Group Exercise Cert. Vs a Specific Certification??
I have a chance to either get a Group Exercise Certification or Piloxing Certification.
I am wondering which would be more valuable??
What I want to do is format my own class that is some HIIT, dance, and kickboxing. But I know I won’t be able to do that right off the bat because of licensing issues. So I guess my question is, what can you be hired for with JUST a Group Exercise Certification? Wouldn’t you need a specific skill anyway?
And some gyms would hire with just the specific certification of Zumba for example, no group Ex required, so then is there even a point to getting that one?
Answers very much appreciated!!
I would go with a Group Ex cert. The group ex cert programs will teach you a lot about teaching and execution in a group ex class. You can teach anything you want that is group exericse with this type of cert. What you can’t do is call what you are teaching by a copyright-ed name like Zumba. And you can’t use licensed materials for the most part either. But you can call your class, latin dance or something similar. Zumba for example does not own the rights to any class that uses the same type of music. All they own the rights to is the name and any “original” music created by them for their program. They can’t even stop you from copying their choreography. Zumba didn’t “invent” most of the dance moves they use either. There is possibly more to it than this. Laws differ from city to city, let alone country to country. But as I understand it, it is virtually impossible to “own” the rights to something as universal as dancing and exercise. That is why these programs name their classes with a name that doesn’t already exist in the public domain. Zumba could not name their class “Salsa” and expect to legal control the use of the name.
Hi Annie,
Your best bet is to start with a Group Exercise Certification because it will give you the foundation you need with regard to movement of the body and other basic instructor information needed to start teaching. It will give you a good starting point, and you will learn and develop your skills from there. Don’t underestimate the value of this certification because it will serve you well, and it will also be expected that you have it when applying for jobs.
Think of any specific certifications as an extension of your foundation group exercise cert. You should go into a specialty cert. already having a basic understanding of the body and instructing. Specialty certifications are everywhere today, and not all of them are necessarily needed. So, choose your specialty wisely (example, kickboxing has very specific movements and require specialization, but some HIIT programs you may be able to develop and do without getting specialized–as long as you understand the foundation of the energy systems, modifications of the movements, and know your group well).
Hope this information helps you.
Best,
Christine
Hi Annie,
As always, I agree with Karin above. Likely best (without knowing your personal group or individual background experience) to get a group certification than a specialty people may not recognize. What you’ll learn are ways to easily teach groups and format your own classes based on exercises and knowledge. They also go over safety and important ways of addressing large groups. 🙂
And yes, places will hire with only group certification and I know of a couple big gyms right off the top of my head. That said, they are the least compensating and require specific certifications for Spin and Zumba particularly. It just depends on class format.
Best,
Kimber
www.completephysique.com
Hi Annie,
I would strongly recommend that you get a group exercise certification if you have to make a choice. There are many formats you can teach with group ex, and your idea of HIIT and dance is one of them.
Most gyms I know would not hire you without the group ex certification and would require additional credentials (such as ZUMBA) for other formats.
Karin Singleton
www.KarinSingleton.com