The youth fitness trainer is a professional responsible for helping youth in their physical development and well-being. The fast-paced nature of modern life, characterized by a decline in home-cooked meals and excessive screen time spent on computers, smartphones, and gaming consoles, has contributed to a significant rise in childhood obesity. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the prevalence of overweight and obese children has doubled in the last two decades, with estimates from Pat Sherman, the owner of NPTI Florida, placing this number at around 22 million.
To combat a lack of physical activity, NPTI Florida (Orlando/Tampa) has added a 200-hour Youth Fitness Certification program to educate and train industry Personal Trainers to help children get active and make better lifestyle choices. In fact, according to NBC, nearly one million of America’s youth now rely on personal trainers to get them in shape, lose weight, or improve the ability to play sports. This creates a huge demand for qualified educated youth fitness trainers nationwide. NPTI Florida is leading the industry with accredited youth fitness education.
As a youth fitness trainer at NPTI Florida, your role will involve crafting and executing innovative personal training programs that offer guidance, structure, and techniques to promote a healthier lifestyle. It is essential that the fitness initiatives you create are both safe and developmentally suitable for children’s growing bodies.
The Ideal Youth Fitness Trainer
In addition to being trained at NPTI Florida, you will fit the mold of the ideal Youth Fitness Trainer if:
- Your training programs aim to enhance a child’s self-esteem and foster a sense of belonging.
- You develop enjoyable fitness activities that go beyond typical gym exercises.
- You make it a point to regularly check in on the child’s fitness objectives.
- You collaborate with parents to outline the fitness program and invite their input.
- You emphasize the importance of proper stretching and breathing techniques.
How is Personal Training Different for Children?
Personal trainers who specialize in training our youth know that children require special considerations due to growth and the immaturity of their physiologic regulatory systems. NPTI Florida teaches the fitness standards for children to include at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, half of which should be vigorous.
Who is a Youth Fitness Trainer?
A youth fitness trainer is a Personal Trainer specializing in helping youth in their physical preparation or their quest for well-being. In addition to aerobic activity, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends strength training for children as young as six, provided it is done under qualified supervision. NPTI Florida owner Pat Sherman states that regular strength training for children helps them maintain a healthy body weight, benefits their skeletal and joint development, and joint development and improves sports performance.
The NPTI Florida Youth Fitness graduate also improves the population’s state of health in general. These professionals will thus have to coach certain people, in groups or individually, by focusing on public health issues such as the fight against obesity, sedentary lifestyle, isolation, etc. However, even in this kind of situation, he must always take into account the expectations and specificities of each child.
Factors to Consider when Training Children
- Given that children have underdeveloped thermoregulatory systems, exercise should always occur in environments that maintain a neutral temperature, and it’s crucial for them to stay well-hydrated to prevent overheating.
- Since some overweight children may struggle to meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, a gradual increase in exercise duration and shorter intervals is often necessary to help them reach this target.
Youth Personal Training Programs: Design and Implementation
Youth personal training initiatives can be instrumental in assisting children to shed pounds, become more active, attain fitness objectives, and excel in sports. Regardless of the goal, there are critical factors to consider when creating and implementing a training program for young individuals.
Due to the fact that bone growth plates do not fully mature until early adulthood, safeguarding these growth plates is paramount. Any injury sustained to these areas can affect a child’s growth potential and increase the likelihood of future injuries.
How to Become a Youth Fitness Trainer
NPTI Florida (Orlando) offers a 200-hour ACCSC Accredited certification program in Orlando, Florida. This program is open to all NPTI Graduates nationwide and industry Personal Trainers and Fitness professionals. NPTI Florida Youth Fitness Trainers, more so than any other type of Personal Trainer, must ensure they are properly trained as to ensure safe and effective workouts for children. You can expect parents to ask about your credentials, so it is important to ensure that your resume is comprehensive and impressive.
The first step to becoming a Youth Fitness Trainer is contact NPTI Florida by visiting www.nptiflorida.edu or calling 407-772-0057.
