Cathe, any advice you could give me on making fitness a career choice for me?

[eaglobo]

Hi Cathe!!

I know in the past we talked about my desire to teach kickboxing, which I am going to pursue after my vacation.

However, reading the posts from so many board members about how you, in person, and how fitness, in general, have changed their lives (myself included), teaching kickboxing doesn't seem enough. I want to pursue more, and I'm not talking on a monetary basis, either.

Day in and day out I meet people who are struggling, and I just know that if I could reach them through fitness, I could make a difference. I know this because I was in their shoes, never knew how great exercise could be.

Now that I know, and am in a position to do something about it, I want to!! Do you recommend getting a degree, any helpful pointers you could throw my way as to how to get started would be greatly appreciated.

Of course, I don't want to limit this to just Cathe answering, anyone that reads this, and could offer some advice, please do.

I want people to experience the feelings that I get after a workout!!

Thanks,

Jerry

 

[kathryn]

You could volunteer your services to a youth group, or church group, or retirement home.

Just a thought.

 

[eaglobo]

And a great thought at that. You'd have thought I'd already thought of that, but I hadn't. There are several retirement homes in my county, guess I could stop in!!

Thanks for the idea!



Jerry

 

[Aquajock]

Jerry, I'm not Cathe, but I am certified as a group fitness instructor and taught 2-4 aqua aerobics classes for 10 years in addition to my "real" job. Thus I thought I'd offer a few comments which I'll try to keep brief:

I think you would be well served to check out bona fide academic programs (undergraduate and graduate level) in exercise physiology, exercise science, kinesiology, or sports training at your area colleges and universities. If there are institutions like that in your area, also discuss career options and the relevant training with their guidance counselors. It is a vast, vast leap going from home exerciser to group fitness instructor and/or personal fitness trainer, and an even greater leap to contemplate making this your vocation rather than your avocation. The way the field is maturing, those with academic credentials in addition to certifications such as ACE, NSCA, ACSM, NASM and AFAA have a better chance of career growth.

I would suggest your logging onto the Turnstep website (www.turnstep.com) and going onto its several message boards. Turnstep is a forum and info clearinghouse for those in the fitness industry (anyone from the most casual part-time instructor like I was up to the career trainer or facilities manager). There are specific message boards for Instructors and PFT's (Personal Fitness Trainers), and I would strongly suggest your posting a no-hold-barred question about the trials and tribulations as well as the joys of working in the industry.

Also consider studying now for a generalized widely recognized certification through one of the certifying bodies I've mentioned above. ACE is the most common. ASCM is the gold standard, and NSCA and NASM for largely for strength conditioning.

I'll offer one point: the general population is not like the Cathe crowd, and not like you. I have seen many people like you get turned on to fitness from their own personal experience, get excited about carrying the message to others, and then realize that it is NOT for lack of information and encouragement that deconditioned people are deconditioned. The element of personal responsibility - or lack thereof - is the greatest cause of the obesity and deconditioning epidemic, and you will never fix that on a broad scale. You probably will reach a few, and that will have to be enough to sustain you. It sustained me for 10 years, but not longer than that. Others feel differently; on the Turnstep forums you'll interact with instructors who have 25-30 years in.

Hope this helps!

A-Jock

 

[eaglobo]

Thanks, A-Jock

You've given me alot of food for thought!!

I know I'll never be able to reach everyone through fitness, but if I can change one life, then everything will be worth it!!

I wouldn't be the person I am today without fitness in my life, it has gotten me through some very difficult times, and I want to be able to give something back to the fitness community.

I will certainly check out the website you posted, thank you again for your insight, it is greatly appreciated.

Take care,

Jerry

 

[JTreddin]

Hi Jerry,

I am also a fitness instructor, and I must say, it's the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Just like you said, even reaching one person is 110% worth it.

Good luck!

Jill

 

[Aquajock]

Jerry, what Jill said is also correct, and I chide myself for not balancing off the negatives in my earlier post with the positives.

Although I no longer instruct (the club system for which I taught for 10 years was acquired by a competitor chain and my favorite facility was shuttered), I can honestly say that I loved each and every class. There wasn't one single class that I didn't look forward to teaching, regardless of how hectic things might have been in my life outside the club. The element of creativity, the energy, the sheer "peopleness" of the classes is unique, and no one but an instructor can truly understand that. Plus, coordinated movement to up-pumping music just can't be beat.

If you can deal with the hassles of being a group-ex instructor (and trust me, there are many, including working within a club environment), and can put the class experience above everything else, you will add a dimension to your life that cannot be matched.

I say Go For It, and go for it with your eyes wide open.

Good luck!

A-Jock

 

[eaglobo]

A-Jock,

No need to chide yourself, there's negatives to just about any type of situation, I appreciate your honesty. I wear glasses, but they are certainly not rose-colored....

It's like the old saying..."You can lead a horse to water...", I want to be the one to lead them to the water, whether or not they want to drink is something that is entirely up to them!

I'm in my mid-40's now, and have never been able to properly answer the question "What do you want to do with your life?" until now.

I enjoy my job, but I'd be lying if I said I was passionate about it, times have been a little tough for me at present, and if I can bottle the way I feel after a workout, I'd sell it, I cannot begin to tell you how much forward I look to my workouts, I view them as self-medication at times!! That's the point I want to get across to people.

I want them to look at me and say, "I can do that, too".

Like I said, no need to chide yourself, your honesty is most appreciated!!

Jerry