Many students and prospective students ask us what opportunities are available to them when they become qualified fitness instructors, and to some extent this is a really difficult question to answer. Traditionally, fitness instructors are qualified at Level 2 and are employed in the following roles, depending on their level and type of qualification:
- Gym Instructor
- Exercise to Music Instructor
- Circuit Training Instructor
- Indoor Cycling / Spinning Instructor
- Water Based Exercise Instructors (AQUA)
- Children's Exercise Instructor / Kids Fitness
While some fitness instructors also provide personal training services to clients, strictly speaking, anyone delivering one-to-one training services in the context of personal training should be qualified to level 3, and hold a recognised personal training qualification. Furthermore, they should also obtain full Level 3 Status with the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs).
In today's fast-moving and thriving fitness sector, the opportunities available to those holding nationally recognised fitness qualifications are no longer confined to the above roles. With soaring levels of inactivity, and the exponential rise of diseases like diabetes, obesity, hypertension and hypercholestrolemia associated with a sedentary lifestyle, the opportunities open to fitness professionals are literally endless, and are only limited by your own initiative and imagination.
The following list is only intended to provide you with a brief flavour for the opportunities available to you as a qualified fitness professional, however this list is by no means exhaustive.
- Gym instructor working in a health club/leisure centre
- Fitness instructor working in cruise ships, hotels and spas
- Freelance group exercise instructor working in health clubs and leisure centres*
- Self-employed group exercise instructor delivering own classes in the community*
- Fitness instructor in a school, college or university, supporting academic staff
- Fitness instructor in collaboration with diet clubs like Weight Watchers and Slimming World
- Outdoor fitness instructor delivering one-to-one or groups fitness sessions outside
- Corporate fitness solutions delivering work-based exercise solutions to help boost productivity
- Supporting local health initiatives which seek to improve the health of people in a particular locality
- GP / exercise referral- although operating in this field will require additional qualifications at level 3.
*Group exercise instructors have the unique privilege of being able to specialise in, and teach a wide array of exercise classes and programmes, including:
- Aerobics
- Step Aerobics
- Circuit Training
- Body Conditioning
- Spinning
- RPM
- Zumba
- Body Pump
- Body Attack
- Body Balance
- Aqua Aerobics
- Boxercise
- Body Jam
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Fit Kids
and many more….
Should you have any questions about any of the above opportunities, or indeed any other ideas that you may have had and require a little impartial advice, please feel free to get in touch.
