I am in the midst of a career change and wanting to get into personal training; what advice on certifications and do you have?

It depends on what you are looking to do.  The ACE certification is a solid certification for personal training.  It was my first certification I received in 1995.  The American Council on Exercise is a solid organization and have done a fair amount of work with them.  If you are looking to work with athletes, I would advise that you eventually get your CSCS also.  The CSCS is the “gold standard” certification in working with athletes.  You do need to have a college degree (in any field) to take the CSCS whereas the ACE test you do not.  The ACE test is solid though and you do need to exhibit a good deal of knowledge.  Like the CSCS, it will require several months of study and review.  Please remember, a certification is a starting point and it’s what you do after you get your test, that ultimately determines how successful you become.

Do you have any tips on getting started once I have received my certification?

Yes, there are a few things to get experience.

·        Get a job at a facility where they are interested in your on-going development and learning.  Working with clients is essential and if you can find a job that offers you on-going learning opportunities, that is fantastic.

·        Look into internships & mentorships (we have them-www.fitnessquest10.com/3DayMentorship2009, Mike Boyle has one, Alwyn Cosgrove has one, Juan Carlos Santana has one; there are others as well but you get so much out of internships and mentorships.

·        Attend conferences.  Perform Better, IDEA, AFPA, IHRSA are some of my favorites but find ones that work for you.

·        Read.  Read at least one book per month on business, leadership, training, customer service, etc.

·        Watch DVD’s.  The learning never stops and the more you immerse yourself in on-going learning, the better you will be.

Do you have any tips on generating leads?

Remember, many times trainers think they don’t have to do this.  I always tell trainers that they should always be generating leads and “selling” their services.  A few points to remember about this:

·        Develop your “list” and have a system that you put it into to (ie. Mind-Body Online)

·        Speak  in your community

·        Write articles and submit them to www.ezinearticles.com.  Be sure to put your name on everything. 

·        Donate gift certificates to silent auctions

·        Word-of-mouth.  Ask your clients for their help with referrals to your business.

·        The best thing to do to get leads is to continually deliver exceptional customer service and superior results.  If you can consistently deliver a great experience to your clients and create “raving fans” that is the best way of all to generate new leads.