Fitness instructor

Fitness instructors organise exercise programmes to improve people's health and fitness.


Typical Salary

£17,000 – £27,000

per year

Working Hours

35–37

hours per week

Career Area

Fitness and wellbeing instructors

View related courses

Day-to-day tasks

As a fitness instructor you could:

  • assess people's fitness and create personal exercise programmes
  •  demonstrate activities, exercise machines and weights
  •  help people exercise safely and give advice on having a healthy lifestyle
  •  lead group exercise classes
  •  update client records
  •  follow health and safety guidelines and maintain equipment

Skills needed

  • a desire to help people
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to teach pupils how to do something
  • customer service skills
  • physical fitness and endurance
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Entry requirements

You'll usually need public indemnity and professional liability insurance, if you're self-employed.

How to get into this role

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • specialist courses run by private training organisations
  • the armed forces

Career progression

You could:

  • take further training to become a personal trainer
  •  take a course so you can teach extra activities
  •  become a senior instructor or manager
  •  start your own fitness club