A recent conversation with my mom sparked gratitude for being a woman in fitness. More particularly a woman in fitness in 2024. Her choices and relationship with sports / exercise are so drastically different from my upbringing and current role as a Personal Trainer.
I grew up with diversity in sports and endless opportunities. Independently, I joined a gym in high school. I was part of an all women’s fitness group in college. During my first internship I led a women’s strength clinic. I never batted an eye when it came to women getting strong, lifting heavy sh*t, and beating Olympic records. I was empowered by all the women-led activities, having female coaches, and watching women change the course of fitness. But, it doesn’t change history and in order to fully grasp my gratitude it’s important to understand how far we have come.
In 1972, Title IX was signed into law by President Nixon. This changed the course of women in sports and the relationship women could have with fitness. Title IX states, “No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” In short, women could no longer be subjects of discrimination when it came to sport. This law led to a significant increase in the number of female athletes in organized sports. My choice of career wouldn’t have been an option before this.
Although men are more commonly thought of when discussing personal training as a career, the numbers speak a different truth. In 2023, Women made up 46% of Certified Personal Trainers. Over the last 20 years, the number of women in the industry has seen a significant incline. In 2000, Men held most jobs in the fitness industry, with 75% of Personal Trainers being male. The shift shows something, a positive trend toward gender diversity in fitness and providing more opportunities for women to thrive in the profession as a whole. So, although I may still get a head turn when I explain what I do to a stranger, I know that we have made tremendous strides since 1972.
If you are on board with being a woman in fitness, they you can book a session with me HERE.