7 Reasons Why a Fitness Career Could Be Your Calling

A fitness career can be super rewarding and come with some great perks (free gym membership and supplements anyone?) but is it right for you? To help you decide if you should get certified, check out these seven reasons why a fitness career could be your calling!

1. You’re A Fitness Fanatic

It probably goes without saying a fitness career is well suited for those gym rats and health fanatics who already have a love for all things body, health and fitness.

Most of us spend the majority of our day on the job, so it helps if you enjoy what you do!

That said, just because you hit the gym six days a week and know how to count macros doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily succeed in the industry.

If you want to take your fitness career seriously, you’ve got to be committed to putting in the hours to take personal training courses and learning about the industry from a professional standpoint.

2. Your Dream Is To Be Your Own Boss

Choosing a fitness career is a great way to blaze your own trail as a personal trainer, health coach or consultant.

Being a boss, running your own business (like our Career Insider Damien Kelly) and creating a name for yourself means continually updating your professional skills. Updating your skills and knowledge with further personal training courses, attending industry events and staying up to date with industry news will keep your fitness career relevant and your clients coming back for more.

If you maintain your personal fitness over the years, it really can be a career you’ll have for decades. It’s not just for young, buff, 20 somethings. People are looking for fitness coaches to inspire them at every life age.

If being your own boss sounds like the dream, you might want to read about The Pros And Cons Of Being Your Own Boss first.

3. You Love Helping People And Walk The Fitness Talk

Who’d want to work with a personal trainer who is unfit and scoffing doughnuts while counting your burpee reps?

To shine in this industry, you need to be the physical example of what you’re teaching your clients. Get prepared to invest in your health and personal image to be the best walking promotion of your services.

You’ve obviously got to love helping people too. Knowing the technical and physiological aspects of health and fitness is crucial but so are soft skills like empathy, patience, leadership, communication etc when it comes to coaching and motivating people.

Many fitness professionals choose their careers because of their own personal transformation and get a real kick out of helping others reach their goals, too.

4. A Flexible Schedule And Different Working Environments Suit You

Teaching classes inside a gym, outdoors in a park, training on the beach, or coaching in an office for corporates, a fitness career can take you to all sorts of environments.

It’s a great option for those who want to break out of the usual 9-5 office environment to be leading afternoon HIIT classes at the gym or a health coaching session in a client’s home.

If you’re working for yourself in the fitness industry, flexibility in your schedule and setting your own hours is a big plus too.

5. You’re Self Motivated And Love Social Media

Search #fitnesscoach on the ‘gram and you’ll see more than 2 million posts.

The savviest fitness and health professionals these days are regularly working to build up not just their clients fitness stats, but their social following too.

While a love for Insta isn’t a prerequisite for joining the fitness industry, those trainers and coaches who use social media to market themselves are likely to score more clients and build a bigger reputation than those who don’t.

Case in point: Australia’s own fitness Insta queen Kayla Itsines, who has almost 12 million followers, has built a multi-million dollar empire in the industry.

If building your own business within the fitness industry is the goal, like any entrepreneur or small business owner, you’ve got to be self-motivated to get out there and run your own show. Which isn’t always easy.

6. You Want To Explore Your Options – The Fitness Industry Is BIG

While ‘personal trainer’ is probably the first thing that springs to mind when you think of a fitness career, it’s definitely not the only option.

Nutrition coaches, fitness models, gym franchise owners, dietitians, and more are all options in one of the biggest, most profitable industries around the globe.

You might get your start in the industry with a personal training course but who knows what doors may open for you in other areas.

The health and fitness industry continues to boom in Australia. This overview of the fitness industry by Australian Industry And Skills Committee has encouraging findings on the future of fitness in Australia –

“Strong growth has been experienced by the fitness industry and this is expected to continue over the next five years. The expansion of budget gym chains and premium functional fitness, along with increasing awareness of the health benefits of physical activity and a growth in health consciousness are main contributors to growth. As a result, the fitness sector is expected to generate $2.5 billion in revenue in 2018-19.” – Australian Industry And Skills Committee

7. You Love A Freebie

If you’re employed by a gym or health centre, it’s likely you’ll have access to all their equipment for free, as well as other facilities on site as a spa, sauna or the swimming pool. Bonus!

Discounts on fitness gear, workout clothing, health products for yourself and even family members can also be a perk of working in the fitness industry.