Personal Training Schools in Louisiana - LA
Louisiana has a great need for physical training. 64 percent of adults and 36 percent of children in Louisiana are overweight or obese, according to the Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention and Management. A 2006 report said that nearly a third of the state’s residents did not exercise at all. Fortunately, the barriers to performing safe and effective exercise as well as becoming a Personal Trainer in Louisiana are low. Louisiana personal training courses will get you started in this vital component of the fitness industry.
Louisiana has neither a state accrediting body nor a statewide organization of Personal Trainers. However, the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association focuses on related positions, such as Sports Medicine specialists or Strength and Conditioning Coaches in schools and universities. LATA helps members navigate Louisiana statutes, which require that Athletic Trainers receive certification from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. The American Medical Association considers Athletic Trainers to be in the health care field, whereas Personal Trainers are defined by the Department of Labor as Fitness Workers.
Personal Trainers in Louisiana are not covered by the state Athletic Trainers law and are not required to meets its certification requirements. However, in order to find a job at a health club, or to attract clients through an independent Personal Training business, a degree, certifications and continuing education courses serve as both self-marketing tools and a means to keep abreast of changing knowledge about kinesiology, exercise and fitness.
For the year ending in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted a 2.7 percent decline in leisure and hospitality jobs in Louisiana. The long-term prospect is better, and the Bureau anticipates a 27 percent growth in employment in the fitness industry in general.
Advancement Opportunities for Personal Trainers in Louisiana
One career path, noted above, is to help certify other Personal Trainers by becoming an Exam Processor. As an entrepreneur, a Personal Trainer might hire other Trainers and manage a small business, or open a gym. In a high school or university setting, Personal Trainers may find opportunities to teach their skills to others, or to sit on the administration of an Athletics, Sports Medicine or Kinesiology department.
A few Personal Trainers may even find a job working directly with athletes on a college or professional sports team. (The New Orleans Saints employ four athletic trainers; the Hornets have one.) In a health club, Personal Training may be a step towards a management position in the club.
Continuing Education for Personal Trainers in Louisiana
As there are not any state requirements for Personal Training certification in Louisiana, there are also no requirements for recertification. However, enhancing your resume and skills is an important career advancement tool and there are many opportunities to do so.
Certificates are available in areas such as handling nutrition needs or injuries as well as teaching group exercise, Pilates, yoga, golf strength, water aerobics and weight training. Trainers employed at a health club can sometimes take classes through the club itself, but online certification is widely available and economical. These certifications are earned largely through independent study, which makes the point that keeping healthy is as much about exercising your brain as your body.
Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Personal Trainers in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, CHRISTUS Schumpert Saint Mary Place, and Ochsner Medical Center.