Skip to content
A CorePower Yoga class
Jackie Pilossoph / Pioneer Press
A CorePower Yoga class
Author
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

It’s not the ’80s, people—fitness jobs don’t require neon-colored leotards and working knowledge of a headset microphone. (Though we’re not judging, either.) In today’s industry, options abound for health and workout enthusiasts who want to elevate their passions and help others. But which one’s right for you? RedEye talked with local pros on how they found their perfect fit—and what tips they have for others interested in careers in health and fitness.

PERSONAL TRAINER

Lionell Pate

Personal trainer, RightFit Personal Training

His story: Pate’s path to personal training began with a lot of questions. As soon as he realized he wanted to work with clients, he consulted successful trainers and managers at his local gym and found that most of them had one thing in common: certification through the National Academy of Sports and Medicine (NASM). Pate opted for the organization’s self-study program. “I didn’t have time to sit in a classroom, so I decided to do self-study and weekly online quizzes,” he said. The certification course required weekly reading and hours of note-taking and tests, and the entire process took him about six months, after which he started an internship at Athletico in Hyde Park. Pate shadowed physical therapists to learn more about how injuries affect movement. “That helped me out tremendously to understand specific issues—knee and hip issues—that my clients deal with,” he said. Today, Pate works as an independent trainer for RightFit Personal Training.

Training cost: $800

Advice: “Furthering your education will take you far. It’s not just about passing the NASM test. The last thing anyone should do is take the test and feel like they’re done. Training is constant. Outside studying is needed to excel in this industry and be able to diagnose clients’ problems.”

SPINNING INSTRUCTOR

Beth Soria
Indoor cycling and rowing instructor, GO Cycle Fitness

Her story: When Soria and her husband moved to Chicago from L.A. in 2011, she set out to find an indoor cycling studio that could replace her favorite West Coast class. After one hour with GO Cycle’s Emmy Rigali, Soria was hooked. “She was so captivating on the bike I decided I really wanted to work with her and use her experience as a part of my development,” Soria said. The first step was immersing herself in classes—four to six every week—to learn how teachers articulated instructions. Then, Soria attended a full-day certification session at Mad Dogg Athletics to learn bike mechanics, safety and class design. Later, she completed an online test to become a certified instructor. Following the training, she met with Rigali every week to learn the personal touches: Cueing, delivery and music selection. “I was given a list of songs and drills each week that I would present to her and she would help tweak my delivery,” Soria said. “It was humbling but ultimately the most effective training I’ve ever received.”

Training cost: $700

Advice: “Find a mentor who you respect and trust and ask them for help. While my actual certification was helpful in understanding the science and mechanics behind it all, my hours spent with Emmy were much more valuable in helping me learn how to teach and how to make it fun.”

GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Josh Nash

Group fitness instructor, Chicago Athletic Clubs

His story: Nash started teaching fitness classes in Maryville, Mo., when the gym he joined needed instructors. “Someone saw me in a class and asked if I would be interested,” he said. “I said, ‘yes.’ It was that simple.” After teaching for a year and a half, Nash decided to invest in special certifications. In the last 20 years, he’s been trained in kickboxing, personal training, jump roping, yoga, spinning, Pilates and more. Beyond teaching for Chicago Athletic Clubs — you can find him in Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park and Lakeview — Nash also trains aspiring instructors for the International Sports Conditioning Association and teaches at Moraine Valley Community College.

Training cost: $1,000 per year on training, conferences and certification renewals.

Advice: “The truth of the matter is a person can get certified to teach group fitness in a single weekend. There are several conferences held throughout the year that offer trainings and certifications. However, getting a certification does not necessarily make someone an effective instructor. To be a good instructor, a person needs much practice.”

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Ali Wadsworth

Manager and yoga instructor, Bare Feet Power Yoga

Her story: Wadsworth practiced yoga for three years before she jumped into teacher training at Yogaview in Lincoln Park. She opted for their 200-hour certification program, which required practicing yoga several times per week, attending workshops, meditating daily, completing homework assignments and reading historical and scientific materials. She recently started her 500-hour certification — the master’s degree of yoga instruction — which includes more intense workshops and immersion training. “Most studios do not specifically require this, but these teachers often have more experience and knowledge to share with students and are highly valuable to a studio,” she said.

Training cost: $4,000 for the initial training and $2,500 on continued education.

Advice: “When going into your training, do it completely. Expect most of your free time to be spent studying, practicing or reading while training. Keep your social schedule open, don’t overbook yourself and allow your body and mind time to digest all of the information that you are learning. When I began my training, I pretty much said goodbye to my boyfriend, friends and family for three months and looked forward to dedicating my full self to becoming a yoga teacher.”

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Hunter Van Houten

Physical therapist, Lakeshore Sports Physical Therapy

His story: After completing an undergraduate degree in applied health sciences at Bowling Green State University, Van Houten received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northwestern in 2013. “I was surprised at how quickly my years in school passed,” he said. “When you hear seven years, it seems like a long time. However, it goes by so quickly and you learn so much.” To advance to the working world, he had to pass the National Physical Therapy Examination, which is required in all 50 states. With a greenlight to practice, Van Houton found a job at Lakeshore Sports Physical Therapy, an orthopedic private practice. But his education isn’t over; Van Houton said he’ll always invest in ongoing education to stay relevant in his practice.

Training cost: Nearly $200,000 for undergraduate and graduate education and housing.

Advice: “I would recommend shadowing a physical therapist for a day or several days to really understand all that encompasses what a physical therapist does. For those looking on deciding which physical therapy program to attend, it is important to know the values of a certain program and how closely they align with one’s own values.”