25 Fitness Instructor Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Fitness Instructor interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Why should we hire you over someone else?
How to Answer
What makes you an amazing fitness instructor? You have worked hard to train and educate yourself to get to this point and you have all the qualities that make you stand out above the other applicants. So tell me, what are those qualities?
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I design exercise programs that are safe and tailored to my client's needs. I have a strong background in anatomy and specialize in injuries and training athletes. I have proven myself dependable in my past roles, always showing up on-time and following through."
Written by Ryan Brown
2. Name 5 cardiovascular exercises you recommend to your clients.
How to Answer
As a fitness enthusiast you have tried everything from spin class to CrossFit, and you have learned the most effective ways for individuals to get results. You may want to inquire about the goal of the exercise before answering the question, as everyone has different purposes for working out. Here's an example answer:
"It depends on my client's fitness goals. If they are trying to lose weight I recommend high intensity interval training (HIIT). If they are older or have previous injuries I would recommend swimming, cycling, or aerobics. Zumba is a great option as well. It really depends on my client's needs and goals."
This response shows that you take into account that everyone's body is different and depending on what you are trying to accomplish through exercise, you may need something different.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"It depends on my client's fitness goals. If they are trying to lose weight I recommend high intensity interval training (HIIT). If they are older or have previous injuries I would recommend swimming, cycling, or aerobics. Zumba is a great option as well. It really depends on my client's needs and goals."
Written by Ryan Brown
3. This job is about getting clients, getting referrals, and making sales, how will you perform with this pressure?
How to Answer
New clients, referrals, sales and training clients... yikes! That is a lot of pressure. But you have the skills to make it happen! Making a routine of spreading the word about your personal training while working with your clients will help you to maintain a steady stream of new clients. This questions indicates that sales are important, so you will need to show the interviewer your enthusiasm and ability to handle the pressure of meeting sales goals. Consider giving an example like this:
"I perform well under pressure and have had to meet sales goals in the past. I take time to promote myself daily while providing quality care to my current clients. Consistency and willingness to be persistent helps me to get more referrals and continue to grow my clientele."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I perform well under pressure and have had to meet sales goals in the past. I take time to promote myself daily while providing quality care to my current clients. Consistency and willingness to be persistent helps me to get more referrals and continue to grow my clientele."
Written by Ryan Brown
4. What education have you acquired in the art of sales?
How to Answer
Whether you work at a gym or independently, fitness instructors must learn to promote themselves to grow their client base. This question assumes you may not have formal sales training but you have learned through your work experience. Here is an example of how to approach this:
"My previous work experience in retail taught me about sales. I learned how to talk with customers and understand their needs. Mostly I learned to listen. When I talk about the services I offer as a fitness instructor I make sure to find out what the client is looking for and explain how I can help them reach their goals. I've learned to share how my skills will benefit them, and how to get them to commit to working with me long term by selling sessions in packages."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"My previous work experience in retail taught me about sales. I learned how to talk with customers and understand their needs. Mostly I learned to listen. When I talk about the services I offer as a fitness instructor I make sure to find out what the client is looking for and explain how I can help them reach their goals. I've learned to share how my skills will benefit them, and how to get them to commit to working with me long term by selling sessions in packages."
Written by Ryan Brown
5. Describe to me a successful training session?
How to Answer
Success is so dependent on the needs and goals of your client. A successful session for one person could mean that they ran for 10 minutes without stopping and for another it would mean they bench pressed 150 lbs! Illustrate your skills and experience by explaining your approach to personal training and how you make each session a success.
"I measure success based on the personal achievements of my clients. When the exercises build confidence and inspire my clients to continue training, I know the session was successful. I pace my clients and encourage them to keep going even when they don't think they can. Watching my clients start to understand their limits, taking deep breaths, trying new things and believe in themselves makes me feel like the session was a success."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I measure success based on the personal achievements of my clients. When the exercises build confidence and inspire my clients to continue training, I know the session was successful. I pace my clients and encourage them to keep going even when they don't think they can. Watching my clients start to understand their limits, taking deep breaths, trying new things and believe in themselves makes me feel like the session was a success."
Written by Ryan Brown
6. How do you draw the line when pushing your client to the limits during a workout?
How to Answer
One of the reasons we need fitness instructors is to help us develop body awareness and learn our limitations. Even if you created the perfect fitness program for a client, they could still injure themselves by pushing too hard. How do you motivate your client and teach them to listen to their bodies?
"Some of my clients haven't worked out in years. They can be great at following instructions and doing the exercises, but they don't always know when they have exceeded their limits until they have overheated or felt the affects of an old injury flare up. I explain to my clients to set small goals and pace themselves. I help them to set fair expectations of themselves to prevent injury or exhaustion, which will help them maintain a routine rather than burn out."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"Some of my clients haven't worked out in years. They can be great at following instructions and doing the exercises, but they don't always know when they have exceeded their limits until they have overheated or felt the affects of an old injury flare up. I explain to my clients to set small goals and pace themselves. I help them to set fair expectations of themselves to prevent injury or exhaustion, which will help them maintain a routine rather than burn out."
Written by Ryan Brown
7. What are your personal fitness goals?
How to Answer
If you want to be credible as a fitness instructor, you need to have an healthy lifestyle yourself! What are you working towards these days? Are you training for a race or changing your eating habits to get more lean? Whatever the goal, share how you are taking steps to achieve it. In the same way that you coach your clients, you want the interviewer to see how you are driven and motivated yourself. How are you proactively working to meet your current fitness goal? If they are ongoing, share your daily routine to help you maintain a steady weight and a healthy heart.
Written by Ryan Brown
8. Have you ever helped train a friend? How did that work out?
How to Answer
Give an example of your training experience that ended in success.
"My friend was training for a half marathon and had some knee issues. I assessed her overall health and fitness goals to come up with a program that would help her manage the injury and increase strength and stamina. We combined weight training with sprint workouts and I helped her modify her diet. Her knee didn't give her any trouble during the race and she finished in the top 10 percent!"
Describe who you were training, what their body issues or goals were and what you did to help them reach their goals. This is a chance to show off your capabilities as a trainer.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"My friend was training for a half marathon and had some knee issues. I assessed her overall health and fitness goals to come up with a program that would help her manage the injury and increase strength and stamina. We combined weight training with sprint workouts and I helped her modify her diet. Her knee didn't give her any trouble during the race and she finished in the top 10 percent!"
Written by Ryan Brown
9. Tell me about yourself.
How to Answer
Be careful not to get caught up in storytelling and stay focused on the goal! You want to tell them relevant information that will help you nail the interview and show them you're the best fit for the job. Try to keep your response within a couple minutes to leave time for further questions. You can keep it brief. You have the whole interview to talk about yourself, so don't go overboard. Relax! Remember those certifications and class you've aced. Be yourself and talk about your passion for health and wellness.
Here is an example answer, "I am passionate about helping people, which is why I decided to continue my education to become a fitness instructor. I am active and love to try any sport or type of workout. In my spare time I read up on the latest research about nutrition and ways to improve strength and flexibility that are accessible to my clients."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I am passionate about helping people, which is why I decided to continue my education to become a fitness instructor. I am active and love to try any sport or type of workout. In my spare time I read up on the latest research about nutrition and ways to improve strength and flexibility that are accessible to my clients."
Written by Ryan Brown
10. What do you know about our company?
How to Answer
Before your job interview, make sure you are familiar with the company mission and values. We recommend visiting the company website, reading employee reviews or talking to anyone you know that works there to learn as much as you can. You want to be able to talk about what you like about the company so that you can convince them you're the best fit for the role. Your interest in current seasonal promotions and ongoing events shows them how well you would integrate into this position and the culture of the company. Watch the videos on their website, and take note of the information on their careers page if one is available. Be prepared to talk about how much you appreciate their values of affordable fitness or community. Whatever their mission is, you need to know it. And if you're not clear on something you read or heard, ask about it!
Written by Ryan Brown
11. If you saw me at the gym, average build kind of guy, and you wanted to approach me to potentially sign me up for sessions, what would you say to me?
How to Answer
"First I would introduce myself and ask you how you've been enjoying the gym. I would also ask you had a fitness goal in mind that you were working toward. If you had a particular goal or were training for something, I would let you know the services I offer and tell you a little about my experience training athletes. I think it's important to build trust with potential clients and make sure that I can help them achieve their goal before I try to sell them sessions. I may even offer a free trial session to make sure it's a good fit."
Walk your interviewer through a hypothetical conversation with a future client. What types of questions do you ask them? How do you gain their interest?
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"First I would introduce myself and ask you how you've been enjoying the gym. I would also ask you had a fitness goal in mind that you were working toward. If you had a particular goal or were training for something, I would let you know the services I offer and tell you a little about my experience training athletes. I think it's important to build trust with potential clients and make sure that I can help them achieve their goal before I try to sell them sessions. I may even offer a free trial session to make sure it's a good fit."
Written by Ryan Brown
12. What are your thoughts on a vegan lifestyle? Do you support it or think it is overrated?
How to Answer
Know your audience. If you are interviewing to work for a company that encourages a plant based diet and steers clear of the meat and dairy industry, you might want to learn a thing or two about their values. Depending on which direction you sway, you can answer fairly and diplomatically along these lines:
"The vegan lifestyle is great for some individuals. I have had clients achieve excellent results by cutting out meat and dairy. I also know that for those who tend towards anemia may need to get their protein from other sources like eggs or cheese. I don't think being vegan is overrated, but I do think it's important to consider someone's health history before recommending any restrictive diet."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"The vegan lifestyle is great for some individuals. I have had clients achieve excellent results by cutting out meat and dairy. I also know that for those who tend towards anemia may need to get their protein from other sources like eggs or cheese. I don't think being vegan is overrated, but I do think it's important to consider someone's health history before recommending any restrictive diet."
Written by Ryan Brown
13. How important is nutrition to you? Will you strongly suggest your clients follow a better diet to improve their fitness goals?
How to Answer
Nutrition is one facet of living a healthy lifestyle that cannot be ignored if your clients want to keep that extra weight off. Even the strongest most naturally athletic individuals need to modify their diet if they want to meet their fitness goals.
"When I meet with a client, I always ask them about their diet when making an assessment. I suggest shifting from carbonated beverages to water and from processed foods to incorporating more fruits and vegetables. I encourage them to make these changes if they really want to get results. Not only can they tone and lose weight, but they will have more energy and potentially prevent disease."
Give the interviewer a detailed explanation that shows your knowledge and understanding of how proper nutrition can benefit anyone looking to improve their health.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"When I meet with a client, I always ask them about their diet when making an assessment. I suggest shifting from carbonated beverages to water and from processed foods to incorporating more fruits and vegetables. I encourage them to make these changes if they really want to get results. Not only can they tone and lose weight, but they will have more energy and potentially prevent disease."
Written by Ryan Brown
14. How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?
How to Answer
"I'm really interested in the latest research about ways to achieve healthy weight loss and stay fit. I read blogs and follow trainers to learn the latest trends in fitness. I read the Science Daily and get weekly updates through my ACE training that have been really helpful as I design new workouts for my clients."
Give some examples of ways you are staying informed about new research that might benefit you and your clients.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I'm really interested in the latest research about ways to achieve healthy weight loss and stay fit. I read blogs and follow trainers to learn the latest trends in fitness. I read the Science Daily and get weekly updates through my ACE training that have been really helpful as I design new workouts for my clients."
Written by Ryan Brown
15. What nutrition education have you received?
How to Answer
Just as you would sell your services to new clients, sell your interviewer on your knowledge of nutrition. Give them confidence that you could help clients change their eating habits by explaining the pros and cons of different foods, assisting them with meal planning, lowering sugar intake and consumption of processed foods. If you received a formal education in nutrition in college or through your fitness certification, highlight a few concepts that you have found most helpful for your clients.
Written by Ryan Brown
16. How do you keep an aerobics group motivated throughout the exercise?
How to Answer
"I see myself as a coach, pushing my clients to challenge themselves and using encouraging words and motivation to keep them going. I keep the music upbeat and fun and let them know a little bit about what to expect before the class so that they know what we'll be working on. I say things like "Keep going, you got this!" and "We're almost there!" to help them stay focused and keep the momentum."
Motivating language is so important in fitness instruction. Keep the energy of the class positive and know when to remind everyone to keep working and breathing.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I see myself as a coach, pushing my clients to challenge themselves and using encouraging words and motivation to keep them going. I keep the music upbeat and fun and let them know a little bit about what to expect before the class so that they know what we'll be working on. I say things like "
Written by Ryan Brown
17. What techniques would you employ to increase your clientele?
How to Answer
This questions goes back to sales and self-promotion. What do you do to get new clients? Some people use social media to promote themselves while others find it more effective to do face-to-face marketing. Do you have business cards, your own website and an email marketing campaign? When you're at the gym do you make an effort to introduce yourself to new members and tell them about your services? Building a reputation for training that gives results is the first step. Next is making sure everyone knows about! Share a few techniques that have helped you increase your number of clients.
Written by Ryan Brown
18. If a client complains about an injury suffered during your last training session, how do you handle it?
How to Answer
Unfortunately, injuries are one way that everyone learns body awareness. As a trainer, you teach your clients how to learn their capabilities and their limitations. So once you're client hurts themselves, what do you do to prevent further injury and assist with the healing process?
"I encourage my client to continue with our training program, but we make some modifications. Now that we know they have a sensitive low back, we add stretches and focus on strengthening the core. Injuries show me where my client may be weak, so I shift the focus on strengthening areas to support that weakness."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I encourage my client to continue with our training program, but we make some modifications. Now that we know they have a sensitive low back, we add stretches and focus on strengthening the core. Injuries show me where my client may be weak, so I shift the focus on strengthening areas to support that weakness."
Written by Ryan Brown
19. Tell me about an experience you've had dealing with an unhappy customer?
How to Answer
How can you "wow" your interviewer with your customer service skills? What have you learned that is helped you to tame the most frustrated customer? Talk about the essential elements of customer service that benefited you in a particular situation. If you have never worked at a gym or in the fitness field, that's okay. You can talk about retail experience, working in a bank or restaurant. The keys to excellent customer service are the same no matter which industry you are working in.
"I had a very upset customer due to a high water bill when I worked at an apartment complex a couple of years ago. I listened to her vent and then I let her know I was sorry she had to deal with it. It sucks when your bills are much higher than anticipated. I couldn't lower the cost because the bill was through the city, but I let her know what to expect during certain months and gave her some suggestions for ways to lower it after she calmed down."
Written by Ryan Brown
20. If any client walks in and says they want to start training, what evaluations would you begin doing to determine their appropriate fitness program?
How to Answer
What types of things are you going to be looking for to evaluate your client's current fitness level before you set goals and start training? You may want to review some of the forms you received with your training or from any places you've worked in the past.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I do an overall fitness assessment to look at body type and their desired goals for strength and endurance, weight loss, cardio and flexibility. I evaluate their current health by checking their resting and active heart rate, measuring areas of their body and their current weight. I have them do a walking test and have them answer some questions about their diet. Giving a thorough assessment of where they are will help set realistic expectations for our training."
Written by Ryan Brown
21. Are you CPR certified? Tell me about your other certifications.
How to Answer
To become a fitness instructor you will need to complete a course in personal training and take a test to get your certification. Many complete this online, although some community colleges offer similar coursework to prepare you for the exam. CPR certification is required for all healthcare fields, and it's an easy one to three day course. If you haven't completed it yet, sign up for the class! When you talk about your certifications, make sure they are current if it's something that needs to be renewed.
Written by Ryan Brown
22. Give me a summary of a training program you would set up for a client strictly looking for weight-loss and toning?
How to Answer
What do you know about training others for weight-loss? When a person is looking to tone their body, they don't want to put on a lot of muscle, so how would you train them? You may not have a lot of experience with putting together training programs, but you do have the knowledge. Apply what you know!
"The top fitness goals of my clients are weight-loss and toning. FIIT training works well for some of my clients because it gets their heart rate up, builds muscle and it is something they can do on their own without taking up too much time. Generally I combine a cardio circuit with weights to build strength and boost metabolism."
You may want to go so far as to list off three to five exercises you would have your client complete on certain days. Be prepared to go into further detail.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"The top fitness goals of my clients are weight-loss and toning. FIIT training works well for some of my clients because it gets their heart rate up, builds muscle and it is something they can do on their own without taking up too much time. Generally I combine a cardio circuit with weights to build strength and boost metabolism."
Written by Ryan Brown
23. Give me three essential exercises you would have any client do? Why are they in your top three?
How to Answer
"Squats, lunges and push-ups. Each of these exercises aids in the basic functions of daily life. Strength, balance and coordination are all gained through correctly executing these exercises."
Make sure you explain the reason you chose the three exercises by talking about the benefits. Think about how these exercises could help anyone, whether they are in shape or just starting to get moving again.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"Squats, lunges and push-ups. Each of these exercises aids in the basic functions of daily life. Strength, balance and coordination are all gained through correctly executing these exercises."
Written by Ryan Brown
24. Tell me about your customer service experience.
How to Answer
You will be working one-on-one with clients and building relationships with them. Your prior customer service experience will help you to communicate effectively with customers and understand their needs.
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"Through working in restaurants I learned how to handle difficult customers and keep a positive attitude. Everyone wants to be heard. I learned to be patient and listen to customer needs to give them consistent service and make sure they walked out happy."
Written by Ryan Brown
25. Why did you decide to become a personal trainer?
How to Answer
If there was a person or an experience that inspired you to choose the path of fitness as a career, share your story. The interviewer wants to hear about your passion for helping people and your understanding of the job. What do you love most about what you do? Why?
"I was inspired by a personal trainer I worked with when I was recovering from a torn hamstring. My trainer helped me get even stronger and correct some imbalances in my body. I began to research more about anatomy and nutrition and decided I wanted to help others just like my trainer helped me."
Written by Ryan Brown
Answer Example
"I was inspired by a personal trainer I worked with when I was recovering from a torn hamstring. My trainer helped me get even stronger and correct some imbalances in my body. I began to research more about anatomy and nutrition and decided I wanted to help others just like my trainer helped me."
Written by Ryan Brown