Why We Love It
-
$40,970Potential Avg. Salary
-
8.4%Job Growth Rate
-
Growing DemandJob Outlook
-
Fast Paced CareerCareer Attribute
CrossFit instructors lead students in high-intensity workout routines that utilize the CrossFit foundations. They develop workout routines that build intensity over a period of time, motivate classes of students to push harder and complete routines, and help students correct form to avoid injuries.
Recommended Schools
What is a Crossfit Instructor?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in CrossFit instructor roles:
- Lead CrossFit classes for different skills levels and different lengths of time
- Create routines that cater to varying goals and skills levels
- Motivate students to work hard and continue coming to class to improve their health
- Observe students during routines to help correct form and avoid injuries
- Identify class abilities and scale routines to better cater to overperforming or underperforming classes of students
A Day in the Life
The CrossFit training program is an intense and physically demanding set of routines that is popular among athletes and runners who are interested in enhancing and refining their physical appearances and abilities. CrossFit instructors lead large classes, walking students through routines that cater to a variety of skill levels and goals. CrossFit instructors begin their instruction by creating a variety of routines that they can teach, using aerobics, weightlifting, gymnastics, and personal defense moves.
While leading a class, CrossFit instructors must perform a variety of activities. First, they must guide students through the workout. Next, they observe students while they’re performing exercises to offer tips and guidance, and to correct form when needed to help students avoid injury. They also observe the overall capabilities of a class, and scale routines to best meet the needs of the majority of students. Finally, they work to motivate students to complete routines and push through difficult exercises.
Many CrossFit instructors also offer personal training services to students on an individual basis when requested. In these cases, the instructor creates a custom training plan to help students meet their personal goals, and the instructor works with the client while they’re exercising to guide them through routines and help motivate the student to push harder.
Typical Work Schedule
CrossFit instructors may work part-time or full-time. They may teach classes during the day, in the evening, or on weekends in order to offer classes outside of normal business hours.
Projected Job Growth
CrossFit has been growing in popularity in recent years because it allows students to burn significantly more calories than many other fitness classes, leading to an increased demand for CrossFit instructors to teach classes at fitness centers, gyms, and studios.
Typical Employers
CrossFit instructors may work for gyms, fitness centers, or independent studios. Many CrossFit instructors are self-employed and teach classes on a freelance basis, or own and operate their own independent studios.
Recommended Schools
How To Become a Crossfit Instructor
The first step in become a CrossFit trainer is to perfect your own ability in performing CrossFit routines. Before you start training, you’ll want to attend CrossFit classes for several months—possibly even a year—to get a good feel for the exercises and to watch a number of instruction styles and routines. This will help make sure you’re fit enough to lead routines regularly as an instructor, and it will also help you evaluate which teaching styles are the most effective.
Once you’re an expect CrossFit student, you’ll want to enroll in a Level 1 Certificate course offered by CrossFit. This two-day course will teach you how to conduct a CrossFit class, and how to ensure classes maintain intensity while helping students avoid injury. After completion of the Level 1 course, you’ll be qualified to work as a CrossFit instructor, though you may want to refine and build your skills even more by enrolling in the other levels of instructor courses that CrossFit offers.
Additional courses you may want to consider to refine and expand your teaching skills and course offerings teach you how to cater CrossFit courses to kids, different types of athletes, different careers, or different goals—such as self-defense. If you take enough courses and really love working as a CrossFit trainer, you may even want to consider becoming an instructor trainer. Reserved for the most qualified CrossFit instructors, instructor trainers help train aspiring CrossFit instructors on conducting CrossFit classes.
Crossfit Instructor Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$23,280Average
$40,970High Range
$70,180National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$11/hrAverage
$20/hrHigh Range
$34/hrHow do Crossfit Instructor salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Crossfit Instructor's can make an average annual salary of $40,970, or $20 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $23,280 or $11 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#511 Nationally for All Careers
Highest Education Among Crossfit Instructors
- 1.2% Doctorate
- 9.7% Masters
- 36.4% Bachelors
- 9.1% Associates
- 25% College
- 16.2% High School
- 2.4% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
279,1002024 Est. Jobs
302,500Job Growth Rate
8.4%Est. New Jobs
23,400How does Crossfit Instructor job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 23,400 jobs for a total of 302,500 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 8.4% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#264 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Crossfit Instructors
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness and recreational sports centers | 161,800 | 14,300 | 14% |
| Civic and social organizations | 34,000 | 400 | 0% |
| Self-employed workers | 29,500 | 2,100 | 2% |
