Fitness Instructor (General)
What the work is
Directs, instructs and guides individuals or groups in the pursuit of physical fitness and wellbeing.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Designs individual fitness programs based on assessment of the client's age, level of fitness, goals and abilities
- Delivers group exercise classes and personal tuition in a variety of fitness activities in a safe manner
- Demonstrates and teaches body movements and skills used in fitness routines
- Sets up and monitors fitness equipment and ensures that equipment is safe, clean and in working condition
- Teaches and advises on the use of fitness equipment to ensure clients are aware of and adhere to safety and injury prevention procedures
- May consult with Health Professionals to develop and design fitness programs for clients
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a community gym and group fitness studio in a fictional suburban recreation centre. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A member who could not climb the stairs a year ago finishes a class with a grin
- A packed morning class where the music, the energy and the room all click
- Someone shyly shows you a personal best and wants you to be the first to know
Hard days
- Five a.m. starts, split shifts and a class that will not wake up
- A member who wants a quick fix that your program cannot give them
- Cleaning equipment between classes while the next group is waiting at the door
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 462131, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.