When most people think of careers in fitness they think of personal trainers with one on one sessions in the gym, a personal training studio, and in home sessions. However, with society putting more emphasis on physical fitness and health and wellness the opportunities and possibilities to find some variety of the careers within the fitness industry are greater than ever.
A lot of personal trainers are now branching off into other areas such as corporate training, working with the elderly as well as special needs clients. Personal training for children is also on the rise along with online training and public speaking surrounding health, fitness, and wellness topics. The personal trainer career possibilities are vast.
Here are three popular choices for specializing in the personal training field:
- Athletic Coach – While both trainers and athletic coaches work to keep people in shape, athletic coaches focus more on preparing athletes for competition as opposed to just losing few pounds to fit into a dress or a tuxedo. Most personal trainers do not need a college degree to practice their craft, just a certification from one of the major certifying boards. However, most athletic coaching positions require a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with majors in exercise physiology or kinesiology. The current average salary for an Athletic Coach is around $33,000.
- Physical Therapist – Physical therapists assist patients returning from injury. While physical therapists do promote overall health, the main focus of a physical therapist is not to help clients lose weight, but to improve range of motion, balance, and flexibility and strengthening of the injured area. Physical therapists must pass state and national licensing exams and require higher educational studies. Average salaries for PT’s are in the $72,000 range.
- Nutrition Counseling – The focus as a nutrition counselor is geared more towards eating habits rather than on physical training. Nutrition counselors assist clients with achieving weight goals, developing better eating habits and creating client specific meal plans. You will need to be a high school graduate and depending on the state you live in, you may be required to have a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition. You will need to be properly licensed with the state in which you live. The average salary for a Nutrition Counselor is around $35,000.
These are just a few career ideas in the Health and Wellness industry. Whichever career you choose, make sure you have the passion to go at it full steam ahead and you’ll have the success you aspire to.
