If you want to become a fitness consultant, you first need to determine if this career path is a good fit for you. If the following description sounds like you, then you’re probably well suited for it:
A fitness consultant must have a natural passion for, and aptitude in exercise and fitness. They are people that are genuinely interested in the health and wellness of other people. Those that become fitness consultants have a varied skill set that helps them understand their clients; what their needs are the needs are, what their goals are, their current level of fitness, what their motivation is, and how to help them accomplish those goals.
Below we've outlined what you'll need to become a fitness consultant. We've also included helpful information for this career, such as job description, job duties, salary expectations, a list of possible employers and much more!
Education Needed to Become a Fitness Consultant
The educational requirements for working in this field can vary greatly from region to region, and from employer to employer. For example, some employers may hire you with only a high school diploma and train you on the job, while other employers will require you to have a master’s degree in kinesiology, exercise science or physical education.
General Job Description
Fitness consultants are responsible for effectively and efficiently communicating fitness information to clients, which may include employees of an organization, students, other groups, and individual clients. Such information may include instructing clients on proper exercise techniques, the various benefits of fitness, and other related information.
In order to properly communicate this information to clients, fitness consultants must recognize different personality types within their client base. They must figure out what motivates clients to take action, find out what their individual needs and goals are, help them determine how to afford fitness programs, and how to get them to commit to fitness programs.
The job duties of fitness consultants can vary considerably depending on where they work and their level of experience. For example, some fitness consultants, such as those that work for gyms and other fitness facilities, may be responsible for selling fitness packages to clients in addition to providing them with information; other fitness consultants, typically those that are more experienced, may be responsible for implementing fitness programs for all of the employees of a large organization.
Typical Duties & Responsibilities
• Maintain current knowledge of exercise science and proper exercise techniques
• Design and instruct exercise programs for individuals with special needs, such as pregnancy, disability, obesity, chronic conditions or obesity
• Provide expert advice to individuals and groups
• Speak at seminars, conferences and other engagements
• Liaise with school, organization or company management regarding details and expectations of services to be provided
• Negotiate service contracts with clients
• Effectively communicate fitness knowledge with students, employees, organization members and other clients
• May be responsible for selling fitness centre memberships to clients and customers
Typical Work Environment
Those who become fitness consultants are typically drawn to the career because they are passionate about health and fitness, and they are excited for an opportunity to work in a field they love.
Like any career, working as a fitness consultant can have its ups and downs. Helping people work toward a healthy lifestyle can be extremely rewarding, and can make this job quite enjoyable. However, some fitness consultants may experience high levels of stress, such as those that are required to solve high-level corporate fitness problems, as fitness consultants may sometimes land in difficult, contentious or poorly managed situations.
The job of a fitness consultant may involve a variety of working hours; it may involve working normal weekday working hours, or it may involve working early-morning and after-work hours when most people are free to exercise.
Average Salary Level
The salary level of fitness consultants can vary depending on factors such as their level of experience, their level of education, where they work, whether or not they are self-employed, the size of their client base, and other factors.
Fitness Consultant Salary - Canada: According to the Alberta Learning and Information Service, the average salary of Albertans working in the Recreation, Sports and Fitness Program Supervisors and Consultants occupational group is $68,890 per year. WorkBC, via job board wage and salary data, reports that those working in that same occupational group in British Columbia earn an average salary of $51,438 per year.
Salary - United States: According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of workers in the Fitness Trainers and Instructors occupational group is $39,820 per year. The lowest 10% of salaries were below $20,160 per year, and the highest 10% were above $76,090 per year.
Who Employs Them?
Fitness consultants may be employed with various organizations in a part-time or full-time employee capacity, or they may be hired as independent contractors. The following organizations hire fitness consultants:
• Public healthcare departments
• Non-profit organizations
• Business work sites
• Colleges and universities
• Healthcare facilities such as nursing homes
• Health clubs and gyms
• Recreation and leisure centres
• Retirement facilities
• Municipal recreation centres
• Community leagues and associations
• Self-employment
Fitness Consultant Jobs - Current Opportunities
Our job board below has "fitness consultant" postings in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Similar Careers in Our Database
Listed below are careers in our database that are similar in nature to "fitness consultant", as they may involve many of the same skills, competencies and responsibilities.
References
Please consult the references below to find more information on the various aspects of a career as a fitness consultant.
Occupations in Alberta: “Personal Trainer.” (March 19, 2016). ALIS website - Alberta Learning Information Service. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
Personal Care & Service: “Fitness Trainers and Instructors.” (September 4, 2019). Occupational Outlook Handbook - United States Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
Explore Careers: “Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers.” (July 23, 2018) WorkBC website. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
Please Note: Much of the information for this career guide was gathered from actual job postings, which due to the brief nature of their online presence, are not listed here as sources.
Scholarships for Becoming a Fitness Consultant
Scholarships in our system that are relevant for becoming a Fitness Consultant are all of those that can be found on our Exercise Science Scholarships and Kinesiology Scholarships pages.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!
Applicable Majors
Studying one of the university majors listed below is an excellent starting point for getting started in this profession. Click on the links to find out what else you can do with these majors!
