The prevalence of the internet in our day-to-day lives means that more products and services are available online than ever before. That includes personal training. Your clients would still do the work, but you’d coach them through their phones or computers. How do you get started as a personal trainer online?
Here’s how to become a personal trainer online:
In this guide to working as an online personal trainer, we’ll walk you through the above steps and provide some guidance on pricing your services. If you’re interested in this career path, then this is one article you won’t want to miss!
Without further ado, let’s take a deeper dive into the steps from the intro on how to become a personal trainer online.
Do you need more than a GED to become a personal trainer? Technically, no.
You want a competitive edge to stand out against other personal trainers. The more educated you are, the easier that is to do.
Before earning your diploma, you must choose to enroll at a college or university.
Just as having a diploma makes you stand out above the competition as a personal trainer, so does having a certification on your resume.
Some colleges might offer preparation for the Certified Personal Trainer certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
The Certified Personal Trainer cert is an excellent option to earn as your online personal training career gets underway.
The prerequisites for the NASM-CPT certifying exam, according to the NASM website, are as follows:
The exam has 120 questions in all, but 20 are research questions. These questions aren’t in your final score, so only 100 of the 120 counts.
You’re given two hours to complete the NASM-CPT exam and must score at least 70 percent to pass.
If you don’t pass, you can always request a retest sometime after the initial testing date. Keep in mind any time you take the NASM-CPT exam you will have to pay for it.
You can select from so many fitness disciplines, from yoga to weightlifting, group exercise, exercise for specialty groups (such as pregnant women or the elderly), rehabilitative training, and the list goes on.
While a jack-of-all-trades approach can work, it’s best to specialize in one or two areas.
If you have the certifications to back up your expertise, this will make you trustworthy in the eyes of your future customers.
You will want to market your services online, so having a website is a must.
Even if you initially use a free website builder and later upgrade to a paid site, today, it’s faster, easier, and more efficient than ever to build and host your website.
You can use drag-and-drop elements that speak to the design you’re trying to create. Many of these elements are customizable so your website doesn’t feel so 'cookie-cutter'.
It’s also quite simple to buy a domain name.
Take time to create your website. You want a page about yourself, your diploma and certifications, and your experiences.
With your website live, you’ll begin promoting yourself online.
You'll ask your family, friends, and college network if they have any leads. Your website should begin to attract traffic with time as well.
As you obtain clients, treat them to exceptional service. Remember that although you are offering personal training services online instead of in person, you don’t want to short-change anyone.
The prices for online personal training are the same as for classes in the same room as an instructor, so you want to give each class your all.
Treat your clients with respect, approach their lessons with a personalized approach, and listen to your client’s needs, and quickly your client base will grow!
Are you looking for a school to enroll in to begin a personal training career online?
Bryan College’s Health Fitness Trainer online program could be just what you need to kickstart your new career!
As a student of the Health Fitness Trainer program, you’ll be prepared to take the NASM-CPT exam.
You’ll also learn kinesiology, physiology, anatomy, weight management, and nutrition. You'll also be prepared to start your own online personal training business by learning marketing, finance, and business skills.
Our students go on to work in esteemed fitness roles as fitness appraisers, fitness consultants, fitness supervisors, clinical exercise trainers, sports performance coaches, group exercise instructors, and, of course, certified personal trainers.
Contact us today to learn more or enroll!
Registration:
Registered as a private career college
under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.
Member of OCPMTC