How To Become A Fitness Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a fitness specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Hunter Waldman Ph.D.,

Grayson Lipford Ph.D.

A fitness specialist is a trainer that provides exercise and nutrition programs for clients. He/she does this after analyzing the clients' health in order to develop suitable exercise and nutrition solutions. They ensure the workout techniques match the fitness abilities of their clients to avoid injuries and to efficiently meet their fitness objectives. Fitness specialists work with clients of all ages in various exercise activities.

A fitness specialist needs to be able to motivate their clients and advise them to get back on track when they fall and lose hope. They should also offer leadership by being able to recognize and respond to individual needs within a group setting. A good fitness expert should have an element of trust and understanding with his/her or her client.

They usually work an average of 40 training hours per week but can work shorter hours depending on client availability. Some fitness specialists are flexible in that they manage their own schedules to fit the client's timing.

What general advice would you give to a fitness specialist?

Dr. Hunter Waldman Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Exercise Science, University of North Alabama

Stay relevant. I've seen too many graduates find a job and fall into a routine of least resistance. I think the pandemic definitely showed in a lot of jobs, who is needed and who is not. This may sound harsh, but in extreme circumstances, this is how it works. Become efficient at your job and find ways to assist your colleagues or employers in ways that are not necessarily written on your job description. Stay updated with current trends in your field, read the most recent research regarding your area, and identify what you bring to the job that nobody else does and excel at those tasks.

ScoreFitness SpecialistUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,472

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.4

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 7.05%

Hispanic or Latino 10.64%

Unknown 5.40%

White 71.31%

Gender

female 55.18%

male 44.82%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a fitness specialist

Explore fitness specialist education requirements

Most common fitness specialist degrees

Bachelor's

71.2 %

Associate

11.5 %

Master's

8.2 %

Start to develop specific fitness specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	15.71%
Fitness Assessments	8.08%
ACSM	6.65%
Sales Floor	6.13%
Blood Pressure	5.09%

Complete relevant fitness specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New fitness specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a fitness specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real fitness specialist resumes.

Gain additional fitness specialist certifications

Fitness specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific fitness specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for fitness specialists include Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

More About Certifications

Research fitness specialist duties and responsibilities

Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
Lead group strength training exercises, conduct vitals, and monitor EKG telemetry before during and after exercise.
Conduct CPR and a workshops for facility.
Water safety, CPR, and a certified.

Prepare your fitness specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your fitness specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a fitness specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable fitness specialist resume templates

Build a professional fitness specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your fitness specialist resume.

Apply for fitness specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a fitness specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do fitness specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Fitness specialist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

No punching a time clock. Ability to set own hours - although you’ll make more if you are flexible with client availabilities. Rewarding helping others get healthier and seeing the positive outcomes in their fitness/health.

Cons

Early mornings and late evenings - midday naps are often needed. Typically need to work Saturdays. People think that a personal trainer’s time is worthless because they rarely call to cancel… no-shows are always happening and it really sucks for the trainer, especially since it happens so often.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020