Common % to pay gym/employer

[sexysteph117]

What is a common % I will have to pay a gym as a trainer? I know it will differ from place to place, but what is the average?

I think my trainer was only getting $12 from $30/hr...thats no good

[jando]

50% for Gold's Lawrenceville

[hublife]

Originally Posted by sexysteph117

What is a common % I will have to pay a gym as a trainer? I know it will differ from place to place, but what is the average?

I think my trainer was only getting $12 from $30/hr...thats no good

Find a gym you can rent space at similar to a hair stylist. Then go out and get your own clients, charge whatever you want and keep ALL OF THE PROFIT. Most gyms will be more than willing to work with you on your first three months rent because they know that your just starting out.

Hit me up if you have any other questions about this way of doing it.

[devildogbr]

Originally Posted by hublife

Find a gym you can rent space at similar to a hair stylist. Then go out and get your own clients, charge whatever you want and keep ALL OF THE PROFIT. Most gyms will be more than willing to work with you on your first three months rent because they know that your just starting out.

Hit me up if you have any other questions about this way of doing it.

bump... this is a good way to do things ... but to answer your question it verys alot i know of gyms that only do about 25% ... at my gym it depends on how qualified you are ... fesh meat get about 30% and then 50% and then 75% but most the trainers here will also make house calls and or have clients in indepent gyms ... actually one of the trainers owns his own gym but has so many clients here he still comes here in the mornings

[sexysteph117]

ya, I'm fresh and they told me today that I get 40% of what I make...no taxes...

[jules_d1]

mine at the moment is 70%me/30% them

[atjohan23]

i get 35% +commissions.

[sexysteph117]

Cool, ya and it will be my job to schedule IOs (Initial Orientation), then try to get a client from that meeting, where I go over exercises and nutrition. Anyone have any advice on how to get the client in that first IO? It's usually an hour long.

[nickmanzoni]

if you were going to subcontract, you can find a gym with a cash exchange deal (just don't let the IRS know) and you can pay either $15-20 per client visit, and keep the rest. Assuming you're charging more than 40 dollars, as cash goes, it's great money. As far as a gym employee goes, 50% or more aren't hard to find, but the real money is in commissions. Some gyms offer commisions on the FIRST PT sale, in which case you would swing for the fences with higher packages. 10% commissions are standard too. On a good month, (January) You could earn 1,000 dollars in commisions alone.

[sexysteph117]

Cool, thanks. Ya, I have two IO appts today already that I got setup, so hopefully I'll get one or both of them signed up to start training. any advice?

[nickmanzoni]

Originally Posted by sexysteph117

Cool, thanks. Ya, I have two IO appts today already that I got setup, so hopefully I'll get one or both of them signed up to start training. any advice?

If you include them in the decision on how many sessions they NEED, it makes them feel like they are "running the show"

i.e. Don't say "how many sessions can you afford"
Say: "Well, the healthy weight loss range for a average individual starting a new workout routine AND new eating lifestyle is a .5-2 lb sustainable and maintainable per week. And you earlier say you could come in (x) times a week. I only need to see you (however many minus [x] you want) a week.

And if you wanted to lose (20) lbs a total, that would be ten weeks at (1,2,3, etc) times a week with me, so that's 10,20,30, or more sessions to be completed in these ten weeks. Will that be cash, check, or credit card"?


basically divide the amount of pounds the client wants to lose by 2, and there are your weeks, then ask them how many times a week they would like to see you, (times they see youx weeks= amount of sessions)

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by nickmanzoni

If you include them in the decision on how many sessions they NEED, it makes them feel like they are "running the show"

i.e. Don't say "how many sessions can you afford"
Say: "Well, the healthy weight loss range for a average individual starting a new workout routine AND new eating lifestyle is a .5-2 lb sustainable and maintainable per week. And you earlier say you could come in (x) times a week. I only need to see you (however many minus [x] you want) a week.

And if you wanted to lose (20) lbs a total, that would be ten weeks at (1,2,3, etc) times a week with me, so that's 10,20,30, or more sessions to be completed in these ten weeks. Will that be cash, check, or credit card"?


basically divide the amount of pounds the client wants to lose by 2, and there are your weeks, then ask them how many times a week they would like to see you, (times they see youx weeks= amount of sessions)

OK, thanks, ya that's a good way to sell it. I basically am meeting with the new gym member today to go over his goals and current fitness levels, then show him/write him a basic lil workout, and show him a couple machines...then offer to give him more one-on-one sessions.

These are my first two today, so hoping it goes well =)

[nickmanzoni]

confidence is key.

[John Prophet]

I live in a pretty low cost of living area. There r 2 local gyms I have details on. In one, the trainers pay the owner $100/mo and then they are on their own from that point...they have to get their own clients and they charge what they want and keep it all etc. In the other gym its $35/session and the trainer keeps $21 of that and I am not sure if the trainer does any of the selling (but I kind of doubt it)

[sexysteph117]

Ya, I had my first IO and it was a guy who used to be in bodybuilding show. I had him do a mini workout and cardio just to intro what I can show him and he liked it, so he's comin back tomorrow to sign up. I need to show him an awesome workout tomorrow tho, so he'll def signup w me!!

He wants to lose fat and get more defined...lol of course. I'm gonna help him w diet too. Any ideas on a good workout to show him?

[nickmanzoni]

Well, basically you ASK him what parts he feels are his weakpoints (what part of his physique caused him to lose points in his show etc), and work those parts with him in a way that he hopefully enjoys.


Sparing that: A good leg routine will impress most serious lifters.

Can you think of some good core workouts to toast him? After some warm up cardio and legs, a good core workout will leave him sweating on the mat, and builds your value with each drop.

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by nickmanzoni

Well, basically you ASK him what parts he feels are his weakpoints (what part of his physique caused him to lose points in his show etc), and work those parts with him in a way that he hopefully enjoys.


Sparing that: A good leg routine will impress most serious lifters.

Can you think of some good core workouts to toast him? After some warm up cardio and legs, a good core workout will leave him sweating on the mat, and builds your value with each drop.

ok, yua he did legs today. I had him sweating hard from doing flys/pushups, then seated rows...mixed it up tho, heavy wieghts/low reps, lighter weights/more reps, he was sweating everywhere and love it. The did abs, side plank raises on bothe sides and reg plank, then intervals on stairmaster.

He wants to improve definition in the upper body. He needs to cut out his M&M eating, and other sweets/alcohol. I need to give him a good upperbody workout tomorrow though. He came back to the gym and did lower w his friend this evening, so he'll be recovering lower tomorrow. Any ideas for impressive/effective upper body for a bulky, only 11% fat guy who wants to gain definition in the upper body? diet ideas too?

[nickmanzoni]

Superset pullups/chinups with dips.

Can he jump rope? If so, after a superset, 1 minute jump rope. Rest 2 minutes.

Repeat.


Have him carb up 2 hours before the workout, and throw down 40-50g protein AND carbs IMMEDIATELY after the workout. Leaning more towards 50g protein, 40 grams carbs. Done deal. He'll know why if he did shows. You'll know why if you're good with diets, or if he elaborates for you. Let him "talk" but not "teach" you. He obviously knows quite a bit at 11% and a former bodybuilder.

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by nickmanzoni

Superset pullups/chinups with dips.

Can he jump rope? If so, after a superset, 1 minute jump rope. Rest 2 minutes.

Repeat.


Have him carb up 2 hours before the workout, and throw down 40-50g protein AND carbs IMMEDIATELY after the workout. Leaning more towards 50g protein, 40 grams carbs. Done deal. He'll know why if he did shows. You'll know why if you're good with diets, or if he elaborates for you. Let him "talk" but not "teach" you. He obviously knows quite a bit at 11% and a former bodybuilder.

Ok, thanks, I'm gonna try that. Ya, he knows alot, but I can push him to do 5 more when he'd otherwise quit, so that's why he wants me there. Plus to help with diet. Thanks =)

[jando]

Originally Posted by sexysteph117

Cool, ya and it will be my job to schedule IOs (Initial Orientation), then try to get a client from that meeting, where I go over exercises and nutrition. Anyone have any advice on how to get the client in that first IO? It's usually an hour long.

Give them a taste of your services and set them in a good direction but do not completely give away your service by going over form for 10+ exercises for example. There's an older lady trainer who has told me she has never told PT from an orientation and it's the way she's going about it. On a good month I'm about 1 for 3 in selling training.

DO NOT CALL IT AN ORIENTATION. This implies it is a cookie cutter one step approach that members have been through before. Call it a consultation or fitness assessment it personalized the approach more.

TRY INCORPORATING A PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT. Get your client to overhead squat with a 5lb ball for example. Watch your clients back round, their knees bend in, their shoulders pull forward and their emphasis on their quads thereby creating pressure on the knee instead of sitting back on the glutes and hamstrings and offer corrective exercises.

CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF A CHANGE IN DIRECTION. Most clients starve themselves, avoid weight training, do too much cardio and are surprised when they dont lose weight. Act as if now is the day for change and as if this is a new approach for them. (when they should have been doing this all along but for some reason haven't)

EMPHASIZE THE REAL DANGER IN BIOMECHANICS OF SOME MACHINES. Let's face it, in general, as trainers we know free weights, when learned correctly are far more safe and effective than machines in targeting specific muscles. I've witnessed first hand leg curls hurting lower backs, incline chest machines blowing rotator cuffs, the rear delt/row machine making it almost impossible for you to retract your clavicle to hit the lats and these are just a few. They will most likely need your services for at least a few sessions in order to learn proper technique. Create at least 2 workouts. You can't reasonably hit the entire body in one hour.

[sexysteph117]

Thanks for your tips.

ya my manager taught me how to go over the member's health history, goals, etc. and write out 2 pretty basic lower body and upper body workouts. Then show the client the lower body and offer services to help and set up another meeting to show the member upper body, and give him a taste of what I can do as a trainer.

The first meeting I have though is with an expereinced weight lifter bodybuilder, lol. So after going over his goals, I knew he didn't want to do basic lil stuff, so I had him superset and do good abs and cardio. He liked it, but my manager wasn't there to give him the prices, so he's coming back today for another workout and will hopefully signup with me =)

[atjohan23]

it takes 1000 moves to learn a new move.... but 3000-5000 moves to re-learn a move... i tell that to my clients and emphasize the importance of proper technique.... and the accountability of being able to push them harder then they could push themselves... i have two IO's at my gym so the first is just an orientation and i do a soft sell... the second i take them through a typical workout and do a harder sell then..... if they dont sign up ill have them come back 3 months down the road and re-do their orientation and if they havent lost the weight yet or whatever they wanted to do... then i do a very hard sell and let them know where we would have been at if they bought the training. always friendly,

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by atjohan23

it takes 1000 moves to learn a new move.... but 3000-5000 moves to re-learn a move... i tell that to my clients and emphasize the importance of proper technique.... and the accountability of being able to push them harder then they could push themselves... i have two IO's at my gym so the first is just an orientation and i do a soft sell... the second i take them through a typical workout and do a harder sell then..... if they dont sign up ill have them come back 3 months down the road and re-do their orientation and if they havent lost the weight yet or whatever they wanted to do... then i do a very hard sell and let them know where we would have been at if they bought the training. always friendly,

Ya that's exactly what my manager is having us do to sell to clients. It's still my first week, but I think I almost got a couple ppl already =)

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by nickmanzoni

Superset pullups/chinups with dips.

Can he jump rope? If so, after a superset, 1 minute jump rope. Rest 2 minutes.

Repeat.


Have him carb up 2 hours before the workout, and throw down 40-50g protein AND carbs IMMEDIATELY after the workout. Leaning more towards 50g protein, 40 grams carbs. Done deal. He'll know why if he did shows. You'll know why if you're good with diets, or if he elaborates for you. Let him "talk" but not "teach" you. He obviously knows quite a bit at 11% and a former bodybuilder.

thanks, I had him do this workout, along w other supersets and jumprope, and he was sweatin everywhere =)

[wide lats]

America is strange, in UK the gym pays us to be there for people not us pay them for renting their space, plus we get free drinking formulas, free equipment, free bonuses, free training, etc - don't you think this way is better??? Pay is around 8 ponds per hour works out at about 65 pounds per day which is pretty good.

[KenKash]

How many free sessions are you going to give to this guy? Give him a taste and then take it away. They need you. You don't need them.

A former bodybuilder already has a really good idea how much PT costs. He already knows if he's going to buy or not. My point is, your time is valuable. Don't give free sessions to people when you could be spending that time getting new clients.

[TeddyTank]

Ever tried doing weighted plank? Some of my.. well I cant exactly call them clients as I dont charge them but I do train them, do it and they really enjoy them.

Put the weigh high up the back though, I tend to test things on my self before getting others to try it and found that if you use a plate for example and put it near the lower back, it tends to ache alot. Over or touching the shoulder blade area is a good position.

[sexysteph117]

lol, only two (I still get paid by the gym), and and ya he wants to sign with me.

I fractured my back and messed up my ankle 4wheeling Saturday though, so I can't train anybody or workout for a little while!!!!!!!

=(

[sexysteph117]

Originally Posted by wide lats

America is strange, in UK the gym pays us to be there for people not us pay them for renting their space, plus we get free drinking formulas, free equipment, free bonuses, free training, etc - don't you think this way is better??? Pay is around 8 ponds per hour works out at about 65 pounds per day which is pretty good.

That's cool. You guys also have a universal type healthcare system and drive on the left side of the road lol

[nickmanzoni]

This thread.