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NASM stands for National Academy of Sports and Medicine. Founded in 1987 in America, this fitness training provider offers nutrition, fitness, or personal training certifications. You might ask yourself: is NASM worth it? The short answer is: yes. Given that it is generally regarded and approved by gyms, Americans who wish to make a career in health and fitness need a NASM certification.
It is essential to mention that it isn’t enough to be passionate about fitness and highly physically active speaking to become a personal trainer. To become successful and highly skilled at this job, you must also acquire the necessary certification and qualifications. Personal trainers have to expand their existing knowledge and gain relevant information regarding the anatomy of a body to train other people.
Therefore, if you wish to become a NASM-certified trainer and obtain the expertise needed, you must follow the necessary steps.
Get accredited by the NASM.
There are two single yet essential requirements to acquire the NASM certification: to have the minimum age of 18 and to have finished high school and earned your diploma. If you meet both, you can then sit for the NASM exam to become a personal trainer after completing one of the Certified Personal Trainer programs.
The accredited course mentioned above is 10-week long and, to finalize it and get your certification, you will have to pass a final exam that lasts two hours. Courses such as CAT from the NASM are science-based and contain scientific research and coursework, so you will be adequately equipped to work as a personal trainer once you have completed the program and passed the exam.
Gain experience in a gym
This field offers a variety of opportunities, so you can follow the career path that suits you and grow professionally. However, the best way to gain experience as a personal trainer when you have acquired your NASM CPT accreditation is to work in a gym. The environment there is suitable for an individual with little to no experience, given that you will have other, more skilled professional trainers around from whom you can learn.
Not to mention, you can offer to assist in specific classes, such as aerobics, to gain more experience and even teach a few of them yourself. Apart from this, you can begin forming a client base that is loyal to you, which could bring you other work opportunities or help you if you wish to open a personal training business.
Other career options
Suppose you have worked for a while in a gym and gained the experience necessary. In that case, you may start considering other career prospects, such as working independently. Or maybe your dream has always been to open your own gym or a wellness center, and now it can finally happen. Once you have enough experience as a personal trainer and gained a loyal clientele, you have what it takes to take this next step further in your career.
Alternatively, you might want to work for a corporation that plans on offering wellness services. It isn’t uncommon for large companies – it is rather recommended – to provide health benefits such as gym memberships or even their wellness programs. In this case, your accreditation and experience will make you an excellent candidate for the job.
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