Hello everyone,
I am considering getting certified as a group fitness instructor or personal trainer as a career track on my path to ERE. Does anyone have in-the-trenches insights about what this kind of work is like, or the things I should do to set myself up for success in the industry?
Thanks,
RoamingFrancis
Group Fitness Instructor
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
I did personal training and a little small group fitness about 20 years ago. Got a couple certs. Worked at the Y. It paid double minimum wage. I am not a people person, and especially at that age, the job was a terrible fit.
I found my primary role giving middle aged women attention, while they pretended to exercise. For the most part, they weren't willing to do the work. They were buying a trainer for socialization, status, or to check the box of "I exercise". People who made real changes, didn't need my help.
Getting to a point where you make a difference is tough. Except at the elite levels, the work has very little to do with smart programming. The job is one of building relationships and developing community. Any change that happens in someone's life, comes after you make those connections.
I found my primary role giving middle aged women attention, while they pretended to exercise. For the most part, they weren't willing to do the work. They were buying a trainer for socialization, status, or to check the box of "I exercise". People who made real changes, didn't need my help.
Getting to a point where you make a difference is tough. Except at the elite levels, the work has very little to do with smart programming. The job is one of building relationships and developing community. Any change that happens in someone's life, comes after you make those connections.
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mountainFrugal
- Posts: 1144
- Joined: Fri May 07, 2021 2:26 pm
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
---- was typing as @Scott2 was responding... I agree with his take... I have similar views ----
@RF - Mid-2000's firsthand knowledge so must be taken with a grain of salt compared to today.
Personal training can be rewarding, but if I had to do it over, I would be a group instructor so you can use that time to also workout. The gym provides most of the infrastructure, does a lot of the advertising, and it is one and done with interacting with students. If they like you, they will come back to your class, if not, they will avoid it. It is not as intimate (although could be) as personal training.
@ego would be a great person to ask, because is currently doing this!
I was certified for personal training through https://www.cooperinstitute.org/certification . It seems like all these certs have changed considerably with many different orgs offering different sub-level certifications from a quick google search. If you have someplace specific you want to work at, they might require a certain level of certification or from a certain credentialing body.
Some questions and comments for contemplation from the trenches:
Depending on the size of the facility you are working for (most common route to work for a gym), do you want to spend a lot of your time training people that are not motivated to be there in the first place? A majority (90+ percent) are people that are using personal training as a commitment device or as some "free" consultation arrangement that you have worked out with the gym. This is going to be the case when you are building up your clientele. If you want to "roam" as your name suggests, it would be harder to have a consistent client base from the road, unless you already have a good reputation/client base. Chicken and egg problem.
Are you comfortable running a small business? Many gyms have trainers as independent contractors. This might allow you to hustle your skills at multiple gyms. The period for building up a consistent client base is likely a few years. This may have changed now that cross-fit is a thing where your would be hard working clients could just move up a level and join a cross-fit gym instead (also something to consider as an instructor, but very competitive depending on location). This also includes looking into additional insurance for your business as the gym contract might hold you liable for any injuries the client sustains (not common, but possible). It gets awkward when you have to start implementing no show fees so your time is not wasted even though the client confirmed an hour beforehand that they would be there.
Personal training also overlaps with dietetics and providing both certs would allow you to come up with a comprehensive plan for the client, but that is yet even more work and credentialing. I never did this, but I think it is much more common now at the higher end.
@RF - Mid-2000's firsthand knowledge so must be taken with a grain of salt compared to today.
Personal training can be rewarding, but if I had to do it over, I would be a group instructor so you can use that time to also workout. The gym provides most of the infrastructure, does a lot of the advertising, and it is one and done with interacting with students. If they like you, they will come back to your class, if not, they will avoid it. It is not as intimate (although could be) as personal training.
@ego would be a great person to ask, because is currently doing this!
I was certified for personal training through https://www.cooperinstitute.org/certification . It seems like all these certs have changed considerably with many different orgs offering different sub-level certifications from a quick google search. If you have someplace specific you want to work at, they might require a certain level of certification or from a certain credentialing body.
Some questions and comments for contemplation from the trenches:
Depending on the size of the facility you are working for (most common route to work for a gym), do you want to spend a lot of your time training people that are not motivated to be there in the first place? A majority (90+ percent) are people that are using personal training as a commitment device or as some "free" consultation arrangement that you have worked out with the gym. This is going to be the case when you are building up your clientele. If you want to "roam" as your name suggests, it would be harder to have a consistent client base from the road, unless you already have a good reputation/client base. Chicken and egg problem.
Are you comfortable running a small business? Many gyms have trainers as independent contractors. This might allow you to hustle your skills at multiple gyms. The period for building up a consistent client base is likely a few years. This may have changed now that cross-fit is a thing where your would be hard working clients could just move up a level and join a cross-fit gym instead (also something to consider as an instructor, but very competitive depending on location). This also includes looking into additional insurance for your business as the gym contract might hold you liable for any injuries the client sustains (not common, but possible). It gets awkward when you have to start implementing no show fees so your time is not wasted even though the client confirmed an hour beforehand that they would be there.
Personal training also overlaps with dietetics and providing both certs would allow you to come up with a comprehensive plan for the client, but that is yet even more work and credentialing. I never did this, but I think it is much more common now at the higher end.
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
This has been one of my lifetime side gigs that fills employment gaps or if side money is needed. Usually make $30+/hour and free dues, but sporadic and fluctuates with the seasons. If you are an expert in some sport where it is easy to demonstrate (great golfer. high ranked tennis player, or other) you can work in this industry anywhere in the world at any time, travel, follow the seasons and make a lot of money. For general purpose training as full time employment, it can be difficult as it is client based, the clients are usually required to be wealthy, which means their time is valuable and appointments with their trainer is not a high priority. If you have another 9-5, then being a trainer in your off time is a great supplemental income, but difficult to make a living as a full time job.
I would also be aware of products like Peloton or similar who are offering this kind of coaching 24/7 365 and a personal trainer today will have to compete with this availability that was not around in the past. It is also a career for those mostly in their 20's and 30's. There aren't many personal trainers over the age of 40 despite being more experienced at the job than a 22 yr old.
I would also be aware of products like Peloton or similar who are offering this kind of coaching 24/7 365 and a personal trainer today will have to compete with this availability that was not around in the past. It is also a career for those mostly in their 20's and 30's. There aren't many personal trainers over the age of 40 despite being more experienced at the job than a 22 yr old.
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RoamingFrancis
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:43 am
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
Thanks for the feedback, sounds like this is definitely for me
I'll be doing the ACE certification soon.
I'll be doing the ACE certification soon.
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
Which class do you intend to teach? Typically you need specific certifications to be hired to teach particular classes. For instance, Zumba certification or Yoga Alliance certification or TRX certification or BollyX certification.
You may learn something from the ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification but in my experience you will not be hired to teach a class with that cert. If you just want to learn the general principles you can get the ACE books at many libraries and the older editions with the DVDs included on amazon and ebay for very little.
My advice would be to figure out which class you want to teach, go to the class as a student, determine if you really want to teach it, then get the cert. If you want to teach at the place where you are taking the class be sure to mention it to the teacher and ask them to connect you with the person who does the hiring.
Years ago I was regularly attending an indoor cycling class at the YMCA. They had purchased new LeMond bikes and part of the deal was that LeMond would run a certification class for the Y's current staff. They hired me and paid for the training. Since then they bought Keiser bikes and Stages bike. Each time they paid for the certifications and paid me to take the class.
You may learn something from the ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification but in my experience you will not be hired to teach a class with that cert. If you just want to learn the general principles you can get the ACE books at many libraries and the older editions with the DVDs included on amazon and ebay for very little.
My advice would be to figure out which class you want to teach, go to the class as a student, determine if you really want to teach it, then get the cert. If you want to teach at the place where you are taking the class be sure to mention it to the teacher and ask them to connect you with the person who does the hiring.
Years ago I was regularly attending an indoor cycling class at the YMCA. They had purchased new LeMond bikes and part of the deal was that LeMond would run a certification class for the Y's current staff. They hired me and paid for the training. Since then they bought Keiser bikes and Stages bike. Each time they paid for the certifications and paid me to take the class.
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RoamingFrancis
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:43 am
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
Hm, I talked to one of the managers at the local gym I attend, and she recommended I start with the personal trainer cert and then branch out into whatever specialty areas I'm drawn to, which in my case are martial arts and Zumba. That's what I was planning to do - do you have a better recommendation?
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
Do you regularly attend Zumba classes now?
Is it possible to teach martial arts with a group ex cert or do you need to have passed through the belt levels before being considered for an instructor position?
Most gyms are desperate for instructors right now. What experiences and certifications are they asking for on their job postings?
Is it possible to teach martial arts with a group ex cert or do you need to have passed through the belt levels before being considered for an instructor position?
Most gyms are desperate for instructors right now. What experiences and certifications are they asking for on their job postings?
Re: Group Fitness Instructor
If you just want to try getting in front of a group to teach, you may be able to find a gym with a much lower barrier to entry. LA Fitness is 1 day and $100:
https://www.lafitness.com/pages/Aerobic ... ation.aspx
You'd be treated accordingly, but it's a foot in the door. Ego's suggestion looks much better for doing the job well.
My experience at the Y - once you were in, they'd let you try teaching anything. If nobody complained and people kept showing, it was all good. Unless you exceed scope of practice (ie nutrition, massage, rehab) there really aren't any professional standards you can be held to. Exercise is not a regulated profession. I've been taught yoga by a high school student, who simply attended enough classes and made friends with the studio owner.
You can be sued and do want to ensure either the facility has liability insurance or buy it yourself.
Ace PT looks like $500 to take a 150 question multiple choice test. I bet there is also a current CPR certification requirement ($0-$100). If the gym doesn't cover you for liability insurance, that could be around $200/yr. Then you also have to earn continuing education (more $$$) and a renewal fee (~$150 every two years), to keep the cert current.
I was an ACE PT, as well as an ACE lifestyle weight management consultant (now defunct). Clients didn't care. Gyms knew it was a multiple choice test. It might be the easiest exam, but they are going to milk you financially. ACE pays their bills by offering largely meaningless credentials, pushing continuing education and encouraging cert collection by new entrants into the industry.
I'm not sure if this is still true, but back in the day, you wanted an ACSM cert (for general public / hospital settings) or an NSCA cert (for sports settings). Gyms did place a value on those.
https://www.lafitness.com/pages/Aerobic ... ation.aspx
You'd be treated accordingly, but it's a foot in the door. Ego's suggestion looks much better for doing the job well.
My experience at the Y - once you were in, they'd let you try teaching anything. If nobody complained and people kept showing, it was all good. Unless you exceed scope of practice (ie nutrition, massage, rehab) there really aren't any professional standards you can be held to. Exercise is not a regulated profession. I've been taught yoga by a high school student, who simply attended enough classes and made friends with the studio owner.
You can be sued and do want to ensure either the facility has liability insurance or buy it yourself.
Ace PT looks like $500 to take a 150 question multiple choice test. I bet there is also a current CPR certification requirement ($0-$100). If the gym doesn't cover you for liability insurance, that could be around $200/yr. Then you also have to earn continuing education (more $$$) and a renewal fee (~$150 every two years), to keep the cert current.
I was an ACE PT, as well as an ACE lifestyle weight management consultant (now defunct). Clients didn't care. Gyms knew it was a multiple choice test. It might be the easiest exam, but they are going to milk you financially. ACE pays their bills by offering largely meaningless credentials, pushing continuing education and encouraging cert collection by new entrants into the industry.
I'm not sure if this is still true, but back in the day, you wanted an ACSM cert (for general public / hospital settings) or an NSCA cert (for sports settings). Gyms did place a value on those.