How Did You Become a Personal Trainer?

Personal training isn't the easy job in the world, but it's certainly one of the most rewarding. It's not just about tortur...er...teaching people about exercise, although that is fun. It's also about being a coach, trainer, friend, confidant and therapist all rolled into one. One of the hardest parts of training is, first, making the decision to become a trainer in the first place, especially if you have a whole other as-far-from-fitness-as-you-can-get career (like I did). Then there's the certification business to figure out and, of course finding a job. All of that can be confusing, something many readers confess when they ask me about becoming a personal trainer.

I try to help people out as much as I can, but who better to help others than experienced, seasoned personal trainers themselves? If you're a trainer, how did you brave the wild world of personal training and find success? Share your story in our new interactive form and tell us how and why you became a personal trainer. What advice do you have for others out there who are thinking of taking the plunge?

More About Becoming a Trainer