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If you love fitness, you’re in luck. There are plenty of job options for those who love to stay fit and help others do the same. From personal trainers to massage therapists, these jobs provide ample opportunity for fitness enthusiasts to put their passion into practice every day.
Personal Trainer
If you’re a fitness fanatic and have a passion for helping others achieve their health and fitness goals, why not turn your passion into a career? Personal trainers are the ultimate fitness enthusiasts. They know all about exercise, nutrition, and weight loss.
Personal trainers come in all shapes and sizes and with varying levels of expertise. Some personal trainers may only offer group classes or one-on-one sessions at their clients’ homes; others may offer programs that require special equipment. Whatever type of personal training you specialize in, there will be jobs available to match your interests and skill set as long as there is demand for your services.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
If you have a knack for training athletes, strength and conditioning coaching might be the job for you. This position requires working with a team to improve the speed, power, agility, endurance, and strength of athletes. You’ll also help them develop mental toughness and work ethic.
However, strength and conditioning coaches require skills beyond their knowledge of exercises. They need to know about anatomy, nutrition, and physical therapy. Therefore, if you want to opt for a career as a strength and conditioning coach and work with your favorite teams, be sure to enroll yourself in one of the top strength and conditioning graduate programs.
Massage Therapist
Massage therapists are in demand for a reason. As the name suggests, massage is a great way to relax and relieve stress, not to mention recover from injury or soreness. But the health benefits don’t stop there. According to Mayo Clinic, massage therapy can lower blood pressure, help with anxiety and depression, and even strengthen the immune system.
Getting started as a licensed massage therapist requires completing an accredited program at an accredited school in your state. Once you graduate from school with your license in hand, it’s time to start hunting down clients. You might build up a clientele as an independent massage therapist or work with a clinic to garner a reputation first.
Fitness Coach
While personal trainers and fitness coaches sound interchangeable, they are actually different. While personal trainers focus on helping people exercise properly, Fitness coaches take a more holistic view. Maryville University explains that fitness coaches help people develop healthy habits that strengthen them emotionally, socially, as well as physically.
Fitness coaches help people improve their health and fitness levels by providing training, advice, and motivation. They are often employed by gyms, health clubs, or other fitness centers but can also work in private practice.
Athletic Trainer
Athletic trainers work with athletes to prevent injury and improve performance. They assess, diagnose and treat injuries, and teach athletes how to prevent them. Athletic Trainers also help athletes recover from injuries by developing fitness and conditioning programs.
Recreation Program Director or Coordinator
The recreation program director is a high-level professional who organizes activities for a community, such as a day camp. However, on account of it being a high-level position, the qualifications required are also high. Indeed Career Guide notes that applicants for this position need to have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in parks and recreation, and then a master’s degree.
Indeed also recommends that the applicants be trained in CPR. Before applying for the director position, most applicants work a few years as a camp counselor or other such lower positions to gather experience. But once they have the experience and the qualifications, they can find jobs in this position in recreational organizations, universities, gyms, and some local governments.
Dietitian
If you’ve got a passion for nutrition, then becoming a dietitian may be the perfect fit for you. These professionals are experts in food and fitness, helping people of all ages make healthy choices. They work with individuals who want to lose weight and keep it off and those who want to gain weight. Dietitians can also assist with eating disorders and other serious health concerns such as diabetes or heart disease.
The US Bureau of Labour Statistics reports that the median salary for dietitians is $61,650, while the top 10% makes over $93,640. These figures are much higher than the median salary of all occupations combined, which is $45,760. However, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree at the minimum.
Lifeguard
If you have ever watched Baywatch, a little part of you has probably always wanted to work as a lifeguard. Running along a sunny shoreline while Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff run in slow motion beside them, who doesn’t want that?
Of course, in reality, it takes more than simply looking good to be a lifeguard. You need to pass a certificate course, a swimming test and learn CPR and first aid. These qualifications vary from place to place. But if you are a good swimmer who is passionate about fitness, working as a lifeguard is the absolute best thing you can do.
Fitness is an integral part of the human experience. It’s not just about being in shape. It’s about feeling good, staying healthy, and enjoying life. We hope this article helped you find a job that fits your passion for fitness and encouraged you to make a career out of it.
