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Personal fitness trainer vs life skills instructor

The differences between personal fitness trainers and life skills instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a personal fitness trainer and a life skills instructor. Additionally, a personal fitness trainer has an average salary of $38,198, which is higher than the $30,844 average annual salary of a life skills instructor.

The top three skills for a personal fitness trainer include CPR, program design and customer service. The most important skills for a life skills instructor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and kids.

Personal fitness trainer vs life skills instructor overview

Personal Fitness TrainerLife Skills Instructor
Yearly salary$38,198$30,844
Hourly rate$18.36$14.83
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs33,38764,039
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a personal fitness trainer do?

Personal Fitness Trainers are responsible for developing fitness plans entailing exercise routines for groups and individuals. Their duties include determining clients' health and fitness levels, facilitating exercise regimen completions, monitoring physical progress, and implementing individualized exercise plans. They are responsible for undertaking group and individual training sessions, supervising proper fitness equipment, and educating on comprehensive training techniques. Personal Fitness Trainers also assist in providing consultation regarding nutrition, health, and weight control inquiries. They ensure safety regulations are adhered to and can perform first aid.

What does a life skills instructor do?

A life skills instructor advises people that are seeking support and coaching. They are responsible for helping them learn and develop skills like doing day-to-day tasks, interacting with other people, caring for themselves, as well as doing basic duties. Also, they can offer to coach for playing sports, learning new things, doing different exercises, and tips for employment.

Personal fitness trainer vs life skills instructor salary

Personal fitness trainers and life skills instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Personal Fitness TrainerLife Skills Instructor
Average salary$38,198$30,844
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $57,000Between $21,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City-Norwich, CT
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between personal fitness trainer and life skills instructor education

There are a few differences between a personal fitness trainer and a life skills instructor in terms of educational background:

Personal Fitness TrainerLife Skills Instructor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorKinesiologyPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Personal fitness trainer vs life skills instructor demographics

Here are the differences between personal fitness trainers' and life skills instructors' demographics:

Personal Fitness TrainerLife Skills Instructor
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 57.8% Female, 42.2%Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between personal fitness trainer and life skills instructor duties and responsibilities

Personal fitness trainer example responsibilities.

  • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
  • Certify in basic CPR and emergency first aid.
  • Adhere to NASM and or NSCA conditioning standards.
  • Lead various group fitness exercises base on AFAA and NETA guidelines.
  • Monitor equipment maintenance and provide a range of aerobics, aqua, cycling, and stretch classes.
  • Organize Zumba fund raisers for members of the community with cancer, leukemia, autism and mental health disease.
  • Show more

Life skills instructor example responsibilities.

  • Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
  • Conduct classes to certify individuals in first aid, CPR, a, environmental emergencies, and pediatric asthma care.
  • Teach lifesaving CPR, a (automate external defibrillator), and first aid courses for the medical and non-medical communities.
  • Provide educational, residential, and support services for children and adolescents with development disabilities, including autism.
  • Provide services to adolescents and adults requesting treatment and educational programs that have been diagnose with autism and behavior disorders.
  • Provide leadership and direction to new and existing staff members; identify training development assuring that training/certification are obtained and maintain.

Personal fitness trainer vs life skills instructor skills

Common personal fitness trainer skills
  • CPR, 26%
  • Program Design, 13%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Group Training, 7%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • Injury Prevention, 5%
Common life skills instructor skills
  • Developmental Disabilities, 10%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Kids, 7%
  • Adaptive, 6%
  • Independent Living, 6%
  • Incident Reports, 5%

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