Starting a New Career As a Personal Trainer at 44 years old

[salatheel]

Becoming a personal trainer is something I always wanted to do. A little personal background. I have worked out on and off most my life. I am in the process of separation and getting a divorce. I plan on moving to Florida and want to become a personal trainer. I have worked in a gym before in membership sales. I have been in sales and retail management mostof my life. Do you think it's too old at 44 to start as a personal trainer? I am working hard on getting that hard lean look. Not so much geared at getting huge but rather ripped. I understand that in the beggining it may have to be my part time job to get it started. I don't have get rich dreams. Just dreams of doing something I really want to do. What do you think guys. Am I too old?

[JOHN GARGANI]

you are never too old, however, please, do a LEGITIMATE and correct organization for getting certified as a PT....

if you are in the right course work, it is DIFFICULT, and will surprise you, with the level of physiology and other sciences you must know.....

if it is a fly by night type, it will be a foolish cakewalk.....

[salatheel]

Do you have a recommendation? I hear people talk of NASM as being the one to get.

[theKurp]

Too old?

Hell, I plan on retiring from my current career at 62. From there I'll get PT certified and start my second career.

[ironwill2008]

Besides the good information you get in this forum, you might also want to post this thread here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumd...ysprune=&f=191

[Fifty+]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Becoming a personal trainer is something I always wanted to do. A little personal background. I have worked out on and off most my life. I am in the process of separation and getting a divorce. I plan on moving to Florida and want to become a personal trainer. I have worked in a gym before in membership sales. I have been in sales and retail management mostof my life. Do you think it's too old at 44 to start as a personal trainer? I am working hard on getting that hard lean look. Not so much geared at getting huge but rather ripped. I understand that in the beggining it may have to be my part time job to get it started. I don't have get rich dreams. Just dreams of doing something I really want to do. What do you think guys. Am I too old?

44 is just a number. It's what's in your head and your heart that counts. I'm 10 years older then you and have the same plans. To train when I retire. I've been going to our city college for the last 4 years taking one and two classes at a time to get the basics out of the way. I'm currently registered at UCLA and going to complete their 2 year program for Personal Trainers. The classes I've taken at the local college (for 1/3 the cost of UCLA) are acredited and I can use them for the UCLA program. I'm in no rush and I'm certainly not to old to earn a living doing what I love.

[mavrick77]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Becoming a personal trainer is something I always wanted to do. A little personal background. I have worked out on and off most my life. I am in the process of separation and getting a divorce. I plan on moving to Florida and want to become a personal trainer. I have worked in a gym before in membership sales. I have been in sales and retail management mostof my life. Do you think it's too old at 44 to start as a personal trainer? I am working hard on getting that hard lean look. Not so much geared at getting huge but rather ripped. I understand that in the beggining it may have to be my part time job to get it started. I don't have get rich dreams. Just dreams of doing something I really want to do. What do you think guys. Am I too old?

not sure what you made before for salary....but health clubs will promise you the world on how much you will make.....but unless your working as a private trainer, you wont make crap for money (well at least what I consider making money)

[bodyhard]

I was a personal trainer (without a certification) some years back. Funny how I would take all the clients from the certified trainers at the gym, as such that the owner of the gym offered me a job

PT is not easy and unless you have a good clientele base you wont make much money. I was fortunate enough to have a good base. I was training mostly Traders and I was charging 100.00 a session.

Also you are not too old, not by a long shot.

[mavrick77]

Originally Posted by bodyhard

I was a personal trainer (without a certification) some years back. Funny how I would take all the clients from the certified trainers at the gym, as such that the owner of the gym offered me a job

PT is not easy and unless you have a good clientele base you wont make much money. I was fortunate enough to have a good base. I was training mostly Traders and I was charging 100.00 a session.

Also you are not too old, not by a long shot.

haha its funny you say that...most the trainers at my gym suck, they really get pissed when one of there clients come up to me or my wife and asks how to do something.

they have gone as far as threatening to throw us out, if we ever train someone..because we are taking money from them

[bodyhard]

Originally Posted by mavrick77

haha its funny you say that...most the trainers at my gym suck, they really get pissed when one of there clients come up to me or my wife and asks how to do something.

they have gone as far as threatening to throw us out, if we ever train someone..because we are taking money from them

Well that is what happen to me, the owner Vinny (this was at Mid-City gym on 49th street) came up to me and said "John you are taking away the clients from my PT's, thus you are soliciting in my gym" He then said I don't mind if you train people here but you will have to work here. He offered me a job as a sales person/PT I then had to give him 40 out of the 100 I was charging but I got to use the place for free plus I got a base salary plus commission for any new memberships I brought in.

I never got certified but I had more clients than any of his PT's that were certified

I eventually had to quit because everytime I went to workout I had a line of clients waiting for me... I did not have anytime to train myself.

I say go for it you are never too old to pursue your dreams.

I thought about doing it years ago when i was trading stocks for a living from my home. My wife was too afraid I would try to sleep with all the women clients. The nerve of some people.

[salatheel]

Hey thanks for all the replies guys. You re-affirmed my decision and I guess it's not too late. I will be divorced and on my own and if I could make 30-40k doing something I love. And living in a place I want to be It would be awesome. Now I just have to decide between the Sarasota-Ft. Meyers gulf side or Ft.Lauderdale-Boca-Miami area.

[bodyhard]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Hey thanks for all the replies guys. You re-affirmed my decision and I guess it's not too late. I will be divorced and on my own and if I could make 30-40k doing something I love. And living in a place I want to be It would be awesome. Now I just have to decide between the Sarasota-Ft. Meyers gulf side or Ft.Lauderdale-Boca-Miami area.

Good luck man I say GO FOR IT!!

[snorkelman]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Now I just have to decide between the Sarasota-Ft. Meyers gulf side or Ft.Lauderdale-Boca-Miami area.

Have you visited these areas? They are very different. Clientele-wise and beach-wise. Basically no waves in the gulf and always 2-4 foot waves on the Atlantic side. I used to live near Tampa and now I live about an hour & half north of Boca.

[asksmith]

Don't worry about the age, especially in Florida. All the jokes about Florida and old people seem to be true. So that might actually be in your favor for clientele, an older person will relate more with a person closer to his age than a 20-something kid.

Franchise gyms aren't going to be the way to go, they will charge an arm and a leg for a trainer, and give you the "fingers" of that deal. Most franchise gyms won't allow an independent trainer to use their facility, but there are ways around that. Smaller, local gyms would be the way to go---you provide/recruit paying members who pay their memberships, while the member pays you for your training. And if you have the finances, even opening up your own studio would be the way to go---but you'll need a customer base.

How saturated is the area with trainers? This won't be an 8 hr/day job. Too be successful, you will have to constantly sell your "training" at any opportunity, even if you are nowhere near a gym.

Good luck, hope it works out!

[jocdat]

Originally Posted by ironwill2008

Besides the good information you get in this forum, you might also want to post this thread here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumd...ysprune=&f=191

Thanks for posting this. Lately, I've been seeing this guy train some people at my gym and I thought that he was a HORRIBLE trainer. I mean I could train waaay better than him and I'm not even certified! Then I thought, if those schmucks are willing to pay for bad training, I definitely would have a chance to be a trainer myself and teach the CORRECT WAY to exercise!

[ironwill2008]

Originally Posted by jocdat

Thanks for posting this. Lately, I've been seeing this guy train some people at my gym and I thought that he was a HORRIBLE trainer. I mean I could train waaay better than him and I'm not even certified! Then I thought, if those schmucks are willing to pay for bad training, I definitely would have a chance to be a trainer myself and teach the CORRECT WAY to exercise!

Trainers are pretty much like any other work group; there are good ones, and there are bad ones. Most of the college kids you see, working as "trainers" in the fitness centers, aren't very knowledgeable, and have limited actual real-world experience. The problem is in the certification; some take lots of hard work and study, some, not so much. At some of the lesser-quality on-line certification sites, if you have a few hundred bucks, you too can be "certified." On the gym floor, though, that doesn't mean much.

[timberwolf]

I remember reading a Reg Park interview that he started his career as a personal trainer late in his life...maybe already n his 70's. Of course, he was Reg Park. I remember telling this to people, that if I could, that'd be my exact goal. Argued vehemently when some said that it wasn't a realistic goal. And still don't see what's so unrealistic about it.

[salatheel]

Originally Posted by snorkelman

Have you visited these areas? They are very different. Clientele-wise and beach-wise. Basically no waves in the gulf and always 2-4 foot waves on the Atlantic side. I used to live near Tampa and now I live about an hour & half north of Boca.

I have been to the gulf side half a dozen times. I have only been to Jacksonville on the Atlantic side. So I would definitely be interested in finding out which side would be better for clientel.

I like the gulf side from what I have seen. Although I love the waves too.

What area would hold the most opportunity? I would greatly appreciate opinions on this.

[frank_s]

Originally Posted by ironwill2008

Trainers are pretty much like any other work group; there are good ones, and there are bad ones. Most of the college kids you see, working as "trainers" in the fitness centers, aren't very knowledgeable, and have limited actual real-world experience. The problem is in the certification; some take lots of hard work and study, some, not so much. At some of the lesser-quality on-line certification sites, if you have a few hundred bucks, you too can be "certified." On the gym floor, though, that doesn't mean much.

This is a very good observation. The personal trainers at my wife's gym all seem to be college kids that are more interested on talking on their cell phones and looking at themselves in the mirror than actually training anyone. I personally don't have a problem with that but potential clients have been turned off by this attitude... which is a real shame. The 2 personal trainers that seem to get praise at that gym are the ones that are in their 60s.

I've also been thinking about taking steps to get certified as a PT. I'm in no rush and would like to take courses to eventually get certified.

[askkasha.com]

NASM is the one I'm after right now. I started at 31, and everyone who says it is correct: it's never too late. It's the best job I've ever had and think you're making a wise decision :-)

[reteidxx]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Becoming a personal trainer is something I always wanted to do. A little personal background. I have worked out on and off most my life. I am in the process of separation and getting a divorce. I plan on moving to Florida and want to become a personal trainer. I have worked in a gym before in membership sales. I have been in sales and retail management mostof my life. Do you think it's too old at 44 to start as a personal trainer? I am working hard on getting that hard lean look. Not so much geared at getting huge but rather ripped. I understand that in the beggining it may have to be my part time job to get it started. I don't have get rich dreams. Just dreams of doing something I really want to do. What do you think guys. Am I too old?

Aspiring to enter a profession in middle age that is unregulated and full of jokers with fake degrees is something that should be looked at very carefully. I think your age may be an advantage rather than a drawback, since clients in their 50's and 60's don't want to waste their time with a kid who thinks that Led Zeppelin was a type of LSD that hippies used to take. If you are serious about being a professional at your work, the serious client won't care about how old you are, they will care about the results you can produce for them.

Over the years of going to gyms I've noticed lots of personal trainers. They fall into two categories - the ones who know what they are doing and communicate well with clients, and the dumb kids who look good in workout clothes. The second group doesn't last for long, they move on to pizza delivery or drug dealing or whatever they can find. I think it's basically a sales job - you are selling motivation and participation in a fitness program. If you are good at sales, you can be a good personal trainer. I've never been any good at sales and I know no matter how much I knew about fitness training I would suck at that job. I can't picture myself standing around with some jiggly fat person counting reps and giving soothing words of encouragement. That would be hell for me. If you think you could enjoy doing that for hours per day, you would likely make a good personal trainer.

[BrotherWolf]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Hey thanks for all the replies guys. You re-affirmed my decision and I guess it's not too late. I will be divorced and on my own and if I could make 30-40k doing something I love. And living in a place I want to be It would be awesome. Now I just have to decide between the Sarasota-Ft. Meyers gulf side or Ft.Lauderdale-Boca-Miami area.

Don't expect to make that kind of money right away ... it takes time to build a clientele
get your certification but don't stop there, there is much to be learned that they don't teach you in the PT courses

PS:
listen to Rippetoe's interview it pretty much sums up the generic PT industry state
http://www.npr.org/blogs/wwrd/2009/0...lose_10_p.html

[egoatdoor]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Becoming a personal trainer is something I always wanted to do. A little personal background. I have worked out on and off most my life. I am in the process of separation and getting a divorce. I plan on moving to Florida and want to become a personal trainer. I have worked in a gym before in membership sales. I have been in sales and retail management mostof my life. Do you think it's too old at 44 to start as a personal trainer? I am working hard on getting that hard lean look. Not so much geared at getting huge but rather ripped. I understand that in the beggining it may have to be my part time job to get it started. I don't have get rich dreams. Just dreams of doing something I really want to do. What do you think guys. Am I too old?

I think you are making a big mistake.

1. Florida is in practically a depression from an economic standpoint.
2. Gym memberships and the personal training business is very cyclical. These are discretionary expenses for most people. When economic times of tough and people lose their jobs or have their wages cut and have to make choices on spending money for the mortgage, food, electricity and gas ( at $3 a gallon) and a gym membership or personal training fees, the latter two will be first to go. I just read somewhere that an industry trade group estimated that gym revenues declined by 8% in 2008 and are expected to drop another 10-15% this year.
3. There are too many personal trainers out there already, so unless you are very experienced ( which you are not) and have a niche that justifies someone paying you a premium ( no again), you are going to be competing with a myriad of other trainers already in the business and scruffing to make a living. If you end up with a job at all, it will probably be working in a chain gym charging $50 an hour for a training session, of which $35 goes to the club and the rest to you, out of which you have to pay for your insurance and other costs. Do the math. Can you make a living on this? How many sessions a day will you have to do to pay the rent, ultilities and food? If you are training people 8 hours a day, where are you going to find the time and energy for your own workouts?

Personal training if you have another reliable source of income ( such as another full time job or a spouse with a job) may be a way to make some extra money doing something you "love", but as a career to me is a loser for 99 out of 100 people, especially in THIS ECONOMY.

I know some personal trainers and all of them have lost clients purely for economic reasons the last 12 months. Whereas three years ago, they could count on new clients coming along to replace their attrition, that is not happening today. In my job, over the last nine months, I have unfortunately had to work with too many gyms in Florida and other parts of the south that have seen their finances implode and now cannot afford to pay creditors like my employer. At least two gyms I know of in Virginia have gone out of business within the last year.

Regardless of your age, I think that going into this business, especially right now, is a big mistake.