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This is the first entree of a 3-part series by Ebony Ricks, Atlanta Personal Trainer Program student.
About two years ago I became certified and licensed as a massage therapist. Before that I was a Cosmetologist. I enjoyed cutting and styling hair but it was never something I always wanted to do but was something I was good at. I had a friend that was interested in pursuing a certification as a Nail Tech. She convinced me that I should go back to school as well. The same school was offering a Massage Therapy Program and I was more interested in massage than nails. So I began the program and not really sure what I was getting myself into but I was excited and ready to learn new material.
The more I learned about massage therapy the more I fell in love with it. I began to fully understand how receiving and giving a massage could potentially change someone’s life. I would say I grew a love for massage. Shortly after finishing the massage program I began working for a Chiropractor where I would see anywhere between 15-20 clients a week. I also saw clients during my off days from the office. A lot of my clients had complaints of lower back pain. I would work on them regularly and they would actually leave with a lot of relief but returning a week later experiencing the same pain.
As a therapist that understood how the body works and what the body needs to live up to it’s optimal health I felt that massage alone could not work for the majority of my clients. I wanted to help people eliminate their daily discomfort and pain. I know for a fact that the more you move your body the better you feel and the stronger a muscle is the better it can perform. I figured if I could help restore strength in my client’s muscles then I wouldn’t have to work so hard as a massage therapist relieving all the negative pain. It made sense to incorporate exercise to promote strength and flexibility along with the therapy. It was clear my next step was to become certified as a personal trainer. I then began my journey of research into personal training certification. I knew that online study was not adequate for quality certification or client safety. That narrowed my options down to only programs with hands-on experience. Stay tuned for part 2, How I Decided On Atlanta Personal Trainer Program.
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