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Become An Exercise Specialist

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Working As An Exercise Specialist

  • Performing General Physical Activities
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
  • Handling and Moving Objects

  • Outdoors/walking/standing

  • Make Decisions

  • $36,160

    Average Salary

What Does An Exercise Specialist Do

An Exercise Specialist creates exercise plans designed to improve health for clients, such as those at high risk for heart, metabolic, or lung disease. They work at health clubs, hotels, gyms, and hospitals.

How To Become An Exercise Specialist

The education and training required for fitness trainers and instructors varies by type of specialty, and employers often hire those with certification. Personal fitness trainers, group fitness instructors, and specialized fitness instructors each need different preparation. Requirements also vary by facility.

Education

Almost all trainers and instructors have at least a high school diploma before entering the occupation. An increasing number of employers are requiring fitness workers, particularly personal trainers, to have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree related to a health or fitness field, such as exercise science, kinesiology, or physical education. Programs often include courses in nutrition, exercise techniques, biology, anatomy, and group fitness. Personal trainers also learn how to develop fitness programs for clients of all ages.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Employers prefer to hire fitness trainers and instructors who are certified. Many personal trainers must be certified before they begin working with clients or with members of a gym or other type of health club. Group fitness instructors can begin work without certification, but employers often encourage or require them to become certified. Most specialized fitness instructors receive certification for their preferred type of training, such as yoga or Pilates.

Many organizations offer certification. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, lists certifying organizations that are accredited.

All certification exams have a written part, and some also have a practical part. The exams measure the candidate’s knowledge of human physiology, understanding of proper exercise techniques, and ability to assess clients’ fitness levels and develop appropriate exercise programs. Many certifying organizations offer study materials to prepare for the exam, including books, webinars, other audio and visual materials, and exam preparation workshops and seminars.

Advanced certification requires an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in an exercise-related subject that includes more-specialized instruction, such as training athletes, working with people who are injured or ill, or advising clients on general health. For more information, see the profiles on athletic trainers and exercise physiologists.

Most trainers or instructors need certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators before applying for certification in physical fitness.

Training

After becoming a certified personal trainer, new trainers typically work alongside an experienced trainer before they are allowed to train clients alone.

Training for specialized fitness instructors can vary greatly. For example, the duration of programs for yoga instructors can range from a few days to more than 2 years. The Yoga Alliance offers several credentials that require a minimum of between 200 and 500 hours, with a specified number of hours in techniques, teaching methods, anatomy, physiology, philosophy, and other areas.

Important Qualities

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.

Communication skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must be able to clearly explain or demonstrate exercises to clients.

Listening skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must be able to listen carefully to what clients tell them in order to determine the clients’ 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.

Physical fitness. Fitness trainers and instructors need to be physically fit because their job requires a considerable amount of exercise. Group instructors often participate in classes, and personal trainers often need to demonstrate exercises to their clients.

Problem-solving skills. Fitness trainers and instructors must evaluate each client’s level of fitness and create an appropriate fitness plan to meet the client’s individual needs.

Advancement

Fitness trainers and instructors who are interested in management positions should get a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology, or a related subject. Experience often is required in order for a trainer or instructor to advance to a management position in a health club or fitness center. Many organizations prefer a master’s degree for certain positions.

Personal trainers may eventually advance to a head trainer position and become responsible for hiring and overseeing the personal training staff or for bringing in new personal training clients. Head trainers also are responsible for procuring athletic equipment, such as weights or fitness machines. Some fitness trainers and instructors go into business for themselves and open their own fitness centers.

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Exercise Specialist Demographics

Gender

  • Female

    56.3%

  • Male

    42.4%

  • Unknown

    1.3%

Ethnicity

  • White

    82.6%

  • Hispanic or Latino

    9.5%

  • Asian

    6.4%

  • Unknown

    1.1%

  • Black or African American

    0.4%
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Languages Spoken

  • Spanish

    51.1%

  • Portuguese

    11.1%

  • French

    8.9%

  • Italian

    6.7%

  • Swedish

    2.2%

  • Chinese

    2.2%

  • Vietnamese

    2.2%

  • German

    2.2%

  • Mandarin

    2.2%

  • Dari

    2.2%

  • Tagalog

    2.2%

  • Dakota

    2.2%

  • Polish

    2.2%

  • Korean

    2.2%
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Exercise Specialist

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Exercise Specialist Education

Exercise Specialist

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Real Exercise Specialist Salaries

Job Title Company Location Start Date Salary
Corrective Exercise Specialist Definitions Personal Fitness, Inc. New York, NY Sep 12, 2015 $65,000
Corrective Exercise Specialist Definitions Personal Fitness, Inc. New York, NY Sep 30, 2014 $62,610
Corrective Exercise Specialist Definitions Personal Fitness New York, NY Oct 01, 2011 $62,610
Corrective Exercise Specialist Definitions Personal Fitness Inc. New York, NY Oct 01, 2011 $62,610
Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist Avalon Health, LLC Gaithersburg, MD Jan 22, 2013 $50,297
Golf Performance Therapist & Exercise Specialist Junior Golf Academy of Canada Dbacore Golf Academy Winter Garden, FL Dec 02, 2016 $46,917
Exercise Specialist University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Aug 01, 2011 $43,841
Exercise Specialist Toledo Inns Inc. Middleburg Heights, OH Sep 20, 2013 $42,000
Exercise Specialist Elyria Hotels Inc. Elyria, OH Sep 23, 2013 $42,000
Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist Avalon Health, LLC Gaithersburg, MD Jan 21, 2010 $36,418

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Top Skills for An Exercise Specialist

StrengthTrainingBloodPressurePersonalTrainingSessionsFitnessFacilityFitnessAssessmentsWeightLossHeartRatePhysicalTherapyPulmonaryPatientsBodyCompositionAnalysisCustomerServiceEKGFitnessProgramsPhaseIIIWellnessProgramsFitnessGoalsPatientCareTrainingProgramsPhaseIIStressTests

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Top Exercise Specialist Skills

  1. Strength Training
  2. Blood Pressure
  3. Personal Training Sessions
You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:
  • Educated and provided exercise leadership to patients on all cardiovascular and strength training equipment as it fit into their program.
  • Educate clients on health concerns they may have (i.e., diabetes, smoking cessation, blood pressure, nutrition).
  • Customized more than three thousand individual personal training sessions.
  • Assisted Physical Therapists in the implementation of rehabilitation program while assuring comfort and enjoyment of active members of the fitness facility.
  • Administered fitness assessments and related health excise/health tests.

Top Exercise Specialist Employers

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Exercise Specialist Videos

Defining Exercise Physiology

ACSM Career Webinar - Clinical Exercise Physiology

Allied Health Education Video Series:Exercise Physiology

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