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5 Forgotten Benefits Of Becoming A Personal Trainer

By Joe Cannon 6 Comments

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of why someone would want become a personal trainer. I get that especially, if you are working in a busy gym where it seems you are being pulled in all directions. It's easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. To help bring back your perspective, here are 5 forgotten reasons and benefits to becoming a personal trainer. I hope these also help those who want to become a fitness trainer too.

1 Low Barrier to Entry

Personal trainers ARE members of the health care system – and a very important member too. But, unlike other health care workers, fitness trainers only need a high school diploma or GED to become certified.

Education of Health Care Workers

Professional Education Required
Doctor MD, DO
Nurse LPN, RN, NPR
Physical therapist MS, DPT
Chiropractor DC
Personal Trainer HS, GED

While I understand how some may perceive this as a negative, for the individual who wants to become a personal trainer and who is dedicated to a life of service, it means being able to get their foot in the door and make an impact on others without spending thousands of dollars on advanced training. This is good news for those who may have the deck stacked against them.

Because some fitness trainers may not make knowledge a priority, this makes it easier for educated personal trainers to rise to the top and be noticed by others. The more people who notice you, the more referrals you get and notoriety you may receive.

2 You Make The Biggest Impact

Consider the length of time the average health professional sees patients:

  • Doctor: about 3-5 minutes per office visit
  • Physical therapist: maybe 10 visits per year -if you're lucky
  • Chiropractor: most people don't see chiropractors
  • Nurse: often limited to time in the hospital/mini clinic

In contrast, personal trainers see their clients 1-3 times a week for 30-60 minutes per session- sometimes for years. This means fitness trainers -more than ANY other member of the health care system has the potential to make the biggest positive impact on the lives of others.

This is a powerful responsibility and necessitates the fitness trainer devote him/herself to learning as much as they can after they become certified.

While some may choose to pursue advanced credentials like becoming a master trainer, or spend money on various certifications,  this isn't always necessary. While some gyms may pay more to trainers who have more letters behind their names, less expensive avenues to staying educated include:

  • finding a mentor
  • reading 
  • listening to podcasts

 

3 You Prescribe The Most Powerful Drug on Earth

Did you know personal trainers prescribe a drug? It's true. The drug is called exercise. I'm not kidding. Exercise is the most powerful medication on Earth.  As proof, here are just some of the benefits of regular physical activity:

  1. Reduces heart disease risk (#1 killer of Americans)
  2. Reduces cancer risk (#2 killer of Americans)
  3. Reduces stroke risk (#4 killer of Americans
  4. Helps reverse type II diabetes (yes I said reverse/ cure it!)
  5. Reduces the risk of Alzheimer‘s disease /dementia
  6. Improves the lives of people with HIV/AIDS
  7. Reduces cellular inflammation
  8. Raised nitric oxide levels
  9. Raises testosterone levels
  10. Improves the microbiome
  11. Activates healthy genes

AND all these benefits occur simultaneously!

Some research even suggests as little as 15 minutes of exercise a day might lengthen human lifespan by 3 years!

As a fitness professional, you prescribe the most powerful drug in the world. It has a wide range of positive effects with very little side effects.

 

4 You Get To See Changes

Because you often see your clients for months – and sometimes years – you are able to witness the improvements in their activities of daily living (ADLs), health and quality of life. For me, the biggest impact comes from working with those who are on the low-end of the health spectrum, such as those who have trouble getting up from the floor or from a chair or toilet seat.

Your ability to see how someones health gets better proves to you you are making a difference in the lives of others. This is an advantage over over health care workers may not get to see the fruits of their labors.

 

5 Your Learning Never Ends

Some may think I'm crazy but I actually love the fact I never learn it all! Even after over 20 years in this business, I still don't know everything. Every day is a new opportunity to learn more so I can help more people. There's nothing better than to be able to make a difference.

Any Questions or Comments?

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Filed Under: Personal Trainer

Comments

  1. camilo sanchez says

    August 10, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    Thank you for this. It really helps put into perspective the role of personal trainers and the benefits of the service being provided that go beyond exercise.

    Reply
    • Joe says

      August 11, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Thanks so much, Camilo, I’m so glad this helped you. See the personal trainer section of this website for lots of other information.

      Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    September 20, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    Joe I also want to echo what Michelle said. I loved reading this! You give me hope that what I am doing matters. I espeically want to agree with points 2 and 3. Exercise is SO powerful and yes, because we spend so much time wiht people we have a greater ability to share our knolwege with them. I didn’t know how short the average doctor visit was. Thanks for that statistic. 🙂

    Reply
    • Joe says

      September 20, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Stephanie, thanks so much for taking the time to write. I am SO glad I was able to give you hope. You ARE making a difference.

      Reply
  3. Michelle says

    September 19, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Thank you. Loved reading this.

    Reply
    • Joe says

      September 20, 2020 at 12:49 pm

      Thanks, Michelle, I’m glad. I love the look of your website too 🙂

      Reply

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About

I'm Joe Cannon. I hold an MS in exercise science and a BS in chemistry and biology.

I've been quoted in the New York Times and Daily Beast to name a few. I've even lectured to the NASA community.

I train personal trainers and I'm the author of the first book on rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) & exercise, a topic I've been teaching about for over 10 years.

Since the 1990s, I've investigated dietary supplements. My supplement reviews can be found at SupplementClarity.com
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Joe Cannon, MS has written for several publications including The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Today's Dietitian, and Prevention. He's been quoted in the New York Times, lectured to NASA and has been a content consultant for Dateline NBC. He's the author of the first book ever published on rhabdomyolysis and exercise. Joe Cannon, has a BS in Chemistry and Biology and a MS in Exercise Science. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a personal trainer certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
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