The article deals with the issue of professional development and peculiarities of self-improvement of teachers of physical education. Teachers of physical education from higher educational establishments took part in the experiment. A number of methods were used: analysis, comparison, systematization, survey, discussion, teachers interviewing, questionnaire, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics, and graphic display of results. Also, results of practical experience allowed to elaborate the structure of self-improvement of teacher of physical education, which includes the following components: theoretical and methodological knowledge, pedagogical communication, physical self-improvement, computer literacy and personal view on self-improvement of teachers of physical education in the process of professional activity, which we define as an individual process of improvement of professionally-significant components of activity oriented on “Professional I-ideal”. “Professional I-ideal” is construed by us as a concept of professional qualities and features that a teacher must possess being oriented on professional requirements.