Why Become a Transformation Specialist in the Fitness Field?

Fitness is a huge field with many career opportunities. You can become a personal trainer, for example, or teach group exercise classes. Another opportunity to consider is the role of a transformation specialist. 

Here we explore what this type of specialist does within the fitness industry. We also share several reasons to become a transformation specialist who works specifically with fitness clients. If you decide this is a good career pathway for you, we talk about how a certificate program can help prepare you for this important role.

What a Fitness-Based Transformation Specialist Does

Developing a new healthy habit can be difficult. Just ask anyone who has ever committed to exercising daily or eating better. On Monday, their commitment is strong. Yet, by Friday, they’ve all but given up on their fitness or diet plan. 

Undoing a negative health habit can be even harder. Maybe they’ve started eating ice cream each night and now their pants are getting tight. Or they don’t take rest days, which is hurting their sports performance. 

A transformation specialist uses proven techniques to promote positive lifestyle changes. They understand change management and which methods work. They also know which strategies to avoid because they don’t affect change.

What are the key responsibilities of a transformation specialist? Some of the duties you may find in a job description for this position include:

• assess clients’ readiness for change

• teach clients how to work through the stages of change

• help clients identify and overcome change-related obstacles 

• motivate clients to develop good health and fitness behaviors

• give clients the tools needed to stop unhealthy behaviors

• use positive psychology to promote ‘changes that stick’

Many fitness professionals have similar responsibilities. However, for a transformation specialist, behavior change is the ultimate goal. Whereas, in other roles, the goals are often different (building strength, losing weight, improving performance, etc.). 

Why Become a Transformation Specialist in Fitness? 

There are several benefits to working as a transformation specialist. One is that you get to witness major life changes. You get to see a client metamorphize right in front of your eyes. You see their frowns change to smiles. You watch their tears turn into laughter. Their apprehension about the future is replaced with excitement about what lies ahead. 

There’s also something spectacular about watching a client have an ‘a-ha’ moment. This is the moment when things just click. Maybe they made a connection between a particular eating habit and their inability to lose weight. Or they might now fully understand the importance of strength training in addition to cardio for optimal health and wellness.

When this occurs, you know that their goals will be achieved. And you’re the one who helped make this possible by giving them the tools and strategy they needed. You helped them make lasting lifestyle changes.

Another reason to become a transformation specialist is that you’re tired of seeing your clients fail. You’re sick of the same old cycle of having clients start a new training program highly motivated, only to give up on their hopes and dreams because they can’t figure out how to make their changes stick. 

Learning how to promote positive life changes can aid similar jobs in fitness. You might offer this service to your personal training clients, for example. This can give them an extra push to achieve their fitness goals. It can also better prepare them for the obstacles they’ll face along the way. Together, this leads to better results. And better results lead to a longer client list.

Ultimately, being a transformation specialist in fitness helps promote a healthier tomorrow. It teaches people the strategies for achieving lasting results. It also reduces the frustration they often face when trying methods that will never work.

Benefits of Transformation Specialist Certificate Programs

If you’re interested in becoming a transformation specialist, you may be wondering about the next steps. A certificate program can help you prepare for this role. 

Completing a certification program can boost your skill sets for instigating and maintaining change in clients. Topics covered in a transformation specialist program include:

• the stages of change and what each one means

• how to assess a client’s readiness for change

• ways to increase a client’s willingness to change

• principles of motivational interviewing and how to use them 

• strategies for drawing clients into the change process

• how to use positive psychology to affect change

• methods for getting a client to commit to lasting changes

• what flow is and why it matters in client transformation

• how to build your own ‘flow muscles’

Having knowledge in these areas can enhance your results. For instance, research reveals that motivational interviewing helps increase a person’s desire to engage in physically active behaviors (1). Use this technique appropriately then, and your clients may find that it is easier to get to the gym.

A certification program can also lead to career advancement. It can help give validity to your ability to help clients change. If you don’t have experience as a transformation specialist, it can add to your credibility as well. 

You may even use a transformation specialist certification to build upon your current fitness services. You might offer it as an add-on for clients who need more help. Or you could create a package that incorporates this service and charge more for it. Either way, both you and your clients win.

How to Choose a Transformation Specialist Training Course

Finding a transformation specialist certification course isn’t always easy. For starters, you may have to sift through programs for this role in other fields. This requires getting rid of courses designed to offer training for digital or business transformation specialists, for instance.

Once you find a training course for a transformation specialist in fitness, the next step is to assess its quality. Ways to do this include:

• Look at what you’ll learn. What topics does the program cover? Do you learn the stages of change? What about motivational interviewing? Go over the list above and see which areas are discussed. The more comprehensive the program, the more knowledge and skills you’ll leave it with.

• Check out the reviews. What do former students have to say about the course? What are its pros and cons? Would they recommend it? Also consider whether the review was given by a verified student. Unfortunately, some companies pay people to write false reviews. Paying attention to only verified reviews helps you know which ones can be trusted.

• Learn what’s included. What type of study materials does the course provide? Does it include a guide and/or workbook to help identify the most important information? What about prep for quizzes or a practice certification exam? Do you have access to other students or trainers to ask questions? What level of support do you receive, should you need it?

• Is the course approved by an outside party? Another way to assess a certification course’s quality is if it is approved by a third party. For instance, the European Register of Exercise Professionals (ERPS) registers European fitness instructors. They also approve some fitness courses. 

If you’re ready to get started, ISSA offers Transformation Specialist Certification. This course is available online, providing maximum flexibility and convenience. You also have a variety of payment options, enabling you to become a transformation specialist while staying within your budget.

References

1. Nuss, K., Moore, K., Nelson, T., & Li, K. (2020). Effects of motivational interviewing and wearable fitness trackers on motivation and physical activity: A systematic review. American Journal of Health Promotion, 35(2), 226–235. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117120939030