Can anyone become a bodybuilder?

Yes, anyone can become a bodybuilder. While genetic factors may play a role in determining an individual's potential, bodybuilding is a sport that can be pursued by individuals of various backgrounds and starting points. While some individuals may have a natural advantage in terms of muscle development or body composition, anyone can work towards improving their physique through focused training and disciplined lifestyle choices.

Why do you want to work at a gym?

"I want to work at a gym because I have a strong passion for both fitness and wellness, I thoroughly enjoy helping others achieve their exercise and health goals, and I like the sense of community and social interaction that comes with working at a gym" is a good answer to this interview question.

How To Become A Personal Fitness Trainer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a personal fitness trainer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Greg Brown

Personal fitness trainers provide personalized training programs to their clients, helping them achieve their fitness goals in the healthiest and most efficient way possible. They usually work in gyms, but may also provide private services to celebrities, athletes, and other VIP clients.

The work duties of a personal fitness trainer revolve around assessing clients' fitness levels, creating training programs, conducting training sessions, and evaluating client progress. They also provide nutrition education to clients to help them eat and hydrate themselves properly at home.

The best way to become a personal fitness trainer is to get certified as a personal trainer through a recognized program like NFPT or NETA. One can also gain additional credentials by taking online courses on personal fitness training, sports nutrition, and bodybuilding. Of course, a personal fitness trainer must also walk the talk and be physically fit. The salary of an average fitness trainer is around $39,000 per year. Trainers for professional athletes or celebrities, however, can make upwards of $50,000 or even more than six digits if they are highly experienced.

What general advice would you give to a personal fitness trainer?

Greg Brown

Professor , Dept. of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, University of Nebraska - Kearney

A lot of undergraduate students in Kinesiology are planning to move on to post-graduate education in allied health (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Athletic Training, etc.) so their career advice will come from those allied health professionals. For those students going into a career right out of their undergraduate program, typically in the health and fitness industry (e.g. personal training, strength & conditioning, health coaching, corporate wellness), they need to keep an eye on budding trends in the industry and not jump on the latest fad. Basically, a trend is something that is new or innovative that also has staying power and will still be viable in a few years. Fads often seem too good to be true and only last a short time before fading away. Think of wearable technology as a trend while Tae Bo was more of a fad.

ScorePersonal Fitness TrainerUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,198

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.4

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 7.05%

Hispanic or Latino 10.64%

Unknown 5.40%

White 71.31%

Gender

female 42.17%

male 57.83%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a personal fitness trainer

Explore personal fitness trainer education requirements

Most common personal fitness trainer degrees

Bachelor's

64.0 %

Associate

15.9 %

Master's

7.7 %

Start to develop specific personal fitness trainer skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	25.91%
Program Design	13.05%
Customer Service	10.61%
Group Training	7.01%
Cleanliness	6.43%

Complete relevant personal fitness trainer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New personal fitness trainers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a personal fitness trainer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real personal fitness trainer resumes.

Gain additional personal fitness trainer certifications

Personal fitness trainer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific personal fitness trainer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for personal fitness trainers include Certified Personal Trainer and Advanced Personal Training Certification (APT).

More About Certifications

Research personal fitness trainer duties and responsibilities

Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
Certify in basic CPR and emergency first aid.
Adhere to NASM and or NSCA conditioning standards.
Lead various group fitness exercises base on AFAA and NETA guidelines.

Prepare your personal fitness trainer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your personal fitness trainer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a personal fitness trainer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable personal fitness trainer resume templates

Build a professional personal fitness trainer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your personal fitness trainer resume.

Apply for personal fitness trainer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a personal fitness trainer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do personal fitness trainers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Personal fitness trainer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023

Cons

Running out of time to help obtain a clean and safe environment in the gym

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

No punching a time clock. Ability to set own hours - although you’ll make more if you are flexible with client availabilities. Rewarding helping others get healthier and seeing the positive outcomes in their fitness/health.