Training to be a pro, coach/therapist etc

[stricker]

A few different things are leading me down the road of taking some time out from serious martial arts training to position myself to try and do this **** for a living. by 'this ****' i mean a wide variety of things, i dont mean teaching martial arts, i mean i'm thinking along the lines of physical rehab, massage/body therapy, possibly even osteopathy etc, maybe more along the lines of s&c coaching specialising in rehabbing injuries etc? i'm especially interested in getting into the body mechanics side of things rather than just regular s&c coaching or say basic sports massage etc...

so i got a couple of questions for the board :

1. anyone had any particularly good experiences going to see people to help them along their way, what 'styles' do you recommend?

2. anyone been down this road already or do this for a living with any advice/experiences to share...

i've been investigating this for quite a while now, but thought i'd throw it open...

[bodhitree]

There are a few pt's around here, and GDA is currently going for pt. Talk to them and get some advice!

[BruceSteveRoy]

you can look in to kinisiology. it seems to encompass a lot fo what you are talking about.

and i found this :
What Can I Do With A Major In…
Kinesiology?
This is a list of job titles and job descriptions of entry-level positions for which graduates with a B.A. in kinesiology might be hired.

DIRECT Career Options
The skills required for the jobs listed here are so similar to the skills acquired in studying kinesiology that a degree in the field will usually serve as a credential for getting the job:
ATHLETIC TRAINER
Recognizes and evaluates injuries associated with competitive sports, provides immediate treatment, implements injury-prevention programs, counsels athletes regarding health care, and administers athletic training programs. Requires specialized training beyond the bachelor's degree and certification.
COLLEGE COACH
Helps college athletes in variety of sports move towards a common team goal using motivation, training, and discipline. Evaluates and selects new team recruits. Supervises coaching staff and interacts with members of the media. Works for colleges and universities.
CORPORATE WELLNESS MANAGER
Designs and implements programs to promote employee wellness, such as fitness assessment, nutrition screenings, and exercise classes. Supervises instructors and ensures they receive ongoing training. Advertises program to employees and evaluates its effectiveness. Works for corporations.
FITNESS CHOREOGRAPHER
Designs aerobic routines for exercise classes and teaches them to instructors. Works for fitness clubs, dance studios, video producers, or choreography services.
FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
Teaches physical fitness classes, such as aerobics or weight conditioning. Provides information to help participants avoid injury and maximize workout benefits. May train other instructors. Works for fitness clubs, resorts, hotels, or community agencies.
INTRAMURAL SPORTS DIRECTOR
Coordinates all aspects of intramural sports program, including budget, staffing, program planning, and evaluation. Works for colleges and universities.
PERSONAL TRAINER
Works one-on-one with an individual to develop a fitness program. Conducts a fitness assessment including personal and medical history. Designs fitness program and monitors clients'progress. May travel with client. Most work on free-lance basis.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR
Teaches children the rules of different sports and encourages their physical and athletic development. Works for public or private schools.
PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANT COACH
Coordinates specific components of team training, such as strength and training coach or pitching coach. Coordinates training and information with head coach. Works for professional athletic teams.
PROFESSIONAL HEAD COACH
Motivates professional athletes to perform their best and to continue to improve their skills. Review tapes of previous games to plan future strategies. Evaluates and selects potential team members. Makes presentations and grants interviews to the press. Works for professional athletic teams.
PUBLIC SCHOOL COACH
Motivates, trains, and disciplines students toward a common goal. Monitors players'academic progress. Discusses athletic program with school administrators. Writes press releases. Coordinates tryouts. May teach classes in some school districts. Works for public or private schools.
RECREATIONAL THERAPIST
Plans and monitors recreation programs to help patients recover or adjust to disabilities. Requires a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation or a related field.
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH
Establishes off-season programs and strength and agility training for the prevention of injuries and improvement in performance. Works for professional or college sports teams.
TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT
Specializes in technology related to fitness, such as computerized exercise machines, databases to store client information, and machines that analyze nutritional content of food. Advises fitness clubs or athletic programs on which technical products to buy and how to use them most effectively. Works for a consulting firm or on a free-lance basis.
WEIGHT TRAINING INSTRUCTOR
Teaches proper techniques and exercises in the weight room for various training programs. Helps individuals tailor a workout regimen and monitor progress. Works for fitness clubs or sports teams.
LESS DIRECT Career Options
The fit between academic training in kinesiology and job description is still very close. However, knowledge of kinesiology may be less pertinent to these positions, and a degree in kinesiology itself may or may not serve as a credential for employment.
ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR, RESORT
Plans and advertises recreational and sporting activities for resort guests.
AGENT
Acts as an athlete's intermediary with a team's owner and general manager in order to secure the best financial and playing arrangement for the athlete. Many serve as financial advisors for players, making suggestions for investments or product endorsements. Most work on free-lance basis.
FITNESS CLUB ADMINISTRATOR
Plans budgets, arranges work schedules, supervises staff, supervises maintenance of equipment, and plans sales quotas. Works for fitness clubs.
FITNESS CLUB SERVICE MANAGER
Acts as a liaison between club and its customers. Handles customer complaints and conducts evaluations of club services. Works for fitness clubs.
NUTRITIONIST
Consults with coaches, teams, and individual athletes regarding weight control, pre-game meals, and vitamin supplementation. Many conduct research or write informative articles. Requires some specialized course work. Works for sports medicine centers, clinics, or universities.
OUTWARD BOUND INSTRUCTOR
Teaches outdoor adventure courses to help participants master physical challenges, confront fears, and assume responsibility. Works for Outward Bound or similar organizations.
PARK ADMINISTRATOR
Coordinates sporting facilities, classes, and programs offered through urban parks. Selects, trains, and supervises staff and volunteers. Develops marketing plans and conducts evaluations to determine quality of programs. Works for local government.
SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPIST
Relieves athletes'physical and mental strain through massage. Uses knowledge of stretching and flexibility to prevent or rehabilitate injuries. Works for sports teams or on a free-lance basis.
SPORTS OFFICIATOR
Enforces the rules of a particular sport at games or events. Most work part-time on a free-lance basis.
SPORTSCASTER
Reports and analyzes sporting events on television or radio. Interviews sports personalities. Attends games, practices, and press conferences. May host talk shows. Works for television or radio stations.
SPORTSWRITER
Reports, writes, and edits sports copy. Attends variety of sporting events. Interviews athletes and coaches. May conduct investigative research. Works for newspapers or magazines.

[BruceSteveRoy]

INDIRECT Career Options
At first glance, the jobs listed may not appear to have much to do with the study of kinesiology. Yet there is a connection. The primary skills required in these jobs overlap substantially with some of the skills a kinesiology major normally acquires.
ACADEMIC COUNSELOR, COLLEGE ATHLETES
Advises students academically about course requirements, career resources, and progress towards completion of a degree program. Establishes tutoring or other individual instruction programs for athletes. Works for universities.
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT ASSISTANT
Assists account executive in liaison between an advertising agency and its clients. Helps to coordinate and manage advertising campaigns based on client need. Works for advertising agencies.
ARENA/STADIUM MANAGER
Schedules events on a year-round basis for arenas/stadiums, including sports, conventions, and concerts. Coordinates marketing of events and ensures that all details of events run smoothly. Troubleshoots any problems that may occur. May involve extensive travel to book new shows and attractions. For publicfinanced
stadiums, prepares profit reports for elected officials. Works for arenas or stadiums.
CORPORATE RECRUITER
Interviews job applicants on college campuses, at employment fairs, and at trade and professional meetings. Promotes effective relation with college, universities, and other institutions that supply prospect employees. Works for variety of companies or search firms.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
Handles customer relations, usually through direct contact with customers. Researches and responds to complaints and informational inquiries, seeking both to meet the customers'needs and promote the image and reputation of the employer. Works for manufacturers and retailers.
DEVELOPER OF EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
Creates materials to explain scientific concepts to a variety of audiences. Materials may require background research, writing, editing, computer programming, and/or illustration. Works for variety of employers such as publishing companies or school districts.
DIRECTOR OF TICKET SALES
Coordinates all aspects of athletic ticket sales, including record keeping, personnel, and marketing. Works for professional sports team.
FUND RAISER, PRO SPORTS
Identifies and solicits prospective donors. Distributes donor benefits. Directs out-of-town promotional trips. Organizes special fund-raising events. Works for professional sports teams.
PARALEGAL
Performs preparatory work required to research a case and develops documentation required to write a brief May interview prospective witnesses. Requires some training beyond the bachelor's degree. Works for
private law offices, law firms, prosecutors, and public defenders.
PERSONNEL ASSISTANT
Assisted in all aspects of human resources management, including record keeping, interviewing and hiring, resolving wage and salary issues, and administering career development, job training, and employee benefit programs. Works for employers of all kinds.
PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST
Prepares media guides, conducts press briefings, maintains archives and scrapbooks, directs press box, writes stories, and handles informational requests. Works for sports teams and athletics departments.
SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Introduces prospective members to club and provides information about membership options. Works for fitness clubs.
SPECIAL EVENTS ORGANIZER
Plans and coordinates sporting events such as tennis or golf tournaments. Recruits sponsors, plans advertising, registers participants, and arranges press coverage. Works for local/state government, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or companies.
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER
Captures sporting events on camera or video. Works for newspapers or magazines or on a free-lance basis.
TRAVEL ORGANIZER, PRO TEAM
Coordinates all travel arrangements, transportation, and living accommodations for touring sports teams. Works for professional or college sports teams.

[stricker]

BruceSteveRoy,

thanks for the input man! i know it was a cut and paste job but still thanks for that...

bodhi,

pt meaning physical therapist (or physiotherapist in the uk) or personal trainer?

as a general thing, thinking pt vs pt, i want to go for something somewhere between the two. a full physiotherapist takes a 3 year full time degree to get, and the skills are to be honest not that great i dont think for a starter, they only get good another x years into it... a personal trainer is maybe a bit too low level qualification for what i'm capable of and interested in. no disrespect to either!

any more random thoughts from anyone would be really welcome, good and bad experiences with various types of therapists, personal coaches etc etc...

[Suntzu]

i was a cube dweller for several years after college..... then i rediscivered martial arts...... long story short... got fired... went back to school studying Exercise Science part time and the rest of my time is spent on my own training and training others trying to make $$$.....

starting out its not the most lucrative of fields..... school is hard and the market is kind of flooded but there is alot of opportunities if you look hard enough..... whether it's therapy.... personal training.... coaching or MA.......

make lots of contacts and study hard(don't take physics lightly).... it's a rewarding profession beyond the dollars.....

[Suntzu]

BruceSteveRoy,

as a general thing, thinking pt vs pt, i want to go for something somewhere between the two. a full physiotherapist takes a 3 year full time degree to get, and the skills are to be honest not that great i dont think for a starter, they only get good another x years into it... a personal trainer is maybe a bit too low level qualification for what i'm capable of and interested in. no disrespect to either!



not too many professions period where you come fresh out of school a superstar in your feild...... it all takes time......

Personal Training is only low level when you work the floor hustling for commission as a J-O-B.... imo.......... once you make it your profession it is something totally different...... you are a coach/a physical therapist(alot of people have serious conditions that you either fix or make better) and a business man.... but yeah.... working the floor sucks:D

[stricker]

thanks man, some food for thought in there... i already treat my own training and rehab like an academic discipline, why not go somewhere with it...

anyway congrats on getting fired from cubeland my man :D just the thought of the aircon strip lighting and the watercooler make me sick, but i can hear them buzzing away while i countdown to "my time"