Are you a fitness freak or do you just have unexplained bursts of energy? Whatever it is, if you have energy, use it wisely and expend some of it in an exercise regimen. Hit straight for the gym and find your trainer and ask him to guide you through. But before you do that, take some time to understand the profile of a gym teacher. A gym teacher or instructor is one who helps you get in shape by supervising your workout and diet regimen. With changing lifestyles, men and women are growing more aware of health risks and are resorting to healthy and active lifestyles. It not necessary that a gym teacher trains only in a gym – they also work as freelancers for specific clients and run health classes also. Schools have incorporated the idea of a gymnasium into the curriculum so as to inculcate the spirit of healthy living in children. If you are passionate about fitness and workouts, then this article gives you the perfect way to channel your energy and experience into something profitable.
Becoming A Gym Teacher
Requirements
Eligibility
Basic education can be in any stream but 3-4 years of undergraduate degree in Physical Education or a related subject from an accredited university is a must. These courses include athletic training as well as theoretical examinations. You can also pursue either BA in Athletic Training or in Health Education to cover modules like team sports, individual sports, human development, general teaching methods and education for physically impaired etc. There is also a choice of doing post-baccalaureate education program. Specializations in physical education can range from health promotions to exercise science and so on. Once done with your education, you would have to sign up for a certification course with the Department of Education in your country or state. An important point to note here is to be cautious that the certificate is for the level you want to teach. Study hard for this test for the scores are also submitted to the organisations that you are applying for.
Courses Required
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Additional Courses: It is recommended that you do a secondary degree along with Physical Education such as social studies or English. The logic is that if you can teach more than one subject, you are much more marketable to the school.
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Volunteer: There is no substitute for hard work! Get some experience that you can put on your resume. Volunteer by coaching a league team or a cheerleading squad to impress the prospective employers.
Skills Required
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Interest: There must be a keen interest in the job or else it will only lead to unhappiness. Enjoying teaching fitness and physical activities to others comes from within.
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Physical fitness: You must practice what you preach and stay in good shape to motivate others to do the same. Carrying out a workout and demonstrating exercises must be done efficiently so that the students learn faster.
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Motivating: Well-done is definitely better than well-said! Lead by example and encourage your pupils to push their limits to get tangible results.
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Respect : You might have the best body in the business, but others are still getting there! Respect your students’ capabilities because their body structures might not permit them to do everything at the moment but if moulded correctly, they can all get to their best.
Roles And Responsibilities
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The primary function of the gym teacher is to promote students to be physically active and persuade them into good eating habits.
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Teaching newer techniques of accomplishing the same target is a creative role of the physical trainer. Anyone gets bored of a monotonous routine, with the same repetition of workouts! Adding a variety to exercises by including track and field events, gymnastics, cheerleading, sports etc are some of the ways to achieve this.
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Physical education teachers are sometimes given the role of talking to students about drug abuse, sexual orientation, community issues, personal hygiene, etc. For this they must be suitably learned on the subject.
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A gym teacher needs to maintain a safe environment and give lectures on the importance of safety, prevention and cure of injuries, first aid and resuscitation and other such basic measures.
Career Prospects
A rise in the requirement of gym teachers or physical education instructors is predicted in the next ten years. As long as there is a constant growth in population and increased focus on health and fitness, the job outlook for a gym teacher will be great. Employment in this field is not restricted only to gyms, but diversifies to schools, offices, physically impaired homes, athletic training and private instructing.
