Fitness Instructor resume example & writing guide

Your fitness instructor resume must be as strong as the exercise activities you lead. But how do you translate your fitness acumen to the written page and ensure that you stand out as a top instructor candidate? We’ll show you how to build a powerful, well-crafted resume with no pain and all gain.

This resume guide and corresponding fitness instructor resume example will cover the following topics:

• What to include on a fitness instructor resume

• Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)

• Adding relevant key skills to your resume

• Choosing the right resume template for a fitness instructor

What should your fitness instructor resume include?

Your fitness instructor resume should highlight your outstanding communication and customer service skills, as well as your knowledge of fitness training. You may work with a wide range of people with varying fitness levels and goals, so your resume should strategically highlight your skills, experience, and education to show that you're the fitness instructor who can get your clients where they want to be.

Your fitness instructor resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header with your contact information

• The resume summary

• The work history section

• The education section

• The resume skills section

How can you create a professional summary?

As a fitness instructor, you need to present yourself as friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about all things health and fitness, and your resume’s professional summary is a great place to do that. It’s a brief highlight reel of your career that outlines your relevant skills, work experience, and achievements. 

This short paragraph ties together your strengths as a trainer with your relevant work experience. This could include your penchant for motivating clients, your commitment to instructing clients of all fitness levels, or your interest in helping people recover from injuries.

To boost the intensity of your resume, you can add a list of bullet points after your professional summary to illustrate your unique skills and qualifications. If you’re a new fitness instructor without much work history, this can be a great way to communicate your transferable skills.

See our adaptable fitness instructor resume summary below:

How should you describe your work experience as a fitness instructor?

The work experience section is the core of your resume where you’ll lay out your work history and show the hiring manager why you’re the ideal fitness instructor candidate. The job description is a great partner for this, helping you align your job history and achievements with the skills and expertise that the hiring manager is looking for.

List your work experience in reverse chronological order—which means your most current position first—and include your job title, how long you worked there, and your main job responsibilities. 

Then, list your accomplishments in bullet points under each job, using quantifiable data when possible (e.g., class size, improved fitness results). Sharing these accomplishments not only strengthens your resume, but also demonstrates that you’re someone who gets results for their clients.

For example, if you have a history of increasing fitness class attendance, you can highlight it this way:

• "Increased group fitness class attendance by 20 percent by providing fun, engaging and appropriately challenging workouts based on fitness levels."

Since being a fitness instructor is all about working with people, you can also include any notable awards, customer feedback, or commendations you’ve received.

Take a look at the adaptable fitness instructor resume employment history section below:

What can you do without any relevant experience as a fitness instructor?

Don’t worry if you’re a new fitness instructor without much practical experience—you can still create a compelling resume. The key is to focus on your transferable skills that would help make you a good fit for the position. 

For example, if you’ve worked in a public-facing position before, emphasize your customer service skills. Also be sure to include any relevant certifications that you’ve earned. Think of it this way: at some point, every fitness instructor got their first job without experience, and you can too. The key is confidence and enthusiasm!

How to include a fitting fitness instructor resume education and certifications section?

Even if you don’t have a degree in physical therapy or kinesiology, your education is still an important part of your resume. This can be another way to show a gym manager or fitness center director your enthusiasm, communication skills, and ability to provide a safe and effective exercise experience for their clientele. 

When crafting your fitness instructor resume education section, consider the following:

• Keep it simple. Provide a concise list of degrees and certifications with only relevant details listed under each, such as the school name, location, and degree earned. Include your graduation date only if it’s less than 10 years ago.

• List your education in reverse order with the highest or most recent degree first. You might be tempted to leave off anything unrelated to fitness, but the employer may still find it important.

• List any certifications you’ve completed or are working towards, such as those offered by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Which key skills are relevant for a fitness instructor resume?

Fitness experience is important, but there are other skills and attributes that hiring managers will be looking for in a fitness instructor. If you want to stand out from the crowd, make sure to tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for, incorporating the required skills and experience detailed in the job description.

The job description will usually contain keywords and skills that you can include, or help you identify transferable skills if you’re new to the field. The person reading your resume will have certain skills in mind for the position, so you want to ensure that you highlight these.

Your resume may also be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) that will search your resume for specific keywords and rank them by how closely they match the job description. (To learn more, check out our article on resume ATS optimization.)

Helpful tip: career.io resume templates include a key skills list with common skills for each role that you can incorporate throughout your resume. 

For a fitness instructor resume, a few important skills might include:

• Verbal communication

• Teaching or coaching

• Exercise program design

• Customer service

• Patience and empathy

• Physical fitness and endurance

• First aid

• Understanding of exercise science, anatomy, and physiology

• Industry knowledge and fitness trends

How to select the most impactful fitness instructor resume template

An effective resume is like a great fitness class. It should be professional, engaging, and organized, motivating the hiring manager to call you for an interview.

A fitness instructor resume should use a clear, modern, and easy-to-read layout. A dash of color is fine to use, but don’t overdo it. The example fitness instructor resume below checks all of those boxes. Your fitness instructor resume should also be limited to one page, so be concise!

When exploring the many resume templates in our career.io resume builder, start by selecting the resume layout that best fits your situation. Find inspiration with our over 100 available resume examples.

Copyable fitness instructor resume example

Key takeaways for writing a fitness instructor resume

1. Your fitness instructor resume should highlight your outstanding communication and coaching skills, your relevant work experience, and your knowledge of fitness training techniques and industry trends.

2. Target your resume by including keywords, skills, and qualifications from the job description in each relevant section. 

3. Choose a modern, easy-to-read resume layout with a dash of color to showcase your creativity and professionalism.

4. Get stuck? Use our online resume builder to create your fitness instructor resume with adaptable, eye-catching templates and AI-powered content.