Back to school: Studying to be a fitness instructor

If you’re looking for ways to enrich your own life, equip yourself for a new career, or simply improve your understanding of health and fitness, then a fitness instructors’ course might be for you.

Here’s the low down on three nationally accredited courses of study you can take:

Certificate III in Fitness

The Certificate III in Fitness is aimed not only at people who wish to begin a career in the health and fitness industry, but also at anyone with an interest in health and wellbeing. This course will teach you about the body and how it works, as well as how to train it. The course is also of benefit to people in allied health professions such as physiotherapy, dietetics and massage to complement their existing educational training and enable them to prescribe exercise more effectively for their clients (recognition of prior learning is available).The Certificate III in Fitness contains information on basic anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, nutrition, exercise screening, exercise programming, resistance training, legal issues and communication skills.

Certificate IV in Fitness

The Certificate IV in Fitness — much like the Certificate III in Fitness — is a nationally recognised qualification which will help you advance your skills and experience to make your mark as a personal trainer in the fitness industry. The Certificate III in Fitness (or an equivalent qualification) is a prerequisite to Certificate IV in Fitness. Courses often provide training in all three specialisation areas within this nationally recognised qualification: personal training, older adults, and special populations.The Certificate IV in Fitness contains information on: intermediate anatomy, exercise physiology and nutrition, exercise for special populations (including an understanding of various medical complications), postural screening, intermediate skills of strength and conditioning, body composition assessment, marketing skills, advanced exercise planning and programming and small business management.

Diploma in Fitness

This new advanced course is aimed at people who not only have an interest in health and wellbeing, but also want to understand thoroughly how the body works, how to help it recover from injury/illness and how to pass on this knowledge to clients. The course will also assist you to manage other staff and work closely with medical practitioners and allied health professionals. The course would also be of benefit to people in allied health professions such as massage and physiotherapy.

The Certificate III in Fitness contains information on basic anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, nutrition, exercise screening, exercise programming, resistance training, legal issues and communication skills.

The Certificate IV in Fitness contains information on: intermediate anatomy, exercise physiology and nutrition, exercise for special populations (including an understanding of various medical complications), postural screening, intermediate skills of strength and conditioning, body composition assessment, marketing skills, advanced exercise planning and programming and small business management.

Where can I find out more?

To find out more about becoming a fitness instructor, visit the websites of the Institute of Health and Fitness and Kinect Australia.

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