Why a Career in Fitness Requires More Than Just Muscles

As we continue to navigate a post-pandemic existence, re-evaluating our priorities and defining our true aspirations, countless individuals have switched career paths to pursue roles that support a healthier work-life balance. As a result, fitness industry professionals have been surging in demand as a large percentage of the workforce is afforded more time to concentrate on their physical wellbeing. For that reason, there’s never been more opportunities for those considering a career in fitness than right now. 

So, what’s it take to work in the fitness industry? For starters, it’s not about how much weight you can bench press, how many minutes you can run on a treadmill consecutively, or even how long you can hold a plank position. Of course, leading a healthy lifestyle and exemplifying physical fitness is an important part of the job, but there are plenty of other factors that employers consider in their hiring decisions.

Proper Certification

Though you may be physically fit on the surface, you’re circumstantially unfit to perform the duties of a fitness professional without proper certification for the role. Thankfully there are plenty of resources available to help you complete your certification.  

BC Recreation & Parks Association (BCRPA) offers certificates for a multitude of fitness roles, including Aquatic Fitness, Group Fitness, Weight Training, Pilates Fitness and Yoga Fitness–in addition to First Aid and CPR, which are mandatory for fitness professionals to maintain while actively employed. Upon successful completion of your desired program’s courses, examination and evaluation, you’ll be prepared to effectively lead classes, safely guide clients through workouts and more. 

Expertise

Knowledge of proper form and technique is critical for fitness professionals to help clients avoid injury, but awareness and understanding of current industry trends is an important part of the job as well. The internet is a wonderful tool, but there can be a lot of misleading or conflicting information online regarding the world of health and fitness. As a fitness professional, clients rely on you to cut through the noise, separate fact from fiction, and employ the most effective methods to help them meet their wellness goals and build trust. 

Understandably, the prospect of using unfamiliar workout equipment or attempting a new workout tactic can be overwhelming for patrons. Since City of Surrey facilities provide state-of-the-art fitness equipment and offer training protocols like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and methods like TRX suspension training, for example, fitness staff must remain knowledgeable about current best practices–yet responsive to new trends emerging on the horizon.   

Empathetic Nature

February is Heart Month in Canada–a subtle reminder to assess our current lifestyle habits and overall heart health. Are we eating well? Getting enough sleep and exercise? Managing our stress levels effectively? Though we’ve made great medical advances over the last few decades, cardiovascular (heart) disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death among Canadians.  

Whether you’re working as a personal trainer, weight room attendant or fitness instructor, there’s a high likelihood you’ll come into contact with individuals who’ve been impacted by heart disease (or a similar health-related disease) in some way. A skilled fitness professional helps identify and reduce their clients’ health risk factors; they’re also able to recognize a client’s motivation and inspire them to meet their goals. Furthermore, they employ an empathetic approach to help neutralize any reservations and maintain a positive, enthusiastic attitude to provide ongoing support. 

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in fitness, advance your skills and help provide service excellence to our residents by joining our collaborative team at the City of Surrey! We’re currently hiring for several positions; to learn more and apply today, visit surrey.ca/careers or submit your application documents in person at your local Surrey recreation/community centre.