Becoming a Personal Trainer For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	How This Book Is Organized
		Part 1: Shaping Up to Be a Personal Trainer
		Part 2: Becoming a Successful Personal Trainer
		Part 3: Putting the Personal into Personal Training
		Part 4: Growing Your Personal Training Business
		Part 5: The Part of Tens
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Shaping Up to Be a Personal Trainer
	Chapter 1 Introducing the World of Personal Training
		Determining Whether You and Personal Training Are a Good Fit
			Defining the role of a personal trainer
			Knowing what skills you need
			Assessing your skills
		Hitting the Books: Getting Certified
		Getting Started
			Creating your plan of attack
			Personal trainer for hire: Getting work
			Building your base
		Performing Your Art
			Making a great first impression
			Evaluating your client
			Establishing a program for your client
			Conducting a training session
			Staying in touch
		Our Little Trainer’s All Grown Up! Growing Your Business
			Preparing for growth
			Adding additional income streams
			Duplicating yourself
			Maintaining consistency within your business
	Chapter 2 Getting Certified
		Finding Your Niche
			Considering the possibilities
			Deciding which client group you’re best suited for
		Becoming Certified
			Knowing your ABCs: The personal training alphabet
			Choosing a certification
		Preparing for the Test
			Understanding the exams
			Making the grade
		Maintaining Your Certification
	Chapter 3 Building Your Skills
		Getting the Scoop from Those in the Know
			Interning
			Apprenticing
			Shadowing other trainers
			Training to train
			Taking advantage of other learning opportunities
		Finding Folks to Practice On (Or, Getting Your Family and Friends to Jump When You Say Jump)
		Training Yourself
			Practicing what you preach
			Demonstrating your professional skills
	Chapter 4 Planning Your Start
		Assessing Your Lifestyle Needs
		Being Your Own Boss
			Figuring out if you have what it takes
			Understanding the pros and cons of going it alone
			Trading spaces: Finding a place to train your clients
		Working the 5 to 9
			Knowing whether you’re the ideal employee
			Identifying the pros and cons of being an employee
			Picking from the job jar
			Evaluating potential workplaces
			Getting hired
Part 2 Becoming a Successful Personal Trainer
	Chapter 5 Creating Your Business Plan
		Developing a Road Map for Success
			Sounds like a plan to me: Writing your business plan
			Developing your mission statement
			Researching your market
			Selecting a location
		Deciding How Much to Charge
		To Market, to Market: Getting the Word Out about Your Services
			You versus the competition: Knowing what sets you apart from the crowd
			Developing a marketing plan
		Doing the Math: Projecting Your Income and Expenses
			Estimating expenses
			Projecting income
	Chapter 6 Setting Up Shop
		A Little Help from Your Friends: Forming Your Support System
			Drafting your professional team
			Someone to look up to: Mentors
			Building your network
			Networking with your peers
		Structuring Your Business
			Sole proprietorship
			Partnership
			Corporation
			Limited liability corporation
		Getting Registered and IDed (Even if You’re Over 21)
			Employer Identification Number
			Business license
			Certificate of occupancy
			Fictitious business name
		A Rose Is More than a Rose: Naming Your Business
			Playing the name game
			Marking your territory: The trademark
		Image Is Everything: Creating Your Look
			Branding that works
			Giving your logo some color
	Chapter 7 Developing Sound Business Practices
		Crossing Your T’s and Dotting Your I’s: Legal Forms for Your Business
			Disclaimer and informed-consent form
			Incident-report form
			Liability waiver form
		Going with the Flow: Determining in What Order to Conduct Your Business
			SOPs and Systems: Maintaining a well-oiled machine
			Every step you take, every move you make . . .: Keeping track of everything you and your client do
		Putting Policies in Place
			Setting a payment policy
			Show me the money: Collecting fees
			Billing your clients
			Determining a cancellation policy
		Maintaining Records
			Understanding why records rock
			Keeping the books
			Developing an accounting method
		The Tax Man Cometh
			Computing your estimated tax
			Knowing when to pay
			Filling out the forms
			Saving for taxes
		Tracking Your Clients
			Creating client forms
			Putting together a client file
			Maintaining client files
	Chapter 8 Flexing Your Marketing Muscles
		Ready, Aim . . . Focusing on Your Target
			Developing a specialty
			Targeting your market
		The Power of Publicity: Spreading the Word about Your Services
			Breaking the news
			Sitting for an interview
			Going to the head of the class: Giving free seminars or webinars
		Reaching Your Clients through Referrals
			Earning referrals
			Getting referrals from other people whose recommendations count
			Turning referrals into clients
		Marketing on a Shoestring
			Establishing your internet presence
			Donating your services
			Putting it in print
	Chapter 9 Retaining Your Clientele
		Keepin’ It Real: Putting Fitness within Your Clients’ Reach
			Knowing who you’re dealing with
			Coaching your clients
			Setting your clients up for success
		Motivating Your Clients
			Being a role model
			Changing up the program
			Providing positive reinforcement
			Following up for follow-through
		Getting Connected: Fostering Good Relationships with Your Clients
			Knowing when to listen and when to talk
			Say this, not that
			Respecting your clients’ privacy
		Resolving Conflicts and Addressing Concerns
			Figuring out what went wrong
			Acknowledging your mistakes
			Making things right
		Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Setting Your Client Free
			Time to spread your wings and fly
			It’s not you, it’s me
Part 3 Putting the Personal into Personal Training
	Chapter 10 Getting to Know You: Performing Initial Consultations
		Hello, My Name Is . . .
			Polishing your “netiquette”
			Figuring out what you’re going to say
			Building credibility . . . fast!
			Qualifying a potential client
			Knowing what to say before you hang up or hit send
			Sending a follow-up email the same day
		Getting to Know You: Preparing to Meet for the First Time
			Making a good first impression
			Being prepared
		Conducting the Initial Consultation
			Setting the tone
			Reviewing the client’s health and medical history
			Learning about a day in the life of your potential client
			Identifying your client’s goals and reasons why
			Discussing your client’s exercise history
		Before You Say Goodbye
			Outlining solutions that will meet your prospect’s goals
			Explaining your prospect’s options
			Requiring a physician’s release
			Setting the stage for the first appointment
	Chapter 11 The First Session: Performing the Fitness Assessment
		Prepping the Client
			Introducing the tools of your trade
			Explaining the purpose of assessments
			Using rate of perceived exertion scales
		Recording Baseline Measurements
			Taking your client’s resting heart rate
			Measuring your client’s blood pressure
			Measuring body composition
		Assessing Your Client’s Fitness
			Run, don’t walk: Testing cardiovascular endurance
			Stretch marks: Testing flexibility
			Testing muscular strength and endurance
			The weakest link: Uncovering asymmetries and identifying poor movement patterns
		Discussing the Results with Your Client
		Referring to a Professional in Your Network if Necessary
	Chapter 12 Before We Meet Again: Planning the Program
		Get with the Program: Considering Your Client’s Programming Needs
			Understanding your client’s goals
			Location, location, location: Knowing where your client will be exercising
			Knowing what equipment your client will (or won’t) be using
			We’ve got your number: Considering how many sessions your client has purchased
			Keeping injuries and medical conditions in mind
		Using Assessment Results to Create a Baseline Program
		Aerobic Exercise Programming
			Choosing the proper training mode
			Choosing the best aerobic training method
			Determining working intensity
			Specifying exercise frequency
			Designating duration
		Creating a Strength Program
			Choosing the exercises
			Specifying how often your client will work out
			Determining the order of the exercises
			Planning sets, reps, and rest
			Setting the starting weight
	Chapter 13 Taking Your Client through the First Workout
		Checking Up So Your Client Doesn’t Check Out
			Asking the right questions
			Explaining what will happen during the first session
		So Hot It’s Cool: Warming Up the Client
			Showing them what’s what
			Providing constructive feedback
			Letting your client do it on their own
		Going for the Stretch
			Before the workout
			After the workout
		Now for the Main Event: Exercising Your Client
			Strong but not silent: Teaching strength exercises
			Getting feedback
		Cooling Down and Recovering from the Workout
	Chapter 14 Choosing Exercises and Teaching Your Beginning Client
		Program Design Basics
			Focusing on your client’s goals
			Considering your client’s abilities
		Movement Patterns
			Matching exercises to movement patterns
			Keeping it simple
		Choosing Exercises
			Your client’s experience level
			Your client’s fitness level
		Tailoring the Program with Progressions and Regressions
	Chapter 15 Taking Your Client to the Next Level
		Taking the Next Step
			Ch-ch-ch-changes: Knowing when to change it up
			Patience, grasshopper
			Providing direction for clients you see less often
		Strengthening Your Strength Techniques
			Strength-training routines
			Advanced training techniques
			See Spot run: Spotting techniques
		Let’s Get Physical: Progressing Your Client’s Cardio Program
			The FITT-VP principle
			Introducing your client to interval training
Part 4 Growing Your Personal Training Business
	Chapter 16 Preparing for Growth: Automating and Documenting Your Workflow
		Planning for Growth
			Thinking strategically
			Envisioning the end
			Working backward
		Follow the Leader: Creating a System for Others to Follow
			Offering your clients consistent service
			Developing your workflow
			Mapping your workflow
		Writing Job Descriptions
		Charting Your Progress: Creating Your Organizational Chart
		Creating Your Employee Handbook
	Chapter 17 Hiring Additional Staff
		Outsourcing Is In: Hiring Professionals
			Graphic designer
			SEO specialist
			Social media manager
			Handyperson
			Internet service provider
			Payroll service
		Pumping Up Your Ranks: Hiring Other Trainers
			Uncovering where trainers hide out
			Evaluating a trainer’s potential
			Being your own human-resources officer
		Interviewing Potential Employees
			Arranging and setting up interviews
			Conducting the interview
		Payday! Dealing with Compensation
			Developing a pay/commission schedule
			Motivating employees
		Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow: Firing and Laying Off Employees
			Understanding the law
			Documenting disciplinary actions
			Making the break
	Chapter 18 Establishing Your Business Culture
		Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way
			Envisioning your vision and philosophizing on your philosophy
			Living your core values
			Leading by example
			Communicating effectively
			Considering what other people want
			Managing micromanagement
		Higher Education: Encouraging Your Employees to Grow
			Having a growth mindset
			Staying certified
			Creating a learning atmosphere
			Continuing your own education
		Training Your Employees
			Creating a training manual
			Getting your employees up to speed
			It’s show time: Starting new employees in their jobs
			Continuing the training long term
Part 5 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 19 Ten Great Ways to Expand Your Services
		Adding Nutrition Services
		Selling Supplements
		Adding Group Sessions
		Giving Workshops and Seminars
		Adding Massage Services
		Selling Fitness Equipment and Apparel
		Providing Corporate Wellness Services
		Running Challenges or Contests for Members and Non-Members
		Offering Training Programs Without Training Sessions for Advanced Clients
		Offering Other Services
	Chapter 20 Ten Helpful Tools
		Your Mindset
		Your Certification
		Your Online Presence
		Tape Measure
		Foam Roller
		Smartphone
		Resistance Bands
		Adjustable Dumbbells or Kettlebells
		TRX
		Stretching Strap
	Chapter 21 Ten Ways to Be the Best Personal Trainer You Can Be
		Stay In Your Own Lane
		Reserve the Right to Improve
		Be There for Your Clients
		Respect Boundaries
		Under Promise and Over Deliver
		Show Clients You Care
		Always Be On Time
		Dress Professionally
		Never Stop Learning
		Do What You Love, Love What You Do
Index
EULA