Working out has become a passionate way of life for millions of people -- not only for athletes and bodybuilders, but also for everyday people who aspire to develop their bodies into beautiful, healthy things. The world has become inundated with books, websites, and television shows dedicated to giving people the perfect set of moves needed to tighten, tone, and triumph. But they are no substitute for the the live expertise of a fitness trainer. Exercise professionals provide guidance for individuals and/or groups through a variety of physical regimens. It is the trainer's job to model exercises and guide their clients to performing them optimally. Fitness trainers can find work in all sorts of healthful places; gyms, yoga studios, health clubs, and even clients' own abodes are possible environments where fitness trainers' services are requested.

A bachelor's degree and state certification are required to become a practicing fitness trainer. There are many types of specializations available for fitness trainers, and several of these specialties can require additional education and certification. Former athletes and those with a passion for the human body at its best are natural candidates for taking up fitness training as a job. In school, students will learn not only more about the body, but they can also gain management skills that will make them more marketable. They are expected to enter a job ready to go with great training for requesting clients. Few fitness trainers are able to work full time in one single location, and most of them schedule multiple jobs for themselves. The fitness sector is one of the fastest growing industries around, and fitness trainers are able to capitalize on this, expecting jobs to increase in the future.

Career Specializations

• Yoga Trainer: These fitness trainers specifically focus on providing their clients with yoga training, designed to improve their flexibility and state of mind.
• Pilates Trainer: Fitness trainers that concentrate on Pilates are specially trained in this technique, which requires many hours of training before being granted authority to lead others.
• Weight Trainer: Weight trainers are fitness instructors who tailor their focus to strength training and weightlifting. They work frequently with athletes, as well as in rehabilitation and physical therapy situations.
• Aerobics Trainer: This type of fitness trainer demonstrates excellent understanding of the cardiovascular system, and they are able to formulate plans to significant challenge and boost their clients' aerobic abilities.
• Personal Trainer: Personal trainers exclusively work with one to three clients at a time, either in a gym or in the clients' home. They maintain meticulous records of their clients' progress in order to deliver their desired results.
• Group Exercise Instructor: These fitness trainers are experts in guiding medium to large groups of people in fitness regimes. These plans often involve music and choreography, and are balanced so as not to be too difficult or too easy for the group.
• Fitness Director: These are fitness trainers who have escalated to a position that has them managing other trainers. They maintain entire gyms and ensure that health clubs are running smoothly.

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Degrees Available

• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete

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Education & Certification Requirements

More and more fitness trainers are taking up four-year bachelor's degrees in order to find better-quality work. This degree can be specifically in fitness training, but also in a related field such as exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, or sports science. Because there is little to no on-the-job education possible for fitness trainers, employers expect possible employees to have, at the minimum, the certifications for the specialties that they claim. The most successful job applicants for this field boast both a bachelor's degree and multiple certifications. Those who are looking to eventually become managers or fitness directors should consider earning master's degrees in appropriate subjects to accompany their work experience.

Pilates and yoga instructors are virtually required to earn the appropriate certifications in order to find work. This is especially true due to the highly competitive nature for this jobs. Pilates instructors earn their commendation from the Pilates Method Alliance, after a minimum of 200 hours of rigorous training. Yoga trainers should seek to be certified by the Yoga Alliance. It can take upwards of two years to complete the training necessary for certification. Any school that potential yoga and fitness trainers are considering should be affiliated with and/or recommended by either of these alliances in order to ensure the legitimacy of their certification.

Personal trainers also are advised to seek out certification if they are to be competitive. Organizations with the proper certification are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. CPR training and the successful completion of a rigorous exam are required for this certification, which must be renewed every two years. (BLS)

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Salary Information

If they can achieve full-time work, fitness trainers with minimum certification can expect to be paid roughly $40,000 a year. Trainers with a bachelor's degree can command approximately $50,000 yearly, and those with a master's degree may take in nearly $80,000 per annum. Part-time trainers typically earn roughly half the yearly earnings of those with full-time work. Fitness directors at the highest level can also earn $80,000 in salary for a year. Variables that change salary include the number of certifications earned, experience, and also reputation. (BLS, American Council on Exercise)

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Job Outlook

Fitness trainers of all types will likely suffer from no shortage of work in the future. The job market for this profession is expected to increase by 29 percent by 2018. As is typical now, it will continue to be easier for applicants to find part-time work as opposed to full-time employment. Those with part-time jobs are advised to take on multiple positions to earn a solid income. And earning a four-year degree will also improve the likelihood of landing a job, as well as more desirable pay. (BLS)

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Related Careers

Nutritionists help their clients vastly improve their eating habits, and they also help them to use diets that help achieve fitness goals. Physical therapists, like fitness trainers, provide specialized and tailored care for their clients, but they focus on working in hospitals to help improve mobility and pain and help prevent or reduce injury or disability in their clients. (BLS)

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