Im interested in...

Hello Dan,

It's been a while since I've posted on these forums.  I decided, since I'm considering personal training, to ask you a few questions about it.  First of all, I wanted to know how to become a certified personal trainer, and whether or not some schools/courses offer more legitimate certificates.  Also, I am curious as to how the job outlook of a personal trainer is and as one yourself if you would reccomend it as a career choice?  I really love working out and how some very small changes can make huge differences.  Anyways, if you have some extra time please fill me in on these questions. 

Thanks :)

There have been some great conversastions on the topic....I will link you 3 and you let me know if you can see them all...some may heave been deleted, but I can still read them.
 
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_229485/mpage_1/tm.htm
 
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_91340/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#91340
 
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_200148/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#200180
 
If you have other questions...we can go from there.

My Journal - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=168123
PRIMERS:
Gain Muscle - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173
Lose Fat - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

Thanks for the links, just finished reading them.  Now I'm thinking about taking classes to become a nutritionist while being certified as a PT.  Im not certain if this is a good idea, but both nutrition and bodybuilding fascinate me.  For instance, Im not a big reader... However, if its about nutrition or bodybuilding I could read about it for hours.  I was wondering if being a nutritionist would give me a more secure backbone incase I struggle with personal training, because from what I read its kind of a dog eat dog world.  Im not sure of the demand for PTs, and even more the demand for PTs by people looking to bulk up or gain strength ( which is what i'd like to help people with ).  I already have my first aid and cpr certification, i'll have to renew it next year I think.  Also, I've been taking business classes such as business management and entrepreneurship.  I also have psycology next term, than I'm out of highschool.  Also, would I be able to get more customers by being a nutritionist as well as a PT?  What I think I'll do is once I become a nutritionist I'll work for a hospital or something, and than market myself as a PT, if I become sucessful as a PT than I can try to work for myself as a nutritionist aswell.  Im not sure if I'm biting off more than I can chew though.  As much as I enjoy nutrition and bodybuilding, I'd still need a bit of time away from it.  However for the first few years I wouldnt mind putting 50-60 hours a week to get it going, I understand if you want to be sucessful long term you have to create a strong foundation.  Let me know if that would be a good idea, or if you think there is a better way.  I dont mind going to college if thats important.  I know you said there isn't a very distinct route in becoming a PT, but with your knowledge in it im hoping you can help to see if this is smart or not.  Thanks again!

Edit:  Ive just finished checking out 5 different places that offer PT certification.  ACSM, ACE, NCSF, NFPT, and ISSA.  I was wondering which certificate is accepted and recognized as the best of all of them?  I noticed that online ACSM, ACE, and NCSF provided a lot of information including cost of home study course, and exam cost.  However NFPT and ISSA had very little information and the study material price was much higher.  ISSA said they are the most recognized certification. Anyways, if you could let me know which is the best certificate to choose that'd be very helpful! 

Also, a question you may not be able to answer, do I need to have a bachelors degree in nutrition to be certified in nutrition?  There are nutrition certifications online but I checked into being a nutritionist and it says it requires 4 years in college / bachelore degree.  I was hoping I could become a nutritionist the same way as a PT.  Any information on this would be very helpful also! 

Did you read this:
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/A_Career/m_345509/tm.htm
 
Nutritionist is generally coverd by law.
 
There are certificated programs in Nutrition to enhance your PT certificate, but those should be from an accredited university.
 
So to be a professional Dietician or nutritionalist, yes that is a degree program. It can be 2-6 years.
 
As for the PT certification...ACSM is the top one.
There is still a PT cert with them for people without a 4-year degree, but most of the certs in the ACSM are for BS and above.
 
All the other programs are less reputable.  There is NOCCA (who also certify the certifying of MDs etc)  and another org that now certify the PT certifications...so you want to make sure that any certification you look at meets this standard.
 
As for working...yes.
 
Try getting certified ans start in a gym as a trainer.  That is the LOWEST peg as a trainer, but the most eye opening.
 
From there you can build up a practice based no what you love to do.  There is a PTBA, a business alliance for PTs...Read some of their material.
 
Phil Kaplan and other high end gym owner/trainers will open your eyes to the fact that there is a whole new paradign and method to financial success as a PT.
 
http://www.ptbaonline.com/frontend/index.php
 
Subscribe to
http://www.fit-pro.com
Which is free for PTs

My Journal - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=168123
PRIMERS:
Gain Muscle - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173
Lose Fat - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

As for the PT certification...ACSM is the top one.
There is still a PT cert with them for people without a 4-year degree, but most of the certs in the ACSM are for BS and above.

Sorry, is BS a bachelors degree?  So ACSM is an actual college somewhere or is it an online college?  The place I looked at was http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ACSM_Certified_Personal_Trainer where you take an exam after ordering the study materials and than you recieve the certification. Is it more wise to get a 4-year degree for this, and if so is it just majoring in PT?  Im sorry, Im just a bit confused, I thought all you needed was a certification and not college.  I dont mind going to college for it, if you could guide me in the right dierection that'd be awesome.  Thanks a lot Dan, you're really going to help me change my life :D

CPT is a certification.  Not an easy one.  But thats the point.
BS = Bachelor of Science.
 
No degree required there.  No college.
 
The other biggie is NSCA!  I forgot.
 
http://www.nsca-cc.org/index.html
 
CPT or CSCS...read about them both...
CSCS requires a Bachelors.

My Journal - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=168123
PRIMERS:
Gain Muscle - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173
Lose Fat - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175

alright checking it out on the web now, will edit this when done :)

Okay after a quick search on NSCA I was able to read about both CPT and CSCS.  So you're saying first I should get the CPT than go to a club / gym and ask about being a personal trainer for them for 1/2.  Meanwhile should I apply to accredited schools to become a CSCS?  Also I just need to proove that I have a bachelores degree, does it matter what in? 

Registrants must submit an original, official transcript of their academic work, showing attainment of at least a bachelor's degree (BS/BA)

  Thats from the nsca website (http://www.nsca-cc.org/cscs/about.html).  Thanks in advance.

Also, on another note,

There are certificated programs in Nutrition to enhance your PT certificate, but those should be from an accredited university.

  Is this a better idea than going 2-4 years to become a nutritionist? 

Thanks a lot Dan, I really appreciate this!

I assume that the degree should be in a related field, but it does not have to be...

First, get the CPT from which ever org.  Then start doing the work.  Then think about what you want to do for the long term.

Nutritionist is an industry job, CSCS is a coaching job, RD is a clinical job, or you can create your own practice doing what you love.

I want to do more performance enhancing work adn research for now, but I may find that I want to actually do life extension fitness work and research...

I can be a trainer in a gym now, I can take on private clients, I can give workshops, I can do group training, I can do fitness bootcamps, I can consult to companies, I can be a researcher, I can write for magazines, I can be a fitness expert for radio and such, I can work with government to develop health policy...the list is pretty long!

Discover your true passion.  Decide who you want to work with and who you do not.
Develop how you do what you do.

My Journal - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=168123
PRIMERS:
Gain Muscle - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111173
Lose Fat - www.discussbodybuilding.com/fb.ashx?m=111175