American Aerobics Association International

09/16/2026

What can wellness professionals learn from Tai Chi Chih? Quite a bit. In her conversation with AAAI Fitness, certified personal trainer and wellness coach Jessica Lewis shares how mindful movement can help people build strength, resilience, connection, and well-being. From meeting people where they are and honoring rest to discovering the power of softness and building meaningful community, Jessica offers five lessons that can change how we think about wellness.

Her work with veterans and civilians reminds us that movement can support the whole person, not just the physical body. Want to hear Jessica’s insights in her own words? Watch the full AAAI Fitness interview at AAAIFitness.com/News and discover how mindfulness, movement, and connection can become powerful tools for well-being.

09/15/2026

Everyone Wants to Move Better. Almost Nobody Teaches It.

Your client says their hips are tight. Their shoulders are stuck. They can't get comfortable at their desk anymore.

And what do most of us do? Tack five minutes onto the end of a session and call it a cool-down.

Stretching is its own discipline. Done right, it's a service you can schedule, price, and fill — not a throwaway at the end of the hour.

The Stretching for Flexibility, Function & Strength Certification with Todd Bezilla, M.Ed. D.O. runs five times this fall. All virtual. Pick your date:

📅 Sept. 27
📅 Oct. 18
📅 Nov. 15
📅 Dec. 13

$99–$149. One day. Then it's on your menu.

🔗 aaaifitness.com/specialty/

09/15/2026

Scott Cole’s new book better balance, more mobility has a personal story behind it

09/14/2026

Twenty-Six Ways to Be Worth More in January.

Fall is the quiet stretch. Clients are back in school routines, the holiday slowdown hasn't hit yet, and your schedule has room in it for the first time since spring.

That room is either a lull or an investment. Your call.

AAAI has 26 certifications and workshops running between now and December 31 — most of them virtual, most of them one day, all of them something you can put on your menu in January.

Build your base:
Personal Fitness Trainer — 13 dates, 7 virtual
Group Fitness Instructor — 6 dates, 3 virtual

Add a specialty:
Stretching for Flexibility, Function & Strength — 4 virtual dates
Older Adult Fitness Trainer — 5 dates
Mat Pilates, Phase I & II — 4 dates
Sports Nutrition Consultant — 2 dates

One-time only:
Tai Chi · Medical Qigong · Phase I Yoga · Power Vinyasa · Pilates Apparatus · Pilates Magic Circle · Life Wellness Coaching · Indoor Cycling · Strength Toolbox™ · B***y and Abs · Fit Blast (VIIT) · Step HIIT™

Certify this fall. Book solid by spring.

🔗 aaaifitness.com

09/12/2026

As a group fitness instructor, you need to prepare before you meet with your manager to ask for a raise. Fitness expert Jessica Maurer reveals the number one thing you need to do before you walk into that meeting!

09/10/2026

🔥 Group Fitness Instructors: Want a Raise? Do This First

Group fitness instructors: Before asking your gym manager for a rai...

09/10/2026

Feeling like your coaching has gotten a little… predictable? 👀

Even experienced fitness professionals can hit a creative rut. The good news? You don't have to reinvent your entire approach to find your spark again.

Try taking someone else's class. Refresh your playlist. Invest in new education. Experiment with different equipment. And don't forget to find inspiration outside of fitness, too.

Sometimes the best way to become a better coach is to step outside your usual routine and get curious again.

Read 5 Ways to Bust Out of a Coaching Rut on the AAAI Fitness blog and find a few simple ways to bring fresh energy back to your coaching.

👉 Read the blog and keep growing as a fitness professional.

09/09/2026

💪 What if your clients aren’t really staying for the workout? They’re staying for the connection, community, and sense of belonging.

When gyms closed in 2020, Jill Fininzio, founder of Ladies of MaxxFit, moved her business into her basement. What started as a makeshift gym became a thriving community of women who still show up for workouts, friendships, and support.

Jill’s story offers powerful lessons for fitness professionals:
🏋️ Make it work with what you have.
🤝 Build community, not just a client list.
🎯 Know your niche.
💬 Be honest about results.
❤️ Lead with purpose.

Long-term retention isn’t always about the newest equipment or biggest marketing budget. Give people a reason to come back.

🎙️ Hear Jill’s story and learn how she built a business around connection, consistency, and community.

09/08/2026

What Most Fitness Channels Are Missing: Christina Dorner Reveals.

What makes a fitness channel truly useful? Being yourself, giving c...

09/08/2026

If "I'll get my PT cert next year" has been your line since last January, here's the problem: next year is four months away, and the people booking clients in it are certifying now.

Thirteen Personal Fitness Trainer Certification dates between now and December. Six of them virtual — no flight, no hotel, no reason to wait.

📅 Sept. 12–13 — Kevin Mills: Dunedin, FL
📅 Sept. 13 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Bel Air, MD
📅 Sept. 26 — Todd Bezilla, M.Ed D.O.: Virtual
📅 Sept. 27 — Amanda Holtsclaw: Roanoke, VA
📅 Oct. 10 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Essex, MD
📅 Oct. 15 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Virtual
📅 Oct. 17 — Meridith Nuckolls, M.S.: MSU, MS
📅 Oct. 17 — Todd Bezilla, M.Ed D.O.: Virtual
📅 Oct. 24 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Waldorf, MD
📅 Nov. 14 — Todd Bezilla, M.Ed D.O.: Virtual
📅 Nov. 14 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Virtual
📅 Dec. 12 — Todd Bezilla, M.Ed D.O.: Virtual
📅 Dec. 12 — Joe Cannon, M.S.: Essex, MD

Certify this fall. Book solid by spring. 🔗 aaaifitness.com/personal-training/