In 1999, The Sopranos and Family Guy made their television debuts, Britney Spears released “Baby One More Time,” and Ricky Martin was “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” The U.S. was also introduced to Zumba and Total Awareness of Excellent Body Obedience (aka: Tae Bo). There seemed to be a battle between hard-core, high-intensity workouts and gentle, mindful exercise programs. The truth is, there’s room for both, and we see evidence of that going into 2020.
Everyone wants to be in an industry that is continuously growing. Of course, this means job security. The good news for personal trainers is that our field is projected to continue growing into (and beyond) 2020. Wearable technology and onsite corporate wellness are two of the areas that will drive this growth in 2020 and beyond.
Our industry is projected to grow by 13% through 2028. This is quicker than the average job growth across all fields. For anyone currently looking to get into the field, this is great news. By the time you graduate or complete your certification, not only will the personal training business be booming, but it will continue to grow while you are practicing. This will be a great opportunity to sharpen your skills and get a lot of experience.
While the field itself is growing, it is also branching into different facets. Onsite corporate fitness and wellness is a niche my business, AYC Health and Fitness, has seen success in for many years. It is an area our industry has opportunity to tap into and make an impact. In the early 2000s, Dee Edington introduced “Changing the Natural Flow” concept and revolutionized the wellness industry. Today we’re seeing companies taking a holistic approach that includes physical health, emotional well-being, work well-being and financial well-being.
The world has adopted the phrase “exercise is medicine.” This gives those of us in the personal training field a foot in the corporate wellness door. Corporate wellness is a big reason the personal training field is growing. Whether it is before work, after work, or even a friendly battle of who can get more steps during the workday, the business world is placing a higher emphasis on exercise in the workplace. There are many job opportunities in gyms that implement corporate programs or even within companies hoping to encourage healthy lifestyles for their employees.
Meanwhile, many trainers are afraid that robots and computers will take over their job. This should not be a concern for those in the personal training industry. By contrast, wearable technology is making it easier to be a personal trainer. Not only can you get your certification online, but there are also so many different equipment options. From Bluetooth heartrate monitors to watches that help you and your clients track exercise, technology makes personal training more fun for the client. In turn, this brings them in more often and allows us to track their progress and keep them accountable. Bringing people in the door is the hardest part, so why not show them all of the cool gadgets that can not only improve their wellbeing but are also pretty fun.
I’ve been in the training industry since the early 1980s, and we’ve come a long way! I’m excited to see the evolution of our industry and to see more trainers realize that fitness doesn’t just have to be a hobby — it can be your career.
