Help from the experts

[youngliver]

A little back history first. In 2001, while working as a graphic designer, I became interested in fitness at the ripe age of 30,. I lost a ton of weight doing things the classic wrong way but that’s how I had done it before being a fat kid growing up and yo-yoing for all of my “adult” life. After spending the next three years reading everything I could get my hands on fitness-wise through the internet and books I decided, after being laid-off, to supplement my freelance design income by becoming a PT.
I felt that I could help and be an inspiration to people in that forum because of my past experiences. I had been a couch potato that weighed 265lbs and had become an avid weightlifter and triathlete.
I signed up for the ISSA course and studied like no other. The only problem was that my springboard for that career at the time (24 hr fitness) didn’t recognize that certification. There was a Bally’s here and there but it was always a little too far to make the money equal out the travel time.
So when it came down to the week of the exam, I knew all the info in and out and knew by the questions asked on their forum that between the books, the MH forum, the T-Nation and JB articles, books and practice exams, etc. that it was a no brainer that I would easily pass. Well, fate dropped in and a design position that I couldn’t pass up that was permanent and paid way more than I would ever make PT’ing fell into my lap and I had to take it.
Fast forward a couple years. I’ve kind of hit the ceiling in the position that I am in and I can do one of two things. I can sit back and work in the same position and coast my way into a decent 6-figure salary if I make it over the next 20 years into retirement, or I can break off and start my own design studio and supplement my income by becoming a PT.
I am leaning toward starting my own studio. It may be 1 or 2 years down the road but I already have people asking me PT questions wherever I go and would like to get a head start on the PT part of the equation before I make the big break.
So, after all this, my question is which certification(s) should I go after? I would love to go after a CSCS but I don’t think that’s feasible at this point. The options I see are:
AFAA
ACSM
ACE
BSMI
COOPER
NCSF
NASM
NSCA
ISSA
NFPT
Which will get me the most info/bang/education for my buck?

P.S. Please don’t take this as an insult to your qualifications. I don’t see myself writing articles, etc. on my knowledge of kinesiology, physiology, etc. I would just like to help people reach their goals as a person that was in their same situation and spread the lifting and fitness philosophies that saved me. I look at the average PT in a random 24 hr and they don’t offer the client anything but another paycheck for themselves. I would like to be a little different. I would like to be a PT in a mass gym and offer people real results.

[Dogmama]

[quote=I can sit back and work in the same position and coast my way into a decent 6-figure salary if I make it over the next 20 years into retirement, or I can break off and start my own design studio and supplement my income by becoming a PT.[/quote]

To quote Don Imus: What are you, nuts?

Why not coast into your 6 figure salary and do PT on the side? If my math is correct, you would retire in your mid 50's, right?

Sorry, can't help you with the certs. I can tell you that I work out at Bally$ and in the 8 years they've been open, only one PT has hung in there. And he's pretty useless - big beer gut, eyeballs the ladies as his client risks injury doing SLDLs.

I hear that people have trouble getting their paychecks at Bally$. All that glitters is not gold.

[John Izzo]

Here is my advice:
You need experience. I don't care what cert you go after (however, I am partial to NASM), but you have absolutley no practical experience. People asking you "fitness questions" is nothing more than "passing along information you read." I am not privy to newbies wanting to open up their own studios...usually newbies that want their own studios are people that want to do things their way, train their way -- right or wrong. You will grow as a "professional in a vacuum". Then you will hear of some new training, new gadget, new research--and it was out for years!

I strongly suggest this: if you are good at graphic design, then stick with graphic design and pursue PT on the side (as someone suggested). Work some nights in a gym and get the experience you need. If you can become successful in a club setting, then you are destined to be great. Nothing will prepare you to sit across a consulting table with a 300 lb fat lady--no magazine, no forum, no internet site! You need that! If you can fill up your part-time night hours at a Bally's, 24, Gold's, or whatever...then you can ensure that you are truly in a field you belong.

[Lou Schuler]

I assume your graphic design involves either advertising or editorial work, and my advice is to hold onto a good job if you have one. Advertising dollars always crash and crater near the end of a decade -- it's worked that way ever since I was in journalism school, in the late '70s -- making the final years of a decade the worst time to start a new business and the best time to settle into a good job with benefits.

After the business crashes and recovers, and you're busier than you want to be at your job, that's the time to get out and start your own business.

As for training, I've had two certs -- ACE and CSCS -- and there's really no comparison between the two, in terms of the knowledge you'll obtain. ACE has some good, practical information about dealing with specific types of clients, but you'll learn a lot more about the science and practice of training from CSCS.

I agree with the others who've advised you to pursue this on the side. You really don't want to be a full-time personal trainer going into a recession.

[Lost Dog]

I'm not an expert.

Steady job with regular hours? That's the time to get your PT side training going. When you start your own design business, you DO NOT want the stress of having to figure out any PT stuff. You'll want to concentrate your mental energy on your business.

I'd take a job getting some practical on-the-job training at a local gym or club. Even to see if you can take it. Some people THINK they want to train folks, but don't like it once they start.

You never know. You might make some friends that bridge both worlds and end up designing for some fitness products or services.

The reason 24 Hour doesn't recognize these certs? They could care less. They want their trainers to train according to their own plans.

PS. Your design work is pretty impressive. I really liked the logos, with their subtle nostalgic feeling. They seem bold and strong, too.

[UpNorth]

I left a nice paying job some 10 years ago to create an agency on my own. Take it from someone whose been there, done that: You are crazy if you think you can start an agency and have time to PT on the side. In my first years 60% of my time was spent on sales, marketing and accounts receivable -- that leaves 40% billable -- and I was working 60+ hours per week. Trust me, your experience won't be too different.

It's a rewarding experience but one you will need to give FULL time and attention to.

[I. Kay]

Keep the job, ride it into the $$$.

One thing I've learned, slowly but surely, is that $$$ without passion may not bring happiness, but passion with no $$$ sure as hell doesn't either.

[youngliver]

Maybe the wording wasn't very clear, I apologize. It seems like standapart assumed I was talking about leaving my design job to open a fitness studio. I am thinking of leaving my design job in the next few years and starting my own design studio.

After going through the ISSA deal, I felt like some of the people that had passed the course were asking questions that I felt they should already know the answer to so I was just wondering which certification(s) people in the industry would suggest. I would like to get the best information through certification that I can and before going through ISSA again, I was just wondering if there was a better cert, info-wise.

[youngliver]

Lost Dog- Thanks for taking the time to check my site and for the compliments.

Note to self- update website.

[Lisa~]

The NSCA's CSCS certification is probably the most respected in the industry. You specifically mentioned that you didn't want to work for the CSCS, so maybe you would consider preparing for the NSCA's CPT certification.

My third choice would be NASM.

[DKing]

The best cert to get is the one the gyms around your area want. It doesn't matter what you learn in the cert if the gym doesn't recognize it. Just as important as the cert is the time you spend furthering your education through books, seminars, etc...

Take my job now. It wouldn't matter what cert you have, you need to get a NASM CPT within your first 6 months. A guy could have his CSCS and 5 other certs but without that NASM cert he can't be beyond a level 1 trainer (there are 5 levels with 5 being the highest depending on education, experience, and $$).

The other thing to keep in mind is that a training job, especially at a large place like 24 hour or any other chain is a sales job. People don't realize why they need a trainer, and most people really don't want to spend the kind of money a trainer costs. Its your job to convince them why they need you. This can suck really bad and be pretty frustrating. It can also take a lot of time and energy to build up a client base. I typically work 45-55 hours a week just being in the gym talking to people simply so that more people see and know me.

This isn't meant to discourage you at all, its just some things a lot of people don't realize before entering a Training job.

Danny

[John Izzo]

Originally Posted by DKing

The best cert to get is the one the gyms around your area want. It doesn't matter what you learn in the cert if the gym doesn't recognize it. Just as important as the cert is the time you spend furthering your education through books, seminars, etc...

Take my job now. It wouldn't matter what cert you have, you need to get a NASM CPT within your first 6 months. A guy could have his CSCS and 5 other certs but without that NASM cert he can't be beyond a level 1 trainer (there are 5 levels with 5 being the highest depending on education, experience, and $$).

The other thing to keep in mind is that a training job, especially at a large place like 24 hour or any other chain is a sales job. People don't realize why they need a trainer, and most people really don't want to spend the kind of money a trainer costs. Its your job to convince them why they need you. This can suck really bad and be pretty frustrating. It can also take a lot of time and energy to build up a client base. I typically work 45-55 hours a week just being in the gym talking to people simply so that more people see and know me.

This isn't meant to discourage you at all, its just some things a lot of people don't realize before entering a Training job.

Danny

100% agree.

[youngliver]

Thanks for everyones opinions. Danny, great post and it's greatly appreciated.