Get on-the-Job Training: How to Snag Work in the Fitness Biz

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EVER FEEL LIKE you're at the gym so much it should pay you? If you have dreams of turning that iron you're pumping into gold, you might find that landing a job takes a little more exertion than your regular workout.

The warm-up is figuring out your niche — personal training versus group exercise, for example. Tanya Colucci, wellness director at Mint (1724 California St. NW; 202-238-6468; Mintconditionyourself.com), recommends volunteering or interning at a gym to shadow a trainer. One place to do that is City Fitness (3525 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-537-0539; Cityfitnessgym.com), which offers mentorships lasting several weeks to three months.

If hours of unpaid work aren't an option, seek out your own mentor. "Find a person whose class you love," says Lucinda LaRee, co-owner of City Fitness. "Be a really committed student to that person because you can really learn a lot by doing that."

Next, you'll need to get educated and certified, which often raises heart rates more than people anticipate, especially when they get to the sections on anatomy and physiology, Colucci says. "There are 30-plus certifications out there," she says, so before you plunk down $200-plus to get one, do your homework.

"The nationally recognized certification programs basically just send you a book and you have to read it" before taking a certification exam, LaRee says. "If you have no background in physiology or kinesiology or nutrition or fitness assessment or program design, you're reading this material and it makes no sense."

That's why City Fitness offers certification prep courses in yoga (from $59 for one yoga course to $1,899 for the Samayama Yoga 300-Hour Teacher Training Course), group fitness instruction ($275) and personal training ($295).

Other resources for study help include exercise science classes at the local universities and attending fitness conventions (such as this weekend's DCAC conference in Alexandria — get info at Dcacfitness.com).

The type of certification test you'll take depends on which specialty you've settled on. If working one-on-one with clients appeals to you, Colucci, one of 11 National Academy of Sports Medicine (Nasm.org) master instructors, recommends a NASM certification for personal trainers because it teaches you how to monitor clients' movements and identify weaknesses.

But if you'd rather lead group classes, you should look into the American Council on Exercise (Acefitness.org) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (Afaa.com).

They're the main certifying bodies for general and specialized instruction, such as boot camp, kickboxing, Pilates and step — and both offer local training workshops.

Choosing where to turn for yoga certifications can be more complicated. That's because individual studios offer teacher training classes of varying lengths and intensity, usually emphasizing one particular style. In an effort to develop standards for instruction, the Yoga Alliance (Yogaalliance.com) in Clarendon has established 200- and 500-hour training programs. Several area schools are registered with the alliance.

All that training could leave an ache in your wallet as well as your hamstrings. Yoga teacher training programs could set you back about $2,500, LaRee says, and personal trainers can expect to dole out $1,000. Instructors make $25 to $30 an hour or per class at first. "The more specialized the class, the higher it pays," she says.

But the time and money commitment can be worth it. "If you're passionate about fitness and wellness, it's a great career path, and you can stay healthy at the same time as you help other people stay healthy," LaRee says.

Written for Express by contributor Stephanie Kanowitz
Photo by Michael Williamson/The Washington Post