My Own Certification Revelation

I have been a certified group fitness instructor since 1992.  I had been teaching and subbing group fitness classes regularly at a health club in Eugene, Oregon (hi/low aerobics and step aerobics) for about six months when my group fitness coordinator called me in to her office, sat me down, and told me that if I wanted to continue to teach for them, I had to get my group fitness certification.  "Sheesh, first they want me to go and get CPR certified and now this" was my thought!  "What a pain-in-the-rear"! My coordinator didn’t specify one particular certification over another, just that it needed to be a nationally recognized certification.  When I asked her why this was important and if it was really necessary, she told me these things:

1. Having a group fitness certification shows that you have demonstrated the minimum requirements to teach (and essentially prescribe) exercises to a group of people.  It brings you credibility and by having a current certification proves that you know enough about anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, basic nutrition, and professional instructor responsibilities to lead a group of people through a safe, effective exercise class.
2. The health club had adopted a new policy that all group fitness instructors were to be certified in order to teach classes for them.  She told me that this was because they wanted to maintain a professional staff that was dedicated to being the most knowledgeable in their field as well as decrease their risk and liability for the club.
3. She then told me that it was just the right thing to do if I wanted to continue teaching group fitness classes anywhere.  She told me that being certified meant that you teach your classes by the current industry standards and guidelines and that you stay knowledgeable by attending regular workshops and trainings to keep the certification current.

All of this struck me as pretty darned funny because really, I just thought I was teaching my few classes a week to have fun, stay fit, and be social with other moms like me.  This is when my coordinator said something to me that I’ll never forget.  She said, “If that’s why you’re teaching classes, you’re working in the wrong place.  We want people who are professionals in their field, and who are here to better the health and fitness for our members – It’s not YOUR workout!” Until this meeting with my coordinator, I didn’t think that what I did was that important.  I didn’t appreciate the knowledge I had gained or the experiences that I had been blessed with.  My coordinator had made it clear to me that the way I originally thought about teaching classes was undermining all of the other fitness professionals that I worked with who studied, practiced, and worked their rear ends off to become credible and certified.  I felt like a "poser" - a person who pretends to be something they're not.

It suddenly dawned on me that I really did take pride in planning out my class choreography so that it was balanced, safe, and fun – FOR THE MEMBERS.  I really did enjoy helping people lose weight and meet their health and fitness goals.  I knew that I wanted to continue teaching, and learn to teach new formats but my original purpose for being a class instructor had changed somewhere along the way and I didn’t even realize it.  I couldn’t imagine myself teaching anywhere else (I felt comfortable and important at this facility), I felt as if I was making a difference to people.  Somewhere along the way, I had crossed the threshold of “this is a fun, part time thing that I do so I can get out of the house and be with other adults in a healthy environment” to “I really care about teaching people to exercise safely, effectively, and with a purpose in mind”.  I realized that I had grown to become a fitness professional (albeit with little experience), but I didn’t have the credibility to back up any of my knowledge and skills that I had learned thus far.  My coordinator had seen it in me and challenged me to take the next step.  I took the ACE (American Council on Exercise) Group Fitness Instructor exam (it was the closest exam offered to me at the time) and I passed!  That was the beginning of my career in Fitness. 

Since then, I have gotten many more certifications and I continue to attend workshops and trainings.  I don’t take knowledge and my teaching skills for granted anymore.  I've worked hard to learn as much as I can and perfect my teaching skills.  In fact, I have devoted myself to help other instructors become certified fitness professionals through presenting workshops of my own and as a Presenter with AFAA.  Although I wouldn’t have admitted it 20 years ago as I sat in her office feeling like I was being scolded, I am so appreciative that my coordinator challenged me take the next step.  Thank you Stephanie Harris.  You may never know how much you inspired me.

Current AFAA Certification

Current ACSM Certification