Professional Ethics for Fitness Trainers

Abstract

This article is only the first step in exploring the professional ethics of fitness trainers in Latvia. Marking the discourse, looking at the theoretical frameworks and concepts, and identifying the situation are its basic elements. The next stage will be the analysis of information about the experience in other countries and primarily the Baltic countries, their comparison, discussion, conclusions, and suggestions for a more successful practice of professional ethics. Professional ethics for fitness trainers constitute a part of their professional competence, which shapes, determines and evaluates their professional activities from the perspective of ethical attitudes. The profession of a fitness trainer reflects health as a fundamental value, which sets the meaning of their professional activity as one that promotes and maintains health. This article examines the basic elements of professional ethics of fitness trainers. Their presentation in a single and logically structured form is an innovation in the literature on fitness trainers. Providing this type of information to future fitness trainers in Latvia is not only a necessary but also an urgent task. The article discusses in detail the concept of health lifestyle, the basic behavioral health lifestyles that are characteristic of the Latvian population. Fitness trainers need this background information to better fulfil their function as educators. The aim of the study is to examine the current situation regarding codes of professional ethics and literature on professional ethics for fitness trainers and based on the literature analysis, to identify the main elements of professional ethics: levels of moral regulation, basic principles of ethics, codes, the issue of responsibility, tolerance and autonomy, trainer-client relationships, as well as the trainer’s relationship with other professionals. The article also examines the types of normative ethics (deontological, utilitarian, virtue ethics) required for ethical decision-making.