How To Become A Fitness Coach: What It Is and Career Path

What is a fitness coach and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Fitness coaches lead, instruct, and motivate individuals and groups to exercise and, in the long run, live a healthy and successful life. In addition, they work with people of all ages and skill levels.

Some of the training techniques that they implement and teach others include cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stretching. Furthermore, they demonstrate to various groups how to properly carry out those exercises and routines, helping them with managing their diets, proposing alternatives for individuals in case of inability to perform certain exercises, and providing first aid in case of injury. Essential skills that applicants will need to perform this job successfully include ability to motivate, leadership, and communication.

To qualify for the position, a high school diploma or a GED may suffice; although, a degree in kinesiology or sports science would be advantageous. The average hourly salary for this position is $18.83, which amounts to over $39,000 annually. The career is expected to grow in the near future.

ScoreFitness CoachUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,462

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.4

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 7.05%

Hispanic or Latino 10.64%

Unknown 5.40%

White 71.31%

Gender

female 53.73%

male 46.27%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress Level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.5

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a fitness coach

Explore fitness coach education requirements

Most common fitness coach degrees

Bachelor's

67.9 %

Associate

14.2 %

Master's

6.6 %

Start to develop specific fitness coach skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	23.25%
Kids	17.36%
Fitness Programs	12.61%
Training Programs	6.63%
Heart Rate	6.24%

Complete relevant fitness coach training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New fitness coaches learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a fitness coach based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real fitness coach resumes.

Gain additional fitness coach certifications

Fitness coach certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific fitness coach certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for fitness coaches include Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

More About Certifications

Research fitness coach duties and responsibilities

Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
Train new employees on sales tactics, and point-of-sale (POS) system.
Certify in CPR and first aid to attend appropriately to health issues of participants.
Certify in CPR and first response a medical training in order to provide immediate medical response to members in need.

Prepare your fitness coach resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your fitness coach resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a fitness coach resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Fitness Coach Resume templates

Build a professional Fitness Coach resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Fitness Coach resume.

Apply for fitness coach jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a fitness coach job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do fitness coaches rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Fitness Coach reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

No punching a time clock. Ability to set own hours - although you’ll make more if you are flexible with client availabilities. Rewarding helping others get healthier and seeing the positive outcomes in their fitness/health.

Cons

Early mornings and late evenings - midday naps are often needed. Typically need to work Saturdays. People think that a personal trainer’s time is worthless because they rarely call to cancel… no-shows are always happening and it really sucks for the trainer, especially since it happens so often.