A successful career in fitness requires a commitment to furthering our expertise on an ongoing basis. Yes, having a passion for exercise is necessary, but it is not enough. Our industry is ever evolving, and it is crucial to stay current with knowledge so we can deliver the best programs for our students and clients. Do you regularly take advantage of new learning opportunities?  Here are some reasons why it making this investment is worth the effort:

• Stay current with trends and research

As fitness professionals, we are fortunate that we can learn about new techniques, workout methods, trends, and best practices by attending conferences and continuing education courses. Leaders in the field are continuously conducting research and developing new and innovative programs. We simply need to access them! 

• Learn a new specialty

The growth of the fitness industry over the years has led to exponential increases in programming options that we can deliver to our participants. A few years ago, when I started my career in group fitness (Okay, more than a few years ago!) we had only a couple of options – high impact aerobics and low impact aerobics. Thank goodness times have changed. Expand your reach as a fit pro by learning a new format or specialty and carve out a new path!

• Increase motivation and creativity

Have you ever felt a bit bored with your programming options? If so, you are not alone!  Attending a course or workshop, can allow you to gain new knowledge, and it can also provide inspiration and excitement that will keep you motivated and engaged. When you are feeling enthusiastic, that energy will carry over to your interactions with your students and provide them with the incentive they need to reach their fitness goals. A small investment of your time can go a long way toward getting those creative juices flowing! 

• Maintain certifications

All personal trainer and group exercise certification agencies require continuing education. As you engage in opportunities to learn new skills, you will also earn those valuable continuing education credits that are required to keep your certification(s) current. Invest your time and money intentionally to access the best programs for you and your clients. 

• Increase earning potential

In addition to providing a service and making a genuine positive impact on the lives of your clients, you are probably (or definitely!) interested in maximizing your earning potential as a fitness professional. When you diversify your menu of offerings by earning additional credentials and learning new specialties you can provide a greater value to potential clients and gain new employment opportunities. 

Something for Everyone

We have established that continuing to expand your knowledge and expertise will allow you to maximize your success in the fitness industry and enable you to better support your clients in reaching their fitness goals. Next, you must decide where to invest your valuable time. I recommend starting with some questions. Do you love one-on-one training or are your skills best suited for working with groups? Are you passionate about working with athletes or do you enjoy helping new clients get started on their fitness journey? Do you work best with kids, active agers, or somewhere in between? Regardless of your answers, I recommend considering some of the BOSU® Balance Trainer courses that cover all of these topics and more! Check out these options: 

BOSU® Next Generation Balance Training (4 hours)

Take the versatility of BOSU® Training to a whole new level! In this four-hour course you will learn the next generation of theory and science behind neuromotor training, and apply it to programming that is practical and fun. You will experience updated methods to enhance movement techniques and create exciting workouts with the BOSU® Balance Trainer using the newly renovated BOSU® Exercise Library and methodology.

This is a great course to consider if you are new to balance training or if you need a refresher on the basics, but if you are already an expert, you will love this workshop as well. It digs deeper into the science of balance training and you will gain access to a huge library of exercise variations that will be new to you!

BOSU® Mindful Movement and Mobility (4 hours)

In this evolved bodyweight training workshop, explore multi-dimensional methods to effectively create a stronger body and improve mobility and core function. Utilizing the unique features of the BOSU® Balance Trainer and the principles of fascial line training, you will cultivate mindful awareness while learning and integrating movement complexes with breathing techniques that activate the core and enhance the quality of every movement.

This workshop offers the best of both worlds by blending a creative approach to mindful movement with unique strength combinations that are surprisingly challenging. If you are interested in participating in education that will help you expand your skills in a new direction, give this one a try!

BOSU® Advanced Programming Strategies (4 hours)

Elevate your BOSU® programming strategies and increase your value as a fitness professional. Experience dozens of new exercises, skills, drills and sequences, and learn how to create effective and exciting workouts with three unique templates that are designed to make BOSU® training more successful in your club, classes and training sessions.

This course is all about program design. If you are looking for interesting ways to sequence exercises and target various fitness components with fun formats that will keep your participants engaged, this course is for you!

BOSU® Toolbox (2 hours)

In this fast-paced workshop, you'll learn how to build a fitness toolbox with the goal of exponentially expanding your BOSU® Balance Trainer movement library. Using progressive variations of base skills, you'll discover how to create building blocks of metabolic, conditioning, core and mobility exercises which can then be fused into creative formats that are scalable and easily manipulated. This workshop will arm you with dozens of ideas, and leave you feeling motivated and inspired to fill that toolbox!

Jump into this short and sweet two-hour workshop and learn 80 of the best Balance Trainer exercises that you can have ready to go on Monday morning. Expand your ability to take ten base skills and manipulate them to fit into different fitness categories and meet the needs of clients with varying goals and fitness levels. If creativity and fun is a priority, I highly recommend this workshop! 

BOSU® Youth Conditioning (2 hours)

BOSU® Youth Conditioning will teach you how to create fun and successful fitness, sports and conditioning programs targeting kids 6 years and older. Discover effective and exciting workouts that enhance motor skill development, coordination, mind-body connection, strength and overall fitness. Increase your value as a fitness professional by learning unique strategies to engage kids while educating parents with best teaching and coaching practices. Get our youth excited about exercise and set the foundation for a lifetime of activity, health and wellness!

 If you work with kids (or even have kids!) check this one out! This workshop offers you the opportunity to reach a new demographic of potential clients and expand your ability to truly make a difference. Many of us didn’t learn to love fitness until adulthood. Start when they are young to make an impact for life!

BOSU® Pilates Core Power (2 hours)

Evolve your core training and take it to the next level! Fusing elements of Pilates, experience an integrated approach to moving from your powerhouse and the relationship to total body strength, balance and power. Tackle your complete core in 6 body positions and walk away with fun, functional and unique ideas to add to your client & class programming. Dive deep into core stability and mobility as you learn movement complexes and strategies to build core strength, as well as improve performance and function.

You don’t have to be a Pilates instructor to take this course, but if you are, you will love it! If your clients are asking for a different way to train the core and want to try a program that impacts movement quality, this is an excellent choice!

For more information about these BOSU® courses and upcoming training opportunities, check out https://www.bosu.com/fitness-education 

Melissa Weigelt, MS is a BOSU® Master Trainer and owner at Flow Fitness Training, where she develops and presents a variety of continuing education programs for fitness instructors.