Professional standards in the fitness sector
By Marcus Kingwell, CEO of EMD UK
UK Coaching Week is a celebration of the impact that coaches have on millions of people’s lives. With the support of coaches, people are more likely to get active, stay active and get better at their chosen activity. This applies equally to a group exercise instructors as it does to a sports coach.
That’s why EMD UK is supporting UK Coaching Week – we believe that the amazing work of group exercise instructors should be celebrated too. This year's theme of #Born2Coach rings true with our instructor workforce. Data from our previous Working in Fitness Survey showed that one of the biggest reasons for instructors joining and staying in the fitness sector was "I wanted to help other people." Instructors were born to do this.
I’d strongly recommended that group ex instructors check out UK Coaching’s resources as many will be very relevant for you and the different perspective will give you new insights delivering great classes.
EMD UK’s mission is to support group exercise instructors to be the best they can be. We’re committed to raising quality through professional standards, CPD, information and advocacy and long term we’d like instructors to shout about their quality standards via a kitemark or badge.
We are collaborating with UK Coaching and CIMSPA to explore a standards framework for the fitness sector. This might mean developing the professional standards relevant for group exercise; creating the progression route to chartered status; explaining what the public and employers or deployers can expect from instructors; showing how instructors will be supported; and setting out what will happen to those who fall short of quality standards.
This is a massive piece of work and I’m very aware of the failed attempts to do this in the past. But that doesn’t means we will shy away from it – instructors have told us they want us to uphold standards and we’re committed to supporting that wish in the best way we can.
Founder of SH1FT Fitness
2 年Great project. I hope you plan to involve a wide range of smaller operators who will be affected by this, and not solely Les Mills like has happened in the past.