Group Fitness Instructor

Lead Inspiring Group Fitness Classes

Ignite Your Fitness Career: Become a Group Fitness Rockstar! Master the art of leading dynamic classes, both online and in-person. From yoga to HIIT, Zumba to indoor cycling, this certification equips you to inspire and empower groups of all levels.

Course Overview

NASM-GFI

What You’ll Learn

When you enroll in an AFAA® Group Fitness Program, you're gaining the benefit of decades of experience in preparing the best instructors in the industry. We offer a world-class online learning platform that allows you to study and get certified from the comfort and convenience of your own home or wherever you decide to learn. With each AFAA program, you'll learn:

A high school degree and basic communication skills are required, along with physical fitness
and recommended group training experience.

 The Group Fitness Instructor course is fully endorsed by NASM (1.5), AFAA (15)

Getting Started with Us

Group fitness classes provide a proven way to reach more participants, and in this program you’ll benefit from our decades of experience teaching the world’s best group fitness professionals. Learn how to design group classes, adapt to class needs and dynamics, get your participants engaged and motivated, and create amazing group movement experiences.

When you choose AFAA to become a Group Fitness Instructor, you’ll get access to:

  • World-class fitness & nutrition experts
  • Peer-reviewed content from the brightest minds in the industry
  • State-of-the-art digital learning platform designed to meet multiple learning styles
  • A curriculum that is consistently reviewed and updated with the most up-to-date material available

AFAA’s online program makes becoming a Group Fitness Instructor as easy and convenient as can be. By completing the self-guided study materials at your own pace, you can become a Group Fitness Instructor and begin working with clients in just 6-8 weeks.

To become an AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, you simply have to:

  1. Register in the GFI program.
  2. Complete the self-guided online study materials in your own time from the comfort of home.
  3. Schedule and pass your exam.

Motivating people to believe in their own power. And inspiring others to move toward healthier and happier lives. That’s what makes the Athletics and Fitness Association of America™ (AFAA) a dominant force in movement-based health and fitness. Our vision isn’t to just change bodies but to advance the lives of instructors and those they guide through their own personal fitness journeys.

AFAA has been a leading force in the group fitness community for 40 years. AFAA instructors have gone out to the world to share their love for fitness and be the person that others look to for a superior experience.

Customize your Payment Plan

All payment plans are 0% interest, with no fees, penalties or credit check!

starting at:

Total: €798

€266 × 3 Payments

€699

One-Time Payment

Premium Self-Study
Benefits:
Slim women african american and caucasian ethnicity and muscular man in sportswear doing exercises with a heavy medicine ball on a rubber mat in a gym club. The concept of sports and recreation.

Why Become a Group Fitness Instructor

  • Accredited Certification:

    Gain a respected and accredited certification recognized globally

  • Comprehensive Curriculum:

    Receive in-depth training on exercise science, programming, and instructional techniques.

  • Flexible Learning Options:

    Enjoy the convenience of online courses and study at your own pace.

  • Career Opportunities:

    Open doors to a wide range of fitness career paths in various settings.

  • CommunitySupport:

    Join a network of fitness professionals for support and continuous learning.

  • Continuing Education:

    Access to ongoing professional development to keep your skills current.

  • Worldwide Recognition:

    Enhance your credibility and marketability with certifications from trusted organizations.

  • Personal Fulfillment:

    Inspire and help others achieve their fitness goals, making a positive impact on their lives.

Get Certified In 4 Steps

1

Register & Prepare

Choose your package, register, and start your self-study with the course materials and gain the theoretical knowledge to support the practical skills learning taught in the live course.

2

Attend the Course

Attend the live course (in-Person or virtual) and apply your knowledge while learning high-performance practical skills, and getting expert advice, feedback, coaching.

3

Pass Your Exams

You have 365 days from enrollment to complete the final exam, which has 100 multiple-choice questions. The exam lasts 90 minutes, and you need a 70% to pass. You get 3 attempts, with additional retests available for purchase.

4

Download Your Certificate

Welcome to the world of Fitness Professionals.

What are the Objectives of this course?

Curriculum

To be eligible for this course, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Additionally, you need a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification. You may enroll in the course before having your CPR and AED certifications; however, you must have them before you take your final exam.

Chapter 1: Welcome to Group Fitness Learn about the state of health and fitness today. Explore your what and why as you learn about common characteristics of Group Fitness Instructors. This chapter provides foundational benefits of group fitness classes across all formats and introduces you to the instructor mindset.
Chapter 2: Professional Expectations of a GFI Helping others reach their fitness goals requires the knowledge to analyze the basics of human movement thoroughly. Biomechanics and the interactions of the muscle action spectrum provide you with the language of exercise science and a foundational understanding of the human body.
Chapter 3: Career Development Identify various possibilities of employment and how developing a personal brand supports your
journey as a Group Fitness Instructor. It will also provide career development opportunities and self-care tactics to help keep you a top instructor.
Chapter 4: Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Identify your scope of practice as a Group Fitness Instructor and keep you within your legal and ethical boundaries as a fitness professional, in-person and virtually. It will provide informationabout safety responsibilities, emergency protocols, insurance considerations, and music
licensing.

Chapter 5: Human Movement Science and Exercise
Review the benefits of exercise and connect them to applied human movement and exercise
science. This chapter will go over the major systems of the body, planes of motion, and other
exercise science topics as they relate to movement and bioenergetics.
Chapter 6: Training Science
Provide basic training principles and their relation to participant outcomes. This chapter will also
go over acute variables, integrated fitness, and how to accommodate all participant levels
through modification.
Chapter 7: A Supportive Approach to Group Fitness
The intent of this chapter is to make group fitness applicable and safe to all participants through
inclusivity of individual considerations and adjusting external environmental variables.

Chapter 8: Defining Your Class
Connect the vision of your class to its desired objectives and explore how vision and objectives help you select other class considerations to ensure your class meets the needs of your participants.
Chapter 9: Building the Body of Your Workout

Discuss the selection of the intensity, exercises, arrangements, and modifications in alignment
with your class vision to meet the needs of your participants.
Chapter 10: Other Vital Components of Your Workout
Show how to use the body of your workout to select other components of your workout in alignment with your class vision and objectives, as well as to support the expectations and success of your participants.
Chapter 11: Music

Show the connection between music and movement as well as explain components of music and how they can be used to align with your class vision and objectives and meet the needs of your participants. This module will also provide an overview of different sources of music and the legalities connected to each source.

Chapter 12: Communication
Discuss the different types of communication, their value to participants, and how you can use inclusive communication to engage, motivate, and build trust with your participants.
Chapter 13: The Art of Cueing
Identify various cueing techniques, establish their purpose in group fitness, and explain how to effectively deliver them. This chapter will also review proper exercise technique, safe body
mechanics, and how to build your own cues.
Chapter 14: Monitoring Participants and Adapting to Class Dynamics
Review monitoring techniques for your participants’ exercise technique, form, and intensity as well as how to appropriately modify to ensure the success of your participants. This module will also explore unexpected events in the group room and how to best resolve them.
Chapter 15: Instructing Virtually
Explore instructing virtually, the relevance of virtual instruction to instructors and participants, and how to create an engaging virtual workout. This chapter will also review legal, ethical, and safety considerations when designing and offering virtual workouts.
Chapter 16: Your Journey as a Group Fitness Instructor
Review your next steps as you prepare for your final exam and explore employment opportunities as a Group Fitness Instructor.

Successful completion of the final exam is required to become a Group Fitness Instructor.
Proctored Exam: AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor (CGFI)


This is a closed-book exam and consists of 120 questions. You must pass with a scaled score of 70 or better. This 3rd party proctored exam can be administered either in-person or online, and you will have 2 hours to complete the test. You must take this exam within 180 days of your enrollment date.

Group of happy fit people training in gym

The course includes:

GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR FAQS

AFAA GFI is approved for 15 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

NASM Approved 1.5 CEUs

AFAA Approved 15 CEUs

After passing the AFAA Group Fitness Instructor exam, you will become an AFAA Group Fitness Instructor (AFAA GFI).

The exam is valid for 180 days from your date of purchase. You will have access to the course content for 5 years from your date of purchase and as long as your account stays in good financial standing. This is helpful so you can refer to the content while you're first starting as an instructor.

The AFAA GFI course is completely self-paced. You have 180 days to take the final exam from the date of purchase. Many students may complete the course in as little as 6 to 8 weeks. Exact times will vary depending on the student, prior experience and dedication to the material.

To support AFAA's commitment to protecting health and safety, the AFAA GFI certificate must be renewed every two years.

As an AFAA GFI, you are required to renew every two years. In order to renew, you must complete 15 CEUs (continuing education units) as well as maintain a current CPR and AED certifications. CEUs ensure you're current with best-practice guidelines, plus they will expand your knowledge, skills, and abilities in key areas. To start the renewal process, please visit AFAA's renewal page.

The proctored exam can be taken online or in-person. For more information click here.

No. You cannot purchase the final exam separately.

You do not need prior experience before taking the AFAA GFI course. To sit for the exam, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent, and you must have current Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Certification.

The AFAA GFI certificate is the foundation of a group fitness instructor. You will learn the latest instructional techniques, coaching skills, and leadership strategies for teaching safe, effective, and enjoyable group fitness classes no matter what the format is.

Join us at Fitness Academy Europe and embark on an inspiring journey toward becoming a NASM-certified fitness specialist. Your gateway to a thriving career in the fitness industry begins right here, right now. Let’s make your fitness dreams a reality together.

START YOUR JOURNEY JOURNEY TODAY

Get in touch with us now and start your path towards personal and professional growth. Complete the form below and receive a call back from our team.

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