There has never been a better time to build a fitness business. We are on the cusp of a massive demand for fitness professionals. Consider the following…

The number of personal trainers is expected to grow by 46% by 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which listed personal training as one of its top 15 most desirable fields in which to work.

*Opportunities are expected to be good for fitness workers because of rapid growth in the fitness industry. Many job openings also will stem from the need to replace the large numbers of workers who leave these occupations each year.

Employment of fitness workers—who are concentrated in the rapidly growing arts, entertainment, and recreation industry—is expected to increase much faster than the average (27% or more) for all occupations through 2014.

An increasing number of people spend more time and money on fitness, and more businesses are recognizing the benefits of health and fitness programs and other services such as wellness programs for their employees.

Aging baby boomers are concerned with staying healthy, physically fit, and independent. They have become the largest demographic group of health club members. The reduction of physical education programs in schools, combined with parents’ growing concern about childhood obesity, has resulted in rapid increases in children’s health club membership.

Increasingly, athletic youth also are hiring personal trainers, and weight-training gyms for children younger than 18 are expected to continue to grow. Health club membership among young adults also has grown steadily, driven by concern with physical fitness and by rising incomes.

As health clubs strive to provide more personalized service to keep their members motivated, they will continue to offer personal training and a wide variety of group exercise classes. Participation in yoga and Pilates is expected to continue to grow, driven partly by the aging population demanding low-impact forms of exercise and relief from ailments such as arthritis.

If you are you considering getting into fitness or are currently in the field, now is the time to position yourself to take advantage of powerful demographic trends. What are you doing to prepare?

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Fitness Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos296.htm (visited July 25, 2006).