One of the fastest growing industries continues to be the Health & Wellness industry. With over 14 million Americans employed in healthcare occupations, hiring managers are inundated with more and more professional resumes showcasing the most advanced and in-demand health certifications and training programs.
These programs offer a blend of flexibility, advanced specialization, and practical knowledge, helping professionals cater to evolving client needs and develop expertise in niche areas.
Some of the most notable key fitness trends for 2025 reflect a growing focus on holistic health, technology, and community-based approaches. These trends reflect a more balanced approach to fitness, combining physical, mental, and technological aspects to promote overall well-being.
Six Fitness Trends
- Longevity and Functional Fitness: People are shifting from aesthetics to long-term health and mobility. Functional fitness, which focuses on movements that mimic daily activities (e.g., lifting, pulling), is gaining popularity as it helps improve strength, balance, and coordination for maintaining independence as we age.
- Exercising for Mental Health: Mental well-being is now a priority for many fitness enthusiasts. Activities like yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness exercises are being integrated into fitness routines to manage anxiety and stress, making mental health a key outcome of physical exercise.
- Wearable Technology and Data Tracking: Fitness tech continues to evolve with devices like smartwatches and AI-powered personal training platforms. These gadgets help track health metrics, offering real-time feedback on workouts and health, leading to more personalized training.
- Outdoor and Nature-Based Fitness: The trend of outdoor activities like hiking, running, and open-air gyms is rising. Platforms like Strava have encouraged more people to embrace outdoor workouts, as exposure to nature is increasingly seen as beneficial for both physical and mental health.
- Recovery and Wellness: There’s growing attention on fitness recovery, with more people using tools like massage guns and foam rollers. Gyms are now incorporating recovery zones, emphasizing the importance of active recovery.
- Group Fitness and Gamification: Innovative group classes such as trampoline fitness, trapeze workouts, and gamified experiences are attracting attention. Gamification adds an element of fun to fitness, keeping users engaged.
Fitness Certifications and Programs to List on Your Resume
Whether your career goals are instructing or coaching, rest assured that the fitness sector is thriving and there is a job suited for everyone. According to ZipRecruiter, the top fitness jobs have salaries of over $150,000 per year.
With the New Year rapidly approaching, there’s no better time than now to dust off that antiquated resume. The fitness sector’s highest hiring months are in the first quarter, January through April. This makes perfect sense since most people pledge to work out after the winter holiday months.
The health and fitness industry continues to expand with new certifications and innovative programs tailored to diverse fitness and wellness goals. Here are some of the latest trends in certifications and programs for 2024:
Personal Training Certifications:
- ISSA Personal Trainer Certification remains one of the most popular, offering a broad foundation for working with all types of clients, from beginners to elite athletes. The program includes online learning materials, practice quizzes, and a flexible certification exam process. It’s ideal for trainers looking to build a well-rounded practice.
- NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) focuses on training athletes through its Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model, which emphasizes stabilization, strength, and power. It’s great for those who want to specialize in athlete training.
Health and Wellness Coaching Programs:
- The Health Coach Institute (HCI) offers a dual certification program for those wanting to expand into health and business coaching. This is particularly suited for professionals who want to focus on behavior change, stress management, and business development.
- American Council on Exercise (ACE) also provides a Health Coach Certification, perfect for personal trainers looking to broaden their services by incorporating nutrition, exercise science, and behavior change techniques.
Nutrition Coaching:
- Precision Nutrition Level 1 focuses specifically on nutrition science, providing in-depth knowledge on how to coach clients on diet, metabolism, and food-related behavior. This program is ideal for fitness professionals wanting to add nutrition to their services.
The Future of the Fitness Industry
Wellness trends are heavily influencing the future of the health and fitness industry, from the rise of mental fitness practices to the growth of recovery-focused facilities and longevity treatments. Pharmaceutical companies are getting in on their piece of the action too, with weight loss drugs being marketed alongside traditional fitness programs.
In developed markets like the U.S., U.K., Japan, and Spain, fitness facility memberships have reached record levels. Several factors are driving growth, including rising health awareness and consumer demand for fitness access.
In key markets like the ones previously mentioned, fitness facility memberships have reached record highs. For example, in the U.S., over 23% of the population are now members of fitness centers, the highest rate among surveyed countries.
The fitness industry’s outlook remains optimistic, with further expansion expected due to stable consumer confidence and increasing employee awareness of health and fitness benefits. Job candidates should incorporate these trends into their professional resumes. Also, be sure to use the appropriate keywords to enhance your chances of getting a job in the health and fitness industry.
