So you want to be an Aerobics Instructor/Group X leader? Now what?
1. Attend as many group fitness classes to see what you would enjoy teaching and participating in yourself.
2. Generally you would need to obtain a national certification honored by almost all facilities. For Example
AFAA- (Aerobics and Fitness Assoc. of America)
ACE- (American Council of Exercise)
The above two are generally recognized, however others might include:
YMCA-(General certification held at local YMCA trained onsite)
24 Hour Group X (Certification good only at 24 hour fitness clubs)
(A general guideline would be to attend hands on only certifications, with on-site testing as apposed to online certifications)
3. General National group certification does not prepare you for specialty classes! Just a basic understanding of performance and piecing a class format together.
4. I would encourage taking additional courses to complete the working knowledge of certain formats ie. Cycling, hip hop, step, kickboxing, etc..
5. The following are some resources to pull from:
Kickboxing-Turbokick, AFAA-fundamentals of kickboxing
Indoor Cycling-Schwinn indoor cycling, Spinning
Sculpting-Rep Reebok, Body Pump training systems
Aqua-AEA, YMCA
Coreboard-Reebok Coreboard
Step Aerobics-Body Systems step aerobics
Yoga-Yoga Fit (meant for gym setting!)
6. After you have obtained your certifications, pick up some workout videos at your local library, video store, or another instructor to get some ideas for choreography.
7. Aerobic Instructors pay ranges from $12-$75 a class. Pay is sometimes based on experience of teaching prior classes.
So you want to be a Personal Trainer?Now What?
Try to think of personal training like a Christmas tree, with the top being the most beautiful and sets the mood for the rest of the decorations. Setting a “Gold Star Standard” in the industry is very important because there is a lot of competition out there and a lot of trainers not minding their clients the way they should due to lack of education and proper training courses. The following levels of certification is based on education level taught, the application of the material is valid and widely recognized, and has been in the industry for more than 20 years.
1. Gold Star: ACSM (American Collage of Sports Medicine) –CPT (Certified Personal Trainer)
2. NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association)-CPT
3. NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)-CPT
4. AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America)-Personal Trainer
5. ACE (American Council of Exercise)-Personal Trainer
Certifications generally last for two years and need to be updated to stay current. Your client usually will not have a working knowledge of which certification is more widely respected, but other trainers generally do. Check with your local gym for details on how you would be able to train clients at their facility.