For those with a passion for fitness and a desire to help others better themselves, personal training represents a fulfilling career choice. Personal training allows individuals to get one-on-one with their clients, offering real evidence- based advice and supporting them through a regime of exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes that can make a meaningful change in their health and confidence. Here, we’re going to look at whether or not personal training might be the career for you, what it takes to become a personal trainer, and alternatives worth considering. Becoming a personal trainer is a popular side hustle and career for students in the UK and all over the world. Your first step to become a personal trainer is to study an accredited Level 3 Personal Trainer Course. It is a great way to earn extra income if you are passionate about health and fitness and you also want to help others. Here, we’re going to look at whether or not personal training might be the career for you, what it
takes to become a personal trainer, and alternatives worth considering.

Do you feel rewarded by helping others?

Personal training offers the opportunity to get hands-on with your clients on a one-to-one basis, offering advice and support that can make a meaningful and direct choice in their lifestyle. Some fitness-motivated people can find that they might want a career that allows them to influence people more widely to make better choices, and to advocate on a more public scale. Many personal trainers do go on to become influencers, as well, but it’s mostly a good fit for those who are satisfied by knowing that they can make a difference in the lives of their clients, one person at a time.

Are you willing to put in the work to become one?

Not anyone can take on the job title of personal trainer on a whim. In order to work as a personal trainer, you need to be certified as one, and this can require you to meet certain prerequisites. Do your research on how to become a personal trainer, and get a good understanding of the timeframe it will require to get the training, education, and certification you need to be able to start working as one. If you’re not willing to put in the work to earn the certification, then you might want to look into other jobs in the health and fitness sector.

Are you eager to stay fit?

One of the big advantages of being a personal trainer is that the work will keep you in good physical shape. After all, it’s expected that you lead by example in a lot of cases, and otherwise, you will likely spend a lot of your time in gyms and around exercise equipment. Physical fitness is expected of those doing the job and, as such, as you get older, it can become harder to maintain this career, so plans for an exit strategy, such as into gym ownership or teaching gym classes, are worth keeping in mind.

Do you have a genuine passion for healthy living?

Personal training is about building a healthy lifestyle, not just about exercise. This will include your ability to provide information and advice on nutrition, as well as other habits and lifestyle choices. Our understanding of health, fitness, and nutrition is ever-evolving and, while the basic principles of exercise and healthy eating are always the same, clients will come to you for specific information and may ask your advice regarding new trends or fads in the wellness world. Staying up-to-date with the latest evolutions in the field is always recommended, and a lot easier to do if you have a genuine passion for the work.

Do you mind working for yourself?

There are some personal trainers who are taken on by gyms, agencies, or larger companies, but the vast majority of personal trainers work for themselves. As such, there are often few benefits, so you have to ensure that you make the money to cover those benefits yourself. There’s also a certain lack of long-term job security, which makes it vitally important that you work continuously to find clients.

Do you want to run your own business?

As the majority of personal trainers operate as a self-employed business, it will be important that you have a passion for running and operating your business. This means undertaking or overseeing a lot of activities like finance and book-keeping, learning how to send an invoice so you can get paid on time client management, marketing your business and taking responsibility for the sales process. Ultimately, the revenue you generate for your business will be a result of these activities and will depend on how effective you are in generating leads and new customers for your business. You can gain support from specialists like a website designer, a bookkeeper and an agency to support with SEO Services.

Are you looking for a lucrative career?

The relatively low job security and the demand for people who are self-motivated to work as personal trainers require people with specialised skills and a strong work ethic. However, it also offers a lot of rewards for those who take it on. The average personal trainer's salary is around the national average, but working in the right area and gaining the right experience can see you earning up to double that. It also offers benefits such as being able to set your own hours, which works well for those looking to escape the 9-to-5. With the information above, hopefully, you have a good idea of whether or not personal training might be right for you. There are plenty of careers in the health and fitness world worth considering, and personal training is one of them.