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If you want to be a personal trainer for children, you need to be appropriately trained. This ensures the safety of the children you train.
When most people think of becoming a fitness trainer, they think of training adults. Yet there is a market available for training kids. However, training kids is undoubtedly different than training adults. Read more to discover what kids’ fitness training is like.
What is a kids’ fitness trainer?
Kids' fitness training is quite different than adult fitness training. Kids require special modifications to their training because they are in their growing years and their physiological systems are changing constantly.
Children need at least an hour of vigorous physical activity. This activity should be enjoyable and suitable for children. Professionals recommend that children as young as six engage in regular strength training with weights. Weight training has been found to help children stay at a healthy weight. Weight training also improves kids' skeletal and joint development and gives a boost to their sports performance.
Some things to consider when training children are:
- Children’s internal heating systems are not as developed as adults. Make sure that any child who is exercising is in a moderate temperature and is very well hydrated.
- Children who are overweight may not be able to do 60 minutes of activity when they start out. Be patient with them.
- Work to develop speed, motor skills, and coordination.
- Obtain written consent from a child’s legal guardian or parent before you create a fitness plan for a child.
- Make the training plan exciting and fun for the child. Fitness through games or fun activities is the best way to go.
- Children's maturation and physical growth are different from those of an adult. They will not be able to do the same exercises as adults.
- Think about the coordination and physical control of the specific child you are training; it varies from child to child.
- Kids' posture will have different specifications based on their age and changes to their body during puberty.
- Children’s lungs have different capacities. They will not be able to endure the same amount of stress or cardiovascular activity as adults.
What do I need to do to become a personal trainer?
If you want to be a personal trainer for children, you need to be appropriately trained. This ensures the safety of the children you train. It will also help parents trust you.
The first step is to get either a related associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Related areas of study are:
These degrees will teach you about the body and how exercise affects the body. You will have a solid foundation on which to build your personal training. Once you are finished with your associate’s or bachelor’s degree, seek an accredited personal training program. Look for personal training programs with classes in:
- Strength and conditioning
- Exercise therapy
- Nutrition
- Exercise physiology
- First aid
- Biomechanics
- Kinesiology
In conclusion
Training children is different than training adults. Their bodies, brains, and general disposition are so distinct that you need to learn a lot about sports, sports medicine, and fitness in relation to children to properly coach them. Additionally, you will be interfacing with the children's parents as well as the children. In order to be a successful children’s trainer, part of your job is developing the parent’s confidence in your abilities. The more education you have, the better.
You will need to make your fitness plans fun for the children. Being a children’s trainer will involve listening and creativity. Depending on a child’s age, you may need to find new places to train or buy new fitness equipment. You will also need to continually make sure children are comfortable with the plans you lay out.