FITNESS TRAINER AND INSTRUCTOR
LEAD INSTRUCT AND MOTIVATE EXERCISE ACTIVITIES
DUTIES
HOW TO BECOME ONE
PAY
The median annual wage for fitness trainers and instructors was $31,720.$15.25 per hour.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,630, and the top 10 percent earned more than $66,530.
JOB OUTLOOK
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Fitness trainers and instructors held about 267,000 jobs in 2012.
Fitness trainers and instructors work in health clubs, fitness or recreation centers, gyms, country clubs, hospitals, universities, yoga and Pilates studios, resorts, and clients' homes. Some fitness trainers and instructors also work in offices.
KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION
Customer-service skills. Many fitness trainers and instructors must sell their services, motivating clients to hire them as personal trainers or to sign up for the classes they lead. Fitness trainers and instructors must therefore be polite, friendly, and encouraging to maintain relationships with their clients.
Listening skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must be able to listen carefully to what clients tell them to determine the client's fitness levels and desired fitness goals.
Motivational skills. Getting fit and staying fit takes a lot of work for many clients. To keep clients coming back for more classes or to continue personal training, fitness trainers and instructors must keep their clients motivated.