Activities	Instruct or coach groups or individuals in exercise activities and the fundamentals of sports. Demonstrate techniques and methods of participation. Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary to improve their skills. Those required to hold teaching degrees should be reported in the appropriate teaching category.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$31,090 per year in 2010
Work Context & Conditions	Recreation and fitness workers may work in a variety of settings, e.g., a health club, cruise ship, woodland recreational park, or playground in the center of a large urban community.
Minimum Education Requirements	Bachelor's Degree
Skills	Social Perceptiveness, Learning Strategies, Monitoring, Instructing, Coordination, Speaking
Abilities	Oral Expression, Time Sharing, Manual Dexterity, Speech Clarity, Information Ordering, Oral Comprehension, Multilimb Coordination, Gross Body Coordination, Stamina, Speed of Limb Movement, Trunk Strength
Interviews	Barry Weidner

Job Category		Personal Care & Service
Job Description		Fitness workers instruct or coach groups or individuals in various exercise activities. Because gyms and health clubs offer a variety of exercise activities such as weight-lifting, yoga, aerobics, and karate, fitness workers typically specialize in only a few areas. Fitness trainers help clients to assess their level of physical fitness and help them to set and reach fitness goals. They also demonstrate various exercises and help clients to improve their exercise techniques. They may keep records of their clients’ exercise sessions in order to assess their progress towards physical fitness. Personal trainers work with clients on a one-on-one basis in either a gym or the client’s home. Aerobics instructors conduct group exercise sessions that involve aerobic exercise, stretching, and muscle conditioning. Some fitness workers may perform the duties of both aerobics instructors and fitness trainers.
Working Conditions		Recreation and fitness workers may work in a variety of settings—for example, a health club, cruise ship, woodland recreational park, or playground in the center of a large urban community. Regardless of setting, most recreation workers spend much of their time outdoors and may work in a variety of weather conditions, whereas most fitness workers spend their time indoors at fitness centers and health clubs. Recreation and fitness directors and supervisors, however, typically spend most of their time in an office, planning programs and special events. Directors and supervisors generally engage in less physical activity than do lower level recreation and fitness workers. Nevertheless, recreation and fitness workers at all levels risk suffering injuries during physical activities. Many recreation and fitness workers work about 40 hours a week. People entering this field, especially camp counselors, should expect some night and weekend work and irregular hours. About 36 percent work part time and many recreation jobs are seasonal.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in 2008 were $29,200. The middle 50 percent earned between $19,600 and $44,400. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $16,100, while the top 10 percent earned $60,800 or more. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers can be much higher. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of recreation workers in 2008 were: $30,600 in other amusement and recreation industries; $25,100 in civic and social organizations; and $24,230 in other schools and instruction.

Education Required		The education and training required for fitness trainers and instructors vary by type of specialty, and employers often hire those with certification. Personal fitness trainers, group fitness instructors, and specialized fitness instructors each need different preparation. Requirements vary by facility. Personal fitness trainers often start out by taking classes to become certified. Then they work alongside an experienced trainer before being allowed to train clients alone. Many group fitness instructors often take training and become certified, and then they must audition for instructor positions. If they succeed at the audition, they may begin teaching classes. Training for specialized fitness instructors can vary greatly. For example, the duration of programs for yoga instructors can range from a few days to more than 2 years. The Yoga Alliance has training standards requiring at least 200 hours with a specified number of hours in techniques, teaching methods, anatomy, physiology, philosophy, and other areas. Almost all trainers and instructors have at least a high school diploma before entering the occupation. An increasing number of employers require fitness workers to have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree related to a health or fitness field, such as exercise science, kinesiology, or physical education. Programs often include courses in nutrition, exercise techniques, and group fitness.
Recommended High School Courses
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, English Language, Psychology, Biology, Customer and Personal Service
Certification and Licensing		Employers prefer to hire certified fitness trainers and instructors. Personal trainers are often required to be certified to begin working with clients or with members of a gym or other type of health club. Group fitness instructors may be allowed to begin without certification, but employers often encourage or require them to become certified. Most trainers or instructors need certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before applying for certification in physical fitness. Many organizations offer certification. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, lists certifying organizations that are accredited. All certification exams have a written part, and some also have a practical part. The exams measure the candidate’s knowledge of human physiology, understanding of proper exercise techniques, assessment of clients' fitness levels, and development of appropriate exercise programs. No specific education or training is required for certification. Many certifying organizations offer study materials, including books, CDs, other audio and visual materials, and exam preparation workshops and seminars. Advanced certification requires an associate’s or bachelor's degree in an exercise-related subject that presents more specialized instruction, such as training athletes, working with people who are injured or ill, or advising clients on general health.

Interest Area		Social Involves working and communicating with, helping, and teaching people.
Work Values		Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Company Policies and Practices Treated fairly by the company. Social Service Do things for other people. Creativity Try out your own ideas. Authority Give directions and instructions to others. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Social Perceptiveness Be aware of others' reactions and understand why they react the way they do. Learning Strategies Use multiple approaches when learning or teaching new things. Monitoring Assess how well someone is doing when learning or doing something. Instructing Teach others how to do something. Coordination Adjust actions in relation to others' actions. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information.
Abilities		Oral Expression Able to convey information and ideas through speech in ways that others will understand. Time Sharing Able to shift back and forth efficiently between two or more activities or sources of information, such as speech, sound, or touch. Manual Dexterity Able to make quick, coordinated movements of one or two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. Speech Clarity Able to speak clearly so listeners understand. Information Ordering Able to correctly follow rules for arranging things or actions in a certain order, including numbers, words, pictures, procedures, and logical operations. Oral Comprehension Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Multilimb Coordination Able to coordinate movements of one or both limbs together (for example, one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down (and not while moving). Gross Body Coordination Able to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion. Stamina Able to to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. Speed of Limb Movement Able to quickly move the arms and legs. Trunk Strength Able to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

Related Jobs		Therapist, Recreational, Psychologist, Counseling, Social Worker, Medical
Job Outlook		Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. As businesses and insurance organizations continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other types of health clubs is expected to increase the need for fitness trainers and instructors. Some businesses may even decide to open their own onsite facility to decrease the need for their employees to travel for exercise. As baby boomers age, they will be encouraged to remain active to help prevent injuries and illnesses associated with aging. With the increasing number of older residents in nursing homes or residential care facilities and communities, jobs for fitness trainers and instructors are expected to arise from the need for workers in the fitness centers in these locations. Other employment growth is likely to come from the continuing emphasis on exercise for young people to combat obesity and encourage healthy lifestyles. More young people and families are likely to join fitness institutions or commit to personal training programs. Participation in yoga and Pilates is expected to continue to increase, driven partly by older adults who want low-impact forms of exercise and relief from arthritis and other ailments.
More Information		National Strength Training and Conditioning Association, American Council on Exercise, American College of Sports Medicine
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Fitness Trainers and Instructors, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/39-9031.00