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What does a Group Fitness Instructor do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
What does a Group Fitness Instructor do

A group fitness instructor is responsible for creating fitness programs for a group with the same fitness goals, tailoring special instructions to engage the group and helping each individual achieve their healthy lifestyle objectives. Group fitness instructors monitor each trainee's progress, adjusting exercise routines and diet plans as needed, and ensuring that the group follows the training disciplines during fitness sessions. They must have excellent knowledge of the fitness industry, including the latest routines to provide options and a wide range of fitness programs.

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Group fitness instructor responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real group fitness instructor resumes:

  • Lead group exercise classes in cycling, bootcamp and outdoor fitness.
  • Attain certifications in aerobics, fitness and aquatic exercise, CPR and a.
  • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
  • Design and lead fitness classes involving Pilates, yoga, circuits, and resistance training appropriate for all fitness levels.
  • Follow guidelines for teaching group fitness through AFAA certification.
  • Design and teach strength, bootcamp, stretching, and spin classes
  • Coach high intensity interval (HIIT) classes through a heart rate base program.
  • Assist in the logistical running of several studios including; member management, equipment management, studio cleanliness and inventory.
  • Conduct group fitness classes for women of all ages including strength and conditioning, HIIT, and sculpting and toning.
  • Customize yoga classes according to specific needs and fitness levels of participants, needs range from stress reduction to pain relief.
  • Maintain extremely high cleanliness standards.
  • Certify Pilates and Kickboxing instructor.
  • Create and facilitate 60-minute Pilates exercise class
  • Develop individualized fitness plans, including cardio and weight training.
  • Perform yearly evaluations on all instructors and monitor current CPR and instructor certifications.

Group fitness instructor skills and personality traits

We calculated that 25% of Group Fitness Instructors are proficient in CPR, Yoga, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Communication skills, and Listening skills.

We break down the percentage of Group Fitness Instructors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • CPR, 25%

    Instructed 15-40 people-Provided excellent customer service/accommodations when necessary-Maintained the appearance of the studio-Administered CPR when required

  • Yoga, 15%

    Designed and provided group exercise instruction in variety of formats, including Yoga, cycle, Pilates, and aqua aerobics.

  • Customer Service, 10%

    Provided great customer service, customer education, and policy enforcement to maintain a recreational atmosphere for a diverse clientele population.

  • Group Fitness Classes, 7%

    Provided one-on-one consulting, training, and support -Designed and trained group fitness classes -Assisted with administrative functions associated with facility operations

  • AFAA, 6%

    Worked for AFAA as an examiner for Primary Certifications, Step Reebok, and Kickboxing throughout New England.

  • Cleanliness, 6%

    Maintained extremely high cleanliness standards.

"cpr," "yoga," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that group fitness instructors use at work. You can find even more group fitness instructor responsibilities below, including:

Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a group fitness instructor to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what group fitness instructors do because "many fitness trainers and instructors sell their services, motivating clients to hire them as personal trainers or to sign up for the classes they lead." Additionally, a group fitness instructor resume shows how group fitness instructors use customer-service skills: "managed equipment maintenance, facility cleanliness, and guest relations. "

Communication skills. Many group fitness instructor duties rely on communication skills. "fitness trainers and instructors must be able to clearly explain exercises that they demonstrate to clients.," so a group fitness instructor will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways group fitness instructor responsibilities rely on communication skills: "generate interest and provide customer service to sign on new members and retain existing clients through open communication. "

Listening skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of group fitness instructors is listening skills. This skill is critical to many everyday group fitness instructor duties, as "fitness trainers and instructors must listen carefully to what clients tell them in order to determine the clients’ fitness levels and desired fitness goals." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "communicated with the parents about any concerns or issues regarding their child enriching my customer service and conflict management skills. "

Motivational skills. A big part of what group fitness instructors do relies on "motivational skills." You can see how essential it is to group fitness instructor responsibilities because "to keep clients coming back for more classes or to continue personal training, fitness trainers and instructors must keep their clients motivated." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical group fitness instructor tasks: "instruct motivational yoga classes for all fitness and skill levels. "

Physical fitness. Another crucial skill for a group fitness instructor to carry out their responsibilities is "physical fitness." A big part of what group fitness instructors relies on this skill, since "fitness trainers and instructors must be able to lead classes and to demonstrate exercises to participants or their clients." How this skill relates to group fitness instructor duties can be seen in an example from a group fitness instructor resume snippet: "create and instruct boot camp and mat pilates classes to appeal to the mass of the fitness facilities members in dual locations"

Problem-solving skills. Another skill commonly found on group fitness instructor job descriptions is "problem-solving skills." It can come up quite often in group fitness instructor duties, since "fitness trainers and instructors must evaluate members’ or client’s fitness levels and create appropriate fitness plans to meet their needs." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day group fitness instructor responsibilities: "resolved and enhanced customer service matters. "

All group fitness instructor skills

The three companies that hire the most group fitness instructors are:

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Compare different group fitness instructors

Group fitness instructor vs. Life skills trainer

Life skills trainers are personal health professionals who provide training assistance and supervision to patients, such as personal care, financial management, and social integration. These trainers are required to assist their clients with disabilities with daily living activities while documenting their behaviors and personal hygiene. They can organize therapeutic activities for individuals or groups to maximize their quality of life. Life skills trainers must also assist in meal preparation as well as perform tasks that include glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and diabetes management.

The annual salary of life skills trainers is $5,045 lower than the average salary of group fitness instructors.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a group fitness instructor are more likely to require skills like "yoga," "customer service," "group fitness classes," and "afaa." On the other hand, a job as a life skills trainer requires skills like "medication administration," "therapeutic recreation," "medical appointments," and "direct support." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

On average, life skills trainers reach similar levels of education than group fitness instructors. Life skills trainers are 0.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Group fitness instructor vs. Skills trainer

Skills Trainers are responsible for creating and teaching courses that are specialized for employees of an organization. Their duties include conducting initial analysis through questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups, create program budgeting, design training courses, organize the class schedule, produce study materials, and implement trial run. They track key performance metrics, create progress reports, and continuously improve training methodologies to deliver better results. Skills Trainers also work with outside vendors in using instructional technology to facilitate teaching.

On average, skills trainers earn a $3,088 lower salary than group fitness instructors a year.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that group fitness instructor responsibilities requires skills like "yoga," "customer service," "group fitness classes," and "afaa." But a skills trainer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "money management," "adaptive," "independent living," and "behavior management."

Skills trainers may earn a lower salary than group fitness instructors, but skills trainers earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $34,257. On the other hand, group fitness instructors receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $39,122.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Skills trainers tend to reach similar levels of education than group fitness instructors. In fact, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Group fitness instructor vs. Certified personal trainer

A Certified Personal Trainer is a person who will guide, help, and motivate you to move forward and become successful. Anyone with a mastery of a specific subject can become a personal trainer; however, certification is given only by accredited organizations that can offer licensure or certification programs. Many hope to find their own certified personal trainer in this hectic and convoluted society to accompany them through thick and thin in life.

An average certified personal trainer eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of group fitness instructors. The difference in salaries amounts to certified personal trainers earning a $3,828 lower average salary than group fitness instructors.By looking over several group fitness instructors and certified personal trainers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "cpr," "customer service," and "group fitness classes." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from group fitness instructor resumes include skills like "yoga," "afaa," "cleanliness," and "class attendance," whereas a certified personal trainer is more likely to list skills in "injury prevention," "nasm," "program design," and "fitness programs. "

Certified personal trainers earn the highest salary when working in the retail industry, where they receive an average salary of $43,335. Comparatively, group fitness instructors have the highest earning potential in the education industry, with an average salary of $39,122.certified personal trainers typically earn similar educational levels compared to group fitness instructors. Specifically, they're 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Group fitness instructor vs. Manager/personal trainer

A manager/personal trainer performs fitness training, human resource management, and sales in a single job role. First-aid certification is one of the main requirements for the role. The responsibilities of this role are teaching and evaluating a trainer's performance, offering feedback based on the results of the evaluation, creating a workout plan that works for the client, advising the client on nutrition and exercise, and ensuring that health and safety regulations are adhered to when working with equipment.

Managers/personal trainer tend to earn a higher pay than group fitness instructors by an average of $27,250 per year.While their salaries may vary, group fitness instructors and managers/personal trainer both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "cpr," "customer service," and "group fitness classes. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A group fitness instructor uses "yoga," "afaa," "class attendance," and "cardio." Managers/personal trainer are more likely to have duties that require skills in "program design," "payroll," "punctuality," and "member retention. "managers/personal trainer reach similar levels of education compared to group fitness instructors, in general. The difference is that they're 2.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of group fitness instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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