[CodyGotTheJuice]

Good read, tell you everything you need to know.