Lifetime Fitness

[EK_JOE]

Hey guys, Im NFPT certified and I've been training clients for about a year now (while finishing my Kines Degree).
I'm thinking about making Lifetime my new home. I've tried 24 hour and LA Fitness, but I heard that Lifetime is the gym to train at.
Any thoughts or input about this place?

[Emoore]

I'd be interested in hearing people's opinions on this as well. I'm considering applying to Lifetime as soon as I take the NSCA exam.

Here are two threads from another forum about Lifetime:
http://forums.jpfitness.com/fitness-...e-fitness.html
http://forums.jpfitness.com/fitness-...e-fitness.html

[MT1979]

Depends where you're located. I worked at one for 3 years, it was great, then mine went down hill. It depends who's running the show. You'll make more there than at any other corporate gym.

[EK_JOE]

thanks for all the info

[thebeastvwells]

Originally Posted by EK_JOE

Hey guys, Im NFPT certified and I've been training clients for about a year now (while finishing my Kines Degree).
I'm thinking about making Lifetime my new home. I've tried 24 hour and LA Fitness, but I heard that Lifetime is the gym to train at.
Any thoughts or input about this place?

Find out which gym is going to offer you the most opportunity. Who sees the most paying clients? What area is the gym in...ie...what is the clientele like that frequents that location? You can't squeeze blood from a turnip...so these are some things you should consider.

[2020Wellness]

Originally Posted by MT1979

Depends where you're located. I worked at one for 3 years, it was great, then mine went down hill. It depends who's running the show. You'll make more there than at any other corporate gym.

What was your take home percentage? I'm guessing its not as high as numerous other corporate gyms. I've heard Lifetime is not too desireable in this area.

[Jack_Lupino]

the one near me seemed completely geared towards stuck-up upper-middle class yuppies.

sure, those are the people with the money for personal training but...

just saying that place seems a little too high maintenance for me. like, I'm not sure I could avoid rolling my eyes at a woman who showed up late for a session because she was getting her hair did... in the gym!

[EK_JOE]

Going in for the business interview tomorrow. Some simple questions they asked me: how many calories in a pound of fat? How to get THR? how many kcals/g in fat, cho, pro? Forgot the other ones. but basic stuff.

[MT1979]

Originally Posted by 2020Wellness

What was your take home percentage? I'm guessing its not as high as numerous other corporate gyms. I've heard Lifetime is not too desireable in this area.

It ended up being around 50%. It depended on your 3 month rolling average. Based off education you can charge up to $100/hr. You can't make anywhere near that at any other corporate gym in my area.

[gunshowvinny]

I would NOT recommend working there. Ive worked there for 2 years and every trainer is miserable. You wont have any problems getting clients, but you wont make much money. My friend who worked there put in well over 40 hrs a week and only brought in about $12,000 the whole year.

[EK_JOE]

Went in today and they told me how I would get paid and they also asked me to give them different scenarios where the client gave me spousal and money objections. Also asked me how I did my own training and told me not to eat fast food in the cafe LOL

So far so good. I stayed confident and they told me to come back tomorrow for a practical.

[BSCSCS]

One thing I heard about Lifetime is that you have mandatory "floor" hours. 8 hour shifts if I remember right. Kinda goes against a lot of why we became trainers in the first place. But hey, if the money's right... I was offered a position as an assistant FM but the place just didn't feel right to me and I went back to my old gym. I know some trainers/FM's that did well there though.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by EK_JOE

Went in today and they told me how I would get paid and they also asked me to give them different scenarios where the client gave me spousal and money objections. Also asked me how I did my own training and told me not to eat fast food in the cafe LOL.

What did you say about the spouse thing?

[MT1979]

Originally Posted by gunshowvinny

I would NOT recommend working there. Ive worked there for 2 years and every trainer is miserable. You wont have any problems getting clients, but you wont make much money. My friend who worked there put in well over 40 hrs a week and only brought in about $12,000 the whole year.

12K in a year is pretty bad. Your friend should make better use of his time.

OP, which Lifetime are you interviewing for?

[2020Wellness]

Originally Posted by MT1979

It ended up being around 50%. It depended on your 3 month rolling average. Based off education you can charge up to $100/hr. You can't make anywhere near that at any other corporate gym in my area.

Thats what I thought. 50% is a total ass pounding and definitely not worth your time. There are going to be many other trainers who aren't getting $100/hr, and its not realistic to think that you will be getting that from every client you train. Just think how much money they are taking from you for YOUR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE. Thats ridiculous.

[BSCSCS]

Originally Posted by 2020Wellness

Thats what I thought. 50% is a total ass pounding and definitely not worth your time. There are going to be many other trainers who aren't getting $100/hr, and its not realistic to think that you will be getting that from every client you train. Just think how much money they are taking from you for YOUR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE. Thats ridiculous.

In all fairness, they are providing you with a top notch facility and clientel pool. I know trainers in both situations that make serious jack, and trainers in both situations that make jack ****. It really all depends on your marketing skills, experience and tenacity.

[gunshowvinny]

At the Lifetime fitness i work at, with the cert that you have, you would be charging $60 per session and make $16 for yourself an hour. Before taxes

[AJbuilder]

Originally Posted by BSCSCS

In all fairness, they are providing you with a top notch facility and clientel pool. I know trainers in both situations that make serious jack, and trainers in both situations that make jack ****. It really all depends on your marketing skills, experience and tenacity.

Marketing? Marketing is not sales. The number one reason why trainers who make crap at the big box gyms is because they don't learn marketing. They may learn how to hard sell, which sucks for client retention, but the trainer who stays at a gym for too long are stuck there because deep down, they don't know how to market themselves in front of niche prospects. And if you don't learn how to market, then of course you won't be comfortable to go out on your own.

Now getting out on your own forces you to learn marketing and develop your sales process much more efficiently.

I see all these top trainers and gurus online who tell you to start at the big chain gyms to get experience. What a load of crap. I actually felt my time at Ballys and Crunch was wasted. I'm a much more effective trainer now with a steady client base of 12-15 doing 30 and 45 min. sessions on my own.

Marketing comes before sales. Repeat, you can't have marketing before sales and you're not going to learn that at the chain clubs.

If you're getting less than $25 bucks a session at a major city, I say skip working at the big box gyms and go solo right off the bat. Or try to find a small private studio where you can intern or serve as an apprentice and learn the ropes before you gain the confidence.

From the above poster, 12k for the entire year? Please, you can make more than that working at Burger King part time.

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by Emoore

What did you say about the spouse thing?

i told him a story where a client told me "anytime i have to spend more then 500 dollars i have to ask my wife" I replied by saying, "Ok Jim, feel free to use my phone." jim"oh, she's at work right now, so she won't pick up the phone."

from there I showed them FAQ and use my ammo to beat them into submission. Even if i have to sharp angle close them!

"I totally understant. Lets take a look at what we discussed earlier. Jim if we cut out xx dine-in meal(s) a week you can save $xxx.xx and help maintain a better diet. Of course this would only save you xx amount a month but you could use this in sessions. It'll be a great start up program agreed?"

Originally Posted by MT1979

12K in a year is pretty bad. Your friend should make better use of his time.

OP, which Lifetime are you interviewing for?

I'm interviewing at Lifetime Fitness in Houston @ Willowchase club

Got back from my practical today. 2 part interview.

Short wrap up:

How to use a treadmill, how to use a resistance machine, how to perform a 3 progression plank. How to preform a standing exercise in the sagittal plane, transverse plane, and frontal plane.
Had to demonstrate all these and i had to role-play where the interviewer posed as a client. (correct there form and tempo etc....)

2nd part was to go up to 4 different people and talk to them and see if they were potential training clients.

1 person with headphones on. 1 person on the treadmill. 1 person with improper form. 1 person on a resistance machine.
jot some notes down about what you asked them etc.....

Finished and now they said they'd call me within 2 days to let me know.

Hope this helps you guys out. Be sharp on your NASM and corrective exercises, cause there were many questions on that.

[gunshowvinny]

Originally Posted by AJbuilder

Marketing? Marketing is not sales. The number one reason why trainers who make crap at the big box gyms is because they don't learn marketing. They may learn how to hard sell, which sucks for client retention, but the trainer who stays at a gym for too long are stuck there because deep down, they don't know how to market themselves in front of niche prospects. And if you don't learn how to market, then of course you won't be comfortable to go out on your own.

Now getting out on your own forces you to learn marketing and develop your sales process much more efficiently.

I see all these top trainers and gurus online who tell you to start at the big chain gyms to get experience. What a load of crap. I actually felt my time at Ballys and Crunch was wasted. I'm a much more effective trainer now with a steady client base of 12-15 doing 30 and 45 min. sessions on my own.

Marketing comes before sales. Repeat, you can't have marketing before sales and you're not going to learn that at the chain clubs.

If you're getting less than $25 bucks a session at a major city, I say skip working at the big box gyms and go solo right off the bat. Or try to find a small private studio where you can intern or serve as an apprentice and learn the ropes before you gain the confidence.

From the above poster, 12k for the entire year? Please, you can make more than that working at Burger King part time.

Yeah id say 12k isnt insane to say. i did some quick math and got about 24k including some client cancellations. Thats not even including the 30 min break off the clock that you're required to take, taxes, or sick days...

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by EK_JOE

Hope this helps you guys out. Be sharp on your NASM and corrective exercises, cause there were many questions on that.

Well crap, I'm NSCA. Do I need to go out and buy the NASM book now?

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by Emoore

Well crap, I'm NSCA. Do I need to go out and buy the NASM book now?

I thnk nasm gives out some free literature you can study over. They accept these certs: ACE, ACSM, Cooper Fitness, NASM, NATA, NSCA, NPTI.

But all the trainers there are really big on corrective stretching (sparatic and foam roller) and corrective exercises.

I just got my NFPT, but they said they'd pay for my NASM if I pass within 4 months. I'm going to go ahead and get NASM too.

I have my 3rd and final interveiw today. I'll let yall know how it goes.

[MT1979]

If you can sell, you will get hired.

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by MT1979

If you can sell, you will get hired.

So is the last interview an assessment? I have to try to close the GM or something?

[gunshowvinny]

Originally Posted by EK_JOE

So is the last interview an assessment? I have to try to close the GM or something?

the 3rd interview is basically telling you that you got the job. im guessing you talked to the personal training department head and the GM already? if you already did then you've got it. unless they have questions about the background check or something lol

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by gunshowvinny

the 3rd interview is basically telling you that you got the job. im guessing you talked to the personal training department head and the GM already? if you already did then you've got it. unless they have questions about the background check or something lol

Yeah, ive already met the DH of Training, but i have not met the GM yet.
Sounds good. He just called and left me a message to come in for the 3rd and final interview. I'm a good boy so my background should be flawless

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by EK_JOE

Yeah, ive already met the DH of Training, but i have not met the GM yet.
Sounds good. He just called and left me a message to come in for the 3rd and final interview. I'm a good boy so my background should be flawless

Department Head called me and rescheduled me for noon tomorrow. He basically told me that I got the job!
just told me that i need to pass the background test and pass the lifetime personal training certification (what it takes to be a trainer?).
told me to bring in my ID, birth certificate (or passport / SS card), etc......

YAY!

[kserajuddin]

Originally Posted by AJbuilder

Now getting out on your own forces you to learn marketing and develop your sales process much more efficiently.

I see all these top trainers and gurus online who tell you to start at the big chain gyms to get experience. What a load of crap. I actually felt my time at Ballys and Crunch was wasted. I'm a much more effective trainer now with a steady client base of 12-15 doing 30 and 45 min. sessions on my own.

Marketing comes before sales. Repeat, you can't have marketing before sales and you're not going to learn that at the chain clubs.

If you're getting less than $25 bucks a session at a major city, I say skip working at the big box gyms and go solo right off the bat. Or try to find a small private studio where you can intern or serve as an apprentice and learn the ropes before you gain the confidence.

From the above poster, 12k for the entire year? Please, you can make more than that working at Burger King part time.

Good breakdown of the difference between marketing and sales - most people don't get this -

I tell a lot of the people that come to me for advice and are just getting started to get experience in a gym first, but it really depends on the person - some people can go without - even though I felt my time in the gym was kind of a waste, it was also very valuable in some ways -

But it's true, you can gain experience just by practicing on friends and family - it depends on the person -

[kserajuddin]

Originally Posted by MT1979

It ended up being around 50%. It depended on your 3 month rolling average. Based off education you can charge up to $100/hr. You can't make anywhere near that at any other corporate gym in my area.

If this is true I'd put it way above 24 hour and LA Fitness, which have a rep of being the two WORST places to work -

[EK_JOE]

Originally Posted by kserajuddin

If this is true I'd put it way above 24 hour and LA Fitness, which have a rep of being the two WORST places to work -

I'd say its between LA Fitness and Gold's Gym. 5% commission and $12/hour

Did my fit test today. Turns out im 11%BF and I have to body of an 18 year old!