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Yes, I can see myself as a fitness trainer (Work Environment (Growth…

- - - - Other healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
      - $60,710
      - Athletic trainers
      - $46,630
      - Total, all occupations
      - $37,690
- - - - • Customer-service skills. Many fitness trainers and instructors must sell their services, motivating clients to hire them as personal trainers or to sign up for the classes they lead. Fitness trainers and instructors must therefore be polite, friendly, and encouraging, to maintain relationships with their clients.
      - • Communication skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must clearly explain or demonstrate exercises to clients.
      - • Listening skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must listen carefully to what clients tell them in order to determine the clients’ fitness levels and desired fitness goals.
      - • Motivational skills. Getting fit and staying fit takes a lot of work for many clients. To keep clients coming back for more classes or to continue personal training, fitness trainers and instructors must keep their clients motivated.
      - • Physical fitness. Fitness trainers and instructors need to be physically fit because their job requires a considerable amount of exercise. Group instructors often participate in classes, and personal trainers often need to demonstrate exercises to their clients.
      - • Problem-solving skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must evaluate each client’s level of fitness and create an appropriate fitness plan to meet the client’s individual needs.
  - - - A successful trainer develops a client’s desire for, and ability to pursue, fitness independently of the trainer. It’s not about giving someone a killer workout and saying “good job” even if it isn’t. Leading someone to fitness means using what they care about to foster an internal drive to move in the direction of better fitness. It’s really about teaching, not training. Make yourself unnecessary and a funny thing happens: clients will flourish with fitness like never before. They will still do all the work, but you’ll get all the credit. And that is because you’ve helped your clients engage in actively seeking fitness instead of just going through the motions. When you change your clients thinking about, and attitude toward, fitness, their bodies inevitably change as well.
      - The worst lies are those that contain more than a grain of truth. There are far too many trainers and even academics who, even though they know better, still promote this dangerous idea. The immutable laws of physics and thermodynamics make this one look rock-solid true, but the problem is that we humans are self-aware. This seemingly small psychological truth has massive implications for our biology.
      - Don’t be an “MMA guy” or a “kettlebell girl.” Never define your training by the tools you use, but instead by the results you are after. Training with a limited selection of equipment or methods limits your abilities, professional growth and creativity. Some equipment will not work for some clients, sometimes for no other reason than personal preference.
        
        This also goes for technology. There are some terrific body-monitoring devices and smartphone apps available, but not all of your clients will be into them. Some will want to embrace whatever technology you recommend, and others don’t want another gadget to manage. Use whatever makes your clients’ path to fitness as smooth as possible. Doing the work is hard enough.
        
        Mold your training methods, tools and technology to the needs of your client—not the other way around.
      - Here are two facts about our world today: a large and increasing number of people are overweight or obese, and the overall age of the population is growing older. People want and need to feel better now, and will pursue fitness if they can first feel a bit better and use movement as a means of bringing more enjoyment to everyday life. Helping clients do just that will require a paradigm shift—a comprehensive system for helping anyone find the right starting point for fitness. This is powerful for two important reasons:
        
        • First, our future success in the fitness industry will depend directly on our ability to successfully reach the obese and older populations, as these represent two growing and largely untapped markets. Historically, we have done a terrible job of reaching these groups because we don’t understand them and, therefore, expect them to come to us.
        
        • Second, now that the IFT model is a part of the entry-level certification for personal trainers, even new trainers will be entering the industry already possessing the skills to successfully reach these markets. Today’s high-school student is tomorrow’s new young trainer who will better serve your clients unless you make it a priority to adjust your training approach accordingly.
        
        For the last couple of years, I have focused a lot of my training efforts with clients on developing better movement while on the way to their fitness goals. I have to tell you that, if you do the same, people will begin to think you are just short of a faith-healer. You will have numerous “I can’t believe it doesn’t hurt” moments and, without asking, get more word-of-mouth referrals than you can handle.
      - Is it any wonder the general public sometimes has a hard time connecting with many of us in the fitness industry? Some trainers foolishly believe that vomiting from an intense workout, being sore for days or suffering through bleeding calluses are things to be celebrated. Injuring the body is neversomething to celebrate. Intensity without intelligence is the biggest problem in our industry today. Why? Because people often say they need to get in shape first and then hire a trainer. How crazy is that? Why would you put off hiring the right person for the job unless you were convinced (or scared) that they were not the right person?
        Yes, intensity gets results. But low/medium/high-intensity is relative to each individual and has everything to do with where someone is on the spectrum of fitness when they begin training. Trainers who are destined to disappear from this industry are the ones who hit people with intense workouts right out of the gate, using sweat output as a means to justify the expense of training. Be the worst stereotype of a trainer and you’ll likely be one of their first expenses to go when money gets tight. Hard workouts are in every fitness magazine, website and book—they are a dime a dozen. The ability to compassionately guide someone through developing their own confidence to work hard enough is the mark of a true fitness professional and one that is built to last.
      - Many trainers and entrepreneurs hype themselves up to obtain a client or business relationship, only to fall flat once the client is secured. This is probably what destroys most personal training careers. Word of mouth is the best type of advertising, so if a client or business partner doesn't have a good experience with you or your business, you can kiss your good reputation and your hopes of new clients goodbye.
      - Instead of promising the moon, create goals with your client. More importantly, treat every single client like they are the only client you have. Going above and beyond for each and every individual will result in new business and new opportunities.
      - It's tricky to learn how to build relationships with your clients without distracting them from their workout. So, build time into your hour with them to ask questions and learn about their life. A little extra effort on your part to be kind and understanding will go a long way, and it will honestly make you a better trainer.
      - Recognize your strengths as a trainer and use them to your advantage. Do you excel in small group sessions, or do you work better in a one-on-one environment? Are you comfortable working with teenagers, or do you prefer training adults? Working with and highlighting your strengths, rather than hopping on whatever training fad is most popular at the time, will help you gain and retain clients.
      - Pick a training area you are familiar with. It doesn't matter what type of fitness you have experience doing—strength and conditioning, TRX, Pilates, or bodybuilding. Having an area of expertise will set you apart from your competition. Don't try to be a jack of all trades. Find one or two areas you're passionate about, and then educate yourself as much as you can. Your goal should be to become the go-to expert. When your name becomes synonymous with your niche, marketing yourself and gaining new clientele becomes a lot easier.
- - - - Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. :
      - As businesses, government, and insurance organizations continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other types of health clubs are expected to increase the need for fitness trainers and instructors. For example, some organizations may open their own exercise facilities onsite to promote employee wellness.
      - Other employment growth will come from the continuing emphasis on exercise to combat obesity and encourage healthier lifestyles for people of all ages. In particular, the baby-boom generation should continue to remain active to help prevent injuries and illnesses associated with aging.
      - Participation in yoga and Pilates is expected to continue to increase, driven partly by older adults who want low-impact forms of exercise and relief from arthritis and other ailments.