12 Things You Didn't Know About Personal Trainers

A qualified personal trainer is certified and has been tested on exercise science. Although some trainers may be working without certification, an exam is required for those using the title "Certified Personal Trainer" (via Become). Reputable personal trainer certification programs are accredited via an overseeing body such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). NCCA accredited organizations such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) educate, test, and prepare trainers. They also provide a professional codes of ethics and ongoing continuing education opportunities. Keep these qualifications in mind as you think of questions you should be asking your personal trainer.

Personal trainer requirements typically include a high school diploma, although a degree in fitness or health-related studies may be preferred by employers (via the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Gyms and fitness centers usually only employ personal trainers who are credentialed. Fitness instructors may also sometimes pursue specific certification for specialized areas like yoga. Certification exams cover human physiology, exercise technique, fitness assessment and monitoring, and safety (via NASM). First aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED) training are also typically required for certification. Depending on the certifying body or specialization, apprenticeship or training hours may also be needed. 

You might be surprised to learn that although personal trainers have actually only been around since the 20th century, the job has ancient roots. According to the Australian Institute of Personal Trainers, the earliest records of some form of personal training are wall drawings found in an Egyptian funeral chapel that date back to around 4,500 years ago. Archaeological evidence indicates that weightlifting was common during the early Greek period. Galen the physician developed systematic strength training and early isometric exercises to improve athletic prowess during the 2nd century, A.D. It was not until the 20th century, however, that modern fitness programs and physical education became a part of life. Initially, however, the industry focused on bodybuilders and military training. 

World War II had led to fitness research, including that done at the Harvard Fatigue Laboratory (via the CDC). In 1954, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) was formed with the intent to promote increased American fitness (via the University of New Mexico). In the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy invested in the development of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. Dr. Ken H. Cooper, known as the father of modern fitness, then introduced the concept of aerobics in 1968, emphasizing exercise as a preventative health tool. His ideas established the basis for our modern concepts of fitness training. The 1980s then saw trends like Jazzercise, Nautilus, and a proliferation of fitness classes, gym chains, and fitness industry certifications (via U.S. News). Today, personal training is a commonly recognized trade.

Personal trainers are not nutrition experts. Beyond general nutrition info, they should not offer diet tips or meal plans without additional certifications or training. Although the National Federation of Personal Trainers states that discussing basic nutritional needs and healthy lifestyle aspects of an exercise regimen falls within the scope of practice of a personal trainer, even a certified personal trainer should not ever offer what might be considered medical advice or restrictions. A personal trainer should also not provide dietary advice, or recommend supplements, diets, meal plans, or information on food portioning or timing.

The exception to this rule would be if a personal trainer has also earned additional credentials in this area, for example as a dietitian, weight loss specialist, or Certified Nutrition Coach. A trainer who is also certified as a nutrition coach is qualified to offer more detailed education on the nutritional content of foods, behavior modification, and to coach you on making nutritional changes for improved fitness. Like becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, these certifications require study, an exam, and ongoing education. It's important to check professional qualifications closely before accepting diet-related advice from a fitness professional. 

The best trainers can adapt training to suit a variety of needs (via NFPT). Anyone can benefit from personal training if the trainer adapts workout plans appropriately. Luckily, the fitness world is evolving to be more inclusive of people with all types of bodies and ability levels. Advocacy organizations like the Christopher & Dan Reeve Foundation say that fitness and health practices should be easily accessible for anyone who wants to pursue them. The organization points out that adaptive fitness does not mean a trainer just saying, "Do what you can." Adaptive Fitness "is a workout one can do, period. A workout that can be adapted to meet anyone's needs." Whether you are navigating pregnancy, injury recovery, disability, or fitness limitation of another kind, a good personal trainer can create solutions to help you pursue your goals in a way that works for your unique body. (At times you may find a trainer who cannot or will not adapt training to your ability level, but know that you should find a new personal trainer if this happens.)

The Adaptive Training Foundation (ATF) was created by former NFL player David Vobora and Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, a veteran and quadruple amputee. After training together, the pair decided to channel their passion for adaptive training into creating an organization to bridge the transition from physical rehabilitation into adaptive sport fitness. "We are now accrediting our adaptive training philosophy to train trainers all over the country how to serve these 40 million+ Americans living with a disability," Vobora told Authority Magazine. "The world doesn't need more gyms. It needs more trainers and facilities to open their doors to serving and including this population."

New research is showing what weight training can do for your life as you age. The CDC reports that benefits for the aging population include increase in muscle mass, improved general physical function, improved bone health, blood pressure and insulin regulation, among other benefits. According to The New York Times, an August 2022 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that while aerobic exercise or strength training is associated with lower mortality risk, doing both is correlated with an even lower risk. The large study, which followed 416,420 surveyed between 1997 and 2014, is the latest addition to a growing body of research highlighting the power of strength training in relation to health and longevity. After researchers adjusted for age, gender, education, income, health, and marital status, they found that those who engaged in one to two weekly strength training sessions a week had a 40% lower mortality risk than those who engaged in no exercise at all.

Luckily, some personal trainer professional organizations like NASM now offer specific certifications for safely and effectively working with senior populations so that the aging can benefit from these positive outcomes.

Many trainers offer house calls or virtual training. Renting business space is costly, and the pandemic has lent itself to more virtual options. According to Forbes, the COVID-19 pandemic caused downloads of leading fitness apps to increase by a striking 84% from 2019 to 2020. Virtual training can offer a number of benefits. For instance, it can allow you to fit an exercise session into your schedule more easily, give you more abundant options than the gym class schedule, and offers a chance for you to work out in private, which might be desirable if you find a group atmosphere intimidating (via Fitness First).

You also don't need to worry about paying for expensive gym memberships or equipment. Instead, your trainer can teach you the best workouts that you can do without going to the gym. "COVID impacted my business a lot. I actually had to switch all of my clients to online, so I started training from my basement on an iPad," NASM-Cerified Personal Trainer and private gym owner Heather West Matthews explained to Health Digest. "I was worried about the lack of equipment that we could use training people on that iPad from their house, and actually we found out we could easily get a great workout in with every client using little to no equipment at all. You think you need to go to a gym, you convince yourself that you need dumbbells, kettlebells, whatever. You really don't need anything. You can do a great workout on your kitchen floor and that's what we learned from COVID."