Author(s)

Ibrahima Fall

National Institute of Popular Education and Sport, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.

Initially considered as a simple passion and a voluntary commitment, fitness coaching is becoming more and more professional and seems to be becoming a real profession in Senegal today. This situation is due in part to the growing demand for fitness activities expressed by a large part of the population. The aim of this study is to take stock of the situation of fitness coaches in Senegal. Specifically, it is a question of analyzing their socio-demographic profiles, their levels of education and training in the field of sport, and the conditions of exercise of their profession. This research is based on a mixed methodology combining a questionnaire survey (n = 124) and a series of 23 semi-structured interviews conducted with actors in the fitness sector in Dakar. The results show that the supervision of fitness activities is mainly characterized by a male population composed mainly of young people with a high level of education. Coaching in fitness appears as a “second” profession that complementsanother professional occupation. Moreover, the fitness sector is characterized by the “pluriactivity” where ismixed interventions in several fitness rooms and professional occupations in other sectors.

Fitness Coaching, Profession, Job, Sport Club, Personal Trainer

Fall, I. (2023) Fitness Coaching: Analysis of a Developing Profession in Senegal. Advances in Physical Education, 13, 26-42. doi: 10.4236/ape.2023.131004.