My career

18 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2012–13

What do you do?

I teach a yoga-Pilates class in several different 

gyms. I have my own classes, and I also sub 

for other instructors.

Before each class, I welcome everyone, 

describe the class if I have new participants, 

and might show them postures that they won’t 

be able to see once class starts. During class, 

as I cue (explain) and demonstrate what we’re 

doing, I also look around to see if anyone 

needs to make adjustments or corrections. 

I’ll cue modifications or options as needed to 

make sure everyone is safe. Proper form is 

very important for safety.

How did you get started in this occupation?

While taking group fitness classes about 10 

years ago, I discovered the class I now teach. 

It struck a chord with me because it blends 

three things I like in a workout: strength, 

flexibility, and balance. It’s a class based on 

movement and breath, which makes it incredibly stress reducing.

I had been a member and took classes 

at the gym where I was initially hired as an 

instructor, and that gym sponsored my training. Several instructors there helped guide me 

in getting certified. 

To get hired at a gym, you may have to 

audition by teaching a portion of a class. But 

many instructors know each other, and there’s 

a lot of networking. If you work in one gym 

and other instructors there know you, they can 

sometimes vouch for you at another gym. I’ve 

gotten most of my jobs through networking. 

What are your qualifications?

I had to get certified to teach this specific 

class, which meant going to a 3-day training, 

putting that knowledge to use, and then submitting a video to the certifying organization 

of myself teaching the material I had learned. 

To teach group fitness, my gym also required 

that I be certified in both CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) and by a reputable general group fitness organization. 

Tammy Kenney

Falls Church, Virginia

BLS fast facts: 

Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors

•	 May 2011 wage and salary employment: 

231,500

•	 2010–20 projection: 24 percent growth 

(faster than average)

•	 May 2011 median wage: $31,030 annually, $14.92 hourly

•	 Typical education and training: High 

school diploma or equivalent

•	 May 2011 top employing industries: 

Other amusement and recreation industries, civic and social organizations, 

other schools and instruction, local government, and other personal services.

Group fitness instructor
Winter 2012–13 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 19

Do you have other education that 

ties in with this?

I have more credit hours than I need for a 

bachelor’s degree, but I changed my major 

from social work to accounting and went to 

several different colleges. I basically had to 

start over when I switched to accounting, and 

I never finished. 

But studying social work gave me an 

appreciation for people and a willingness to 

listen in a nonjudgmental way. I know that 

everyone gets something different out of my 

class. Before they walk in, they’re all coming 

in with different needs, so the class can’t be 

one-size-fits-all. I have to tailor it to meet the 

needs of the people who are there, so each 

class might end up with a different feel. 

Describe your career path.

Out of college, I worked as an executive secretary to the president of a nonprofit organization, then as an accountant. As my jobs got 

more stressful, I found that exercise helped 

reduce my stress. 

I’ve been active most of my life—I was a 

gymnast growing up and did competitive powerlifting in high school and college. I understand the importance of exercise in living a 

healthy life. But I got more into group fitness 

when my work got stressful. I needed the outlet, and I needed the camaraderie to keep me 

coming back. I developed a deep appreciation 

of how critical exercise is not only to physical 

health, but to mental health as well.

I often felt so much relief from taking a 

group exercise class that I wanted to hug the 

instructor afterward, and that’s when I realized: I want to give this, to be this, for someone else. I asked the instructor about it, got all 

the information, and started looking into it.

Any surprises?

I don’t like to be the center of attention. I 

never took a public speaking class. I am a shy 

person. The thought of getting up in front of 

people, of exercising in front of people and 

telling them what to do, is something I never 

would’ve imagined myself doing. But now, I 

not only feel comfortable doing this, I’d like 

to get certified in other disciplines along the 

yoga spectrum.

What’s your best advice for someone 

who wants to teach group fitness? 

You have to love it yourself before you can 

teach it to others. Go to a variety of classes. 

Find what you love. Be able to see yourself 

completely immersed in it. I took classes for 

years in the specialty I chose. You might not 

need to do it that long, but definitely start with 

some foundation.

After you figure out what you want to 

teach, find an organization you respect to get 

certified. There are all different kinds of general and specific certifications, and new ones 

are popping up all the time. Do your research 

so you find the best fit for your needs.

But even after you get certified, you have 

to keep taking classes, going to advanced 

trainings, striving to improve and to learn. 

You can’t just settle at a certain point and say, 

“I’m there.”

Tammy Kenney was interviewed by Kathleen Green, an economist in the Office of

Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS. Kathleen can be reached 

at (202) 691-5717 or at green.kathleen@bls.gov.