How to Become a Fitness Trainer in Ohio
Fitness trainer education programs in Ohio can prepare students for jobs as personal trainers or fitness instructors, according to Education-Portal.com. Certification is a minimum requirement to become a fitness trainer, but most employers look for individuals who have at least a bachelor's degree. Employment of fitness workers such as trainers is projected to climb 29 percent through 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average fitness trainer salary in Ohio cities such as Cincinnati in 2010 was about $43,000, according to the Economic Research Institute. Just a few steps can help you to become a fitness trainer in Ohio.
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Instructions
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Take high school courses in biology. Biology is the foundation of the medical knowledge you need when pursuing a fitness trainer college degree in Ohio, according to CollegeBoard.com. Also, take courses in speech, English and drama to enhance your communication skills for speaking with doctors and athletes as an Ohio fitness trainer. You also should shadow your school's athletic trainer and join a sports team or club to get more athletic experience.
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Look for a fitness trainer program in Ohio that meets your needs. Decide whether you want to focus on a specialty area, such as Pilates or yoga, or whether you want to become a certified personal trainer or group instructor. Then, look at programs such as those in nutrition/health, fitness, exercise science, physical education, kinesiology or health promotion. Also, look to see if the program's facilities have modern equipment. Programs in Ohio that prepare you to become a fitness trainer include Mount Union College in Alliance, and Youngstown State University in Youngstown, which offer bachelor's degree programs in exercise science. Ohio University in Athens also offers an exercise physiology bachelor's degree program.
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Apply to the Ohio fitness trainer program of your choice. This might require completing an undergraduate application, submitting an official high school transcript and submitting proof of taking the American College Test or Scholastic Aptitude Test, with higher scores making you more competitive for admission. You also might have to show that you passed all sections of the Ohio Graduation Test as an Ohio resident.
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Be prepared to take a wide range of courses on topics such as nutrition, fitness assessment, functional flexibility and biomechanics. Ohio exercise science degree programs will teach you testing and measurements in fitness as well as the effects of physical activity on children and adults. An exercise physiology degree program in Ohio also includes courses on human anatomy, the physiology of exercise and applied kinesiology. Classes also should teach you how to work with a wide variety of clients when designing safe and effective exercise prescriptions and conducting individual exercise programs.
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Look for a fitness trainer internship for practical training experience in this field. These internships could be at Ohio public and private fitness clubs, hospital-based wellness programs, corporate wellness programs and even clinical rehabilitation programs. Then, complete certification examinations offered by organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Next, look for Ohio fitness trainer jobs. Jobs for fitness trainers are more common, relative to the population, in towns such as Lima, Toledo and Springfield than in other parts of the state of Ohio, according to CityTownInfo.com.
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- Photo Credit fitness equipment image by Sunshine Photos from Fotolia.com
