Fitness trainers: A fitting career for some

David Kaipi is a former three-sport letterman and one-time bodybuilder and still hits the weights hard three times a week. But these days he's more concerned with making his clients break a sweat.

As manager of Kirkland's 24 Hour Fitness club, part of Kaipi's administrative workout includes recruiting fitness trainers, a job that's currently hotter than a 30-minute StairMaster climb.

Though the job is well-suited to those who are fit, industry experts say it takes more than buff biceps and cut quads to succeed in the field.

"The fitness industry is for people who are in good shape, have a great personality, good communications skills. But the bottom line is that it's for someone people can look at and say, 'That is someone I'd like to train with,' " Kaipi says.

Nationwide, there are 157,990 fitness trainers working in facilities that range from health clubs and community centers, such as YMCAs, to hotels, resorts and cruise ships.

Those numbers will pump up even more over the next eight years, according to a recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics national forecast that predicts the field "is expected to increase much faster than average due to rising interest in personal training, aerobics and other fitness activities."

Locally, this comes as no surprise to fitness-training insiders. Kaipi has been recruited away from other employers three times in the past decade.

Puget Sound-area health-club officials say the demand for qualified fitness trainers is strong because the region's population is particularly fit and wants to stay that way.

The recently expanded Pro Sports Club near Microsoft is one of the largest in the country. And Seattle regularly ranks in the top five physically fit U.S. cities, according to Men's Fitness magazine. This area earns its ranking with high scores in health care, sports participation and the number of fitness centers. Listings for at least 76 fitness centers from Burien to Bothell can be found in the local telephone book.

Working out while working For more information about fitness-training certification or employment, try these resources: American College of Sports Medicine: Call 317-637-9200 or check www.acsm.org. Lake Washington Technical College: Call 425-739-8100 or check http://lwtchost.ctc.edu/programs/fitness/pages/home.htm . Renton Technical College: Call 425-235-2498 or check www.renton-tc.ctc.edu/instruction/programs/health_fitness.htm . National Strength and Conditioning Association: www.nsca-lift.org/.

Hiring is also hot because increasing numbers of people are turning to fitness trainers to jump-start their own workout regimens for improving strength and stamina, losing weight, recuperating from an injury or coping with stress. Membership, for example, was up by about 25 percent late last year — only a few weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks — at the two dozen 24 Hour Fitness clubs in the Seattle and Portland areas, company officials said.

Fitness training is a physically demanding job. Trainers must measure clients' physical fitness before designing and demonstrating workouts that help clients reach their fitness goals. That means that trainers must be ready to teach clients how to use any of the equipment, from high-tech muscle- resistance machines to basic barbells.

To meet their clients' schedules, many fitness trainers work in the early hours or late evenings. Some round-the-clock clubs require even later shifts. While most positions are full time, there are some part-time jobs available, Kaipi says.

Pay often is based on commissions, so wages vary. The median wage is about $11 an hour, or $22,800 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hourly wages range from about $7 to about $27.

Some fitness trainers expand their qualifications and their wages by becoming personal trainers who work one on one with clients in a gym, club or even a client's home.

Personal trainers earn a 50 to 60 percent commission of the center or club's hourly fee; a quick check of several personal trainers shows $55 is a common hourly charge. Other fitness workers specialize in teaching exercise and muscle-conditioning activities that range from weightlifting and aerobics to yoga and karate.

"The more marketable you are, the more successful you can be," says Debbie Smith, fitness-program coordinator at The Bellevue Club. "If you can teach classes, work with different age groups well, work with those in injury rehab, work with those in weight loss, there are opportunities for you."

While most fitness trainers working today are men and women in their 20s and 30s, Smith says "it's a great field to go into for people in their 40s and 50s. There's a great need for middle-aged trainers. If you're a woman going through menopause, you might appreciate a trainer who can relate to what your fitness needs are."

Securing such a job often depends on what experience and training the employer requires.

Some employers, including The Bellevue Club, prefer fitness trainer candidates to hold a four-year degree in exercise science or a shorter certification program through the American College of Sports Medicine or National Strength and Conditioning.

More help for job seekers Our NWclassifieds job site provides additional Job Market content, as well as tools to help you land the position you want: · Search job listings · Submit your resume · Receive e-mail job-listing alerts · View featured employers

Others obtain certification through courses available locally at Lake Washington Technical College, Renton Technical College and some community colleges.

"If you a have national certification, that's a plus. If you have a degree, that's great. But I'm not always looking for what you can put on a résumé or a job application," says Kaipi, who holds a degree in exercise science.

"I'm looking for people with a passion for the fitness industry. I'm looking for good people skills. What's the use of your certification if nobody wants to be around you?"