Become a Presenter in the Fitness Industry

Become a Presenter in the Fitness Industry

For years you've gained experience, refined your instructing skills and increased your fitness knowledge. As a fitness professional you enjoy teaching others and feel that you are a natural public speaker. Now you're ready to take your career to the next level by becoming a fitness presenter, but do you have what it takes?

There are certain qualifications you should possess before offering workshops:

• Proper credentials
• Presentation experience
• Relevance to the audience/event
• Professional demeanor and appearance
• Ability to effectively communicate
• Strong technical instructing skills
• Creativity
• New approaches (within safety standards) to familiar topics

Start by gaining experience leading workshops locally. Distribute flyers and stop by or call area health clubs. In addition, contact a major certifying organization such as ACE to become an approved CEC provider.

Becoming a fitness presenter is hard work and can also be a considerable investment. You must pay to become a continuing education provider and to have workshops approved by organizations such as ACE. Certain venues may not have the equipment you need, so you will need to purchase it on your own and bring it with you. There may also be additional costs for photo shoots, videos, marketing, postage and expenses at conferences.

Seek Continuing Education Status
Apply for approval from the larger certifying bodies. The process is harder to go through, but you will be able to market your courseware to a larger audience. Pick one or two organizations that you are comfortable with since it would be cost-prohibitive to get approved by every association out there. Participants can always petition organizations other than those you are approved by since smaller organizations usually recognize approved courses from larger organizations.

Every organization is different in how they operate and what they will approve. Fees vary by each association as do their application requirements. If you are just starting out, you may find it best to get two or three of your most popular workshops pre-approved for CECs.

1. CEC approval is generally valid for calendar year. Once a workshop is approved, the title, content and length must be kept consistent with what was approved.
2. Use the forms the agency sends you. The certificate of completion, which includes the required information for each attendee of your workshop, is especially important. In some cases you will need to submit an attendee list back to them.
3. Apply four to five months in advance of the day you want to host the workshop so you have plenty of time to market your program.
4. Submit a complete and concise application. A well-prepared application makes the process easier and avoids extra time going back and forth for details.

Become Part of the ACE Faculty
Once you have designed a course that can advance the career and education of an ACE-certified Professional, you can apply to become a part of the ACE Faculty. Each course and instructor must be reviewed to ensure they meet ACE's specific guidelines. Approved presenters must have current ACE certification or a degree in exercise science as well as one to two years presenting experience. Each course must include learning objectives, bibliography and a detailed hour-by-hour outline of the course.

Join the ACE Faculty

Taking the Next Step
Now that you've gained experience and have several workshops that you can present, consider taking it to a fitness conference. Target conferences applicable to your course and request presenter applications by calling or checking Web sites. Be sure to plan ahead. Most conferences work more than a year in advance of the event and adhere to strict deadlines.

Conventions provide a one-stop shop for fitness professionals who are looking to earn CECs, shop fitness expos, get educated on the latest in the industry, and network with other fitness professionals. Most fitness professionals will find they can earn more than enough CECs to renew their certifications by attending one fitness convention per year. CECs are one of the best ways to get attention for your sessions, both when offering them as an individual presenter, as well as when applying to conventions.

Some conventions may require you pay for your own hotel, travel and additional expenses. There may be non-monetary compensation in addition to your fee, such as free unrestricted admission to the show, that will off-set some of the expenses incurred. However, once you become a more recognizable and sought after presenter, your overall compensation should increase.

Tips for Succeeding as a Presenter

• Maintain your certification
• Watch other presenters
• Make as many contacts as possible
• Gain experience
• Become an approved CEC provider
• Assemble a professional presenter's kit
• Think versatility
• Be assertive
• Look for exposure opportunities
• Practice, practice, practice
• Keep your workshops updated

Although there is a lot of competition in the fitness presenting industry, it's not impossible to break into. If you are determined and possess the talent, enthusiasm and motivation necessary you're on your way.