Stress is an inevitable part of life. Seven out of ten adults in the United States say they experience stress or anxiety daily, and most say it interferes at least moderately with their lives, according to the most recent ADAA survey on stress and anxiety disorders. When the American Psychological Association surveyed people in 2008, more people reported physical and emotional symptoms due to stress than they did in 2007, and nearly half reported that their stress has increased in the past year.
It’s impossible to eliminate, but you can learn to manage stress, and most people usually do. According to a recent ADAA online poll, some 14 percent of people make use of regular exercise to cope with stress. Others reported talking to friends or family (18 percent); sleeping (17 percent); watching movies or TV (14 percent), as well as eating (14 percent) and listening to music (13 percent).
While all of these are well-known coping techniques, exercise may be the one most recommended by health care professionals. And among ADAA poll takers who exercise, a healthy percentage is already on the right track: Walking (29 percent), running (20 percent), and yoga (11 percent) are their preferred strategies.
Many people know working out plays a big role in physical health, but it can also have a huge impact on mental well-being as well.
Research shows regular exercise can relieve stress, reduce depression and improve cognitive function, enhancing one’s ability to better take life in stride. A recent survey by Stress In America ™ uncovered that over one-third of adults (37 percent) report exercising less than once a week, or not at all.
Today, nearly one in twelve adults in the U.K. deals with depression. With October being National Depression Awareness Month, below are a few tips for improving your mental health through physical exercise.
If you are passionate about sports and enjoy helping others achieve their goals, consider to become a personal trainer. This is one of the fastest growing professions and for good reason: personal trainers have flexible schedules, do what they like and inspire to be in the best of shape.
Develop the skills and mindset of a personal trainer
Make sure you can take action. Personal trainers are responsible for training their clients in good physical condition and self-determination. To be effective, personal trainers must demonstrate that they are themselves masters in the matter during their life. Since you plan to become a personal trainer, ask yourself these questions:
Are you at your peak? In their personal trainers, customers are looking for examples of what it means to be fit and healthy. Even the very best coaches and mentors may have trouble finding clients if they do not look good. This does not mean that we must respect the immutable standards of physical beauty; each body type is different and being “fit” means different things to different people. But personal trainers must be able to show a multitude of exercises and train as hard as their clients – or more – to help them succeed.
Do you believe in the power of sport and fitness? Personal trainers do not just train because they want to stay slim. They consider fitness as a powerful force that improves people’s lives. It is this strong conviction in their work that allows personal trainers to be so motivating for others.
Have a good knowledge of human anatomy.
The best personal trainers have a great knowledge of how the human body works. This is a big responsibility: giving clients inappropriate advice about their physical abilities can cause harm, which can sometimes be serious. Customers also work with weight machines and machines that could hurt them if they are not used properly. Personal trainers learn a lot during the courses of their degree program, but it is important that they take an interest in the body and the needs of people individually to understand how to help them be in shape as much as possible while remaining secure.
Develop your leadership skills.
Personal trainers must be inspiring, trustworthy, thoughtful leaders. After all, they accompany their clients during exercise sessions that can cause pain, frustration and sometimes tears. The coaches encourage their clients to stay focused on their goals and share their joy and satisfaction at having achieved them.
Hire a personal trainer.
To truly understand the trainer/client relationship, hire a coach to help you with your own sports goals. Pay attention to the evolution of the relationship with him/her and to the traits that make him or her effective in his / her job. Each personal trainer has a different style: some behave like camp instructors and others have a soft and intimate approach. Think about the approach you would take if you were the sports coach.
Choose a specialty.
The personal coaching market is very competitive and one way to differentiate yourself is to choose a specialty and to have a complementary degree. For example, you can find a learning program to work with children or people with special needs, so that you can expand your clientele.
Put a plan in place.
While following your training, consider the type of environment that would be best for you. Gain experience in your field by working in multiple centers in positions that do not require a degree.
Many fitness centers/gyms hire people without a degree as “ground coaches”. To encourage their coaches to work for them, some fitness centers/gyms pay for their diploma training. Call your favorite centers to find out if they offer this type of program.
Find a Job at fitness center/ gym.
Look at the job listings in your area or even better, pick up your phone and call the centers. If you are already a member of a center, inform the administration that you wish to become a personal trainer.
Most coaches start their careers working in fitness centers, even if their intention is to start their own business. Fitness centers offer the credibility you need when you start in the business. They also give you the opportunity to learn alongside other personal trainers and practice with a steady stream of new clients.
Compared to being self-employed, the downside of working for a fitness center is that it punctures a significant portion of the money you earn. However, good fitness centers have understood their interest in having personal trainers and therefore offer them social benefits