Worried about aging as a personal trainer.

[KevoCSCS]

I'm 29 years old will be hitting middle aged next year when I turn 30. I know there are some fit old people out there and it's fully possible to stay in good physical health at an advanced age but will clients still take me seriously as I get older? I'm worried that clients will prefer younger, healthier looking clients as I get older. I don't really have any other skills outside personal training so I dread becoming one of those greeters at Wal-Mart.

[ericmackcarter]

I'm 29 years old will be hitting middle aged next year when I turn 30. I know there are some fit old people out there and it's fully possible to stay in good physical health at an advanced age but will clients still take me seriously as I get older? I'm worried that clients will prefer younger, healthier looking clients as I get older. I don't really have any other skills outside personal training so I dread becoming one of those greeters at Wal-Mart.

30 is nothing.

If you are good at what you do, there is no reason you can be a trainer until you are 60. And you might find that your ambitions change later in life...gym owner or something.

[sxyfitmomwife]

I agree. 1. 30 is still young age doesn't matter. and 2. If you are a great trainer and you help clients with what they want. you'll be fine.

[Mr.ILL]

lol 30 is middle aged? The strongest Raw power lifter in the world is 45. If anything age will help you.

[SamSS]

I'd sign with you if you were in good physical condition, no matter your age, as long as you know what you're doing. Also the way you look is important. I realized when I started putting on more weight (lean muscle, not fat) more people looked at me when I was training and helped me sell myself better. Just something to keep in mind.

[KyleAaron]

Heaps of us here started after 30. Of the people who start at 30 or older, more of them are successful and still in the profession a few years later than those who start at 20.

[WoofieNugget]

I should neg you just for suggesting that 30 is middle aged lol. If anything it actually makes it easier to recruit clients and maintain them, plus you can relate to them more. Don't worry about it.

[rdferguson]

The majority of clients are over 30, and the majority of people don't like taking advice from someone younger than them. The 40+ crowd whose kids are becoming more independent and either paying board or moving out of home, who have paid off their mortgages or are coming close to it, and are now going to the gym for the first time to restore their health and physiques from crappy to okay, are a goldmine, and they won't tend to be interested in paying attention to a trainer who doesn't have a lot of life experience and relate to them. I'm 24 (I become a qualified PT at 20), and while I still do a little bit of PT as a side thing for some extra cash, I don't treat it as my career any more. But it is something I love doing, and can definitely see myself taking up seriously again in a decade or so when I have: more training experience, more life experience, better social skills, my life more sorted out, and a host of other qualities that will come with experience and maturity that can only breed success as a trainer.

PS at the gym I used to work at, there were three top-dog PT's, two of which were 40+, and the other was a sales jock (incidentally, this last role was filled by multiple people in my time there -- they'd come, acquire their clients, and then leave, probably because they could have 40 clients a week, but 2 weeks later all their clients would quit; despite lack of longterm client retention, the fitness directors loved these guys, since they kept selling 20-packs, which were $700 for the gym).

[fast40]

Remember, as the population ages, health in America declines, your client base increase day by day. This profession is projected to grow by 25+ % over the next few years, so that tells me that more and more clients will be coming thru those doors...looking for you. Like others have said, age is not a big deal. Actually, a little time on your side and clients will refer you to others. Don't forget the marketing ability of those professional 40 year olds, 50 year old, etc, that pass you on to their friends, because you took the time to help them turn the clock a little. It does count and you will be more successful, just put the client first and stay the course, watch the trends and read the marketing reports, its all pointing towards future growth! Good luck!

[Keltron]

IF anything, I think an older trainer seems more credible to potential clients.

[5more]

Your age isn't what I would be worried about OP. Your red and banned.

[Fitness4Lifeeee]

I just received my personal trainer cert and I'm 37. I expected that I would have some credibility due to being a tad older than some of the other trainers in town but something unexpected also happened: I ended up getting some of their clients. There are undoubtedly contributing factors but I think my age was one of them.

[TexasSiegfried]

This has been my concern as well. I am 51 and just now working through my certification. However, I have found in speaking with folks that the credibility which comes with maturity does help. Not that people automatically assume that because you are older you automatically know more or what you are talking about, but as I started to train more methodically and bring my waist and face down in size, I did get more questions, and many of them are directly related to maintaining training into an older age.

There are lots of folks out there from the mid 30's on who have knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, muscle, tendon, etc issues, and being able to relate to those and show real world alternatives from the perspective of someone who is there now has a real value. Just imagine and project into the future the demographic of current Crossfitters who don't take the time to develop and train intelligently, and you can see the potential opportunity.

Or so I am finding...

[LCWD]

Is 30 really considered middle aged?

[Garage Rat]

You can look at this way a lot of times at least my case an older trainer can be more knowledgeable.
I myself have thirty years training experience,alot of trial and error hands on knowledge along with knowing most training protocols.
Im not saying i know everything but i know quite a bit more than many younger trainers so i have alot to offer.
Being in good shape helps also.
I cant stand when i see big chain gyms have an over weight person as a PT.
Not saying they dont know anything its just not good business.
Be confident in yourself,have a good physical image,and stay educated and you'll do fine.

[jalundah]

I would argue that being older could be a good thing, as long as your are in good shape.

Any trainer can be 24 and be in good shape. Practice what you preach as you get older and people will respect you for it. I would take a 50 year old trainer with 10% body fat with 25 years of experience over a 25 year old with the same physique.