Job description of a fitness trainer

The job description of a fitness trainer is a document that describes in detail the general provisions, duties, rights and responsibilities of a given specialist in the workplace. Each new employee of a sports institution must be familiar with it in order to understand what is in the scope of his duties, what his superiors can demand from him and what he can count on in the course of performing his direct duties. Let’s sort it out in order.

In the previous article, we found out who a fitness trainer is. Now, it’s time to find out what functions he is prescribed to perform within the walls of a fitness club. Let’s dwell on the initial stage of entering the profession, that is, at the position of a gym instructor and try to understand his working instructions. And such a document as “Job description of a fitness trainer” will help us in this. It includes items such as General Concepts, Functional Obligations, Trainer’s Rights and Trainer’s Responsibilities.

The job description of a fitness trainer prescribes the possibility of employing only a person with a higher or secondary vocational education or a graduate of specialized training courses for fitness trainers. Such a person can be employed, or dismissed from the job only by order of the manager of the fitness club. He reports exclusively to the fitness manager, if there is one. If not – to the director of the fitness club.

The main responsibilities of a fitness trainer boil down to roughly the following requirements. He is obliged to be familiar with the main provisions of the regulatory and legal, as well as other documents that determine his rights and obligations, including with the administrative rules governing the work of a fitness club. He must have knowledge of: methods of building the training process, the rules for operating simulators and other equipment, the technique of correct execution of movements and exercises, the peculiarities of working with different age groups, taking into account the gender and degree of physical development of a person. He should be aware of the likely causes of injury and effective prevention. Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics and nutrition is also required. Plus, you need to know how to test, measure, fix, and provide first aid.

In his activity, a fitness trainer operates and relies on legislative acts on physical culture and sports, regulations on labor protection, safety and sanitation. Including, on various educational and methodological developments that he may need to perform his direct duties, the charter of the sports club, decrees and orders of the manager.

Obligations of a fitness trainer

Obligations of a fitness trainer: 1.1) Observe the work charter and the instructions of the superior; 1.2) Use only corporate style of clothing (unless otherwise prescribed by the rules); 1.3) Deal with customer complaints; 1.4) Maintain order and cleanliness in the gym; 1.5) Monitor the safety of inventory; 1.6) Maintain internal reporting; 1.7) Provide reports on their activities; 1.8) Assess the current state of health of the client; 1.9) Perform, if necessary, measurements and fixation of the client’s anthropometric data; 1.10) Demonstrate the technique of performing exercises and conduct instructions; 1.11) Supervise the training process; 1.12) Insist on the need for a warm-up; 1.13) Monitor exercise performance and correct mistakes; 1.14) Monitor the effectiveness of the client’s training; 1.15) Provide advice on training and diet; 1.16) Observe the rules of labor protection, safety, hygiene and fire safety; 1.17) Promptly eliminate violations and report them to the management; 1.18) Self-education, study and recertification; 1.19) Scrupulously follow all points of the fitness trainer’s job description.

Rights and responsibilities of a fitness trainer

A fitness trainer has the right to: 2.1) Get acquainted with the internal documentation of the institution in which he works; 2.2) Require the management of the fitness club to ensure proper conditions for the performance of their direct duties; 2.3) Make suggestions for management to improve the quality of their work; 2.4) Pass recertification and participate in industry events within the agreed time frame; 2.5) Join industry associations and unions; 2.6) Receive, in the agreed manner, a club uniform or an equivalent cash payment.

A fitness trainer is responsible for: 3.1) Adequacy of physical fitness at a level that corresponds to the position held; 3.2) The level of preparedness for the planned certification; 3.3) Unscrupulous performance of their duties; 3.4) Violation of the rules of the business schedule, labor contract and work schedule of the fitness club; 3.5) Disclosure of information that is not subject to public disclosure; 3.6) Causing material damage to the club.

Conclusion

The job description of a fitness trainer, as I said at the beginning, consists of four parameters: general provisions, obligations, rights and responsibilities. In general, the responsibilities of a fitness trainer boil down to the ability to work with clients, draw up training programs and prescribe a diet. Conduct briefings and exercise training for clients. Conduct shifts in the gym and adhere to safety rules. More is not required of you. Smaller tasks are formed on the basis of larger ones. That is, your focus of knowledge is training and nutrition. This is if you reduce all the requirements to two words. It couldn’t be easier.

The job description of a fitness trainer is a rather cumbersome document at first glance, but quite simple on closer inspection. All of the above easily fit into the daily routine and therefore, being a natural part of the fitness trainer’s profession, they do not present much difficulty in making efforts to fulfill them. Compliance with the rules of work is as mechanical activity as wiping your feet at the entrance, washing your hands before eating, or brushing your teeth before going to bed.

Felix Palmer – author of the blog crusfit.com