Top 10 Assets of a Good Personal Trainer

[askthetrainer]

I thought it would be fun to rank the top 10 assets ( total resources of a person) of any personal trainer...

Think generally as a personal trainer in a corporate gym, not training bodybuilders, athletes or any specialized individuals)

Rank these 10 Personal Trainer Assets(which are in no specific order)


1. Nice 'Ass'ets (Great physique, attractive, etc.)

2. Bachelor's Degree (general education)

3. Master's Degree (specialized education)

4. Well Rounded

5. Empathy

6. Professional Experience (personal training clients)

7. Personal Experience (Weight lifting, personal body transformation, etc.)

8. Unbridled Passion (for fitness/bb, etc.)

9. Personality

10. Personal Training Certifications

[trulyhuge1]

I thought it would be fun to rank the top 10 assets ( total resources of a person) of any personal trainer...

Think generally as a personal trainer in a corporate gym, not training bodybuilders, athletes or any specialized individuals)

Rank these 10 Personal Trainer Assets(which are in no specific order)


1. Nice 'Ass'ets Nice 'Ass'ets (Great physique, attractive, etc.)

2. Bachelor's Degree (general education)

3. Master's Degree (specialized education)

4. Well Rounded

5. Empathy

6. Professional Experience (personal training clients)

6. Personal Experience (Weight lifting, personal body transformation, etc.)

7. Unbridled Passion (for fitness/bb, etc.)

8. Personality

9. Disciplinarian

10. Personal Training Certifiations

In no order....
drive
desire
passion
hard worker
educated
easy to talk to
good background in communicating w/ all types of people
"look" the part
certified
experience (has paid their dues)

[Rap_Rocky]

1. Unbridled Passion (for fitness/bb, etc.)

2. Professional Experience (personal training clients)

3. Empathy

4. Personality

5. Well Rounded

6. Personal Training Certifiations

7. Bachelor's Degree (general education)

8. Master's Degree (specialized education)

9. Personal Experience (Weight lifting, personal body transformation, etc.)

10.Nice 'Ass'ets (Great physique, attractive, etc.)

[Rap_Rocky]

When you say Bachelors & masters....are you referring to something health related (exercise science, physical education, nursing, etc.), or do you mean someone who has simply graduated within their respective major?

[Rap_Rocky]

In no order....
drive
desire
passion
hard worker
educated
easy to talk to
good background in communicating w/ all types of people
"look" the part
certified
experience (has paid their dues)Agreed, but the first 3 or 4 are pretty much the same lol.

[askthetrainer]

When you say Bachelors & masters....are you referring to something health related (exercise science, physical education, nursing, etc.), or do you mean someone who has simply graduated within their respective major?

Well, I tried to put in parenthesis what I meant... meaning even though most bachelors degrees have a specific major, they are still more general than specific, while masters degrees always specialize in a specific topic, but a BA in art history is probably not as good for a trainer as a BS in kinesiology, etc...

By well rounded I mean that a trainer may not be the most educated but they have passion, while they aren't the most ripped, they're in good shape, while they don't have ACSM cert, they have nasm, etc..

[2020Wellness]

I personally think that attractive matters more than some people believe it does. Its not number one, but attractive people normally go farther in business. Just the way it is.

[McJimmie]

I might go for personality and empathy at first - without those, I would not like to train with this PT, however knowledgeable they were.

Their knowledge I would take for granted (dangerous, I know!), and in looks I would only go for 'not fat'.

[notgumbel]

1. Professional Experience (personal training clients)

2. Personal Training Certifications

3. Personal Experience (Weight lifting, personal body transformation, etc.)

4. Unbridled Passion (for fitness/bb, etc.)

5. Empathy

6. Well Rounded

7. Personality

8. Bachelor's Degree (general education)

9. Master's Degree (specialized education)

10.Nice 'Ass'ets (Great physique, attractive, etc.)

[CCAurora]

So far, aesthetics has been ranked at the bottom? I find it very hard to believe your business will do well if you know your stuff, but don't embody it. I know plenty of people with trainers who lack empathy, but you know the first thing everyone says about their trainer? "Oh you should SEE him, he's JACKED!"

I think human nature makes "the look" a lot more important than some of you think.

[McJimmie]

So far, aesthetics has been ranked at the bottom? I find it very hard to believe your business will do well if you know your stuff, but don't embody it. I know plenty of people with trainers who lack empathy, but you know the first thing everyone says about their trainer? "Oh you should SEE him, he's JACKED!"

I think human nature makes "the look" a lot more important than some of you think.

That depends upon your goals. If I wanted to run, there is only one trainer at my gym that I would approach - the runner !

He's tall, not particularly jacked, but a keen runner and degree qualified trainer. In fact, a well qualified PT used HIM as his PT when he wanted to improve his top end speed for football (soccer).

I might not approach him for strength training advice though

[askthetrainer]

I personally think that attractive matters more than some people believe it does. Its not number one, but attractive people normally go farther in business. Just the way it is.

No doubt it is important, but by no means does it have anything to do with whether or not someone is a good personal trainer...

My Bad... The thread title and poll differ...

This is very subjective and I believe many people on this particular site don't understand that maybe 90% of people who are looking for a trainer are simply wanting basic weight loss, muscle gain or general fitness...

[CCAurora]

No doubt it is important, but by no means does it have anything to do with whether or not someone is a good personal trainer...

My Bad... The thread title and poll differ...

This is very subjective and I believe many people on this particular site don't understand that maybe 90% of people who are looking for a trainer are simply wanting basic weight loss, muscle gain or general fitness...

But all things equal, someone will pick the person who looks better. Its more than just simple human nature - people who need a personal trainer would naturally be drawn to the guy who shows that what he does works on himself.

Of course, they key to KEEPING customers would be doing a good job haha, but you need a lil help to get them signed sometimes haha

[2020Wellness]

But all things equal, someone will pick the person who looks better. Its more than just simple human nature - people who need a personal trainer would naturally be drawn to the guy who shows that what he does works on himself.

Of course, they key to KEEPING customers would be doing a good job haha, but you need a lil help to get them signed sometimes haha

Its more than just the look of their body. If they have an attractive face, that is going to help as well. My point is that sex sells, its been that way since the beginning of time!

Like I said, its not top of the list, but it does matter to some. The more and more society goes into the hole with obsession with good looks, the more and more its going to matter ;)

[Zerokilla]

Consumers eyes for you trainers :)

9. Personality
10. Personal Training Certifications
1. Nice 'Ass'ets (Great physique, attractive, etc.)
4. Well Rounded
8. Unbridled Passion (for fitness/bb, etc.)
5. Empathy
7. Personal Experience (Weight lifting, personal body transformation, etc.)
6. Professional Experience (personal training clients)
2. Bachelor's Degree (general education)
3. Master's Degree (specialized education)


When I look for a trainer, I first look for someone that has a personality that clicks with my goals (need someone passive to be friendly/ need someone dominating to tell me You are doing X number of sets .. push through it). Beyond that, you want someone that is speaking from education so your not questioning what they say everytime and also someone that has the physique that you are heading in.

Reason I say this is not to be rude but let me break it down. The biggest role of a trainer in my eyes is as a friend/motivator. We all know how to research how to do the routines and can watch them performed in the gym, however people need "Accountabuddies". If I have a scheduled session that costs me $50 .. I am damned sure going to be there so I'm not just paying a "fat-tax". Beyond being a motivator, a trainer is one to watch form and assist in corrections and make suggestions in a new routine contured towards the persons goals.

[3kgtjunkie]

As far as being a successful trainer in sales and results, this is how mine goes:

1. Personality
2. Professional Experience
3. BA
4. MS
5. Certs
6. Empathy
7. Personal Experience
8. Unbridled spirit
9. Aesthetics
10. Well rounded

[trance__dreamer]

for me, i'm going to try to sell my services through my epic level of empathy. (...as well as passion/personality/spirit.) after all, we ARE adult babysitters; if you really think about it...

meh. whatever works to buy me my condo. ;)

[BFD Zio]

Really feel that a masters degree is that important on the list? I have always felt that it is for this field..in general..but not as much for personal trainers. It is almost a requirement for people who are planning to work as a strength coach to get further advanced but I would like to believe that there are a million things people can do to be very successful without one and being a personal trainer.

Also for being open on my opinion, I don't have my masters. I have my BS in Nutrition, Exercise, and Health science. I've done offseason training for a lot of NBA players and was planning on going into being an S&C coach and getting my masters, but have since put that on the backburner. Wasn't my thing (the S&C stuff).

[askthetrainer]

Pofessional Experience. Anybody can have a good day or a good week and be garbage the next.

I have no idea what point you're trying to make?

[2020Wellness]

Really feel that a masters degree is that important on the list? I have always felt that it is for this field..in general..but not as much for personal trainers. It is almost a requirement for people who are planning to work as a strength coach to get further advanced but I would like to believe that there are a million things people can do to be very successful without one and being a personal trainer.

Also for being open on my opinion, I don't have my masters. I have my BS in Nutrition, Exercise, and Health science. I've done offseason training for a lot of NBA players and was planning on going into being an S&C coach and getting my masters, but have since put that on the backburner. Wasn't my thing (the S&C stuff).

It is not required to have a master's degree in order to be a strength coach. If you start up your own facility, and you're good, you can have a basic certification and become known worldwide.

In reality, its all about who you know. There are TONS of well known strength coaches who don't have a masters.

[BFD Zio]

It is not required to have a master's degree in order to be a strength coach. If you start up your own facility, and you're good, you can have a basic certification and become known worldwide.

In reality, its all about who you know. There are TONS of well known strength coaches who don't have a masters.

This is true, but I was talking about running an S&C program for a University or professional team eventually. Even with knowing the right people, you won't find a head S&C coach at that level without their Masters.

That being said, most coaches start out in the college ranks and are hired on as a graduate assistant at first. That is probably the reason why it is hard to find one who isn't rather than it being a requirement (though in most cases it is).