instructor certification

[lauramangano]

i am a mother of three and excercise 6-7 days a week. my last child just started school and i thought it would be a good time to start a new career. i would like to share my own love of fitness and am thinking of getting certified. my question is - which organization is the best one? there are alot out there.

thanks - laura mangano

 

[Chante]

Hi Laura,

ACE and AFAA are two of the most widely accepted certfications for group fitness instructors. If you belong to a gym you may want to ask one of your favorites instructors to mentor you. Being a group fitness instructor is not as easy as it seems.

Good Luck.

Chante

 

[Aquajock]

Chante hit the nail right on the head, both with the certifications that will do you the most good as an instructor, AND in getting mentoring to learn the realities of being a working group fitness instructor. {Hint: not all instructors are as nice as Cathe, and not all participants are as nice or as motivated as we are! }

You may also want to go onto the Turnstep bulletin board forums for group fitness instructors (www.turnstep.com), and post a few questions to get some basic information about how others got started.

Good luck!

Annette Q. Aquajock

 

[atgood]

ACE has a good home study course. I'm taking that right now in preparation for the Nov. 2 personal training exam. If I'm not mistaken, Cathe is ACE certified. ;-)

 

[Maribeth]

Chante did hit the nail on the head! I've been certified with ACE and AFAA for years, and would say these are the two most widely recognized certifications as far as group fitness instruction goes. ACSM and NSCA are probably the gold standard in terms of certification, but most of the certs offered through these two organizations require a degree in exercise or a health science.

Do spend time with a mentor, but choose the mentor carefully. You want to find someone who's not only talented in terms of choreography, but who really knows their stuff in terms of the theory behind the practice.

I've worked in the fitness industry for 23 years now--since I was 18. If I can help with your career change, drop me an e-mail!
Maribeth

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Laura! I would suggest getting certified through either ACE or AFAA (go to our links page to reach their sites) as a basic foundation. I did both but currently remain active primarily with ACE. I think after you did one of these certifications you would have a good idea if this is a career path that you would want to pursue. If so, then there are many options and directions you can go from there. But don't overwhelm yourself and simply start with the basics for now. Good Luck!

 

[joan]

Dear Maribeth, will you be able to give me your email so I can write and ask you some questions? TIA Joan

 

[fit_4_forty]

Laura,

Thanks for your post! I've been having the same thoughts lately, so your question and all of the responses are exactly what I've been looking for. I am going to check out the ACE certification as Cathe suggested, and take it from there. A friend of mine suggested that I start going out to the local fitness institutions (YMCA, health clubs) and do some research as to what they look for; it will also give you some contacts for the future. Good Luck!

Rhonda

 

[honeybunch1]

I talked my way into my local Y with my ACE certification. The Y is a great place to start because they offer FREE training, you use their equipment, and they pre-screen the clients. They are very reputable, too, and that's very important. Check them out if you have one in your town.

Just Do It!