- Wilson Onyango, the founder of African Register of Exercise Professionals, on Wednesday said many fitness trainers in Kenya lack the requisite qualification to train or instruct on fitness.
- The body also takes care of the welfare of fitness trainers in the country.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
Former bodybuilders have formed a lobby group that seeks to ensure fitness trainers in the country are qualified and certified to train sportspeople on fitness.
Wilson Onyango, the founder of African Register of Exercise Professionals, on Wednesday said many fitness trainers in Kenya lack the requisite qualification to train or instruct on fitness.
“Less than 50 per cent of the fitness trainers in the country are qualified to instruct,” said Onyango.
Speaking in Mombasa, Onyango said AREPS, which was founded in 2020 and is already affiliated to the International Confederation of Register of Exercise Professionals, has been trying to raise the level of fitness training in Kenya.
The body also takes care of the welfare of fitness trainers in the country.
“Many fitness trainers in Kenya practice but only have the basics. They have not attained the requisite level to be instructors,” said Onyango.
He said AREPS is working out ways to help them attain the level of education required to be certified even by international bodies like the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals.
However, he said though most Kenyan fitness instructors do not meet the prerequisite standards of education on fitness, Kenya ranks highly in fitness and awareness.
Only South Africa and Egypt are above Kenya in Africa.
“We are not on a bad place. It is only that we have not been having that regulatory body,” said Onyango.
Education of the fitness instructors will be acquired through workshops.
So far, AREPS has conducted 15 workshops across the country.
“We are also coming up with an awareness program aimed at sensitizing the society about the importance of exercises and being physically active as one way of preventing diseases,” said Onyango.
Onyango said mental health has become a major challenge in the country and AREPS is in the process of engaging with various psychologists to help tackle such issues, which currently affect most Kenyans.
Sportspeople, he said, need mental health education the most because sports has become a well-paying venture but also comes with its own challenges.
Onyango said they have been working with the Fitness and Exercise Professional Society of Kenya, a group that aims to promote and develop the diversity of Kenyan's fitness through networking and bringing everyone with fitness passion together.
Fepsk has already opened branches in Nakuru and Mombasa.
Next month, they will be in Kisumu then Eldoret and Nairobi.
“We are targeting those counties where the fitness training is of a high level first, before embarking on the others which might not be too keen on issues of fitness and exercises,” said Onyango.
Mombasa has already attracted 30 fitness instructors.
AREPs has come up with a booklet on fitness training to guide both instructors and instructees on the various aspects of fitness training.
Jane Mboya, AREPs secretary, said the body will govern fitness training in the country and provide redress for fitness coaches and others involved in the fitness business.
“In our field, there are many issues that come up but there is nobody to speak for us or to vouch for our wellbeing. We need someone who can amplify our voices and have our issues addressed,” said Mboya.
Onyango said there are local fitness schools that have come up in the country but they do not meet the standards required.
“That is one reason why, as AREPS, we have partnered with bodies like ICREPs to ensure our schools have the standards required,” said Onyango.
At the moment, there are experts working on the policy, after which the body will engage the government more.
“We have to come up with a policy first,” said Onyango.
The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected AREPS’ activities.
Movement has been curtailed and workshops are not well attended because of the financial challenges Kenyans face.
“Sometimes we are forced to conduct Zoom sessions but even these are not reliable because sometimes those to be trained do not even have internet connection” said Onyango.