Working or working out? Exploring the occupational devotion of part-time Les Mills instructors in the Philippines

Bibliographic Data

ID21729802
AuthorsManuel R Enverga (0000-0002-7661-7782, Ateneo de Manila University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Pages1-19
Publication date2025-12-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueLeisure/Loisir (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1492-7713 • E-ISSN: 2151-2221
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14927713.2025.2601510
OpenAlexW4417412610
LanguageEN
References cited32

This paper examines the occupational devotion of part-time group fitness instructors at a Philippine gym, which was given the pseudonym The Fit Stop. These instructors, employed full-time in fields such as medicine, education, and advertising, teach fitness classes primarily out of passion rather than financial necessity, while still acknowledging the legitimacy and obligations of their paid roles. Using an ethnographic approach, the study shows that part-time instructors embody two facets of occupational devotion: they fulfil professional duties, including adhering to schedules and memorizing choreography, while also investing personal resources in training and apparel as hobbyists driven by intrinsic rewards. The findings offer insights for gym owners and managers seeking to recruit and retain part-time instructors by fostering their passion-driven engagement. This paper contributes to the limited literature on part-time fitness instructors by extending the concept of occupational devotion to those who balance a primary career with group fitness teaching

Apprenticeship · Emotional Labor in Professions · Higher Education and Employability · Innovative Education and Learning Practices

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