How can i obtain clients now without actually having an actual certification?
I have been training and working out for about four years now. I have worked closely with a trainer who has trained me in the sport of boxing. I have motivated about six people to begin work out regimens and establish healthy eating habits. I love sharing information that I have with others and have now decided to make this a career. I am working towards getting my Wellness and Fitness Coach certification and want to obtain a Personal Trainer Certification this year. How can I generate revenue with new clients without having obtained my certification? Do I need to have one to have paying clients?
Hi Shari,
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice so far. It’s great that you’re pursuing the different certifications and increasing your knowledge in the areas that are necessary to become a successful fitness trainer. However, the issue of liability insurance is critical. I’m actually not sure if you need to have a certification to obtain it – maybe others can chime in on that. But if you don’t have it and are currently training people, I would look into it ASAP. Good luck with your training career Shari – I wish you the best.
Paul Thomas
www.homeworkoutguy.com
You’ve already received good advice and I’ll try to take a different tack so as not to repeat what has been written.
You’ve found an exercise and diet regime that works great for you, and you’ve stuck with it for four years. You’ve become an expert on yourself. That’s very VERY commendable.
That said, you’re the only person in the world who has your body and who will respond to exercise in the same way. Some of your clients might have injuries. Some of them might have muscular imbalances that need to be corrected before they’re ready for boxing, or that will be worsened if all you teach them is boxing.
I don’t want to negate all that you’ve learned. You’ve learned a lot. And the good trainers that I’ve seen have a mix of experience of book learning and practice, not just one or the other. You’ve got the practice and there’s value in that. But the fitness world is so vast, sometimes we don’t even realize just how much we don’t know. What you’ve learned is a small tip of the iceberg and to make a solid career, you’ll need to learn more.
If you really need to earn revenue while you pursue your certification, make sure that your clients are fully aware of your education level and that you’re working within your scope of practice (what you know how to teach). You might be able to do a boxing specific small group workout that’s not personal training, but gives them some of the basic skills that you’ve learned, without attempting to do any sort of program design.
Hi Shari,
I can only echo what the others have said. It is certainly possible to have the same, if not more knowledge than somebody who already has a certification. It alone does not make a good trainer. But it shows that you are serious about what you are doing and are willing to have your knowledge tested.
No, you do not need a certification to have paying clients. But you will need a certification to obtain liability insurance. It would also be a good idea to set yourself up as a business unless you are employed at a club. The likelihood of that is slim because clubs also require a certification, if not a college degree in a fitness related field.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com
Hi Shari,
Christine has made some great points. You are on the right track in getting a certification. However, if I were you I wouldn’t train anyone until I’m certified and have a liability insurance to go with it. There are many reasons which I can list here as to why that would be a bad idea, but the main one is that if you’ll respect the people you will be training and paying you money for your expertise and experience I would wait till I have everything in order. I can’t even tell you how many people I see around (trainers included) who think they know what they are talking about when in reality they know nothing. Personally I wouldn’t pay someone with no education, certifications and the experience to go with it to train me. I would check this person’s background and accomplishments as well as his/her philosophy before I even consider hiring them.
Be patient, keep learning and get everything in order before you enter the “ring”. If you like to box as you have mentioned, then you should know that when you are not prepared for every possible challenge/obstacle, you will be KO. Anyway, this is how I would do things.
Best,
Harris