acpe.edu.au/academy

CAReeRs in PeRsonAlTRAining

So, you’re interested in kick starting your career in fitness?

ACPE Academy are leading providers of nationally recognised qualifications in Personal Training. Our history is part of ACPE, who have been the sport, dance and fitness education specialists since 1917!

Our industry experience lecturers have pulled together everything you’ll need to know when considering a career in Personal Training. Within this eBook, we’ll cover areas such as why you need to be qualified, the role of industry bodies, what a typical day might look like, how to get started and much much more.

Happy reading and we hope you’ll consider ACPE Academy as your study partner as you journey toward your dream career.

03 WHy iT’S imPOrTAnT TO gET quAlifiEd

04 WHAT’S THE diffErEnCE BETWEEn THE CErTifiCATE iii And iV And WHy dO i nEEd BOTH?

05 SkillS PErSOnAl TrAinErS nEEd

06 fiTnESS induSTry BOdiES

07 COnTinuing EduCATiOn CrEdiTS (CEC’S)

08 WHErE yOu COuld WOrk

09 WHy iT’S nOT ABOuT HAVing A 6 PACk

10 A dAy in THE lifE…

11 HOW muCH Will i EArn?

12 BrAnCHing OuT

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

Why IT’s ImpORTaNT TO geT quAlified

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So you’re committed to health and fitness, you eat healthy, you know what you’re doing at the gym, you’ve got a good physique…so why can’t you start taking clients, sharing your knowledge and earning some cash?

Well, to put it simply you’re not qualified to do so. regulations exist in the fitness industry so that Australians are receiving advice on health and fitness from people with the skills, knowledge and recognised training to correctly provide it. imagine if you were to provide incorrect advice to someone that led to injury, it could land you in extremely hot water.

not all clients are the same, and there isn’t a one size fits all approach to personal training. different clients require personalised training

plans and your training techniques and methods will need to change so that your client feels supported, motivated and comfortable in achieving their fitness goals. This is just one of the areas covered in a Personal Training qualification, along with learning about the human body, how each of the muscle groups work and how they should be trained, utilising correct technique when performing exercise, fuelling the body with the right nutrition, assisting your clients to set realistic goals, and how to tailor programs to a variety of clients.

So, if you are considering a career as a Personal Trainer then the first step will be gaining a nationally recognised qualification. it’s as simple as completing a Certificate iii and iV in

fitness and you could be fully qualified in as little as 14 weeks.

graduating with these qualifications will also allow you to register as a fitness professional with fitness Australia. it is here that clients can check that you are in fact competent and following the regulations set by the industry. read more at http://fitness.org.au/fitnessdirectory.html

WhaT’s ThE DIffERENCE bETWEEN The CeRTifiCATe iii And iV aND Why DO I NEED bOTh?

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CeRTifiCATe iii in fiTnessThe Certificate iii in fitness will provide you with an introduction to working in the industry, and ultimately gives you the skills to gain a position as a registered fitness instructor in a fitness centre or gym. if you have ever signed up at your local gym then chances are you have met someone who has completed this qualification. The person that has shown you around the gym floor, taken your measurements, written your introductory training plan and supervised your first workout and the gym floor…is a graduate of a Certificate iii in fitness. This qualification also acts as a stepping stone to the Certificate iV in fitness.

CeRTifiCATe iV in fiTnessif you want to be the person running one-on-one training sessions in the park, or pushing a group through a boot camp session, then you need to complete both the Certificate iii and iV.

The Certificate iV will give you the expertise to conduct fitness assessments and design programs for individual clients, groups and specialised groups which include mature age clients, adolescents or children. it also includes components on running a small business that will be essential if you are looking to become your own boss.

Check out the units you will study within each course at aCpE academy below:

Course Units (Cert III)• introduction to fitness

• fitness Client Services

• fitness risk and Safety

• fitness instruction

• fitness Anatomy and Physiology

• fitness nutrition

• fitness Assessment and Programming 1

• Strength and Conditioning 1 • first Aid - Basic

Course Units (Cert IV)• fitness Assessment and Programming 2

• fitness Assessment and Programming 3

• Personal Trainer 1

• Personal Trainer 2

• Small Business Compliance

• Small Business marketing

• Small Business Planning

• Strength and Conditioning 1

• Strength and Conditioning 2

If becoming a personal Trainer is the outcome you’re looking for, then completing both the Certificate III and IV in fitness is a necessity. so what’s the difference?

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sKILLsPeRsonAl TRAineRs needso you’re enticed by the idea of having a flexible work schedule, good earning potential, and the opportunity to share your passion for fitness with others for a living, and a qualification in personal training is all that you need right?Well sure, a qualification is what you need to be a good personal trainer….but what do you need to be a GREaT personal trainer? here are some additional skills that could help:

yours. PeoPle skillsAn outgoing and friendly personality will go a long way in attracting clients to your business…and let’s face it, people are your business! Clients will be looking for someone personable who they feel comfortable training with. it is important that your clients feel connected to you and know that you have their best interests and goals at heart. sTRong CommuniCATion skills if you want to build up a good repute with your clients, then great communication skills are a must. you will be instructing individuals and/or groups on exercise activities and the fundamentals of physical fitness. you will be required to demonstrate and explain techniques, in a way that your clients understand so that they can perform the activities correctly. you will also need to listen to your clients to know when

they need a challenge and when they need support and encouragement. you will also find that clients seek your advice and counsel, so listening and empathy skills are important.

PAssion And eneRgy As a Personal Trainer you are essentially a leader, guiding people to reach their health and fitness goals. People hire Personal Trainers because they are not motivated enough to train alone. A passion for fitness combined with endless energy will be contagious and will help inspire your clientele to constantly push themselves throughout their training. it doesn’t matter if it’s your first client of the day or your last, you’ll need to exert the same amount of energy to make your client feel valued and driven.

CommiTmenT To leARning it is crucial that trainers stay informed of what is current,

both in regards to industry regulations and also what is trending in the industry. gaining CEC’s and keeping in the loop with the latest research will help boost your career and personal advancement. The fitness industry is constantly evolving and you will need to keep up to put your business at the top of the game.

Be Business sAVVy As a freelance Personal Trainer, you are running your own business and marketing yourself as the brand. do the research, examine your business strengths and weaknesses, understand the necessary tools for business success and use your resources to your best advantage.

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fiTness indusTRy Bodies As the waistlines of Australians continue to expand, the demand for Personal Trainers is bigger than ever, as many turn to fitness professionals for help and guidance. The fitness industry is regulated to ensure that those working within it are qualified and skilled to deliver the correct advice and guidance to their clients.

Professional industry bodies such as fitness Australia and Physical Activity Australia, are committed to upholding these regulations and ensuring that the industry operates to the highest possible standards in regards to customer care, safety and wellbeing.

Their membership registration schemes are only open to qualified professionals, so that consumers can be confident engaging with a fitness professional who has met the requirements for registration with these associations.

An additional requirement by fitness Australia, is the completion of Continuing Education Credit (CEC) Courses (see http://mybusinessisfitness.com/2010/06/how-to-choose-your-next-cec-course-2.html) on a regular basis. This ensures that Personal Trainers are committed to training and development and staying up to date with

industry trends and best practice. The association has the right to audit its members at any time and revoke membership if it deems a member to not be maintaining criteria required for membership.

fitness Australia provides similar membership registration for fitness businesses.

So, if you want to be taken seriously in the fitness industry, then registering as an exercise professional essentially gives you a license to start training.

1. get the qualifications – make sure you complete your Cert iii and iV in fitness with a registered Training Organisation (rTO), like ACPE Academy. rTO’s are recognised by industry bodies. you will also need to hold a current Senior first Aid and CPr certificate

2. Professional registration – register as an Exercise Professional

3. get insured – ensure you have the correct level of insurance to operate as a fitness Professional

here’s what you need to do:

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ConTinuing eduCATion CRediTs (CEC’s)

so why ARe They imPoRTAnT? if you are registered with a professional industry body such as fitness Australia, CEC’s are a requirement in order to retain your membership. you’ll need to gain 20 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) every two years. fitness Australia has

a directory on their website that showcases over 850 approved CEC programs so there’s loads to choose from and you can pick the one that best suits your business. See http://fitness.org.au/page.php?id=27

Above and beyond professional registration

though, CEC courses can help you advance your career. They provide the opportunity to improve proficiency in an existing area or expand your knowledge and skills into new areas. for example, you may look to expand into outdoor bootcamps and you could complete a CEC course to gain that adeptness.

Continuing Education Credits (CEC’s) are the units used to measure continuing education in the fitness industry. CEC’s can be gained through programs and events, workshops and seminars, conferences and conventions, higher education, professional practice, in-house training and various other activities. some activities can provide greater CEC credits than others. for example, a CEC course will usually give you around 6 credit points. however, activities like research and qualifications can qualify you for between 15 and 20 credit points.

aCpE academy offers a wide range of CEC programs on-campus in sydney Olympic park including boxing for pT’s, Outdoor bootcamp and Weight loss & Nutrition. Visit academy.acpe.edu.au to find out more.

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wheRe you Could woRk

gym oR heAlTh CluBnaturally, the most popular place of employment for personal trainers is a gym or health club. gyms and health clubs are a great stepping stone for personal trainers who have just been certified. it allows you to hone your craft, while also hopefully building your own client base, if you so wish.

CoRPoRATe fiTness TRAining

As many workplaces encourage group exercise as a way to increase productivity, corporate fitness training is starting to grow in popularity. your work would involve devising and implementing exercise regimes for groups of employees to help build team morale and reduce absenteeism by contributing to the general health of employees.

sPoRTs CluB TRAineR Personal trainers may also be employed in sports clubs – from professional to amateur – devising programs for players and enhancing the performance of athletes.

Becoming a sports trainer, however, takes time and also involves additional training. it’s also an extremely competitive field – especially if you want to work in a professional club. But there is great potential, nonetheless.

self-emPloymenT The great thing about personal training is that there is always the option of self-employment. if you have the skills and motivation, you can opt to start your own personal training business. you are only limited by your imagination about what this could entail. if your passion lies in cycling, why not open a cycling studio? if you’re interested in special

needs training, you could open classes for certain special

needs groups (like children or the elderly). you could start your own boot camp classes. you could also offer personal training classes in your clients’ homes or from your own home (if you have the correct equipment).

fiTness fACiliTy mAnAgeR

if you want to be more involved in the administration side of the fitness industry, then you might look at a career as a fitness facility manager. This involves overseeing the operation of fitness facilities such as recreation centres, aquatic centres, sporting arenas or gyms.

personal training has become extremely popular over the last few years as the industry continues to grow and thrive. While most people would consider using their personal training expertise to work in gyms and health clubs – a viable and extremely popular option – there is a whole range of work spaces a personal training career can take you. Indeed, personal trainers can work almost anywhere. If you’re keen on pursuing a career in this field, here is a list of some of the places you could find work.

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why iT’s noT ABouT hAVing A 6 PACk

many people assume that you need to have a set of washboard abs to be a good Personal Trainer… which may be true, if that’s what your clients aspire to and respect. However, the truth of the matter is, there are a variety of reasons that people enlist the help of a Personal Trainer and each group of people will be seeking different traits in the trainer that they choose.

your client may want someone who has had personal experiences with weight loss, body building or toning. They may want someone who has trained from scratch to

be able to run a marathon or someone who has used health and fitness to overcome illness, or maybe they are a new mum who wants to meet a trainer who has been in their situation.

if you have a specific story of triumph, then turn it into an area of speciality and target a specific audience of clients. don’t let the fact that you don’t have that set of washboard abs hold you back.

As a Personal Trainer, you’re role isn’t just about teaching clients how to exercise and helping them reach

their fitness goals, you also serve as a life coach, a role model and a motivator, both physically and emotionally. So, who better to act in this role than someone who has been there and done that?

ultimately, what’s important is being able to walk the walk, show clients that you are committed to health and fitness and work at continually improving yourself. These are the traits that will earn your clients respect and trust and help build your client base more than those washboard abs ever will.

A dAy in The lifeif you weRe To BeCome A PT, whAT would A TyPiCAl dAy in The life look like? leT’s TAke A look.

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Rise And shine iTs 5Am!if you are planning on nice relaxing sleep ins, then this won’t be the job for you. most PT’s can expect to wake up around 5am. you’ll be getting in the most important meal of the day and getting equipment ready for your first clients.

musCulAR moRningsWorking professionals will be looking to get a session in before the working day begins. Between 6am and 9am you can squeeze in a number of individual sessions or run some group training sessions like boot camp or circuit class. Some PT’s elect to run classes at gyms as well, and this will be a peak time for running gym classes such as aerobics or body pump.

The moRning lullThings generally slow down after the peak morning session until you hit lunchtime. you might be able

to pick up a few sessions during this time for groups that aren’t your 9-5pm working crew, think stay at home mums or shift workers.

But if not, during this period you could squeeze in your own training session, or perhaps take care of some administrative work. you’ll want to keep building your business so there is always marketing, invoicing, training plans etc. that will need to be updated.

The lunChTime lungeRs lunchtime can be a good period for the corporate workers to get out of the office and squeeze in some fitness. lunch time is also prime time for fun outdoor group sessions, think boxing or bootcamp.

AfTeRnoon AlReAdyAfter lunch you will most

likely get some more relax time. Continue on the admin tasks like scheduling clients, updating the website or why not take some time out for a power nap! it’s important to fuel yourself with food when you get these breaks too.

eVening Allits peak time again! Clients who have now finished work will be looking to squeeze in a PT session between around 4pm and 7pm. motivating the tired can be hard, so keep the exercise varied to prevent boredom.

wind downAfter the final peak, it’s time to get some dinner and wind down after a busy day. Early to bed is often the case, as you’ll be early to rise tomorrow!

how muCh will i eARn?

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gym insTRuCToRsalary range: $23,000 - $35,000 Considerations: • your experience • What your role entails

PeRsonAl TRAineR -own Businesssalary range: $10,000 - $140,000 Considerations: • your hourly rate (on average this can be between $20 - $60 • you need to purchase your own equipment

• you need to market your business

• Training outside may be free but what if it rains or you need indoor facilities

PeRsonAl TRAineR - gymsalary range: $10,000 - $140,000 Considerations: • your hourly rate (on average

this can be between $20 - $60

• does the gym require you to pay rent. This can vary from $200 - $450 per week. Alternatively gyms may not charge rent but require you to do a certain number of hours on the gym floor, instructing, cleaning, giving tours etc…this will impact the hours you can take clients.

• Some gyms offer clients their first PT sessions free, which is a great way to build your client base

gym mAnAgeRsalary range: $60,000 – 90,000 Considerations: • your experience • What your role entails• The size of the gym

This can be a little bit of a grey area in the fitness industry. The potential earnings of a fitness professional can vary greatly. It depends on your hourly rate, how many clients you can take per week, whether you start your own business, or work for someone else, whether you specialise or work broadly. here are some salary ranges for different roles within the fitness industry and some key considerations that can impact how much you make.

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BRAnChingouT studying a fitness course opens you up to a variety of career options. perhaps the most obvious outcome of a fitness qualification is a career as a personal trainer, but you should also be aware that this qualification may only be the beginning. There are lots of additional services that can nicely complement your business, expand your client base and ultimately give your business the competitive edge. here’s just a few examples:

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nuTRiTionnutrition and fitness go hand in hand. you will of course learn the basics when you complete your Certificate iii and iV, but there is so much more to learn! Completing an additional qualification in nutrition and dietetics will allow you to take your clients meal planning to the next level and allow you to develop plans to suit their individual needs and goals.

mAssAge Why not add massage to your list of services. massage can relieve the aches and pain that

training often brings, reduce muscular tension and increase energy. it means you can help your clients get even more from their workouts.

life CoAChing

life coaching is about helping people overcome barriers in their life to unlock their full potential and achieve lifelong goals. To some extent, personal trainers are already life coaches, teaching people to overcome barriers to fitness and health and reach their exercise goals. However, becoming a qualified life coach can take this to the next level,

not only in respect to helping people achieve fitness goals but to achieve personal and professional goals too.

PsyChologyimagine if you could understand the effects psychology had on someone’s participation in fitness and also how it affects their performance. An understanding of psychology and how it is impacting your client could mean counselling them to a better mental state so that they can reach their full potential in health and fitness.

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sTudenT TesTimoniAl

“The thing that i liked best at the ACPE Academy was that the lecturers and the students had great relationships; this made it so easy to learn and develop as the course went on.”

Joe TAyloRCOurSE STudiEd: CertIfICate III and IV In fItness

how did you heAR ABouT ACPe ACAdemy?A mate i play rugby with studied at ACPE and he told me that the ACPE Academy offered the Cert iii and Cert iV in fitness.

why did you Choose ACPe ACAdemy?The fact that the Academy is linked with a university means that the educational support, lecturers, and facilities are second to none. The classrooms and gym at the Academy are outstanding. i was actually working at Olympic Park whilst studying so it was a bonus to have both work and study in the same place. whAT did you like BesT ABouT ACPe ACAdemy?The thing that i liked best at the Academy was that the lecturers and the students had great relationships; this made it so easy to learn and develop as the course went on.

The other students were awesome too; i have made great mates through ACPE Academy. The classrooms were great, the learning material was detailed and easy to follow and the gym was outstanding - brand new equipment and it was just for us! whAT is youR CuRRenT Role?Personal Trainer and fitness instructor. how would you sAy ACPe ACAdemy hAs helPed youR CAReeR?ACPE Academy has laid down a solid foundation for my learning and development as a PT. As a personal trainer, your learning process continues even after you achieve your Cert iV in fitness. That is just the beginning. So it is important that your foundations are strong so that the information you will receive everyday as a PT is understood and interpreted correctly. ACPE Academy has given me those skills. would you ReCommend ACPe ACAdemy To oTheRs?Absolutely! i would recommend the ACPE academy to anyone who has a passion for health and fitness, and wants a successful career in the industry.

find out more. Visit acpe.edu.au/academy

sTudenT TesTimoniAl

“Working as a Personal trainer is definitely what i love and i could not ask for a better career...it is rewarding in so many ways. loving life!”

sVeTlAnA diginACOurSE STudiEd: CertIfICate III and IV In fItness

why did you Choose ACPe ACAdemy?i did my research and was happy with the cost and the facilities.

whAT did you like BesT ABouT ACPe ACAdemy?The teachers were great and they made it fun.

whAT is youR CuRRenT Role?i started my own business ‘Work it Health & fitness’ and i am currently working as a sole trader as well as working at Vision Personal Training.

how would you sAy ACPe ACAdemy hAs helPed youR CAReeR?They have provided the knowledge and education, as well as great teachers that i am still in touch with.

would you ReCommend ACPe ACAdemy To oTheRs?Absolutely! my experience with ACPE Academy was great!

desCRiBe foR us A TyPiCAl dAy in youR life now, As A PeRsonAl TRAineRThe early mornings! But that is expected as a Personal Trainer and i choose to start work early. i’m working at Vision PT lane Cove from 5:30am until about lunch-time, monday to friday. After lunch i have my own clients that are outside of Vision. i am also in the process of starting my own boot camps. i love what i do, my only regret is that i didn’t do the course earlier!

Any oTheR CommenTs?Working as a PT is definitely what i love and i could not ask for a better career…it is rewarding in so many ways!! loving life!!

find out more. Visit acpe.edu.au/academy

inTeResTed in A CAReeR As A PeRsonAl TRAineR? get the skills, knowledge and support to launch your dream careerCertificate iii in fitness | Certificate iV in fitness

Contact aCPe academyregistered Office and address1 Figtree DriveSydney Olympic Park NSW 2127Phone: 02 9739 3333Facsimile: 02 9764 4144Email: academy@acpe.edu.au

Postal detailsLocked Bag 2000Concord West NSW 2138

acpe.edu.au/academy