How to become A Fitness Coach

Fitness Coaches always make you do what you don't want to do to be the healthiest version of yourself.  They lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups to do whatever is necessary in the present moment, for which their future selves will thank them.

• Health and Fitness Instructor
• Group Fitness Instructor
• Fitness Class Instructor
• Fitness Instructor
• Gym Instructor

What do Fitness Coaches do?

A Fitness Coach would typically need to:

• Empower clients to develop a fit lifestyle and the ability to maintain it, using systematic exercise and nutrition 
• Develop a constructive relationship with clients and help them achieve their full potential
• Create an easy-to-follow routine based on the client’s needs that may involve kickboxing, yoga, pilates, weights, aerobics, and aquacise
• Choreograph their own classes which may include cardiovascular and strength training exercises
• Demonstrate and explain how to perform various exercises and routines to minimise injuries and improve fitness
• Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations related to sports, recreational activities, and exercise equipment
• Work on customised exercise and movement routines to rehabilitate patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, backache, or joint pain
• Monitor clients’ progress, adapt programs as needed and provide accurate, clear and constructive feedback 
• Give emergency first aid and refer clients to a medical practitioner or authorised healthcare professional, if necessary
• Abstain from diagnosing and treating injuries or disease and prescribing medicines
• Ensure that the gym is clean and free of health and safety hazards; guide clients on first aid and lifeguard training
• Provide clients with information or resources about nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues, without prescribing particular diets or supplements
• Write newsletters and blog articles and create posters and flyers to promote their facilities and classes through social media 

Each client has different needs and time scales that must be catered to, ensuring a thoughtful and lively working environment. Some travel to other gyms or clients’ homes to teach classes or conduct personal training sessions.

Fitness Coaches may work nights, weekends, and holidays. You may work other full-time jobs, teach fitness classes, or conduct part-time individual training sessions during evenings and weekends. Self-employed Fitness Coaches may have more flexible schedules.

Research suggests that flexible hours appeal more than salary to the younger generation. There has been an incremental increase in the number of employers willing to give promising employees a chance to adjust their schedules as per the demands of the job.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Fitness Coaches can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting employers directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies. You may choose to specialise as a personal fitness coach, a group fitness coach, a specialised fitness coach, or as a freelancer.

Fitness Coaches are generally employed by:

• Gyms and Health Clubs
• Fitness and Recreation Centers
• Yoga and Pilates Studios
• Spas
• Hospitals 
• Universities
• Private Clients
• Cruise Ships

Professional associations and organisations such as The International Health, Racquet, & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), are crucial for a Fitness Coach interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation.

Professional associations provide members with continuing education, networking opportunities, and mentorship services. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Fighting stereotypes and finding a niche despite frequent lack of business and time management skills
• Getting used to an irregular income and lack of social life and sleep due to improper working hours
• Take into account cancellations by clients, which can disrupt the workday
• Burnout due to fierce competition and emotional states of clients
• Staying updated with the science because of constant pressure to provide reasonable explanations

Finding a quality internship that helps build valuable contacts and leads to optimal employment opportunities in the fitness industry will help prospective Fitness Coaches begin their careers on the right foot.

Do your homework and come up with accurate information on critical concerns such as the program's reputation, its syllabus, the scope for hands-on learning and a training-centric approach, besides the active involvement of the personal training director. 

Fitness Coaches will benefit from tasks outside the classroom that align perfectly with lessons inside it. One may hear countless stories and obtain valuable hands-on experience from more experienced professionals who can turn seemingly routine incidents into unique learning moments.

You can have all the degrees and certifications in the world, but if you don’t have the hands-on experiences to back them up, they could remain just pieces of paper.

Summer internships, part-time work at an entry-level position, or short-term paid/voluntary work offer a taste of the work and give valuable insight into how the organisation operates.

Your educational provider’s career service department can provide information about viable opportunities for work placements, internships and voluntary work in diverse sectors.

Even while in high school, you can check with a teacher or counsellor about relevant work-based learning opportunities available in your school or community that can help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organisation that is of interest, so you can have fun while learning about yourself and be directed toward a future career. 

Read about the profession, and interview/shadow experienced Fitness Coaches to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.

A high school diploma is usually the minimum qualification needed to begin a career as a Fitness Coach. Requisite education and training vary by type of speciality. Personal Fitness Coaches, Group Fitness Coaches, and Specialized Fitness Coaches undergo customised training programs.

The diversity in training allows Fitness Coaches to work with sick patients who may have diabetes, hypertension, stress-related illnesses, heart disease, or even back or joint pain. Requirements may also vary by facility.

Helpful electives to take in high school to prepare yourself for this occupation include biology, health sciences, sport sciences, coordinated sciences, physical education, physical science, psychology, sports, exercise and health science.

Remember that completing a particular academic course does not guarantee entry into the profession. Be that as it may, professional qualifications and transferable skills may open up more than one door.

Do your homework and look into all available options for education and employment before enrolling in a specific programme. Reliable sources that help you make an educated decision include associations and employers in your field.

Accredited certifications in OCR (obstacle course racing), teaching exercise and fitness, first aid, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the use of AED (automated external defibrillators) can help Fitness Coaches stand out in a competitive job market and become independent consultants.

A combination of education, experience, and testing is generally required to gain certification, though requirements differ across regions. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Many certifying organisations offer study materials to prepare for the exam, including books, webinars, audio and visual materials, and exam preparation workshops and seminars.

The certification exams may include written as well as practical components. They measure the candidate’s knowledge of human physiology, proper exercise techniques, and ability to assess clients’ fitness levels and develop appropriate exercise programs. 

Fitness Coaches may also need to undergo an employment background check, including but not limited to a person’s work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening. 

Public liability insurance will help safeguard against expensive and time-consuming legal suits.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive the career progression of Fitness Coaches who can become Senior Instructors or Head Trainers. 

You may advance to managerial positions in a health club or fitness centre as a Fitness Director or General Manager.  A Group Fitness Coach may be promoted to Group Exercise Director. Opening your own fitness studio is also a viable option.

The desire to accelerate career growth and personal development has an increasing number of millennials choosing to job hop and build a scattershot resume that showcases ambition, motivation, and the desire to learn a broad range of skills.

Studies prove that job hopping, earlier dismissed as “flaky” behaviour, can lead to greater job fulfilment. Employees searching for a positive culture and exciting work are willing to try out various roles and workplaces and learn valuable, transferable skills along the way.

Job prospects should be best for Fitness Coaches with professional certifications and other fitness- or health-related education.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Fitness Coach build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning.

You can acquire progressively higher levels of certification that will allow you to create tailor-made exercise programmes for clients with coronary heart disease and diabetes or in need of post-stroke care.

Some advanced certifications require an associate or bachelor’s degree in an exercise-related subject. You will learn how to train athletes, work with the injured or ill, and advise clients on general health.

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in exercise science, physical education, or kinesiology will help you land and succeed in managerial roles. 

Keep abreast of current research on fitness to build and maintain a solid reputation that will help increase regular clientele and sources of recurring income.

Convenience vs Creativity

Fitness Coaches make extensive use of pre-choreographed routines developed by reputed fitness companies. Personal Fitness Coaches who work in larger facilities find it worth the while to create personalised training programmes that can be sold to members for a tidy profit.

Included in the Job

Fitness Coaches who own the facilities may tend the front desk, sign up new members, give tours of the centre, write newsletters, create posters and flyers, and supervise the training areas.

The Current Scenario

Growing awareness of the benefits of health and fitness programmes in the corporate world results in an increased demand for Fitness Coaches, especially when organisations open onsite exercise facilities for their employees.

The continuing emphasis on healthier lifestyles for people of all ages and rising participation in yoga and Pilates, especially among the baby boomers, who must remain active to minimise age-related injuries and illnesses, bode well for Fitness Coaches.

You use 200 muscles to take a single step forward!

Do you have to be a beefcake to work as a Fitness Coach? No! It will help to be physically fit, but more important than an athletic body is a passion for health and fitness, excellent communication skills, endless patience, and tremendous motivational skills.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely, which are important in reaching fitness goals. SMART goals can help keep clients on track and remind them of their priorities, so they can follow through with the workout or healthy meal you plan.