Fitness Sector Under Regulation: Coach Certification Becomes Mandatory

By order of the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, a certification process for coaches in fitness centers and gyms has been established, defining the conditions for certification, application procedures, retraining requirements, and the grounds for granting and suspending the certificate.

Organizations wishing to conduct retraining can apply to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia by submitting the relevant program, which must be sent to [email protected].

If a positive conclusion is received, the organization can start the retraining process.

It should be noted that coaches working in organizations, fitness centers, or gyms (regardless of ownership type) that fall under the categories subject to certification and the list published on the Ministry's website are required to undergo certification.

Retraining is mandatory for coaches who do not have relevant higher education. The retraining program must include at least the following topics: anatomy, physiology, sports medicine, first aid, endocrinology, injury prevention, basics of nutrition, exercise methodology, and safety rules, with the involvement of qualified professionals.

The duration of retraining cannot be less than 144 hours, and the practical component of the retraining cannot be conducted through distance learning.

The purpose of this new regulation is to streamline the assessment of professional compliance of fitness coaches operating in the sector and to ensure the quality of services provided. The regulation applies to all organizations operating and providing services in the sector, regardless of ownership type.