personal training certification

[flikerstance]

hi this may not be the right place to post this, but I was curious of anyone here that would know about online certifications for becoming a personal trainer. A friend of mine said he got certified through a company called ISSA i checked the site seemed legit, but before I spend 600 bucks on something i wana get a few opinions.

 

[pliftkl]

A certification is almost always necessary to be a trainer at a gym (or it will be necessary to get insurance that you'll need to be a trainer). Why not call the gyms where you think you might work and ask what certs they recognize?

 

[flikerstance]

A certification is almost always necessary to be a trainer at a gym (or it will be necessary to get insurance that you'll need to be a trainer). Why not call the gyms where you think you might work and ask what certs they recognize?

well i know for a fact that they offer issa my friend was certified with them and worked as a trainer here he was charging 35 dollars an hour with 8 clients a day yeah that's damn good money lol so thats the reason i wana get into this it beats any other full time job im just new to this im a mma fighter and i wana further my career its just hard to do while working full time.

 

[miaou]

This being the first time I've heard of ISSA, and without even bothering checking their website... online certifications for becoming a personal trainer??

If you need a piece of paper that will allow you to work at a gym, then ask around gyms to see if they're gonna accept it, like plftkrzgfftsl (or something) said. If they do, 600 bucks is probably as cheap as you'll get. If you are looking to actually learn how to be a personal trainer, then "online certifications" is obviously a scam.

 

[flikerstance]

This being the first time I've heard of ISSA, and without even bothering checking their website... online certifications for becoming a personal trainer??

If you need a piece of paper that will allow you to work at a gym, then ask around gyms to see if they're gonna accept it, like plftkrzgfftsl (or something) said. If they do, 600 bucks is probably as cheap as you'll get. If you are looking to actually learn how to be a personal trainer, then "online certifications" is obviously a scam.

I know I dont need to have a piece of paper to be a personal trainer i just figured it would look good on a resume as I said im new to this and my friend is a personal trainer and that's what he told me I should do without going to college for anything.

 

[miaou]

Out of curiosity, what knowledge would you say you currently have on how to properly train a client?

 

[flikerstance]

Out of curiosity, what knowledge would you say you currently have on how to properly train a client?

LOL umm well i had a strength and conditiong coach for awhile i know exercising but theirs small things im sure i need to learn which im sure ide learn through testing currently im an assistant instructor of the mma gym I train at I also plan on teacing private lessons as well.

 

[miaou]

Teaching MMA and being a personal trainer differ quite a bit. If you are to properly train a random person you need to at least have some good understanding of basic functional anatomy, exercise physiology and lifting biomechanics. And that is the minimum prerequisites, before it even comes to knowing how to go about actually training them.

That or you can just be another one of thousands of irresponsible douchebag "personal trainers", who really don't know what the fuck they are doing and who's clients I pity every time I see them at the gym.

Either way, you can still be successful as long as you are good at PR.

 

[pliftkl]

That or you can just be another one of thousands of irresponsible douchebag "personal trainers", who really don't know what the fuck they are doing and who's clients I pity every time I see them at the gym.

Lol. When I read his post, I thought to myself "Well, he's probably no less qualified than most of the trainers at my gym".

 

[flikerstance]

Teaching MMA and being a personal trainer differ quite a bit. If you are to properly train a random person you need to at least have some good understanding of basic functional anatomy, exercise physiology and lifting biomechanics. And that is the minimum prerequisites, before it even comes to knowing how to go about actually training them.

That or you can just be another one of thousands of irresponsible douchebag "personal trainers", who really don't know what the fuck they are doing and who's clients I pity every time I see them at the gym.

Either way, you can still be successful as long as you are good at PR.

i give private lessons at my gym sometimes ive been teaching for about a solid year and a half i feel im good at teaching and training people i have the drive to and its always been fun to me i plan on by January to be certified and trying to start a career as long a si can have 2 clients a day charging 30 an hour i can make a living.

 

[miaou]

Silly me!

Yes, you are right. Having a strength and conditiong coach for awhile and giving private MMA lessons at my gym sometimes is obviously all the knowledge/experience/credentials you need to become a good personal trainer.

That and an online certification.

 

[pliftkl]

i give private lessons at my gym sometimes ive been teaching for about a solid year and a half i feel im good at teaching and training people i have the drive to and its always been fun to me i plan on by January to be certified and trying to start a career as long a si can have 2 clients a day charging 30 an hour i can make a living.

I think you're going to find that dealing with people at your MMA gym, who are generally young and athletic, is a lot different from personal training in the outside world.

Your typical clients in a commercial gym are 48 year old women who are overweight, have a bad hip, and who don't really like sweat. She'll frequently miss workouts, and you won't be able to actually program her training because her training is so inconsistent. What do you do? You come up with a dozen light exercises that involve flailing some limbs around, and then baby-sit your client as she works through them. You don't make the workouts hard, because if the workouts are hard, your client might quit. This process repeats itself until you've got a coven of middle aged women clients, and the transformation is complete - you've now become one of the useless trainers that we see at every gym.

 

[KILL KILL]

I have a cert from ISSA. the course will run you about $700. There are others aswell. ACE and ACSM are also big names. check them out.

 

[KILL KILL]

I think you're going to find that dealing with people at your MMA gym, who are generally young and athletic, is a lot different from personal training in the outside world.

Your typical clients in a commercial gym are 48 year old women who are overweight, have a bad hip, and who don't really like sweat. She'll frequently miss workouts, and you won't be able to actually program her training because her training is so inconsistent. What do you do? You come up with a dozen light exercises that involve flailing some limbs around, and then baby-sit your client as she works through them. You don't make the workouts hard, because if the workouts are hard, your client might quit. This process repeats itself until you've got a coven of middle aged women clients, and the transformation is complete - you've now become one of the useless trainers that we see at every gym.

This is true. the bulk of your clients will be middle aged women.

 

[flikerstance]

Silly me!

Yes, you are right. Having a strength and conditiong coach for awhile and giving private MMA lessons at my gym sometimes is obviously all the knowledge/experience/credentials you need to become a good personal trainer.

That and an online certification.

Im not saying right now im 100% qualified I was mostly asking about what i should do to get myself into it the next few months im gonna study my ass off for this its not like all i know is mma ive worked out my whole life but now im trying to get more detailed about it to not only try to make a decient living but also it would help myself in my own personal goals.

 

[MASShole]

If you want to be respected, get a CSCS.

 

[miaou]

I have a cert from ISSA. the course will run you about $700. There are others aswell. ACE and ACSM are also big names. check them out.

I'm curious.

How long did it take you to complete the courses and what did the material include? Were you examined on-line as well?

Also, if the examination was online, how were you evaluated for the certifying organization to deem whether you are in position to train (since training includes a great deal of motor skills)?



Btw, I just visited the website, that's $499 right now.

 

[KILL KILL]

If you want to be respected, get a CSCS.

most require a college degree

 

[miaou]

Im not saying right now im 100% qualified I was mostly asking about what i should do to get myself into it the next few months im gonna study my ass off for this its not like all i know is mma ive worked out my whole life but now im trying to get more detailed about it to not only try to make a decient living but also it would help myself in my own personal goals.

If that is so, then, as (M)ASShole said, go for NSCA.

 

[flikerstance]

This is true. the bulk of your clients will be middle aged women.

yeah I realize that I woudlent be trying to make middle aged people flip tires etc I was simply stating what ive done so far im aware their is a difference between training athletes and people who arnt in shape thats why im studying my ass off trying to be as qualified as possible no offense to any personal trainers ehre but im sure that in the next 2 to 3 months if i study real hard at this that training people will be a breeze.