If you are new to the fitness industry or thinking about transitioning into a career in fitness, there are numerous paths open to the aspiring fitness professional. Attending a recognized fitness conference can be an effective means of exploring your options and familiarizing yourself with industry trends. Receiving CECs (continuing education credits) is another benefit of attending a fitness convention, in addition to the opportunity to network with other experienced fitness professionals. Governing bodies such as NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) or ACE (American Council on Exercise) assign a certain number of CECs to convention sessions depending on their content and format. CECs can be applied towards obtaining a recognized certification from these accredited institutions.
With such a variety of fitness events to choose from, you may be wondering how to get the most bang for your buck. If you are brand spanking new to the fitness industry, with little to no experience in the field, it is probably best to attend a larger conference offering a variety of presentations. Smaller, more specialized conferences may be geared towards the more seasoned professional and have specific prerequisites for attendance. Be prepared to invest $200.00 to $400.00 in registration fees. If you are traveling out of town, be prepared to invest another couple of hundred dollars.
When it comes to fitness conventions, IDEA is the proverbial heavy hitter in the fitness industry. Established in 1982, IDEA is the premiere organization for health and fitness professionals. Each year, IDEA produces a conference showcasing some of the most unique and informative events on the conference circuit. With over 300 sessions spanning topics from mind/body experience to boot camp training, IDEA offers the widest selection of courses in the business. This year’s conference (2007) will be held in San Diego and should be particularly noteworthy since it is IDEA’s 25th anniversary.
IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) and ECA (East Coast Fitness Association) are also worth mention. IHRSA’s focus is more on health club operations and the retail end of the industry, so if you are interested in a career in health club management, IHRSA is the logical choice. ECA, established in 1991, offers two major events-one in New York in one in Miami. The organization launches its larger program in New York City in the spring and its smaller convention in Miami during the fall months. Exclusive of its conference program, ECA also offers a complete certification program available to both new and current fitness industry professionals. The Town Sports International Summit and Tradeshow is another industry gem worth exploring. Since it’s inception in 2000, the convention and tradeshow has tripled in size. With over 1800 participants and 100 exhibitors, the TSI Summit is quickly coming up to par with other industry giants like IDEA, IHRSA and ECA.
What type of sessions can you expect to see at these conventions and what courses should you attend? Although there is some variation between conferences, sessions are generally divided into the following categories: group exercise (ex. choreography, cueing, cardio and strength training techniques), personal training (ex. client assessment, corrective exercise and sports conditioning), mind/body experience (ex. yoga, meditation), special populations (ex. working with seniors, young adults, physically challenged or pregnant clients), nutrition and weight management and business management and motivation techniques. Sessions in any given category may fall into three types of formats-lectures, workshops and workouts. In the lecture format, the presenter delivers the information with little to no participation expected from the audience. In this format, participants do not have the opportunity for practical application of the material. Workshops are a mix of practical demonstration and lecture, while workouts simply showcase a certain type of exercise format or technique with little to no discussion or evaluation.
If you are looking to build CECs, you should probably gravitate more towards lectures and workshops. For an accredited agency to assign CECs to a session, it must have some type of instructional component. Sessions where attendees simply workout with the instructor leading the class would most likely not have CECs. For example, a step aerobics course where the presenter demonstrates a step combination and then discusses choreography and cueing techniques would probably offer some credits. However, a straight demonstration of the choreography with attendees following the instructor probably would not provide CECs. Also be sure to check the prerequisites for your chosen selection of sessions.
Health and fitness is a vibrant and growing industry with numerous opportunities for advancement. Organizations like IDEA, IHRSA and ECA showcase the very best that the fitness industry has to offer. For the would be fitness professional, attending a convention hosted by one of these agencies is a great way to get your foot in the door.
