1. Careers in health and fitness
Chapter 12
Careers in health and fitness
Warren D. Franke (with acknowledgments to Sandra Minor Bulmer and Jeremy Howell)

2. Chapter Objectives
Introduce you to a variety of professional opportunities in the sphere of health and fitness.
Explain the purpose and types of work done by health and fitness professionals.
Explore how the sphere of health and fitness is changing on the basis of public policies, societal trends, and research in kinesiology and public health.
(continued)

3. Chapter Objectives (continued)
Summarize the educational requirements and experiences necessary for becoming an active, competent professional in health and fitness.
Help you determine whether one of these professions fits your skills, aptitudes, and professional interests.

4. Professions in Health and Fitness
Group fitness instructor
Health and fitness specialist
Wellness coach
Personal trainer
Health and fitness director
Specialist positions
Public health educator
Clinical exercise physiologist
Many more (with emphasis on health increasing)

5. Expanding Scope of Health and Fitness Profession
The core goal of these professions is to improve physical functioning and physical health of individuals and communities.
This improvement is based on a multifaceted view of health and fitness, including physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions.
These professions traditionally practiced in worksite, clinical, commercial, and community settings. The lines between these settings have blurred, creating a variety of career opportunities for kinesiology graduates.

6. 1996 Surgeon General’s Report
Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1996), differed from previous surgeon general reports in an important way: It reflected a dramatic shift in focus from primarily communicable diseases to noncommunicable ones.
Later reports built on that knowledge.
Physical activity is no longer merely a recreational endeavor.
This shift created an enormous opportunity for kinesiology professionals.

7. Settings for Health and Fitness
Worksite
Commercial (sale-based and retention-based)
Clinical
Community
Public health–oriented (population-based programs; local health departments, state agencies, volunteer health)
Lines increasingly blurred
Focus: increasing fitness, reducing risk of noncommunicable diseases, or both

8. Rise of Noncommunicable Diseases
Result is continued growth in health and fitness industry
A global problem (especially low- and middle-income nations)
NCDs kill 38 million people each year (World Health Organization (2016))
The leading killers, in order
Cardiovascular disease (46 percent of NCD deaths)
Cancer
Respiratory disease
Diabetes

9. Roles for Health and Fitness Professionals
Evolution of these jobs is in response to
public policy,
social forces, and
market demands.
The most important element of this evolution may be the fact that most health and fitness positions now require some expertise in multiple areas.
Important to be a professional and be knowledgeable and skilled across as many areas as possible.

10. Group Exercise Instructor
Leader of aerobic exercise classes, outdoor activities, aquatic fitness classes, exercise classes for specific populations (older adults, pregnant women, children)
Degree in kinesiology or another health- and fitness-related discipline recommended
Competent with current trends (e.g., Pilates, yoga, tai chi)
Certified (e.g., ACSM exercise leader, ACE group fitness instructor)
Knowledgeable and dynamic, have excellent leadership skills, and enjoy working in a group setting

11. Personal Trainer
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in kinesiology or another health- and fitness-related discipline
Certified; may specialize with certain populations
“Artists” of the health and fitness profession
Understands weight management, stress management, physical fitness, and sport conditioning
Works independently or is employed at a facility
Business-savvy
Aesthetic or performance objectives

12. Health and Fitness Specialist
Other common terms are health fitness instructor and exercise physiologist (though the latter is controversial because it traditionally refers to university instructor)
Requires degree in kinesiology or another health- and fitness-related discipline; often with certifications
Conducts fitness and functional assessments and designs comprehensive individualized exercise programs that incorporate strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness components and maximize safety and long-term results
Works with special populations (e.g., elderly, children)

13. Health and Wellness Coach
Relatively new career option
Requires minimum of bachelor’s degree in kinesiology or another health- and fitness-related discipline
Helps others change their lifestyle to move toward a state of optimal health by focusing on behavior change, stress management, relaxation techniques, time management, smoking cessation, weight management, and exercise prescription
Goal is to guide client to make his or her own decisions
Broader scope than personal trainer

14. Specialty Positions
Many health and fitness settings incorporate specialty positions (see also chapter 13)
Clinical exercise physiologist
Physical therapist
Athletic trainer
Sport coach
Registered dietitian
Population specialist (e.g., elderly, chronic disease)
public health educator
Many are licensed professions that require graduate education or additional qualifications

15. Public Health-Oriented Careers
There’s been significant growth in the last two decades.
Many kinesiology programs have returned to their health promotion roots by focusing on public health aspect of physical activity.
Master of public health (with specialization in physical activity); more than 160 master of public health programs now accredited by Council on Education for Public Health.

16. Health and Fitness Director
Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology; may require graduate degree
Experience as health and fitness counselor or personal trainer
Visionary who keeps current with field of health and fitness
Manages facility’s services and programs
Hires, trains, and provides support for staff
Does business planning, establishes budgets and renovations, selects equipment, designs and markets programs, forecasts trends

17. Certification and Continuing Education
Increasingly necessary to differentiate yourself
Allows you to grow (join professional association)
Ensures you are being the best you can be for your clients
Most employers now require certification
Hundreds of certifications that vary widely in quality
Steps in deciding on certifications
Seek out NCCA accredited certification programs.
If you don’t use one of these, carefully assess organization.
Seek out opinions from professionals and professors.

18. Trends and Opportunities in Health and Fitness
Multidimensional model of wellness (see figure 12.1)
Demographics (aging population, more diverse)
Health care reform (unsustainable costs, controversial; best defense is to stay as healthy as you can)
Today, for the first time, physical activity is increasingly seen as an integral component of the nation’s health care delivery system (ACSM and AMA: physical activity as “vital sign”)

19. Figure 12.1

20. Advice for Health and Fitness Students
Obtain a broad education across several scientific, behavioral, and humanities-based disciplines
Seek a combined degree in kinesiology and health with additional courses from a wide range of areas
Course work in theoretical kinesiology, plus specialized courses related to health and fitness
Practical experience counseling clients on many topics
Be able to relate to a diverse population of clients
Internship or work-study program
Read relevant journals, industry publications