Active people who enjoy sports, exercise, and movement are among the first to consider exercise specialist jobs and recreation-related careers. Exercise and fitness careers are fantastic ways to channel one’s energy and enthusiasm; however, exercise specialist jobs necessitate more than just physical fitness. Exercise specialists work with clients one-on-one or in groups, and they must have good communication and people skills in order to motivate and encourage them. Teaching skills are frequently required when it comes to proper technique, nutrition, or anatomy education. Personal trainers, yoga instructors, exercise class instructors, and sport-specific coaches are examples of exercise specialist jobs or careers.
A high school diploma or a general education development (GED) certificate is required for all exercise specialist jobs. The majority of those in exercise-related careers must also complete online or in-person classes and pass an accrediting institution-administered certification exam, depending on their specialty. In the event of an emergency, all exercise specialist jobs require current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. Most exercise and fitness instructors in the United States and Canada have a fitness instructor certification from one of the three major certifying bodies. The majority of them also have multiple diplomas and certifications in various fields of expertise.
Class instructors are the most visible of the exercise specialist jobs. Instructors who teach aerobics, spin cycling, or dance classes have all taken multiple classes with different instructors and completed some form of classroom or online training. Many personal trainers have degrees in exercise science or kinesiology and hold at least one certification from one of the major accreditation institutions. The certification rule does not apply to sports-specific coaches, such as baseball pitching instructors. While some sports-specific coaches have fitness certifications or degrees, the vast majority of their credentials come from their time as a professional athlete in that sport.
Exercise specialist jobs involving yoga and Pilates have more complicated certification and credentialing than most fitness jobs. Training is required for both types of exercise, whether it is a weekend workshop or a year-long apprenticeship. Professional organizations in the West have begun to require a minimum of 200 hours of instruction for credentialing in either of these two fields. Yoga follows a strong teacher-student tradition, in which any given yoga instructor is also a student of another, more advanced yoga teacher.