Fitness Professions

[George Grigoryan]

I am currently exploring the possibilty of changing careers. I am a software engineer and kind of bored.

Anyway, I started by getting a part-time job as a personal trainer at a local commercial gym. But then I got to thinking - the reason I chose to start this way is because that is the path of least resistance.

So I want to brainstorm, with your help, some other professions in the fitness industry. Some professions that come to mind.

personal trainer (Cosgrove/JP)
S&C coach (Dos)
fitness writer (Lou Shuler)
fitness business advisor (Jim Labadie)
physical therapist (Bill Hartman)

Your conributions please...

[UConnJulie]

I think you need to do a bit of research and decide just how much time you are willing to devote to "learning" a new profession.

For example ... most physical therapy programs are 3+ years long (for example UConn's is 3 years including summers) and are doctoral level. You need a minimum of a bachelor's degree to even apply and must have taken several science-related prerequisites (physics, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, cellular biology, psychology, calculus, statistics, etc). So if you don't have all the prerequisites already, you are talking about a serious time (and financial) committment ... I would imagine the same thing if you don't have a degree in exercise science or strength and conditioning, it will take some serious coursework to get you there ... plus however many years of schooling.

Becoming a personal trainer on the other hand would be a relatively short transition. I just took my NSCA-CPT exam (January 13th) ... I started studying in November I think ... I bought all the exam prep material, and joined the NSCA and paid for the exam ... I think I spent about $800 all together (membership, exam fee, study materials). I found out yesterday that I passed. So relatively inexpensive (compared to 3+ years of graduate school) and short duration. Obviously the education component is somewhat variable ... since I have a degree in physical therapy already, much of the exam material was very familiar to me. And as a trainer, one would hope that your education is ongoing ...

I can't really comment on the writer thing (do you write at all? have you been published anywhere?) ... or the business advisor thing ...

Best of luck to you ... enjoy the journey!!

[John Izzo]

Originally Posted by gx3

personal trainer (Cosgrove/JP)
S&C coach (Dos)
fitness writer (Lou Shuler)
fitness business advisor (Jim Labadie)
physical therapist (Bill Hartman)

Your conributions please...

Personal raner - need a 4 year degree if you want a GOOD cert (ASCM, NSCA, NASM)...after you get the cert, you need serious experience. After you get experience, you need a business plan and marketing skills...and oh, you need to get results.

Strength coach - you need your BS or BA and you need to pass the NSCA-CSCS exam. Once you do that, you need to get into a school system--you will primarily volunteer in the begining, but if you are persistent and have a good relationship with the AD, you should get in.

Writer - need good writing skills and some "hook-ups"

Fitness business advisor - hmmmm...need to give goood advise on business...see "personal trainer". I can't over-emphazise enough the importance of "face time" or "being in the trenches". This is where you LEARN alot--forget all the articles, all the books, all the programs...you need to learn how you are as a professional from your customers.

PT - School...school...school

[George Grigoryan]

Julie and John,

Thank you for your contributions. They are very helpful.

What I was trying to do is just come up with a list of what can you do in the fitness industry. I wanted to just create a list of prossible things one can do and then as step 2 consider what it would take to get there and whether I have any interest in doing those things.

Fitness writer and fitness business advisor are not really my aspirations, but I did not want to leave anything out. It's just brainstorming. I just want to know what is out there.

And finally, I agree that time in in the trenches and ongoing education are both key.

I currently have a B.S. in Computer Science.

[George Grigoryan]

Another one - athletic trainer.