Do you need extra education to be a fitness instructor?

Options
SPNLuver83
SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
During my journey to get lean and fit I have really fallen in love with exercise and the way it makes me feel... I was thinking a great way to keep it active in my life once I reached my goal was to turn it into a profession...

To be a fitness instructor/coach do you need any kind of additional education? Or training? Very curious, especially from those who are/have been one. Thanks!

Replies

  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.
  • jshaps7
    jshaps7 Posts: 74 Member
    Options
    It also depends on what kind of fitness instructor you want to be. Some only require the book/test method. If you want to be a certified personal trainer that tends to require a bit more (possibly even a degree). I want to look into being a spinning instructor and that requires I believe 3-4 classes before you get certified (a friend of mine looked into it).
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.

    Or you could go to school and actually learn something before you try to teach it.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.

    Or you could go to school and actually learn something before you try to teach it.

    You know, there is no reason to be nasty. Not every profession requires a college degree. There are training courses for a lot of jobs out there, which is WHY I WAS ASKING.
  • tiffpage
    tiffpage Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    I've thought about this too. The instructor of my yoga class is quite a bit older and looks great. When I look at her I think that teaching classes would be a great long-term goal for me. For me personally, I still need to figure out what I want to teach. My friend is an advanced yoga instructor and it took her a long time to get her certification. I think when you consider this as a new goal just to remember to think about the fact that people may take your class who have injuries may want to take your class and you probably want to be have some additional knowledge of what to do/not do with those cases. I only say this as someone who has a back injury and definitely appreciates an instructor who can give me a little guidance when I'm not able to do the routine workout
  • mariabee
    mariabee Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.

    Or you could go to school and actually learn something before you try to teach it.

    You know, there is no reason to be nasty. Not every profession requires a college degree. There are training courses for a lot of jobs out there, which is WHY I WAS ASKING.

    I don't think Azdak was trying to be nasty, in fact he is probably the most knowledgeable person on this website... I would friend him if I were you :wink: I think it takes a ton of hard work and constant updating of skills to become successful in the fitness industry, so to be able to just "study a book and take a test" really downplays how much knowledge you need to have. The amount of safetly and medical knowledge you need to have is probably the main reason I haven't pursued it yet myself.

    But, in all seriousness, if you want to just teach some classes at the gym, go talk to the gym manager, they will lead you in the right direction. That's how most of my instructors started out, and slowly they became certified and now are making excellent money doing what they love!

    Good luck.
  • lunamare
    lunamare Posts: 569 Member
    Options
    I've got a degree in sports medicine and I used to be a certified personal trainer. I know that when I applied for jobs it was looked upon quite highly that my degree was related to the sports and fitness fields. Most of the head trainers that I know at the gyms have some type of degree in Exercise Physiology or another sports/fitness/health related field. I breezed through the personal trainer's class that I took because I already understood the kinesiology and physiology. Once you do become certified, you have to do additional work to maintain that certification and stay current (hence the "I used to be a personal trainer") Also, specific types of exercise sometimes require specific certifications or classes.

    I agree, talk to the trainers at your gym and see what they have to say. The more people you talk to, the more information you gather, the better decision you'll be able to make.

    Good luck!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Options
    I've been a certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor for almost 16 years. In that time I've taken specialty certifications in various modalities and specific class types like yoga, Pilates, pre- and post-natal exercise, etc. I've also just completed my bachelors in exercise physiology, so I've seen both sides of the fitness education coin. You can get a certification in a weekend and go to work for a gym. I know because I've done it. However, a certification only allows you to work with apparently healthy individuals and if you step over that boundary and work with someone with a medical issue, then you are working outside your scope of practice, which can have legal implications. Getting a degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, kinesiology, etc. is the best way to go because it will not only teach you about working with people who have various health issues, but will also give you a lot more knowledge then you can ever get from a certification course. If all you ever want to do is teach a basic aerobics class and let the gym cover the liability if you injure someone (although they will fire you for it), a certification is fine. If you really want to learn the ins and outs and use the details to be able to help more people, go for the degree.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.

    Or you could go to school and actually learn something before you try to teach it.

    You know, there is no reason to be nasty. Not every profession requires a college degree. There are training courses for a lot of jobs out there, which is WHY I WAS ASKING.

    Wow....
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Options
    you just have to get a certification.
    mainly you study a book and take a test.


    bodybuilding.com has a forum section for personal training that you would probably find very useful.

    NASM, and ACE are two widely accepted certs.

    Or you could go to school and actually learn something before you try to teach it.

    You know, there is no reason to be nasty. Not every profession requires a college degree. There are training courses for a lot of jobs out there, which is WHY I WAS ASKING.

    Don't think I was responding to anything you said.

Categories