Top Personal Training Certifications: United States is a chart comparing the top personal trainer certifications from an unbiased view so you can choose the best personal training course that’s right for you!
Here’s the truth about personal training certifications: They’re not all valuable. At least, not for the reasons you think.
You should know a few things about personal training.
Personal training is an industry with very little to no regulatory oversight. This means that your 90-year-old grandmother or that guy beside you on the bus playing games on his phone can both become a personal trainer in a weekend. And with so many personal training certification options, it can be difficult to compare the many certifications or even tell them apart. Some can hold more weight than others, or can be less useful or unnecessary.
That’s why it’s important for you to understand how a top personal training certification can enhance your personal training career. Your choice for your certification impacts how you’ll spend your valuable education dollars, time, and energy as you grow your personal training business within the industry. We’ll go into why certifications aren’t everything and then do a comparison of the many available personal training certifications.
Before we go any further, please note that thePTDC is in no way affiliated with any personal training certification. It is an independent blog dedicated to the improvement of the fitness industry and the success of the trainers who work within it.
Your Clients Don’t Care About Your Certification
Sure, they might nod their heads when you extol the benefits of your certification, but remember the number one value you offer them: their results. Clients don’t care about how hard you worked to get certified; they only care about the results you can get them.
Your successes, or failures, are dependent solely on delivering the goods, results, to your clients. It doesn’t matter how good you are at sales and marketing. You have to help your clients achieve the results they want. To that end, the best personal trainers have combined both knowledge and passion to provide a high-quality service that changes lives and has results to show. A piece of paper doesn’t give you anything like that.
Rather, a certification is a means to get your foot in the door. It’s the starting line. Most gyms won’t even hire you without one. If you’re independent, many insurance companies won’t cover you without one. Depending on which gym you want to work at, you may be asked to get a specific certification. When you’re applying for a personal trainer position, ask if the employer has a preference (many do). But also make sure the certification can be applicable to many other places and bolster your expertise.
Let Your Passion Dictate Your Education
Your continual education is the best investment you can make. After all, you are the product and the resource. So, spend as much as you need to be the best you can be, and don’t ever stop. It can be on seminars, conferences, classes, and things of that nature, but don’t be so hyper-focused on whether this education will have a certification tag attached to it.
Remember what I said before about personal training being unregulated? That means that anybody and his dog can create a certification for fitness professionals. Save your money from expensive, meaningless certifications and instead put it towards books, training, workshops, mentorships, and internships. Seek out the best resources on whatever topic it is that you’re interested in.
Don’t be a cheapskate when it comes to your education. Your knowledge is how you become more qualified, not with a piece of paper. Perhaps more important than choosing “the best” certification is finding a place to work that has the best opportunity for growth. In other words:
- There’s a manager or mentor who can support you and allow you to ask questions.
- You get the opportunity to get your hands dirty and work with a ton of different clients.
However…There is One Main Benefit of a Certification
I might’ve harped on certifications for a bit there, but there is a huge upside.
Information overload is a serious issue these days. The information is often disjointed or so confusing that it’s hard to figure out what to do with what we learn.
Keep in mind that when you register for a certification, no matter how specialized it may be, an expert has taken the time to consider the methodology, gather all appropriate research, and combine everything together into a platform for education. In essence, that can save you time, which is your most valuable asset.
What to Do Next?
Becoming a confident and profitable personal trainer is just like learning to drive. It’s one thing to pass the test and be let out into the wild, but it’s another thing to be confident and effective every single day.
Whether you’re just doing research, just got certified, or have been certified for a year or two and still feel you haven’t reached your potential, then you will find untold benefit in the “From Certification to Qualification” program.
This 10-part audio series will blow away the cobwebs of confusion, leaving clarity on how to fast track towards your personal and professional potential. This is stuff that you won’t get in any certification
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