Τι πρέπει να γνωρίζω
Eίναι γνωστό ότι το επάγγελμα του προσωπικού γυμναστή (Personal Trainer) είναι πολύ διάσημο στις μέρες μας.
Όλο και περισσότερος κόσμος στρέφεται προς την άσκηση και αρκετοί από αυτούς αναζητούν τις υπηρεσίες ενός εξειδικευμένου προσωπικού γυμναστή καθώς χρειάζονται σωστή καθοδήγηση, αποτελέσματα και βοήθεια για να καλυτερεύσουν την ποιότητα της ζωής τους.
Η πρώτη μας ενέργεια για να ξεκινήσουμε μια καριέρα ως Personal Trainer δεν είναι άλλη από τη σωστή επιλογή μιας σχολής εκπαίδευσης ή ενός εκπαιδευτικού οργανισμού, προκειμένου να αποκτήσουμε την απαραίτητη επιστημονικά τεκμηριωμένη γνώση. Ένας τέτοιος οργανισμός δεν είναι άλλος από την Αθληατρική Ακαδημία της Αμερικής (NASM USA), ο οποίος αριθμεί πάνω από 1,5 Εκατομμύρια πιστοποιημένους επαγγελματίες σε πάνω από 100 χώρες.
Πρέπει όμως να γνωρίζουμε ότι το επάγγελμα του προσωπικού γυμναστή (Personal Trainer) στην Ελλάδα ακόμα δεν είναι οριοθετημένο. Για να μπορέσει κάποιος να ανοίξει ένα γυμναστήριο ή για να ασκήσει το επάγγελμα του γυμναστή / προπονητή αθλημάτων ή να εργαστεί ως καθηγητής φυσικής αγωγής τότε χρειάζεται να έχει άδεια ασκήσεως επαγγέλματος και για να την έχει θα πρέπει να είναι απόφοιτος πανεπιστημίου ή/και να έχει τελειώσει κάποια σχολή προπονητών από τη Γενική Γραμματεία Αθλητισμού ή/και να έχει πτυχίο πανεπιστημίου από πανεπιστήμιο της αλλοδαπής αναγνωρισμένο από το Ελληνικό κράτος.
Σε αντίθεση με το νομοθετικό πλαίσιο της Ελλάδας στην πλειοψηφία των χωρών τις Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (κάποια στιγμή ενδεχομένως και στην Ελλάδα), Μέσης Ανατολής και στην Αμερική, για να ασκήσει κάποιος το επάγγελμα του προσωπικού γυμναστή, θα πρέπει να αποδείξει ότι πληροί τις απαραίτητες προϋποθέσεις επιδεικνύοντας την πιστοποίησή του από τον εκάστοτε αναγνωρισμένο φορέα.
Παρακάτω μπορείτε να δείτε τι ισχύει στην Αμερική σύμφωνα με το U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics για το επάγγελμα του Personal Trainer το οποίο είναι οριοθετημένο από το νόμο.
Job Description for a Personal Trainer
Most personal trainers work in a gym or fitness center. They spend their time interacting with clients in an office or training them on the gym floor. Trainers may work with clients individually or in small groups. Options in employment include working in a gym or being self-employed.
Duties
Personal trainers meet with clients before they begin working with them to gain a better understanding of the client’s goal, like losing weight or gaining muscle mass. They may also give clients a tour of the facility and show them some of the workouts they may do. At this initial meeting, the trainer may also go over the charges for the personal training services and discuss payment plans. Personal trainers devise customized exercise plans for their clients based on their goals. These plans typically include cardiovascular and weight lifting exercises. During a training session, trainers observe their clients performing exercises to ensure they are doing the moves correctly. Trainers may also give diet and lifestyle suggestions when they are relevant to the fitness plan.
Salary Info and Employment Outlook
The median annual wage for fitness trainers and instructors was $45,380 in May 2022. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,920, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,330.
In May 2022, the median annual wages for fitness trainers and instructors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Fitness and recreational sports centers | $46,840 |
| Government | 41,920 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 38,600 |
| Civic and social organizations | 34,620 |
Many fitness trainers and instructors work variable or part-time schedules that may include nights, weekends, or holidays. Some travel to different gyms or to clients’ homes to teach classes or conduct personal training sessions. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors sometimes hold jobs in other fields and conduct training sessions or teach fitness classes at times that accommodate their work schedules.
Job Outlook
Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 14 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 69,000 openings for fitness trainers and instructors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
How to Become a Personal Trainer
The education and training required for fitness trainers and instructors varies by specialty. Employers usually prefer to hire those with certification, but requirements vary by facility.
Education
Fitness trainers and instructors typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation. Employers may prefer to hire fitness workers, particularly personal trainers, who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a field such as recreation and fitness or healthcare and related studies. Programs in exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, or related majors often include courses in nutrition, exercise techniques, biology, and anatomy. Personal trainers also may learn how to develop fitness programs for clients of all ages.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Most fitness trainers or instructors have certification related to the area of fitness in which they specialize. Personal trainers usually must be certified before they begin working with clients or with members of a gym or health club. Group fitness instructors may begin work without certification, but employers often encourage or require them to get their credentials. Most fitness instructors receive certification for their preferred type of training, such as yoga, kickboxing, or strength training.
Many organizations offer certification. For example the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits certifying organizations in the fitness and wellness industry, including several that offer personal trainer or general certification. In addition, some private companies offer certification in the types of classes they offer.
Certification exams that have a written portion measure candidates’ knowledge of human physiology, understanding of proper exercise techniques, and ability to assess clients’ fitness levels and develop appropriate exercise programs. Certification also may require the candidate to teach a class for a live or video skills demonstration, which is then assessed by the certifying organization.
Most trainers or instructors also need certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid, as well as in use of automated external defibrillators (AED).
Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm#tab-4
