Abstract
ABSTRACTKinesiology researchers have long had an interest in physical activity, fitness, and health issues and in the professional education and work practices of teachers and coaches. The professional development needs and practices of “fitness professionals,” however, have not been a major concern for researchers in the field. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence on fitness professionals, their role in physical activity for health agendas, and the professional education and training that is available to support them. The analysis indicates that there is a mismatch between the expectations placed upon fitness professionals and the training and professional education that is available to them. It is argued that pedagogy researchers in kinesiology could usefully turn their attentions to this occupational group.
Highlights
There is a consensus that engaging in regular and appropriate physical activity and exercise across the lifespan can have a profound positive effect on health and well-being (Blair, 2009; Trost, Blair, & Khan, 2014)
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence on fitness professionals, their role in physical activity for health agendas, and the professional education and training that is available to support them
The analysis indicates that there is a mismatch between the expectations placed upon fitness professionals and the training and professional education that is available to them
Summary
There is a consensus that engaging in regular and appropriate physical activity and exercise across the lifespan can have a profound positive effect on health and well-being (Blair, 2009; Trost, Blair, & Khan, 2014). Comparatively speaking, researchers in the field of kinesiology have largely ignored fitness professionals and their career-long educational needs and work practices This is striking given the fact that for large numbers of adults post-school, a wide range of fitness professionals will be a key point of contact for physical activity and exercise support. In their systematic review of knowledge translation interventions targeting “fitness trainers,” Stacey, Hopkins, Adamo, Shorr, and Prud’homme (2010) identified just two studies that met their criteria for inclusion It seems that little is currently known about the professional capacities of this group, including by researchers in the related fields of public health and kinesiology (Sparling, 2005). We argue that in the quest to educate and support individuals to be more physically active throughout the life-course, it is important to know more about fitness professionals, their role in physical activity for health agendas, and the nature of the professional education and training that is available to support them
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