Book excerpt: Love helping other people improve their physical fitness? Become a certified trainer, start your own business, and grow your client base with this user-friendly and practical guide Want to turn your passion for fitness into a lucrative career? Each year, more than 5 million Americans use personal trainers to take their workouts to the next level—and this plain-English guide shows you how to get in on the action. Whether you want a part-time job at the gym or a full-time personal training business, you’ll find the practical, proven advice you need in Becoming a Personal Trainer For Dummies. If you want to become a certified personal trainer and start your own business—or if you’re a certified trainer looking to grow your existing practice—you’re in the right place. This practical guide has a thorough overview of what it takes to get certified and run a successful business, complete with expert tips that help you: Find your training niche Study for and pass certification exams Attract, keep, and motivate clients Interview, hire, and manage employees Update your training skills Expand your services A user-friendly guide with unique coverage of personal trainer certification programs, Becoming a Personal Trainer For Dummies includes tips on selecting the right program and meeting the requirements. You’ll learn to develop your training identity as well as practice invaluable skills that will make you a great personal trainer. Inside you’ll discover how to: Choose the right fitness equipment, for you and your clients Create a business plan, a record-keeping system, and a marketing campaign Perform fitness assessments Develop individualized exercise programs Advance your clients to the next fitness level Manage legal issues and tax planning Train clients with special needs Complete with ten ideas to expand your services (such as adding workshops or selling equipment or apparel) and a list of professional organizations and resources, Becoming a Personal Trainer For Dummies gives you the tools you need to be the best personal trainer you can be. Grab your own copy to get the most out of this fun, fabulous career.