Becoming a Personal Trainer in Georgia
As of a 2015 Kaiser Family Foundation study, it was found that 65% of adults in Georgia are overweight which makes the job for a personal trainer located there challenging. As a personal trainer in Georgia, you will need to work with clients on nutrition and physical fitness in many cases. That said, you will also have some clients in moderately good shape and others in excellent shape!
You will work with a full cross section of Georgia’s population promoting physical fitness. Some clients may be seniors in need of exercises that are easy on the joints, others maybe young people looking to get beach-body ready or getting in better shape for outdoor activities such as mountain biking.
Penn Foster Career School's Online Personal Trainer Programs
Take the first step towards preparing for your career in the fields of personal fitness and nutrition through Penn Foster Career School's online programs:
Personal Trainer Career Diploma
Playing a central role in helping your clients attain good health is something exciting and one of the reasons many personal trainers choose this career path. The Georgia Department of labor estimates that number of jobs for personal trainers in the state will increase by 18.5% in the decade leading up to 2022 and so far, their estimate is on track. With demand like that, job security is strong and job prospects are even stronger. Georgia is a great place for a personal trainer to find a good job that they can feel good about!
Education to Become a Personal Training in Georgia
In Georgia, you will find that most jobs for personal trainers are with fitness clubs, but that is by no means your only option. You can freelance, aim high for a corporate hiring, or aim even higher and explore opening up your own fitness club. Whatever your ultimate goal is, you can lay the groundwork for it by obtaining the proper education that makes it all happen.
Georgia’s Personal Trainer Schools
In Georgia, you will discover a wealth of options to pursue a two or four year degree in a field of study that will serve as the foundation for a career as a personal trainer. You may even be able to enter an online or blended learning program to work toward a degree in fields like those detailed below.
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Exercise Science
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Nutrition
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Kinesiology
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Physical Therapy
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Physical Education
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Human Biology
Developing a knowledge of the cardio pulmonary and musculoskeletal systems will serve as the baseline for your studies. From there you will develop an in-depth understanding of the way the human body works as well as the ability to know how to apply that knowledge practically in your job as a fitness trainer.
By pursuing an education in fields that are related to personal training, you will do more than just get a leg up on the competition landing your first job, you will also improve your long term career prospects. Your education will also help you get national accreditation as many require an undergraduate degree. Some may also have a prerequisite of needing CPR certification as well.
Nationally-Recognized Personal Training Certification
Many of the establishments hiring personal trainers in Georgia require their employees have a national certification which can be obtained from one or more of these top organizations:
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American Council of Exercise (ACE)
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American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
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International Sports Science Association (ISSA)
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Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA)
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National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
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National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
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National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT)
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National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA)
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International Fitness Association (IFA)
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The Cooper Institute
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Professional Personal Trainers Association (PROPTA)
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National Personal Training Institute (NPTI)
Obtaining national certification is in most cases considered a given for any form of employment in Georgia as a personal trainer. For this reason, it is imperative that you take your studies seriously and be fully aware of what each agency you plan to seek credentials from requires.
Working in Georgia’s Personal Fitness Industry
Each fitness facility in Georgia employing personal trainers will have their own preferences and requirements for potential hires. It is to your benefit to know as much about this as you can when beginning your job search. A few of the big names and what they were looking for as of March, 2015, are included below.
Youfit Health Clubs with locations throughout the northern Atlanta metropolitan area hires professionals who have a nationally recognized personal trainer certification (or who will become certified within 30 days of hire), with a preference given to those who also have a related college degree.
Provant Health Solutions in the Marietta area looks for personal trainers who have a personal trainer certification or a related college degree.
Workout Anytime based throughout Georgia hires professionals who have a current personal trainer certificate and who have strong communication skills.
Wellbridge, a fitness company with locations in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, hires experienced personal trainers with an approved certification, with applicants who have a bachelor’s degree in a related area preferred.
Life Time Training in the Atlanta area seeks experienced personal trainers who have any of these preferred qualifications: Personal trainer certification from the ACE, ACSM, Cooper Fitness, NASM, NATA, NSCA, NPTI, or the LT Academy with a four-year degree in a field related to personal training
PowerLady Fitness in Atlanta, Georgia, has a good example of what types of classes a personal trainer might expect to lead. PowerLady offers its members classes in the latest fitness methods, with its recent lineup including:
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Cycling and stretch
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Stretch and balance
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Yoga
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Body blast
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Cardio burn
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Cardio kickboxing
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Total body pilates
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Spinning
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Step interval
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Zumba
Whether your clients are looking to stay fit for the links, get beach body ready or stay in shape enough to navigate Atlanta on foot without getting winded, as a personal trainer in Georgia, your expertise will be sought by a variety of people. While you will most likely work in a club, there are opportunities to work in some scenic outdoor locations as a freelancer as well.
As Georgians become more fit, they can participate in some of the state’s better-known outdoor activities. Depending on your client’s preferences, you can always work on training at a mutually agreed upon location, while engaging in activities such as:
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Hiking in Amicalola Falls State Park or on Arabia Mountain
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Exploring Providence Canyon State Park
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Kayaking or canoeing down the Altamaha River
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Sun tanning on Cumberland Island or at John Tanner State Park
You can find other resources on the subject of how to become a personal trainer in Georgia with organizations like the Atlanta Personal Trainer Program.