Dave Hansey is a physical fitness trainer who lives and works in Douglasville, Ga. He was in the military for 15 years, where he learned to keep his body physically fit. He earned his associate degree in general studies while in the service. He completed his bachelor's degree in sports fitness management and is board certified to work as a personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. This experience gave him the background to begin his own business as a personal trainer. Hansey believes that physical training is about helping each person reach his or her fitness potential and personal goals and aiding in the restoration of physical health after ailments and injury. He maintains his blog FitnessGab at his 4Fitbodies.com website.

What do you do, and why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I am a personal trainer specializing in special populations, weight loss and sports specific training.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
I was in the military for 15 years, where I got my associate degree in general studies. I then decided to go into personal training.

What types of classes and projects did you have to do?
I got a board certification to begin personal training with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and then I completed my B.S. in sports fitness management. Personal training is a career where some standards are needed, but the market is changing as more employers and some states are requiring board certification.

How did your education help you in your career?
The board certification taught me the specifics required to train people. The degree taught me the details of the management side of my business, such as legal issues, marketing and building a business.

What was your career path like in this field?
I started as a part-time trainer on a specific set of training called Spinal Fitness, where people learn how to work on strengthening their core. I moved into personal training as I gained more education and experience. I still work on my continuing education and add courses that interest me or where I see a need.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
People think of personal training as somebody giving you a really hard workout and screaming at you, but this is more myth than reality. I train far more people who need someone to help them with a specific problem, such as high blood pressure or an injury, than I do people who are focused solely on the look of their body. To be successful and meaningful, a personal trainer has to be able to listen to their client and then design something for them that works with their own unique circumstances and does so in a safe and effective manner. So you need to be a people person who is a very good listener.

What do you do on a typical workday?
I work a split shift because I have a family and enjoy spending time with them. So, my day may not be typical, but I start seeing clients around 5 a.m. and see them until around noon. I then go home and have an afternoon where I do my own workout, take care of some business items such as calls and emails, and have some family time. I return to the gym around 5 p.m. and see clients again until around 7 or 8 p.m.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? 
I am happy where I am because it can grow into whatever I want it to become. So no, there are no plans to change to any positions, and I have been offered other positions which I have turned down because I enjoy the flexibility and challenges of my career.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
A person has to be able to listen to people and really care about their results. One of my first clients could not walk when she came to me and was walking after a couple of months. That is much more powerful than building killer abs. So a good listener who enjoys people is crucial.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
My advice is pretty simple. Listen to your clients, get a job at a gym and start learning, get board certified—it will be required everywhere soon enough—and get your degree from a school that ideally has an internship program as part of your program. This will help you to really decide on what positions you want.