Personal training certifications are essential.

They:

• make you legal

• give you baseline knowledge

• protect the industry

But they don’t prepare you for success.

And that’s not a criticism — it’s a reality check.

Information vs Execution

Certifications focus on declarative knowledge:

• anatomy

• physiology

• exercise definitions

What they don’t teach is execution:

• how to coach real people

• how to sell services

• how to handle objections

• how to adapt on the fly

Knowing what GLUT4 transporters are doesn’t help if your client won’t show up.

Textbooks vs Real Humans

Textbooks show:

• ideal squat mechanics

• perfect deadlifts

• clean movement patterns

Real clients bring:

• different limb lengths

• injuries

• fear

• low confidence

Competence is knowing how to adapt — not recite definitions.

Why New Trainers Feel Lost

Most trainers graduate with:

• knowledge of what things are

• no experience in making things happen

This creates imposter syndrome:

“I know this… but I can’t apply it.”

That’s not failure — it’s lack of reps.

Everything in PT Is a Skill

Being a personal trainer is a collection of skills:

• coaching

• communication

• selling

• objection handling

• energy management

• taking payment

Skills are built through repetition + feedback, not reading alone.

The Start / Stop / Continue Framework

One of the fastest ways to improve is post-session reflection:

• What went well?

• What didn’t?

• What should I start, stop, or continue doing?

This turns every session into education.

Why Hiring a Trainer Is One of the Smartest Moves

Hiring a coach early:

• shows you what good coaching feels like

• clarifies your own values

• accelerates technical development

You learn:

• what to model

• what to discard

• how you want to coach

Competence is built inside the gym, not inside the textbook.

Final Thought

Your certification did its job:

• it made you legal

Now it’s your job to become competent.

That happens:

• session by session

• rep by rep

• day by day