To all personal trainers out there!!!

[tball]

I need some feedback on the personal training industry. i'm in the midst of a career change after being recently laid off from the auto industry and figured why not turn one of my hobbies into a job.
if anybody does personal training what accreditations would you recommend .
How is the money in the industry and do you think in a depressed economy it would be smart to get into it now. i imagine some people will be looking for healthy ways to feel good when so many things are going bad now
I've already done the university thing for 3yrs in psych so i don't feel like spending another 3yrs to get another degree. Is it a matter of just racking up accreditations? My empl. counsellor recommended can fit pro.

Any feedback would be appreciated;)

[Ritch]

I`ll get to the money part first. Usually there are 3 options. Free lance. You somehow get clients and either train them at home either yours or theirs or bring them to a gym that will allow you to do so. Keep in mind this can be costly for the client becasue the person will have to pay a daily pass for both of you and cover your fee.

The working for the gym trainer. This sucks. You work for the gym and do a little of everything. From signing people up, answering the phone, cleaning the place when there is nothing to do, filing work stuff like that. The money you make is not high at all but when you train people in private you will get a bonus which is so low it`s more like a slap in the face. Some people do this, then go private, sometimes staying in the same gym.

Private trainer in a gym. Here you pay the gym for a given office and do whatever you want. I think at pro-gym it`s something like $1200 a month. The thing is, about 10 years ago, you could count on both hands the number of PT`s there were. Now everyone wants to be a trainer and the field is much more competetive.

What is really comes down to is how good of a salesperson are you?

I`ve always seen it this way. If you are smart enough and have enough passion to get you through school, do that. Then be a trainer if you want. If you do become a trainer, cater to the rich folks. Thing is the gyms who hire these people aren`t certified by that can shit pro stuff... They have university degrees. Your psychology studies will already help you. Sometimes you feel like a psychologist doing this job. Did you study psychology in sports? athletes? that could help you as well. So if you want to be a trainer get the university degree to cater to the high rollers because if they got cash, situations like the ones we live in now will not affect your business. Just remember, your a salesperson above all.

One last thing, is that you in the pic? Or are you just another dude with a hot chick as his avatar?

[dainbramaged]

I'd probably have to add, without meaning any offense, that if you're the hardcore type of guy you may have to change your image slightly too. If you're looking to make a living from training (and I mean living, not just cash on the side) you will probably have to look like the all-around-athlete-just-in-good-shape-kinda-guy. While I realize different gyms have different standards and differing types of clientele and not everyone cares what their trainer looks like, for broad based appeal generally anything too extreme will attract the more fringe type of client. Just my two cents based on what I've seen. As long as you realize a good majority of the people who come to you are predominately older, overweight, slightly more females then you'll be fine.

And being a good trainer, especially for a more diverse clientele, usually means plenty of study. I wouldn't rely just on getting the basic certification. It's like having a mechanic who just used to be a car salesman.

[Born2Juice4Ever]

Some GREAT advised has been offered here.

As stated above: Delivery is everything. Delivery? Product, presentation, approach IMO

Hard core guys will probably attract hard core athletes, but where the vast majority of the population lays is in": average looking people. All around type of athlete is a very good selling product.


And a very important bump to Rich's question: Who is the avatar? Is that you?


B2J

[tball]

First things first . i'm a dude!!.
Second if that was me i'd never leave the house , i'd be playing with myself all day long.:friday
Thanks for all the info, fellas. i'm thinking the p/t could be something to do part time and having a more concrete profession is the way to go. I think in our new evolving workplace/economy wearing multiple hats will be the norm

[L3]

yeah but dude the saying "do one thing, and do it well".. i think that has a lot of relevance in the P/T industry

[#8]

im not trying to sound like a dick, but i probably will....

why waste your (completely unrelated) degree on personal training? putting in 3 more years for a masters or furthering yourself in grad school is a much better investment in yourself than taking up personal training IMO. the personal trainers that make REAL money are usually the ones that have a PHD or MD, and can train elite athletes for big $$$. The current economic situation is the perfect opportunity to stay in school and wait for more jobs to present themselves in the coming years after you have graduated and are more in demand in the job market. Think about it...

[O-Train]

im not trying to sound like a dick, but i probably will....

why waste your (completely unrelated) degree on personal training? putting in 3 more years for a masters or furthering yourself in grad school is a much better investment in yourself than taking up personal training IMO. the personal trainers that make REAL money are usually the ones that have a PHD or MD, and can train elite athletes for big $$$. The current economic situation is the perfect opportunity to stay in school and wait for more jobs to present themselves in the coming years after you have graduated and are more in demand in the job market. Think about it...

I agree somewhat but it might be kind of hard to afford school and make enough to get by during those few years. Especially if there are dependants relying on your income. I don't think there are very many PT's in Canada with a lot of education training high level athletes making a lot of money. Maybe more in the states. I've talked a lot with a guy who has been in the industry for 30years or so and he told me flat out there is no money training athletes. None. Unless your a physical therapist for the Leafs or something but not many spots for that kind of thing.

I'm also curious about the current PT market. I've been considering it lately. Hopefully Warlock will chime in also.

[Ritch]

Anyone looking to get into this part time I would say start after the Christmas hollidays, you should get a good 3 months of work. In the summer time, forget about it, you`ll make more money selling drinks in a 25 cent lemonade stand. I actually remember doing this when I was around 4-6 years old!

[warlock]

The Leafs and Jays use the services of a clinic during their season and in the off season the athletes are responsible for their own training.

Only pro athletes can afford PT.

Don't forget that athletes hire PT's only for the off season. Those athletes will go to wherever they live and work out there.
If for some reason you are lucky enough to get a pro player to work out with you hopefully you will be lucky enough to have a spot in your schedule that will not disrupt the training of the clients that are with you year round.

That would be a great testimonial for you.

The bread and butter of PT is made of stay at home yummy mommys. They will not think 2X before spending their husbands $$$ in their bodies as their full time jobs is to live a perfect life. Another market are the yuppies (that now are unemployed). If you wanna make a decent living as a PT withouth killing yourself, you have to work in an affluent area.

The big chains will always have under paid jobs and will try to get as much out of the trainers as possible. Extreme fitness in Toronto is hiring they charge the client $85 and pay the trainer $20, therefore if you live in Toronto and want to make a decent living you have to put about $40h of PT a week (good bye personal life).

To call yourself a PT you just need a certification and them there are 2 ways to go:

If you have a university degree in the field you take a CSCS from NSCA and start in the profession with the right foot. If you don't you don't have to go to university (I didn't). Get a certification from Can fit pro or CPTN (better one) and them study and learn as much as possible.

If you are 100 sure that PT is what you want to do I'd tell you to invest in your education and learn as much as possible about pre/post rehab as a lot of people hire PTs because they don't want to get hurt (again).

Paul Chek has the best stuff out there.
http://www.chekinstitute.com/PageId/3227

Dr. Jones is a fantastic teacher
http://www.aahf.info/

Dr. K is the one of the top in the game in Canada
http://www.swis.ca/

But even if you know a lot doesn't mean that you know how to train people, one of my colleagues has her Kin degree and is quite bad. Therefore you can start right now and take your time to research and specialize in whatever you want.

You don't have to be a great sales person but if you are cool (whatever that means in the area you work) and just competent people will renew just to be able to hang out if you - stupid but not a joke.


For people in general thinking about Pt as a business 1st ask where your hart is because as in any other profession the beginning sucks unless you have someone to take you under his wing and that is very unlikely.

If you believe that your hart is in that field volunteer at the YMCA and they will give you a decent load of people and different cases to deal with, that is a great school and will prepare you for what comes next.

Them find a chain gym in an affluent area and hone your skills there, make contacts, define who your clientele will be and talk to trainers that have been in the game for a while.

As I told you before no one needs to go to University but you certainly need knowledge therefore: study, read, ask, take courses take group classes - in other words: accumulate as much knowledge as possible.

Certifications are up to you. My suggestion is take major certification every 6 months and in 3 years you will have enough pieces of paper to make your CV look great, or just bite the bullet and do a shitload of stuff all at once pay with your credit card and think about it as a investment in your future (right now I am spending a good chunk of saving in courses).

About your look: I guess it depends on the market that you work in.

There is $$$ and a future in PT as a career but if you want to have it as a pt job that is another thing.

[tball]

thanks to all for sharing your own experiences and knowledge

[Ritch]

Or you could just open up an escort service and be partners with Warlock...

[warlock]

Or you could just open up an escort service and be partners with Warlock...


Yes I'd let him take care of the rent boy division of the company...:laugh

[Ritch]

^^^ Hilarious!