Realtor License

If you're a fitness and exercise expert, a career as a Personal Trainer might just be the job for you!

Personal Trainer Salary:
- Entry level: $30,000 anually
- Median level: $40,000
- Specialists certification: $50,000
- Self-employed: $45,000
- Employed by the government: $65,000
- High end: $80,000

Skills & Traits:
- Knowledge of exercise & training methods
- Know the human anatomy
- Communication skills
- Good physical condition

According to the American Obesity Association, there are 127 million adults in the United States who are overweight, 60 million who qualify as obese, and nine million who suffer from severe obesity. That means that over 64 percent of Americans age 20 or older are overweight, and that three out of every 10 adults in this country are obese. Those are alarming numbers, especially in light of the fact that statistically speaking, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the US today. However, since these types of statistics have come to light, more and more people have started becoming health conscious and have begun taking preventative measures like eating better and exercising more.

The average person cannot do it alone, though. With all of the fad diets and quick-fix schemes on the market these days, it can be difficult for an individual to turn good intentions into results. That is where the personal fitness trainer enters the picture. A personal trainer is for the most part a guide on the road to fitness. They are people who know how to keep fit and make a living out of helping people improve their physiques. With out society rapidly becoming more health-aware, this career option has become one of the hottest vocational fields.

If you are the type of person who likes to exercise and who knows how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and you would like to make a good income while sharing your knowledge with a fitness-hungry clientele, then by all means consider exploring a career as a personal trainer.

What You Can Do Now
Considering that many training certification programs require individuals to have at least a high school diploma to participate in the examination, it may be difficult for careerists who have not yet graduated to get started in this particular field. There are a few ways to get a head start, however. First, it is important to study. Individuals interested in physical education careers should read books and articles written by current professionals to gain insight into the business of fitness. They should also research the latest fitness and diet trends and know the pros and cons of each.

Trainers in training can also meet with or volunteer to assist other personal trainers in their area, thus observing and learning the process first-hand.

Exercising is also important, as it allows a future personal trainer to keep fit while also gaining an intimate understanding of how each exercise is performed.

Even though physical activity has been around since prehistoric humans were forced to live a nomadic lifestyle in pursuit of food, the commonly agreed-upon origin of fitness training occurred in China somewhere between 3,600 and 2,500 BC. According to Dr. Mel Siff, author of A Short History of Strength and Conditioning, early Chinese texts establish that Chinese emperors required their subjects to exercise daily, and that during the Chou Dynasty, individuals wishing to become soldiers were first forced to pass a series of weight-lifting tests.

Lance C. Dalleck and Dr. Len Kravitz, authors of The History of Fitness, state that the early teachings of Confucius encouraged people to regularly participate in physical activity in order to stave off specific ailments which sound similar to heart disease and diabetes. Gymnastics, archery, badminton, dancing, fencing, and wrestling were also common methods of fitness training during this time period.