Becoming a Personal Trainer in Nebraska

While some personal trainers are frightened away from Nebraska due to its low density population created by being a major agricultural industry state, for those in the know, being a personal trainer in Nebraska can be great! If you have the right educational background and you are knowledgeable of the sports scene in the state, you could find yourself in a position to have your choice of jobs in the fitness industry.

If you are intent on working in a more bustling city environment, Lincoln and Omaha fit the bill and have a highly diverse population of athletes and fitness enthusiasts driving the health and wellness industry. Serving as the home of professional and semi-pro teams, as well as stellar collegiate sports programs, the Cornhusker state takes fitness seriously.

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Helping a runner find their perfect stride and diet regimen to prepare for the Omaha Marathon is one of many tasks you may find yourself undertaking as a personal trainer in Nebraska. Just easily, you could train an office worker looking to keep fit and fight middle aged spread. The possibilities are endless.

Steps to Becoming a Personal Trainer in Nebraska

In order to begin your career as a personal trainer in Nebraska, you will first need to identify what your future professional goals are. Almost anything you plan on doing in the fitness industry, however, will only be possible with the relevant educational background and/or a national certification as a personal trainer.

Degree Options for Personal Trainers

The best way to increase your knowledge base for a career as a personal trainer is by taking college courses. Courses related to nutrition, physiology and health promotion will all be beneficial to you. Obtaining an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in an area related personal training will teach you the skills necessary to create fitness programs and develop interpersonal and management skills necessary to provide the best experience possible to you clients.

Degrees related to personal training include, but are not limited to:

Associate’s Degree Programs in:

• Physical Education

• Exercise Science

• Dietetics

• Biomechanics

• Personal Training

• Fitness Technology

Bachelor’s Degree Programs in:

• Physical Education

• Sports Medicine

• Athletic Studies

• Exercise Physiology

• Kinesiology

• Sport Psychology

• Nutrition

• Sports Management

Personal Trainer Certification Options

The next step on the road to becoming a successful personal trainer is obtaining certification from a national certifying body. Becoming certified is proof that you have the knowledge necessary to be a personal trainer and know how to use it in a practical sense.

A few of the most respected certifying bodies offer certification exams throughout Nebraska:

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), with tests offered in:

• North Platte

• Grand Island

• Hastings

• Columbus

• McCook

• Columbus

• Norfolk

• Lincoln

• Alliance

• Omaha

• Scottsbluff

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), with tests offered in:

• North Platte

• Grand Island

• Hastings

• Columbus

• McCook

• Columbus

• Norfolk

• Lincoln

• Alliance

• Omaha

• Scottsbluff

World Instructor Training Schools (WITS), with tests offered in:

• Lincoln

Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), with tests offered in:

• Omaha

Starting your Personal Training Career in Nebraska

Nebraska offers a wide variety of employment options for personal trainers. Whether you hope to work with athletes, average Joe’s or a combination of both, Nebraska can make that happen.

Most personal trainers will work in a gym or fitness center at some point in their career. In Nebraska, Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness are two major chains with a strong presence in the state. The large chain setting isn’t for everyone, however, and for those persons there are plenty of small and mid-sized gyms with expanding clienteles that are always looking to meet the needs of their members.  

Another option many personal trainers pursue is working with Nebraska’s college or professional athletic programs. This could lead you to working with basketball players, football players, young hockey players or even nationally ranked runners. Having a knowledge of what workouts will most benefit athletes of each particular sport will help you develop a solid fitness plan and show your knowledge of specialized training techniques when attending job interviews.

Landing a personal trainer job with a major college or professional sports team is not always easy. In fact, it is pretty difficult when you are new to the industry. One of the best ways to prepare for a career like that, however, is to begin by working with smaller colleges or high schools to build your resume and show a track record of success.

Having hands-on experience with athletes in a given sport will make you stand out among other personal trainers applying for the same jobs as others applying for personal trainer jobs in Nebraska.