How my passion became my profession


About the author: Cassie Visintainer is a UW-Madison graduate (‘17) who spent 4 years working as a Personal Trainer for Rec Sports. After graduating with a degree in Kinesiology – Exercise and Movement Science and a certificate in Entrepreneurship, she lives in the Madison area pursuing personal training for Orangetheory Fitness and Project Wellness Company, a chiropractic clinic. Keep reading to learn how she got to where she is now through the ACE Personal Training Exam Prep Course! 
I can still remember opening a Rec Sports monthly newsletter email and seeing availability in an ACE Personal Trainer Exam Prep Course. I immediately thought, “Wow, that sounds amazing! I thought I’d have to get my Kinesiology degree first to do something like this!” I didn’t think twice about it and signed up, without ever thinking it would get me to where I am now in my career.
The class gives you the textbooks and the baseline knowledge you need to be a personal trainer, but the most important tool it provides you with is Lori, Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness at Rec Sports, and her years of experience and willingness to answer any questions you may have now or in the future.  Many classes are lecture-based with Q&A sessions. My favorite classes–the ones that stuck with me the most–were led by experienced Rec Sports trainers who came in to lead the class through practical applications like baseline assessment techniques and movement screens.  Those trainers became my mentors and helped me progress in my journey.
The ACE Personal Trainer Exam Prep Course did an excellent job preparing me for every kind of client I work with. I have experience working with people with disabilities, novice clients, obese clients, and athletes. My variety of clients demands a wide range in programming and the ability to be adaptable. I never questioned I knew what to do, or at least where to start, with any client.  The best part of all, however, was having people willing to help when I had questions, whether it be Lori or any of the other experienced trainers.
In addition to the experiences I’ve gained working with a large variety of clients, I had the opportunity to be the Head Personal Trainer at Rec Sports for a year and a half. I got to experience more of the administrative side of the fitness business in addition to developing leadership skills through instruction of the trainers. I had the best four years working for Rec Sports! I got the chance to not only help others better themselves, but appreciating the growth I also endured, with the help of my mentors and Lori.
Since graduating, I’ve held a number of diverse training related positions.  I am a coach at Orangetheory Fitness, where I lead a group of people through one hour, full body, high intensity interval training.  I also hold a position in a chiropractic clinic as a trainer in their wellness program and work with people one-on-one in a rehab setting. We focus on mobility and stability on problematic joints while considering other health factors, such as strength, cardiovascular health and weight loss. My third position is through Rec Sports, where I instruct fitness programs. Catch me leading “How to TRX” and “How to Queenax”! These classes are more about educating people on how to safely and effectively use a piece of equipment or improve their form on an exercise.  Every job has unique opportunities to work with diverse clientele in different ways while ultimately sharing one goal: to learn something new to become a more knowledgeable, healthy and strong individual.
The ACE Personal Trainer Exam Prep Course prepared me for a career that I have fallen in love with and allowed me to grow as a person. What it did not prepare me for was the incredible amounts of gratitude that came with my job. While passionate about fitness myself, I never realized the amount of impact I would have on the lives of others by sharing this passion.
It’s really the little goals people accomplish that touch me the most. One of my proudest moments was a client with a bad knee telling me stairs became so easy for her she was carrying boxes up and down during her move. Little things like that mean the most to me, because I was able to help her overcome something that affected her daily life. My clients also have a huge influence on me. I continue to be the best I can, and continue my education to help me be the best trainer I can be for my clients. Sometimes I feel I learn more from my clients than I teach them.
The ACE Personal Trainer Exam Prep Course prepares you in countless ways for your future career. If you’ve ever wanted to be a personal trainer, this is the chance for you to go after one of the best jobs out there!
 
Registration for the spring ACE Personal Trainer Exam Prep Course is now open.