Thinking about pursuing a career in fitness? We’ve broken down the options to make choosing your path easier.

Having a career in the fitness industry can be hugely rewarding for a number of reasons. It gives you the opportunity to help people look and feel healthier, and really make a difference in their lives. And if you love being active, it’s also the perfect way to combine something you’re passionate about with your daily work schedule. Plus, you’ll most likely have the flexibility to set your own hours, and decide where and how you want to spend your time.

There are many different paths you can choose in the field of fitness – we’ve outlined some of the major areas and their benefits to help make the choice a little easier.

Personal trainer

Personal training is one of the most common occupations in the fitness industry, and it’s easy to why. Personal trainers can work almost anywhere – be it a fitness centre, small gym, or even outdoors – and can usually choose their hours of work. They can also choose to specialise in certain areas such as training children, mature-age clients or disabled clients. A career in personal training is a great way to establish strong one-on-one relationships with clients, and see tangible improvements in an individual’s health and fitness.

Area of study: Certificate IV in Fitness

Group trainer

As the name suggests, group training covers any form of teaching people in groups, and includes activities such as Zumba, boxing and circuit classes. This is a great career choice for anyone wanting to keep up their own level of fitness, as it involves doing the exercises along with the group. It’s also an ideal opportunity to grow a network of contacts, which can be used down the line for one-on-one training.

Area of study: Certificate IV in Fitness

Remedial massage therapist

Along with any fitness activity comes the risk of injury, and a remedial massage therapist helps clients not only recover from injury, but also follow proper stretching techniques as a means of prevention. Remedial massage therapy is ideal for anyone who wants to help athletes and fitness-focused people stay healthy and able during training.

Area of study: Certificate IV in Massage Therapy

Nutrition coach

A person’s level of fitness can only excel so far without proper nutrition, and being a nutrition coach is the ideal way to help clients achieve their fitness goals without direct training. This is a fast-growing industry, and a good opportunity to establish a career in a niche industry where expertise isn’t so common.

Area of study: Diploma of Nutrition

Fitness management

Fitness management offers a more stable career path, as it usually means an annual salary and more job security. It generally involves managing and programming a gym, which can be a great learning opportunity for those wanting to start their own business. It can also be a supplement to working as a personal trainer, offering the chance to see both sides of a fitness business.

Area of study: Diploma of Fitness (Management)

Sports coach

Sports coaches generally help athletes in performing well and developing their potential in a particular sport. It usually goes above and beyond the standard role of coach, and involves preparing training programs, helping sportspeople develop new skills, monitoring training progress and offering mentoring. This career path is great for anyone with a passion for one sport, or for those who want the chance to work with professional athletes.

Area of study: Diploma of Sport Coaching

Looking for more advice? Talk to a fitness professional in your area.