The goal of online group learning is to build an environment for the online student that emphasizes collaboration and team-building rather than competition; a valuable asset in today’s workplace. These skills are even more critical in the fitness industry, where personal trainers have to work in collaboration with other trainers to create a motivational and inspirational environment. And, if you’re considering opening your own fitness studio someday, this is even more important. As a gym owner, you’re a leader of others. Oftentimes, your personal training staff will work odd hours and split shifts. So, you’ll need to be able to lead the team effectively.

In a technology-driven world such as we have today, pursuing higher education all online is the norm. Even in the fitness space, weekend workshops are transforming into online educational certifications. Given that fitness and exercise science are physical studies, one might be worried that the online experience doesn’t serve the same benefits as a traditional classroom setting. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. When an online course and degree program are thoughtfully put together, you have even more opportunities to practice what you learn. 

Lionel University’s student experience fosters learner participation, creativity, leadership skills, and a sense of community. You get all of this in 10 weeks of online learning for each course you enroll in across a variety of exercise science degree programs.

Lionel’s Online Group Learning Model

In addition to having a well-respected legacy in the fitness community, Lionel University is also revolutionizing the way fitness degree programs are reaching more people and, consequently, creating more qualified professionals across the country. 

These are some of the many benefits you’ll receive. 

  • A shared online education experience that features enriching discussions of real-world health, fitness, nutrition, and business issues among a diverse group of students and currently practicing fitness professionals.
  • Collaboration, leadership, and teamwork skills that are necessary for success in today’s workplace and independently run businesses for professional development.
  • Interactive learning which enable students to think independently and develop their own conclusions and ideas.
  • Cultivation of professional and personal networks that may continue long after the certification has been awarded.
  • A clearly-defined timeline and format that allows working professionals to pursue the certification without giving up their day job.

The group model provides social interaction and a community experience with a much greater focus on a shared learning experience throughout the entire program. Students motivated by a group work setting and a collaborative learning environment are likely to be drawn to the group model for their graduate education. 

The group model shows great promise for highly-organized and motivated students actively seeking to be invested in their education and to take charge of their learning. As you learn through these interactive online experiences, you’ll develop your own voice, think critically, and move beyond passive learning. Collectively, this helps you become an engaged professional armed with innovative approaches to problem-solving. 

And, if going to school is something of years past for you, not to worry. Lionel’s online learning group model is particularly beneficial for students re-entering the education setting. It’s not just for those just graduating high school or transition from an existing college. The ability to build relationships in a group online learning environment vs a traditional classroom makes re-entering academia less stressful and provides the support many feel they need. 

Lastly, people who are working full time jobs might realize the massive improvement in quality of life one can get in the fitness space. After all, making your own hours and helping others lead a healthier and more fulfilling life is what people strive to attain. In fact, it’s common for individuals to decide to go back to school in pursuit of an education that leads to a job like this. But for most, they can’t leave their full time job. This should never be a barrier to progressing toward a fitness career. In an online learning model like Lionel’s, it’s a virtual classroom that’s beneficial for students balancing workload with life responsibilities. You’ll get unrivaled levels of academic advice and support from peers and instructors. The members in your online class will likely share similar work-life challenges and will benefit from working through them together in order to successfully complete your programs and more importantly take and implement all you have learned from an online course into the field.

What Makes Lionel’s Learning Model Different?

First and foremost, Lionel is a higher education organization. This school provides your choice of degree programs, ranging from an associate’s degree all the way to a master’s degree in exercise science. The courses are stackable, and the 10 weeks online class schedule allows you to take courses consecutively. Even with other responsibilities, you can attain any of these degrees in a short amount of time compared to other college programs.

The next level of innovation comes from the learning process that offers even more than degree programs. As you advance through the course content, you’ll also receive fitness and nutrition certifications and specializations along the way. This is paramount. An entry level certification in personal training or group fitness gets your foot in the door with employers. Because you can achieve these credentials along the way, as part of your studies, this means you can start working in this exciting field before graduation day. Once employed, you’ll find that you can also make more money when you have advanced specializations such as nutrition coaching, senior fitness, health coaching, to name a few. These programs are also part of the Lionel process. Lionel strategically uses textbooks and course curriculum from that lead to these types of credentials. So, as you complete your degree, you’ll be able to offer niche services to clients. This is something you can’t get with other college degree programs and stems from the strong reputation of Lionel and the way it has pioneered the personal training space.

Lastly, Lionel is a community. From the class instructors to the student success team to successful graduates, you’ll find you’re surrounded by others who are fully invested in helping you succeed in your academic program. You’ll get all the support you need and make connections along the way who can help you years later as you become an expert in the industry or look to start your own successful business.

Although we talk a lot about personal training here, there’s more. Really, personal training is just the start because these types of jobs are in such high demand with nothing but more job opportunities expected to open. So, if you decide you want something more than just being a great personal trainer, you can! You’ll see the doors to fitness job opportunities are wide open once you have a degree in exercise science. Regardless of whether you’re pursuing an associates degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, specialists in exercise science are in demand.

And, with the help of financial aid, earning your exercise science degree is even more of a possibility. All of this means you can be learning from the best right away. And, in as little as six months, you can be a top personal trainer with the information you learn. It’s the best way to kick start your dream personal training career.