Life Time Fitness announced that it has expanded its Life Time Academy programs to include personal training, group fitness, yoga and Pilates, partnering with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Yoga Alliance, American Council on Exercise (ACE) and Peak Pilates to do so. The Life Time Academy is a professional certificate program that trains fitness professionals to be successful in the health and fitness industry.
Founded in April, 2011, according to Jeff Rosga, the director of the Life Time Academy, the Academy was created to fill a void Life Time Fitness saw in the health and fitness industry. “As far as Life Time as an organization, we’ve always had a passion for education,” explained Rosga. “We saw there was a void in the industry when it comes to the quality of education, especially in the area of personal training and group fitness. A lot of it is fast-paced, online, with little interaction.”
Life Time Fitness designed the Academy’s program offerings to make up for these inefficiencies. Students enrolled in the Life Time Academy train one-on-one with Life Time Fitness staff at Life Time Fitness’s state-of-the-art facilities. Students who graduate from the Academy will be well versed in the specifics of each individual certificate, and no experience is required to enroll. “We want to really provide an opportunity for people to be successful in an area they’re passionate about,” said Rosga.
Certifications for each program can be taken in the following states:
Personal training:
·Texas
·Minnesota
·Colorado
·Coming in Oct: Michigan, Washington DC
Group fitness:
·Minnesota
·Texas
·Illinois
·Michigan
·Ohio
·Coming soon: Utah, Nevada, Cary
Yoga:
·Utah
·Colorado
·Arizona
·Texas
·Minnesota
·Illinois
·Michigan
·Ohio
·Georgia
·New York
Along with partnering with NASM, Yoga Alliance, ACE and Peak Pilates, Life Time Fitness also announced the launch of the Academy’s new website, www.ltacademy.net. To find out more about Life Time Academy’s current offerings and programs, visit www.ltacademy.net for more information.
According to Rosga, the fitness industry may be a smart choice for recent graduates. “I think it’s often overlooked, especially for students looking at exercise science,” explained Rosga. “Most students think about physical therapy, or medical school. They never really investigate the health and fitness space, which is one of the largest and fastest growing markets. A lot of industries are shrinking — this is one that’s continuing to grow.”
By Rachel Zabonick
