Technically, a college degree is not something you need to become a successful personal trainer. The only thing you should get is a personal trainer certification. It is worth noting, however, that most personal trainer certification courses DO require you to have a high school diploma or equivalent. With that said, a college degree in a field relating to fitness or personal training does give you more credibility in the industry. A bachelor’s degree in health and wellness or in exercise science would start you off strong in a career as a personal trainer.
Choosing the Right Personal Trainer Certification
There are a ton of options for nationally recognized and trusted personal trainer certification courses. One way to decide which certification is right for you is to check out gyms you want to train at and see what certification they require. Check out our other blog on choosing which certification is right for you.
Once you decide what certification is right for you, you need to find the course that’s right for you. One thing to ensure when considering certification courses is that the course is accredited. You can find many courses on the Internet that claim to be legitimate, but if they are not accredited, they cannot be trusted. Along with ensuring accreditation, make sure the course fits your budget and life needs. Some courses are more intensive over a short period, some are longer and easier to fit into an already full schedule. Some courses are cheaper and might not offer in-person training, some are more expensive but offer more – such as extended nutritional education or extended in-person training.
While you may choose a certification that doesn’t require a college degree, it’s never a bad idea to take a few college related to health and wellness, nutrition, biology, exercise physiology, anatomy, and other health-related topics would be useful to your future as a personal trainer
Recap
A college degree is not required to become a successful personal trainer.
Make sure a course is accredited when considering what certification program is right for you
Even after you become a certified personal trainer, your education should not end there. To be a successful personal trainer, you can always be learning new things and putting them to practice with your business and clients.