Careers in Fitness
The fitness industry has emerged from being largely the preserve of amateur clubs a few decades ago, to become a significant and rapidly changing field in today’s world.
Fitness jobs range from relatively low paid part time or casual positions to highly paid professional careers that require a great deal of expertise and training.
People get a start in this profession by both -
- Undertaking some study
- Experience (as an amateur or professional athlete)
This is an industry where ongoing professional development is essential. If you want a secure future in the fitness industry; you need to be committed to keep learning, attending seminars, workshops, courses, being involved with professional bodies and overall keeping abreast of new developments.
Who Employs Fitness Professionals
Fitness professionals find employment in small and large organisations, government and private enterprise, both as self-employed contractors and employed by others.
They may be employed in any of the following:
- Fitness leaders or instructors in Gymnasiums, health clubs or Leisure Centres
- Personal Trainers
- Life Coaches
- Sports Coaches
- Fitness Teacher or Specialist Instructor
- Facility managers
- Marketing (e.g. Fitness or Sports equipment, Sales, PR, Advertising, etc.)
- Event Managers
What’s the Difference?
Fitness Leader : provides guidance to clients on development and maintenance of fitness (commonly dealing with a class or informal group using a gym).
Personal Trainer : provides personal guidance on fitness (dealing with one individual only in a session).
Life Coach : provides guidance on many different things that affect well-being. This can include a number of areas, including fitness, career, money, general health, relationships etc.
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Remuneration and Advancement Opportunities
Fitness leaders are often the lowest paid employees in this industry; and the entry level courses which fitness leaders take are often relatively basic.
There are lots of opportunities to advance to more challenging and better paid positions, but to give yourself the best chance of advancement, you need to be thinking well beyond doing a minimum entry level qualification.
Commonly fitness professionals find the best opportunity to advance will come from either:
- Starting their own business
- Becoming Personal Trainers or Life Coaches
- Moving into Management or Marketing
- Education: Teaching others to be instructors
Stress and Well-being Rating
Many people choose this profession believing it to be relatively healthy and stress free; but in reality, if you run your own business or work in a position of responsibility in any industry, there will always be times of stress.
Fitness professionals in theory should be more conscious of how to manage their own well-being, but it is an unavoidable occupational hazard that you will tend to attract clients with problems and helping them deal with those problems will place unavoidable pressure upon anyone who cares. You need to care in order to do a good job, but you also need to develop a professional detachment to ensure that you perform at your best.
How to Distinguish Yourself from the Competition
This like any other career does place you in positions where you have to compete for work, both initially to get a job, but repeatedly to retain work and get advancement.
If you want to succeed, you need to be thinking about what you can do to make yourself stand out (both to employers and to clients).
Having a qualification in fitness may get you an interview with an employer, or phone call from a client. After that, you need to convince the person to engage you rather than the others they are considering. If you know more, have a different mix of skills, or are able to communicate better, you may succeed where others fail.
Professional Bodies
There are many different bodies that are relevant to fitness industry. Different bodies operate in each country. Membership of such bodies will depend upon your educational achievements, and in some instances, your experience and CPD status.
Insurance
Professional Indemnity Insurance is important if you are giving advice to people on fitness. Most insurance companies will provide cover to people who have undertaken a credible course that is substantial in its content. (Note: The ACS Fitness Leader certificate and more advanced courses have been accepted for insurance in the past).
Other insurances may also be needed; particularly if you plan to be self employed. Talk with an insurance expert before establishing a business. Discuss insurance cover before accepting employment with anyone else.
Your First Course
The most important thing is to develop knowledge and skills to as high a level as possible, through studying a high quality course that properly covers all relevant areas.
When choosing your course you need to consider factors such as -
- What the course covers.
- Who the teachers/tutors are.
- The duration of the course (this will provide an indication of what sort of depth of study the course offers; a 600 hour certificate, for example, will provide greater learning opportunities than a 100 hour certificate).
Very basic fitness leader certificates are run in some countries (e.g. Australia and UK); and these can be a first step toward a career. These courses which can be completed in a few days with some schools, should only be considered as a starting point for anyone with serious intention of developing a lifelong career in this industry.
Start your Career Journey
You can enrol on our courses at any time. You study by distance learning, so you can fit your studies around your existing commitments.
If you have any questions - get in touch with our specialist Fitness tutors today, or
Phone us on (UK) 01384 442752 or (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752.