History

• The popularity of hiring personal trainers began in the 1970s. At the time, most personal trainers were bodybuilders and their clients were individuals who wanted to look like bodybuilders. Personal training has come a long way since then. Where personal training used to cost a couple bucks here and there, trainers now charge as much as $300 an hour. Personal training certifications have become mandatory to hold a job at a health club. With hundreds of thousands of personal trainers paying an average of $500 per certification, the industry has become big business.
  
  

Types

• Trainers can receive certifications from a variety of sources. Health clubs hire individuals with college degrees in kinesiology, exercise science and physical therapy. The National Personal Training Institute teaches prospective trainers how to excel at their profession, and individuals receive degrees after six months to a year. The federal government acknowledges several different personal training certifications with courses taken online and at seminars. These organizations include the American Council on Exercise, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the American College of Sports Medicine and the International Sport Sciences Association.
  
  

Benefits

• Prospective personal trainers are usually high-energy individuals. They played sports in the past and dread the sedentary lifestyle of office jobs. Personal training allows these individuals to work on their feet without feeling constricted by a cubicle.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Certifications also teach anatomy and physiology, as well as how to use that knowledge in a practical application. Before a person places their trust and body into a personal trainer's hands, the trainer should at least have one certification.
  
  

Potential

• Some health clubs allow potential trainers to work while they are studying for the certification exam. These individuals will charge less than a more experienced trainer. Trainers must make make a career out of it to become successful. Trainers can reach the upper echelon of the food chain once they advance their education, prove they can give clients a boost, build a solid client base and contribute to the industry.