According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fitness industry is expected to expand faster than the average industry's growth in the 10 years from 2008 to 2018 decade. Although many gym instructor positions require a certificate from an accredited school, you can hone your skills with several free resources.
Personal Experience
The more you work out, study and research, the better you will be as a fitness instructor. When it comes to personal training, specialized experience gives you an edge on those with only general experience. Rather that participating in many kinds of activities, choose one or two specific workout structures and do them often, preferably with somebody who has even more personal experience than you.
Promotional Materials
Fitness schools and industry associations send out advertisements and newsletters, and maintain blogs and samples on their websites. These resources tend to be long on the marketing, but they also contain valuable insights into the fitness industry. By keeping up on these promotional materials, you can get a little training on the science and art of fitness instruction. More importantly, you'll get some insight into the hot topics and issues of the industry.
Mentorship
Forging a relationship with a mentor is such good advice that business and career consultants all agree it's one of the best moves you can make. Finding a fitness instruction mentor can take many different forms. You can work with a coach you know, an instructor at your local gym, an old friend in the industry or anybody else with the position and knowledge to help you along.
Employment
Even better than getting trained for free is getting paid to learn about fitness instruction. Although jobs in the fitness industry are the most obvious choice, positions in many other industries also use skills you'll find valuable as a fitness instructor. Positions in sales, management, emergency services, customer service and counseling are particularly good choices in this regard.
References
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
- Kerry Collette; Yoga Instructor; Hillsboro, OR
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, Oregon
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