As a personal trainer, you may be enjoying a solid client base and a predictable schedule. But it can be helpful to think ahead about where you’d like to go for the next phase of your career.
A certification can give you the training you need to take that next step, especially if you’re thinking about moving into a more specialized part of the field. Consider certifications like these as potential options:
Strength and Conditioning
As a personal trainer, you’ve guided clients through a variety of strength training sessions and conditioning sequences, but it can be useful to specialize in order to broaden your knowledge of these essential training elements. With a strength and conditioning certification, you’ll be able to design scientifically sound resistance training programs and implement comprehensive plans for your clients.
Senior Fitness
The Census Bureau has noted that the amount of people age 65 or older will double within the next few decades. Many of those seniors are becoming deeply interested in taking charge of their health, leading to a surge in over-age-50 gym memberships and classes. By getting a senior fitness certification, you can get specialized knowledge of these clients, including insight into muscle function, bone mass, and joint mobility.
Post Rehab Exercise Specialist
Many personal trainers may not have the experience or training necessary to develop safe and effective fitness programs for those who are recovering from injury, disease or treatments. With a post rehab exercise specialist certification, not only will you have the knowledge necessary to help these clients, but you can also expand where you can work. For example, you might provide training in hospitals, physical therapist clinics, and rehab centers.
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Special Populations
There are certain conditions or life stages that can come with unique needs —arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, and menopause, for example. Dealing with a specific population can be highly satisfying, because it allows you to use your expertise to help those with chronic or challenging issues. A certification can cover a range of diseases or disorders, including orthopedic problems, neuromuscular issues or metabolic diseases.
Advanced Personal Training
If you’re looking to continue on your current track but at a higher level, an advanced training personal certification may be the right choice. With this certification, you’ll learn more essential fitness components to build on your personal training experience. You can have a broader range of assessment tests to help you find imbalance in movement patterns and functional weaknesses.
You can also pursue specializations like a functional training specialist certification to develop plans that focus on specific movement patterns. Or a sports conditioning specialist certification can give you the skill to develop training exercises and drills for sport-specific performance.
Expanding your skills through more education is a natural transition for a personal trainer. After all, you ask your clients to challenge themselves to go beyond what they perceive as their limits, so why shouldn’t you? Advance your career and expand your reach with fresh certifications.
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