Comprehensive Analysis of the Image of Group Fitness Instructors: Intra- and Inter-Country Comparison between Portugal and Romania

Physical fitness is a fundamental indicator of health, leading to increased interest in fitness activ-ities under professional guidance. Fitness instructors play an essential role, requiring both tech-nical and interpersonal skills. Their image significantly influences participants perceptions and satisfaction. The objective of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis between Romania and Portugal regarding the quality of services offered within group fitness classes, focusing on instructors. It involved 133 group fitness instructors and 210 participants from Romania and Portugal. An adaptation of the Szumilewicz et al. (2008) questionnaire was used to assess the importance of the different attributes of fitness instructor image. Statistical analyses included de-scriptive statistics, t-tests, and effect size to compare perceptions between countries and groups. Romanian instructors and participants generally attributed higher importance to the fitness in-structor’s image compared to their Portuguese counterparts. Significant differences were found in attributes like physical fitness, technical execution and communication. Instructors tented to overestimate the importance of their image compared to participants. The fitness instructor image is crucial in determining participant satisfaction and perceptions of service quality. This study highlights the need for a balanced approach in instructor training, emphasizing both technical proficiency and interpersonal skills tailored to cultural contexts.