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Trained for fitness
With an increasing consciousness to be fit and healthy, more and more people are hitting the gym these days, leading to a growing need for fitness trainers
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ALL of us, at some point or the other, aspire to have that perfect body. What most of us don't realise is the amount of hard work this entails. A personal trainer helps you achieve goals right from burning fat, toning or adding muscle, building strength, increasing flexibility or improving your cardiovascular health. A career in personal training is a good option today, since it has an enticing combination of flexible work hours and a good pay packet.
REQUIREMENTS
According to" Rajesh Sangodkar,a personal trainer with Talwalkar's Gym, the qualifications of the trainer are extremely important. "Personal trainers should be technically sound. Besides, they should have a pleasant personality, good communication skills and be fit," he adds. Agrees Munira, "A personal trainer should have sufficient knowledge of his subject. He should also have good interpersonal skills and enough confidence to give clients the results they expect." Often clients expect results overnight, and the trainer must be professional enough to be able to assure his clients that the outcome will eventually show.
21-year-old Alisha, who has' been training under a personal trainer for the last three years believes that the trainer should have the ability to evoke a sense of motivation and trust in his/ her client. "Unless your trainer keeps . encouraging you eyery time you think of giving up, he will never be able to produce good results."
QUALIFICATIONS
It is essential for fitness trainers to be qualified from a reputed institute, but many gyms in India do not adhere to this practice. Says Alisha, "Before hiring a personal trainer,l visited various gyms and was surprised to find
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that many do not have quality trainers. Some were not even aware of basic training programmes." Niessha
Bubna, a certified personal trainer reveals, "Being well trained is very important. One cannot afford to make any mistakes since one is dealing with human bodies." Niessha, who has various qualifications from institutes such as Reebok, Asian Heart Institute and others, opines, "People go to such trainers because they're cheaper, but they don't realise the harmful repercussions of not exercising properly."
Informs Munira, "A formal recognised degree teaches you scientifically. Besides, training a client is not just about lifting weights or knowing how to move your body. A lot more effort goes into achieving results, which a trainer can only learn through formal training." The fact remains that the reputation of the gym and the trainer takes a severe beating every time there is an injury to a client.
EARNING POTENTIAL
With the spurt in the demand for personal trainers, the sky is the limit when it comes to the profitability of this career. The more qualified you are, the more scope you have of earning big bucks. It is entirely possible for a personal trainer to freelance. A personal trainer in a gym generally earns a fixed salary with incentives. It can range anywhere from Rs 8,000 to 10,000 and with incentives, can even go up to Rs 20,000 a month. On the other hand, a freelance personal trainer's earnings are based on his slots. A good freelancer can earn up to Rs 500 per hour. So for all those who enjoy staying in shape, personal training is a career option where you could extend your passion for fitness, to benefit others and make a 'healthy' living while you are about it.
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