ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A COURSE OF YOUR CHOICE.

By:Dr. Amrita Dass, Director, Institute for Career Studies, Lucknow
.Get ready for not only a new body but a whole new life! Whether it’s losing weight, toning up, building muscles, increasing stamina or preparing for a race, workouts and fitness training will help you reach your goals through personalised training. And the people who provide this are called personal trainers. He or she not only helps the client to develop an exercise programme that fits right into his or her life but also, if necessary, advises on the lifestyle changes necessary to keep fit.

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General fitness training works towards broad goals of overall health and well-being, rather than narrow goals of sport competition, larger muscles or concerns over appearance! A regular moderate workout regimen and healthy diet can improve general appearance markers of good health such as muscle tone, skin, hair and nails, while preventing age or lifestyle-related deterioration in health and the series of heart and organ failures that accompany inactivity and poor diet.

Diet itself helps to increase calorie burning by boosting metabolism, a process further enhanced while gaining more lean muscle. An aerobic exercise programme can burn fat and increase the metabolic rate.

What do I have to do?

Fitness trainers train people in different aspects of physical fitness and help them get into shape. They instruct groups or individuals in various exercise routines (weights, aerobics and flexibility training), besides monitoring their progress through methods such as BMI (body mass index) and cardiovascular levels. If required, they also give basic advice on health and nutrition. Fitness trainers demonstrate the correct use of various training apparatus and gadgets such as trampolines, weights and rowing machines. They have extensive knowledge in exercise science, nutrition techniques, health screening and fitness assessment.

There are over 100 different stretches and 40 different warm-up routines for both sports and everyday life, including back care and mobility exercises.

Personal trainers work with a client’s physician and /or therapist to construct an exercise programme as well as keep him or her motivated to follow it. Their training and experience also equip them to design specific programmes for different people — keeping in mind their age, lifestyle and health parameters.

Gyms and health clubs offer a whole variety of exercise routines such as weightlifting, aerobics, karate, kickboxing, spin cycling, yoga or tai chi, thus fitness trainers can choose to specialise in the areas they are comfortable with.

What should I study?

After Plus Two, you could do a bachelors in physical education or a fitness professional training certification programme from an established centre. Physiotherapists may also train as fitness professionals.

Besides a good physique and determination, fitness trainers must have a thorough knowledge of anatomy, diet, nutrition and other health and fitness related matters. Skills in massage therapy, reflexology or accupressure are an asset.

What next?

With greater awareness of fitness and weight management, fitness trainers can find challenging openings in fitness clubs, gyms, hotels, health clubs, spas, tourist resorts and even cruise ships. After gaining some experience, they could start their own fitness centre. Another lucrative option today is to organise workplace wellness and fitness programmes for large companies. Increasingly, companies are laying great emphasis on physical fitness and are offering their employees the facility of a well-equipped company gym where, as a fitness trainer they can advise executives how to stay in good shape.

With gyms and health clubs mushrooming all over the country, the demand for qualified instructors is going up tremendously. This spells good news for those aiming to pursue fitness as their career.

Trainers with the right qualification can teach just about anybody who can pay to be healthy and fit — from hardworking executives to stressed-out CEOs, politicians, the self-conscious student and the middle-aged housewife.

Where to study  in India:

Talwalkars Training Academy, Mumbai.
Reebok Nirvana Fitness Studio, Gurgaon, New Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune.
SAI National Sports East Centre, Salt Lake, Calcutta.
SAI Laxmibai National College of Physical Education, Gwalior.
SAI Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports, Patiala.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)