Any certified personal trainers in here?

[numba1scrapper]

Just wondering what you guys had to do to become certified.. Is it all online now or are there local places that do it as well? How long did it take and how long could it take if you wanted to rush? How much did the entire thing cost you? Also, online I see alot of companies that do it, are some better to get certified from then others?

 

[stang50]

I did lots of research on it and have a home study kit but unfortunately haven't gone through with it. Theyre all home study and you go to a local center for the exam. There are tons online but you need a nationally accredited certificate to work anywhere good. Check into ace, nasm, nsca to start, just google them. Expect to pay out about $500 in the end to get a good cert. I actually bought all my materials used off eBay. I went with ace, not so expensive and accepted at the top gyms. Don't just get one of the $50 online certs.

 

[RJ]

find the cheapest one you can online and start training. Unless the gym requires a certain one, which most don't, don't waste your money. People only give a fuck about results. Once you have a good client base you can do a portfolio with pics and shit and business will come in like crazy. Thats what i did anyway.

Real training experience doesn't come from a book. I see new NPTI idiots every day at our gym and they know dick about training. Not saying its not worth the knowledge if you wanna drop 5K, but you don't need to if you know what you are doing and how to work with all sorts of clients.

 

[Zero V]

In process of becoming NASM certified, reading, studying. Only reason I am not already was becoming sick as hell last year.

A ton of companies, just make sure its not a fly by night one and you should be good. Any nationally accredited one should do the trick, the rest is up to you to sell results and make a difference in peoples lives.

Hell I am slightly out of shape and recovering from 10 months of infections(thought I died twice ) and still get asked what I would charge to be peoples personal trainers simply because of the knowledge I spew out when I talk about the subject. Easy subject to get on since I carry around baggies and bottles of supplements all the time XD

 

[ezred]

i'm pretty much with rj on this one. there is going to be a lot of textbook crap no matter where you go, but you can pay 50 bucks online and honestly get a lot of the same information. in the end it is going to be more about you than about any cert. like rj said, if the gym you're planning on "working" at doesn't require anything specific, don't bother paying extra for that.

it'll be up to you to take what you're reading and figure out how to apply it to yourself and others, adjust for individual needs and strengths/weaknesses, etc.

if you can give some trial lessons and have a good attitude, can listen and make the right decisions, and make them feel at the end of the day like they would have gotten their money's worth had they paid you in full, that will mean more to them than 50 certs.

i have a buddy that took an online course discounted like 30% off from 49.99 and it had about as much info as my old book, some of it as outdated, some of it more up to date. he looks good and has been training in sports and in the gym for years and knows a good deal about nutrition from a personal experience standpoint, but added like 25 bucks to do some nutrition stuff on there to learn some of the book stuff. didn't take him long to build enough of a client base to get by.

 

[JuicyJuggalo]

I'm working to become a trainer, good info/advice! I'm going to go with ACE as soon as I get some shit outta the way first. Then go in for technical training and nutritionist

 

[RJ]

i'm so glad I'm not personal training anymore. lol

Board help is all i care to give.

 

[numba1scrapper]

rj or anyone else, you guys heard of afpa? How are they and what kind of reputation do they have? I understand where you guys are coming from 100%, but im willing to pay a couple hundred bucks more to have a company that is well known in the fitness field. The full cost seems to range in the $300-600 range for everything which is not bad by any means.. I've got some info from afpa that you take the test at home online as well??? Is that a joke? lol.. I know people who take college online and they just google the answers on tests, do they just not care? lol, is it the same with the personal training test?

 

[nerdalert]

I am also checking into this, I wanted to 12 years ago and should have then. I wouldn't mind getting paid to help people out.

 

[Zero V]

rj or anyone else, you guys heard of afpa? How are they and what kind of reputation do they have? I understand where you guys are coming from 100%, but im willing to pay a couple hundred bucks more to have a company that is well known in the fitness field. The full cost seems to range in the $300-600 range for everything which is not bad by any means.. I've got some info from afpa that you take the test at home online as well??? Is that a joke? lol.. I know people who take college online and they just google the answers on tests, do they just not care? lol, is it the same with the personal training test?

Personal trainers do almost all their stuff from home. The main part is your state certification test. When you pay usually part of what you pay your company for is the test itself. That is usually done at a special cite and proxied.

Otherwise everything you do man, is on your own at home with a book and DVD's and your natural knowledge.

Now each school of teaching WILL be different. I am doing NASM which is really heavy on safety, and building stability, healthy and balanced bodies. In fact alot of it basic rehabilitation for bodies and works well leading into the fact I want to be a Physical Therapy specialist down the road.

Not sure what every school teaches, most should cover the same basics and be alike, but there will be minor differences.

 

[stang50]

rj or anyone else, you guys heard of afpa? How are they and what kind of reputation do they have? I understand where you guys are coming from 100%, but im willing to pay a couple hundred bucks more to have a company that is well known in the fitness field. The full cost seems to range in the $300-600 range for everything which is not bad by any means.. I've got some info from afpa that you take the test at home online as well??? Is that a joke? lol.. I know people who take college online and they just google the answers on tests, do they just not care? lol, is it the same with the personal training test?

In my opinion, if youre looking to make a career out of it then get a well known certificate. You wont know though till you actually start doing it weather or not you like doing it. I would go with a nationally accredited cert. I know as RJ said most gyms dont care which on you have, but some do. I personally know a trainer who has never been certified. When i considered personal training, i didnt wanna go for the best but wanted a cert that would get me a job at any gym anywhere in the country. There are some gyms that will only accept certain ones.

 

[numba1scrapper]

This is what I got from them today, they sound legit but it sounds like I take the test from home which doesnt sound legit? Who would let you take a test to be certified at anything from home where you can look up answers and shit? Again, anyone actually heard of them and know if there good or not?


Dear *****



Thank you for contacting AFPA. AFPA is the only homestudy program that is both nationally and internationally recognized and accredited as a homestudy program. [not an online program].

Regarding accreditation: Personal Trainer Certification, Become A Personal Fitness Trainer, Fitness Certifications & Education, Fitness Instructor Certification, Pilates Fitness Certification, Yoga Fitness Certification, Nutrition Certification

Our most up to date information may be viewed at: http://www.afpafitness.com/_pdf/AFPABrochure2010web.pdf

We provide you will all the tools necessary to work as a personal trainer. College is NOT required to be a personal trainer.

Your course includes textbooks, DVD's, CD and examination. You complete the program at home-there is no travel involved, and there is no additional costs. Personal Trainer Certification - AFPA Fitness Trainer Certifications [total cost is $395.00]

AFPA has over 69,000 certified members working worldwide. Any questions please feel free to call me directly:


AFPA trainers work in clubs such as LA Fitness, Crunch Fitness, Family Fitness Centers, and hundreds of other clubs worldwide.

Thank you for your interest in AFPA - American Fitness Professionals and Associates, AFPA Education and AFPA Certification programs. To enroll online for any AFPA program, visit us at Personal Trainer Certification, Become A Personal Fitness Trainer, Fitness Certification & Education, Fitness Instructor Certification, Pilates Fitness Certification, Yoga Fitness Certification, Nutrition Certification

If you have any questions, please call 1-609-978-7583. An AFPA representative is available to assist you between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time, Monday thru Friday. You may also email AFPA anytime at afpa@afpafitness.com If you are still trying to decide on what your next career move will be, AFPA representatives will assist and guide you toward the area that best fits your personal and professional goals so that you can feel confident in your decision.


If you are deciding between AFPA and another certification program, AFPA would like to remind you that AFPA course offerings are varied in subject matter to meet each individual student's needs. AFPA programs are consistently rated A+ value for the money! We welcome you to view what other student's have to say about their experience with AFPA. Please visit the following link:

AFPA Personal Trainer Certification, Become A Personal Fitness Trainer, Fitness Certifications & Education, Fitness Instructor Certification, Pilates Fitness Certification, Yoga Fitness Certification, Nutrition Certification

We are committed to providing top-quality educational programs, we are also committed to provide unconditional customer care to our potential students, with our unlimited one-on-one support to all AFPA students as they prepare, study and complete their certification exams through online technical support and via our toll-free help line-at no additional cost.

 

[ezred]

check around at some gyms and see if it is accepted, but it sounds like a pretty standard program.

for me, ACSM had pearl testing centers all over tokyo that made it pretty easy. pricing was about the same and everything, but if i recall that was for the test only. i already had a few books and some other study materials from another buddy of mine that did one of the big ones in the states.

you can go to a local testing facility and do it super quick and easy with some of the online ones. but if there is one that literally tests you online but it also nationally accredited then that should be fine. just make sure you're not paying 4 hundo for another online cert that doesn't ACTUALLY fall under the accreditation scope that they claim.

 

[pickle bunny]

Where are you going to train your clients?
Most gyms around here take a nice cut of your pay

 

[numba1scrapper]

Where are you going to train your clients?
Most gyms around here take a nice cut of your pay

I plan on starting as an employee for a gym and then eventually when my business sells and when I get experience in the field open up my own small gym.. That or ill just advertiste and train at local gyms.

 

[RJ]

I plan on starting as an employee for a gym and then eventually when my business sells and when I get experience in the field open up my own small gym.. That or ill just advertiste and train at local gyms.

thats why PB is asking. I know my Golds takes 50% of the cut of their PTs. Which is crazym but i also know most of those trainers couldn't make any money if they didn't have Golds as a name.

So you have to be careful where you go as much as what cert you want. Most gyms do a pretty hefty percentage.

 

[cjw2021]

I went through one where they just mail you a book and you go to some local test center on a computer and it's a multiple choice test. Not that hard. I studied maybe 2 days and got the certificate mailed to me after I passed. I think you needed like 70%+ to pass tho. It was like 200$. NESTA I think it was called.

 

[Rodja]

Being a personal trainer sucks. Most of your clients are lazy and unmotivated.