YMCA Careers in Health and Fitness

YMCAs have led community-based health and fitness for more than a century. Research continues to support the approach to health that YMCAs have taken since 1891 when Luther Gulick proposed the red YMCA triangle as a symbol of a person's "essential unity - spirit, mind and body - each being a necessary and eternal part of man." Participation in Y health and fitness programs offer opportunities for friendship and community, a sense of well-being, self-confidence, and improved mental abilities and cognition - not to mention the obvious benefits of healthy hearts, lungs, bones and muscles. Ys believe exercise and health education are important for people of all ages, incomes and abilities.

Adult programs include strength training, injury rehabilitation, walking, personal fitness, exercise for beginners, yoga, tai chi, healthy back, weight management, and group exercise including aerobics, martial arts exercise, studio cycling, and much more. Many Ys offer stop-smoking programs and stress management classes. Hundreds of YMCAs collaborate with hospitals to provide these programs. Youth programs include preschool movement, youth fitness, teen fitness and kids' gyms. Many YMCA Child Care programs incorporate health and fitness, too.

Full-time staff, part-time staff and volunteer opportunities in YMCA Health and Fitness include directors (who oversee program scheduling, staff, facilities, budgets and equipment), personal trainers, aerobics, yoga and tai chi instructors and other program counselors.