Becoming a Personal Trainer - anyone done this?

[Mamarunner]

Hello, I'm currently a SAHM to 2 little boys - aged 2 and about to be 4. I've been at home since just before number 2 was born and resigned from my local government job after my mat leave (wanted to be at home with them/childcare too expensive/job too boring etc.) but now they are getting through the baby phase and money is getting a bit tight, I am toying with what to do. I will need to do something soon for financial reasons but I'd also like to get doing something for me and would quite like to take the opportunity to get out of office work and do something different - which is where the personal trainer idea comes in.

I'd be really interested to hear from anyone else who has gone on to do this after having kids. I am fit, do a fair bit at the gym and run a lot. Pre kids I did 3 marathons and am getting back into doing events now, and health and fitness has always been an interest. In my head I'd like to get the study done, then be able to work for myself, possibly specialising in pre-natal and post-natal women and mums coming back to exercise post kids. Is there anyone with experience who knows how easy this might be? Can it be flexible enough to fit in with the kids and school etc. How hard is the training? Could I start it now or would it be better to wait till DH2 is in pre-school? I have seen a distance learning course with the ptacademy which looks good but not sure which is thought to be the best.

Any advice much appreciated!

[harrowgreen]

I qualified as a PT whilst living in America. I did it through ACSM (and then a group trainer qualification through the ACE). Both highly respected organisations. The qualification was all distance learning (although I had to attend a CPR course in person) and then I booked in for computer exams at a location near me once I was ready.

I'd recommend you go onto the REPs website (Register of Exercise Professionals) and look at which courses they recommend. Don't touch the ones offering 'qualifications' for £100 with a bargepole - they're useless. You must get qualified with someone who is respected and recognised. Another way to approach it is to look at the jobs section of gym chains (David Lloyd etc) and see what qualifications they expect their trainers to have.

The courses I did were generalist ones, and then you can go on and do further specialisations (eg pre/postnatal). REPs lists all these courses. they're done by 'level', and in order to do a level 3 course (specialist) you need a level 2, so it should be obvious how you can start.

HTH