Online Fitness Trainer Degrees
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A career as a fitness trainer is as fun and dynamic as it is rapidly growing. It is a profession that often offers flexible part-time or full-time hours, a healthy and social work setting, and the opportunity to help people make positive changes in their lives every day. Obtaining a certification in fitness education provides trainers with the rewarding experience of developing and implementing fitness programs for individual clients or groups.
The overall job of a fitness trainer is to help clients meet their fitness goals through exercise, motivation, and nutrition advice. They can work through one-on-one training sessions or teach group classes; they also have the option to specialize in many different areas such as yoga, Pilates, karate, cardio, and weight lifting. Fitness trainers must be in great shape themselves so that they are able to accurately demonstrate different activities that are part of the training sessions to their clients.
Once a trainer has had a great deal of experience in the industry, he or she may eventually advance and become a fitness director. This position enables them to be in charge of fitness programs, operations, and staff at gyms, universities, or for sports teams. This job may also include speaking at orientations, performing body assessments, and putting together proper work out programs for the facility.
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Career Specializations
Fitness workers have the option of specializing in many different types on physical activity. Here are just a few examples:
- Weight Training: This specialization involves learning about muscle groups and developing individualized weight or strength-training programs for individual clients or groups.
- Pilates: Pilates instructor training programs prepare fitness trainers to become professionally certified to teach the principles of Pilates: flexibility, strength, and endurance.
- Yoga: Trainers would go away for a weekend retreat, or complete 200 hours worth of training that will prepare them to instruct group or individual yoga classes.
Degree Levels
- Training Certification: 200 hours
- Bachelor's in Exercise Science: 4 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
In general, students interested in becoming a fitness trainer are only required to have a high school diploma. Some gyms and fitness facilities require students to have certification, especially if they are specializing in a specific area of expertise. All trainers must be certified in CPR. Not all facilities require individuals to have fitness instructor certification to become employed, but the facilities that do require certification from the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. Even if the place of employment doesn't require individuals to be a certified fitness instructor, they do always require individuals to be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. (BLS)
Salary Information
The average yearly salary in the fitness industry for a trainer or instructor in 2008 was approximately $29K. The top 10 percent of trainers earned more than $60K per year, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $16K. Many individuals working in this industry use their fitness training job as a second job to earn extra income and only do it on the weekends or in the evenings, while others do it full time as their main source of income. (BLS)
Job Outlook
According to the United States Department of Labor, this field is moving at a very fast pace and expected to grow an additional 29 percent through the decade of 2008-2018. This provides an amazing outlook for people considering a career in this field.
Much of the growth in this field is due to the baby boomer generation and their new concern with living a healthier lifestyle, which includes fitness and nutrition. Another reason that this field is growing to fast is the concern with childhood obesity. Many schools are having to cut out their physical education programs due to high costs, which is taking a toll on children and the amount of physical activity that they are getting. Parents are starting to enroll children in more fitness activities outside of school. (BLS)
Related Careers
Athletes and coaches are in charge of either playing on or coaching a sports team. They are in charge of staying fit and on top of the latest industry trends and strategies. Even though it is quite rare to become a professional athlete or coach, there are many possibilities to do it in minor leagues and part-time positions.
Dietitians are licensed to care for individuals and their nutritional needs. They are able to develop meal plans, provide nutritional advice, and prevent and treat different illnesses through nutritional methods. They work in hospitals, nursing facilities, and many other different institutions.
Nutritionists do many of the same jobs as a dietitians, except they are not licensed to create meal plans for people or treat illnesses. These individuals help patient modify their current diet in order to promote a healthier lifestyle. Nutritionists are able to give nutrition advice to patients.
Recreational workers organize and manage recreational activities for different communities. They work at many different locations and with all different ages and types of groups and help direct their activities to make sure everything runs smoothly. These individuals can hold many different positions of varying levels of responsibility.
