Personal Trainer Education: How long does it take to become a personal trainer?

If you are passionate about fitness and enjoy guiding people to a healthy lifestyle, becoming a personal trainer might be a perfect career choice for you. Qualified personal trainers can work in many different settings, including gyms, corporate fitness programs, community centers, and their own private studios. But before embarking on this career, it's important to understand how long it takes to become a personal trainer.

The duration of the personal training qualification process varies depending upon the kind of program you choose to pursue. There are many ways to get certified as a personal trainer, including online courses, vocational schools, colleges or universities, professional organizations, and some gyms offer in-house qualification programs.

Online Qualification courses are the quickest and the least costly way to obtain an accredited personal training certification. Depending on your learning pace, this can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Find out more about The LCA's Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training here!

If you choose to enrol in a diploma or certificate program at a vocational school or community college, you are likely to study a variety of topics that prepare you for the Personal Training assessment. This should generally take between 4-6 months.

Another option is pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in exercise science or kinesiology. This choice will cost more but, if you are interested in pursuing the academic route, it typically takes 2-4 years to complete, depending on the program.

In conclusion, becoming a personal trainer can take as little as a few weeks, depending on the program you choose. However, it's important to weigh the time, cost, and quality of the chosen program. While speedy and cheaper certifications might be enticing, it is important to invest the time and money into a high-quality certification. Understanding the effort, it takes to become a personal trainer is the first step in the process of becoming a certified personal trainer. Whatever route you choose to take, know that transforming your personal passion of fitness into a professional career could be the most rewarding decision of your life.