Seeing Gains: Turning a Passion for Fitness into a Real Career

As a steadily growing industry, fitness offers a wide range of career paths. While fitness instructor and personal trainer are the two most visible aspects of the business, you might even opt to open a gym or buy a franchise. Whichever path you choose, turning a passion for fitness into a real career requires ticking a few boxes before you can get started. Once you’re in, you’ll also want to acquire business insurance for fitness professionals.

Fitness Instruction/Personal Training

Becoming a fitness instructor or a personal trainer offers reasonable salary potential and the ability to work an unconventional schedule. Other benefits include the opportunity to represent fitness products and equipment as well as nutritional supplements. To get started, you’ll need to acquire certification and market yourself to build up a client list. Within the fitness instructor category are a number of specialties you can pursue; these include Spinning, Pilates, Zumba, Yoga and a host of others. Acquiring a certification specific to your preferred area will make you a more valuable quantity in the eyes of a facility manager.

Certification Organizations

When you’re looking to become certified, you should be aware the quality of certification bodies varies greatly. Because fitness jobs don’t comprise a licensed profession, there are no hard and fast standards to which certifying bodies must adhere. Rather than choosing an organization at random, ask around at some of the gyms in which you think you’d like to work. Some fitness centers specifically state which certifications (and from what organization) they require in job listings. Checking the “Careers” section of a well-established gym will provide you with some guidance in that regard.

Post Certification Activities

It’s important to put in some time gaining practical experience before applying to teach at a large facility. People who hire for those positions look for skill in addition to talent and reliability. You’ll also need to demonstrate an ability to construct effective routines, which is something you will only learn by doing. Experienced professionals recommend starting at a community center, a church or another place with standards a bit lower than those maintained by large gyms. This has the added benefit of giving you an opportunity to learn if you really enjoy the work and how far you want to pursue it.

There's More to it Than Meets the Eye

From the outside looking in, a fitness professional’s life might seem rather glamorous. But like every other field of endeavor, there are things going on in the background you only see when you’re actually doing the work. If you’re thinking of this as a great way to get a workout, you’ll find you have to keep an eye on your charges to keep them safe. This usually means you won’t be able to work out with them. Also, to make a really good living, you’ll need a fairly large roster of clients and you’ll have to supplement your income.

If you’re a trainer, you will also need to acquire business insurance for fitness professionals. If you run a gym, you’ll have to insure your commercial space against accidents and property damage. CoverHound can help you find a cost-effective policy to make sure you’re adequately protected. Compare your coverage options today!