There are LOTS of reasons to attend a fitness conference and you don’t actually have to be a current instructor to attend one. There is SO MUCH knowledge and education out there around fitness, health, and wellness and one of the best avenues to learn a lot in one sitting is a fitness conference. If you are one or more of these individuals, you’ll want to consider the investment of time and money to learn more about your health and wellness goals:

1. I’m a fitness instructor
2. I’m a group fitness manager or own a studio/gym
3. I want to learn more about fitness and healthy living
4. I’m just getting started with fitness and want to do it right
5. I want to start my own business in fitness, but want to do it SMART!
6. I like/love my fitness classes, but I want to try more of what’s out there
7. I need CEUs.

Now, let’s talk about how to prepare or even FIND a fitness conference that fits you….

1. Google search “Fitness Conference” including your city or state. Right out of the gate, you will find the major conferences, such as THIS SEARCH.
2. Check out the cost, so you can have expectations of budget before you get too excited about the sessions and the blast you are going to have.
3. Look at the sessions. Break it down into what your goals are:
   • Business strategy in fitness
   • Social Media Presence
   • Group Fitness
   • Personal Training
4. Print it out! Don’t be afraid to print out the brochure and circle the sessions you are interested in. You will also find that you may change your mind down the road and want to make adjustments. The best conferences have repeated opportunities, so you can juggle your schedule around and still be able to attend everything.
5. Learn about the presenters. Whatever caught your eye or interest, take a look at the name and read their bio or their session details. You may not get much here, so this is worth googling, LinkedIn searching, Facebooking (and I mean that!). You want to learn from the smartest, wittiest, forward moving, kindest presenters out there.
6. Organize the sessions you really want to attend. Take a deep breath, because this part can be frustrating, but you also want to set your BODY and MIND up for success:
   • Workout sessions: SPREAD THESE OUT! Do not do these sessions back to back because you won’t make it, no matter how awesome you are. Try 1 early morning, 1 before lunch, and 1 end of day.
   • Lecture sessions: If you’re like me, you need time to wake up, and crash a little early. Fill in the gaps with lecture sessions from the workout sessions you picked.
   • Workout/Lecture sessions: This can be the best of both worlds, but again, be smart and spread these out.
   • Certifications: These can be hit or miss not because they aren’t worth it, but because you might be too dog-tired to even get everything out of that certification. If you’re gonna do one, do it before the conference starts.

Now that you have these tips to get you prepared for your first fitness conference, go on and book it! Let us know if we missed any tips in the comments below or tell us about your favorite conference!