Boost both your motivation and your fitness career with our expert fitness instructor resume example and writing guide on how to effectively highlight your fitness training skills and experience, and demonstrate why you’re the ideal fitness instructor candidate to get people moving.
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
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
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:
Client-driven and results-focused professional with a passion for physical health and wellness coaching, program development, and nutrition. Known for showing continuous client support, motivating clients to achieve sustainable results, and customizing fitness plans based on their specifications. Engaging communicator able to drive new business, manage operations, increase profitability, maximize organizational effectiveness, and enhance growth. Skilled in the use of technical platforms such as Zoom and Skype, giving clients greater access to services.
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.
Keep your resume results-oriented
Like engaging muscles during exercise, your resume should also engage the reader with an active voice and power verbs.
For example, instead of saying, “Worked with other instructors to create new classes,” you could say, “Implemented a cross-discipline collaboration with colleagues to enhance the results-oriented client experience.”
Other power verbs to incorporate into your fitness instructor resume include:
Instructed
Motivated
Designed
Coached
Facilitated
Strengthened
Championed
These power verbs are not only more descriptive, but also convey confidence and expertise. Use them strategically to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to the fitness industry.
Take a look at the adaptable fitness instructor resume employment history section below:
Fitness Instructor at One In One Training, Colorado Springs, CO 2016 - Present
Develop a high-grossing portfolio of clients and increase business retention by leading an informative intake process and customizing plans to meet client needs.
Remain updated on continuously evolving industry trends to elevate the quality of fitness routines.
Streamline open communication with clients.
Individualized nutrition plans based on client objectives and lifestyles.
Prioritized client safety by correcting their form and demonstrating equipment.
Drove continuous improvement by tracking client progress.
Demonstrated expertise in health, nutrition, and overall wellness.
General Manager & Fitness Instructor at Results Fitness RX,, Colorado Springs, CO 2015 - 2020
Maximized client value by creating and instructing dynamic fitness classes that targeted key areas of the body and helped customers to reach their fitness goals.
Utilized a working knowledge in proper nutrition to provide in-depth consultations and equip clients with the knowledge to sustain healthy eating habits.
Spearheaded business development and sales by securing new memberships, analyzing goals, and maintaining records for 200+ clients.
Optimized brand visibility by developing and launching gym events.
Assisted with finances by reconciling invoices on the company’s behalf.
Managed two departments including workforce management, as well fitness and nutrition challenges for all clientele.
Executed bi-weekly payroll, manage front-of-house operations, enhance workflows, and supervise opening and closing shifts.
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!
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).
Bachelor of Science, Nutrition, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Present Honors: Vice President’s List Courses: Anatomy, Physiology, Nutrition Education, Community Nutrition, Life Cycle Nutrition
Associate Degree, Science, Pikes Peak Community College, 2021
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:
Teaching or coaching
Exercise program design
Customer service
Physical fitness and endurance
First aid
Understanding of exercise science, anatomy, and physiology
Industry knowledge and fitness trends
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.
Summary example
Client-driven and results-focused professional with a passion for physical health and wellness coaching, program development, and nutrition. Known for showing continuous client support, motivating clients to achieve sustainable results, and customizing fitness plans based on their specifications. Engaging communicator able to drive new business, manage operations, increase profitability, maximize organizational effectiveness, and enhance growth. Skilled in the use of technical platforms such as Zoom and Skype, giving clients greater access to services.
Employment history example
Fitness Instructor at One In One Training, Colorado Springs, CO 2016 - Present
Develop a high-grossing portfolio of clients and increase business retention by leading an informative intake process and customizing plans to meet client needs.
Remain updated on continuously evolving industry trends to elevate the quality of fitness routines.
Streamline open communication with clients.
Individualized nutrition plans based on client objectives and lifestyles.
Prioritized client safety by correcting their form and demonstrating equipment.
Drove continuous improvement by tracking client progress.
Demonstrated expertise in health, nutrition, and overall wellness.
General Manager & Fitness Instructor at Results Fitness RX,, Colorado Springs, CO 2015 - 2020
Maximized client value by creating and instructing dynamic fitness classes that targeted key areas of the body and helped customers to reach their fitness goals.
Utilized a working knowledge in proper nutrition to provide in-depth consultations and equip clients with the knowledge to sustain healthy eating habits.
Spearheaded business development and sales by securing new memberships, analyzing goals, and maintaining records for 200+ clients.
Optimized brand visibility by developing and launching gym events.
Assisted with finances by reconciling invoices on the company’s behalf.
Managed two departments including workforce management, as well fitness and nutrition challenges for all clientele.
Executed bi-weekly payroll, manage front-of-house operations, enhance workflows, and supervise opening and closing shifts.
Education example
Bachelor of Science, Nutrition, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Present Honors: Vice President’s List Courses: Anatomy, Physiology, Nutrition Education, Community Nutrition, Life Cycle Nutrition
Associate Degree, Science, Pikes Peak Community College, 2021
Skills example
Health / Wellness Coaching
Gym Management
Operational Leadership
Custom Fitness / Nutrition Plans
Client Encouragement / Support
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.
Target your resume by including keywords, skills, and qualifications from the job description in each relevant section.
Choose a modern, easy-to-read resume layout with a dash of color to showcase your creativity and professionalism.
Get stuck? Use our online resume builder to create your fitness instructor resume with adaptable, eye-catching templates and AI-powered content.