Becoming a Personal Trainer in Washington

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast and you love working outside, working as a personal trainer in Washington may be a match made in heaven for you. You can work with Microsoft employees getting them ready for 5Ks in Redmond, working with snow boarders at the passes, or helping Seattle clients get through their HIIT workouts.  

Throughout the state of Washington, as a personal trainer, you will find yourself working with some very motivated clients in a wide variety of scenarios. In or out of the gym, your schedule will be filled with a diverse clientele all looking to you to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. With such beautiful surroundings and a very motivated and active residence base, it’s no wonder there is nothing but growth forecast for the health and fitness industry.

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

By the end of 2017, it is expected that Washington will be the home to over 9,200 personal trainers.

Steps to Becoming a Personal Trainer in Washington

In order to become a part of the thriving health and fitness industry in Washington as a personal trainer, you will need to ensure that you have all the proper qualification in line first.

Degrees Related to Personal Training

One of the best ways to prepare for a career as a personal trainer is to obtain a college degree in a major relevant to the field. In the health and fitness industry, the credentials you present do matter. As you begin looking for college programs to potentially serve as the foundation of your career knowledge, Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees are available in relevant majors that include:

• Fitness and Health Promotion

• Exercise Science

• Physical Education or Coaching

• Kinesiology

• Nutrition

• Exercise Physiology

• Biology or Human Physiology

• Sports Medicine

Having a two or four-year degree sends a definitive signal to potential employers that you are disciplined and have the knowledge necessary to contribute to their business as a skilled personal trainer that can meet the needs of a varied clientele.  

Upon completion of a degree in a major related to the health and fitness industry, you will also acquire knowledge that will help your career in other ways. Developing stronger communication skills will help you clearly and effectively work with your clients. Courses in business and marketing can be used to help you grow a client roster. Combined, each can help prepare you for a management position.

Other typical coursework in a program related to personal training would include:

• Nutrition

• Medical terminology

• Exercise science

• Biomechanics

• Kinesiology

Professional Certification Programs in Personal Training

Having professional certification is not required to work as a personal trainer in Washington, but you will find that almost all employers expect their applicants have completed a nationally recognized certification program to complement their degree.

It will serve you well to research a variety of certification programs. Not all employers have the same preferences in certifying agencies and similarly, not all certifying agencies have the same criteria for inclusion. You will also want to pay attention to whether courses are offered live or online and which best suits your needs. Also make sure that you choose a program that is recognized by a national accrediting body, such as the NCCA.

More and more, personal trainers are seeking additional certifications in specialized areas such as CrossFit, Yoga, Pilates and cycling. If this is something that interests you, make sure you choose a certifying agency that can accommodate your desire for this.

Just a few of the national certification organizations that offer personal training certification include:

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

• American Council on Exercise (ACE)

• American Fitness Professional and Associates (AFPA)

• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

• Academy of Applied Personal Training Education (AAPTE)

• National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT)

• National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)

• The Cooper Institute

To achieve national certification as a personal trainer, you can expect to complete a program of study and pass a related examination.

Qualifying for Personal Training Jobs in Washington

As you prepare to enter the workforce as a personal trainer in Washington, one of the most effective ways to see what employers expect from applicants is to take a look at postings for job vacancies. Her we have compiled a sampling of want ads from across Washington from April of 2015 for illustrative purposes:

Seattle – A health club in Seattle is looking for fitness trainers who are knowledgeable, professional, and committed to health and fitness. Personal trainers here are responsible for providing personal training using sandbells, Olympic weights, kettleballs, tubes, roping, and free weights, among others. Candidates must be CPR/AED certified, they must possess a degree in a fitness related field, or they must possess certification through one of the following organizations:

• The Cooper Institute

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

Another private training studio in Seattle is seeking personal trainers who possess:

• A college degree in a related field (a plus)

• One to two years of personal training and program design experience

• A nationally recognized personal training certification

• Excellent verbal communication and listening skills

Eastside – A performance training studio in Issaquah is seeking personal trainers who have a passion for fitness, a desire to motivate others, and a fun, upbeat attitude. Candidates must possess a nationally recognized personal training certification and be CPR/AED certified.

You may pursue job opportunities throughout Washington’s top fitness clubs, private studios, and gyms, such as:

• Northwest Personal Training, Vancouver

• BeFit Tacoma, Fircrest

• Flex Training Gym, Seattle

• Fresh Start Fitness, Bellingham

• Energy Personal Training, Everett

• Crunch, Bellevue

Become a personal trainer in Washington State and enjoy all of the beauty the Pacific Northwest has to offer!