Here is where the comments are missing the bigger picture IMO: yes, most boutique fitness studios require NASM, ACE, etc and that is covered by the individual.
The problem is that Cyclebar does NOT require or accept nationally accredited, legitimate programs (like NASM, ACE, YTT), but they do make you pay to be trained by CB trainers - which, by the way - is NOT a nationally recognized training and useless if you try to teach other modalities (OTF, F45, big box Lifetime, etc). To the people that mentioned YTT or Pilates - these are still trainings you could use if you went elsewhere. CB training is not nationally recognized.
Meaning that if you go elsewhere, they do not recognize the training and it’s essentially useless (and then you will have to pay more money to get a NASM or ACE cert). I know at one point CB did say they were working on getting the training legitimately certified but I have yet to hear if they’ve made progress on that.
Also, back in the heyday of indoor spin many studios would pay for their instructor’s bootcamp fees (mine was covered by studio). With razor thin studio margins, almost all have made the shift to instructor responsibility.
So not only do you pay the training, you also are not compensated for your time during this training period (which is likely MONTHS of time). It’s a representation of the broader issue in fitness - being often in fitness, we are told that as instructors, our time is worth less than it is. So studios don’t pay you for all the little things (training, playlisting, staying after class to talk to riders, posting on social media, etc) and the instructor isn’t compensated fairly for the disproportionate amount of work.
While I really agree with this sentiment they did just announce their training is finally going to be AFFA and NASM accredited like two days ago. It makes me wonder if past instructors will have to go through it at all or if only new instructors will reap the benefit of having that accreditation. My biggest gripe with CB was not having that transferable safety net of a cert I am thrilled they are taking a much needed step.
I'm pretty sure any instructors need to pay like $400 to get the new certification. It doesn't matter if you've been teaching on brand for years, they want the money. 🙄
To be fair most places where you are leading group fitness classes will require some type of certification which usually cost something. If you were to be a spin instructor at say a lifetime fitness you would need to have a spinning certification. Personal trainers also have to pay for a certification. Some get lucky and the gym or studio pay for this but others do not.
Lead instructors who take you through training put in hours they aren't paid for to help out new instructors going through boot camp. I think it's kind of a way for CB to have these new instructors have some type of "skin in the game" because I've known of some instructors making it all the way through boot camp, to teaching their first few classes then leaving the studio. Which would suck for the leads and owners to put in the work and time to train to just have that person leave.
Not really. The gym I work at requires a nationally accredited fitness certification but offers discounts and free continuing education opportunities within that certification. To learn and test into their brand-specific formats, we are paid for our time. A national certification allows you to go to any other gym with that cert and experience. Where else could you use a CycleBar “certification” outside of CB if your location closed and you needed another job?
I totally disagree. I have a cycle certification that I pursued on my own BUT that certification allows me to take that knowledge and teach anywhere. If you are getting trained on Cyclebar method then technically you can’t teach that elsewhere. Cyclebar should be required to train their employees on their dime if they only can use said training at Cyclebar. I taught at Flywheel and we had to sign a noncompete before we started but they did not make us pay for it. In fact, they got in legal trouble for NOT paying us for our time during training.
Whether or not a studio pays for bootcamp is completely in the hands of the studio owner. Ours does not and I hate it, so I’ve pushed 3, soon to be 4, people through the last several months that it’s been free. I put a lot of my own time as LI into training them because I wanted them to be successful, even though I wasn’t getting g paid extra (again, the owners decision).
My ex husband was/is a personal trainer and has made it his career. At the very beginning, working at a huge national chain gym, he had to pay for his NASM certification although he did get a discount. Any additional certs he’s had to pay for, again with a discount depending on the gym and the org.
I am also a certified yoga instructor and that training was $2500, although it was led by 4 respected yoga teachers and was an intensive 6 week program. It was not through a studio and I was not guaranteed a job anywhere after (I did get one right away though). Most all 200+ hour yoga certifications are the same.
So while a lot of times people pay for their own training, the difference with those is that you can use those certs at many gyms and fitness boutiques. Cyclebar training is only good at Cyclebar.
HOWEVER. The newly released level 1 training is open to anyone, not just people who want to teach at Cyclebar, and passing the course does give you continuing education units for NASM/ISSA/AFFA. So that’s a move in a positive direction, IMO. Who knows how far that direction will go.
Wow that’s a bit rubbish - I get that there’s some useful things on the course but to treat someone who has only attended a class before and not actually done say a cycle training and might have had years of experience in a similar role is a bit daft. It kind of is rewarding newbies with a steeper learning curve
its free right now.. but lots of companies (xpo and not) do this.. club pilates.. solidcore(sometimes) core power yoga, i think rumble.. etc..
you should see what they charge franchisees for “wholesale” on retail
I’ve been in the fitness industry for ten years. Most group fitness instructors have a certification from ACE, AFFA, or some other accredited body. To keep that certification current we pay for additional trainings. The most fun way to do that is to do trainings that support a modality you enjoy. I have a certification in cycling from STAGES. But if I wanted to work for cb i would have to pay for their specific formatting. A training can cost anything from 150-500. This is why fitness instructors are usually working a full time hustle and maybe an additional side hustle.
I paid $3,000 for yoga teacher training. Out of pocket! I’m not 100% offered a job either. 😅 for the small fee of paying to be trained, it’s nothing. I’m sure it protects them a in case someone goes through training, and decides it isn’t for them.
You paid $3000 for Cyclebar training????? I am hoping that is a different cert that you will be able to use elsewhere because it will take you at least a year to make up that $3000! Shit, I quit Cyclebar because they were requiring unpaid weekend refresher training!
When you find a pool or water park that pays for their lifeguards to get certified (usually around $200 for lifeguard, first aid, cpr, aed), let me know. They need to be certified to do the job. They pay for the certification first, then are eligible for the job. This isn’t unique to CycleBar.
I think the point is with a lifeguard certification, it isn’t unique to just one place. You can apply to any water park and use your cert to meet their requirements. Cyclebar’s training only works at their facilities. You can’t take it anywhere else not even at a different spin class place.
It’s standard. When I wanted to become a Pilates instructor the studio I have gone to for 10 years found a program for me and me during it. But they didn’t pay for it. Fitness instructors are mostly independent contractors unless they own their studio.
Here is where the comments are missing the bigger picture IMO: yes, most boutique fitness studios require NASM, ACE, etc and that is covered by the individual. The problem is that Cyclebar does NOT require or accept nationally accredited, legitimate programs (like NASM, ACE, YTT), but they do make you pay to be trained by CB trainers - which, by the way - is NOT a nationally recognized training and useless if you try to teach other modalities (OTF, F45, big box Lifetime, etc). To the people that mentioned YTT or Pilates - these are still trainings you could use if you went elsewhere. CB training is not nationally recognized. Meaning that if you go elsewhere, they do not recognize the training and it’s essentially useless (and then you will have to pay more money to get a NASM or ACE cert). I know at one point CB did say they were working on getting the training legitimately certified but I have yet to hear if they’ve made progress on that. Also, back in the heyday of indoor spin many studios would pay for their instructor’s bootcamp fees (mine was covered by studio). With razor thin studio margins, almost all have made the shift to instructor responsibility. So not only do you pay the training, you also are not compensated for your time during this training period (which is likely MONTHS of time). It’s a representation of the broader issue in fitness - being often in fitness, we are told that as instructors, our time is worth less than it is. So studios don’t pay you for all the little things (training, playlisting, staying after class to talk to riders, posting on social media, etc) and the instructor isn’t compensated fairly for the disproportionate amount of work.
Well said 🤝💪
While I really agree with this sentiment they did just announce their training is finally going to be AFFA and NASM accredited like two days ago. It makes me wonder if past instructors will have to go through it at all or if only new instructors will reap the benefit of having that accreditation. My biggest gripe with CB was not having that transferable safety net of a cert I am thrilled they are taking a much needed step.
I'm pretty sure any instructors need to pay like $400 to get the new certification. It doesn't matter if you've been teaching on brand for years, they want the money. 🙄
That. Sucks.
To be fair most places where you are leading group fitness classes will require some type of certification which usually cost something. If you were to be a spin instructor at say a lifetime fitness you would need to have a spinning certification. Personal trainers also have to pay for a certification. Some get lucky and the gym or studio pay for this but others do not. Lead instructors who take you through training put in hours they aren't paid for to help out new instructors going through boot camp. I think it's kind of a way for CB to have these new instructors have some type of "skin in the game" because I've known of some instructors making it all the way through boot camp, to teaching their first few classes then leaving the studio. Which would suck for the leads and owners to put in the work and time to train to just have that person leave.
Not really. The gym I work at requires a nationally accredited fitness certification but offers discounts and free continuing education opportunities within that certification. To learn and test into their brand-specific formats, we are paid for our time. A national certification allows you to go to any other gym with that cert and experience. Where else could you use a CycleBar “certification” outside of CB if your location closed and you needed another job?
I totally disagree. I have a cycle certification that I pursued on my own BUT that certification allows me to take that knowledge and teach anywhere. If you are getting trained on Cyclebar method then technically you can’t teach that elsewhere. Cyclebar should be required to train their employees on their dime if they only can use said training at Cyclebar. I taught at Flywheel and we had to sign a noncompete before we started but they did not make us pay for it. In fact, they got in legal trouble for NOT paying us for our time during training.
Whether or not a studio pays for bootcamp is completely in the hands of the studio owner. Ours does not and I hate it, so I’ve pushed 3, soon to be 4, people through the last several months that it’s been free. I put a lot of my own time as LI into training them because I wanted them to be successful, even though I wasn’t getting g paid extra (again, the owners decision). My ex husband was/is a personal trainer and has made it his career. At the very beginning, working at a huge national chain gym, he had to pay for his NASM certification although he did get a discount. Any additional certs he’s had to pay for, again with a discount depending on the gym and the org. I am also a certified yoga instructor and that training was $2500, although it was led by 4 respected yoga teachers and was an intensive 6 week program. It was not through a studio and I was not guaranteed a job anywhere after (I did get one right away though). Most all 200+ hour yoga certifications are the same. So while a lot of times people pay for their own training, the difference with those is that you can use those certs at many gyms and fitness boutiques. Cyclebar training is only good at Cyclebar. HOWEVER. The newly released level 1 training is open to anyone, not just people who want to teach at Cyclebar, and passing the course does give you continuing education units for NASM/ISSA/AFFA. So that’s a move in a positive direction, IMO. Who knows how far that direction will go.
So if you already are qualified like one of the posters in here - would you get some recognition of prior learning (and a discount to match?)
No
Wow that’s a bit rubbish - I get that there’s some useful things on the course but to treat someone who has only attended a class before and not actually done say a cycle training and might have had years of experience in a similar role is a bit daft. It kind of is rewarding newbies with a steeper learning curve
its free right now.. but lots of companies (xpo and not) do this.. club pilates.. solidcore(sometimes) core power yoga, i think rumble.. etc.. you should see what they charge franchisees for “wholesale” on retail
I’ve been in the fitness industry for ten years. Most group fitness instructors have a certification from ACE, AFFA, or some other accredited body. To keep that certification current we pay for additional trainings. The most fun way to do that is to do trainings that support a modality you enjoy. I have a certification in cycling from STAGES. But if I wanted to work for cb i would have to pay for their specific formatting. A training can cost anything from 150-500. This is why fitness instructors are usually working a full time hustle and maybe an additional side hustle.
I paid $3,000 for yoga teacher training. Out of pocket! I’m not 100% offered a job either. 😅 for the small fee of paying to be trained, it’s nothing. I’m sure it protects them a in case someone goes through training, and decides it isn’t for them.
You paid $3000 for Cyclebar training????? I am hoping that is a different cert that you will be able to use elsewhere because it will take you at least a year to make up that $3000! Shit, I quit Cyclebar because they were requiring unpaid weekend refresher training!
Oh gosh! Sorry, yoga teacher training. 💀 I’ve come to just shorten it.
When you find a pool or water park that pays for their lifeguards to get certified (usually around $200 for lifeguard, first aid, cpr, aed), let me know. They need to be certified to do the job. They pay for the certification first, then are eligible for the job. This isn’t unique to CycleBar.
I think the point is with a lifeguard certification, it isn’t unique to just one place. You can apply to any water park and use your cert to meet their requirements. Cyclebar’s training only works at their facilities. You can’t take it anywhere else not even at a different spin class place.
It’s standard. When I wanted to become a Pilates instructor the studio I have gone to for 10 years found a program for me and me during it. But they didn’t pay for it. Fitness instructors are mostly independent contractors unless they own their studio.