Switching my career to personal training, need some advice

[KyleAaron]

Why do it separately? Be visible to gym members, gets more clients that way. They obviously have no idea of the potential income of PT. How many members does the place have? Most gyms have 1,000-5,000. Even just 1% of gym members doing 2 sessions a week at even $30 a session adds up fast. And it should be 3% in even a mediocre PT programme.

[Maynard311862]

Well, the gym has an upstairs (front desk, babysitting, zumba room, spinning room, locker rooms) and then once you go downstairs that's where my office and the gym is. The front desk automatically signs members up for "a free session with a personal trainer" so we are clearly visible to the members and they know of us. But my company also has a HORRIBLE reputation which we are trying to help rectify. Which is part of why i think trainers can't do sales at all.

Idk. This is my first training job, so I'm just trying to make the most of what i have and get up as much experience as possible.

[Kataz]

I don't even... Trainers who can't sell their own sessions?

Mind=Blown.

[Missyjae]

Hello,

I have just decided to switch my career to being a personal trainer/wellness & fitness coach and I was just hoping that I could get some input from some experienced trainers. First a little background about myself...I am 25 and have been working out since I was 15 because of high school football. I've kind of fallen out of the habit of working out lately due to the pressures of work and that is part of the reason why I want to switch fields. When I started my freshmen year in college I had in mind majoring in kinesiology and being a personal trainer, but unfortunately I listed to money and switched my major to accounting. After six years in school I graduated with honors and a BBA and Master's in business/accounting. I took a full time job at the largest accounting firm in the world and even though the pay was great I hated the job...bottom line was I didn't care about my work at all and it didn't feel meaningful. So I quit that job about a month and a half ago and have since been thinking about all my options.

I have decided that I want to go into health & fitness for a number of reasons: throughout my life I have always been at my best (just feel so much better) when I work out consistently; once I get back into it I am really passionate not just about working out but also nutrition; I want to do a job that I truly love and I'm passionate about; and lastly I cannot think of a better and more personally fulfilling job than helping people get in better shape and feel better.

Anyway I am planning on ordering my ACE review course and get ACE certified for personal training as soon as possible (plan to start studying on Jan 2). After that I'll probably get the health coach certification too. I also want to get some type of nutrition certification and possibly go back to school at some point (longer-term) and take more psychology classes to better understand how to motivate clients. For now I'm probably going to start applying at gyms and health clubs even if it's in a more administrative position just so I can get my foot in the door, besides, my degree should help me. I have also gotten in touch with my friend's dad who is the CEO of a few YMCA's in Illinois and I'll be talking to him after the new year.

What do you guys think about my situation? What should I do or what would be the best way to make this transition? Should I worry about my lack of a college degree in a health-related field (although I have spent countless hours on this forum in the past and I've read numerous nutrition and workout books) or would having my business degree actually play out to my favor when it comes time to run my own business?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I have decided that I'm going to do this, I just need to figure out the best way to transition into the field and mitigate the financial hardship that I'm fully prepared to endure in the meantime.

You sound like you'd be a great PT. You have an amazing positive attitude towards achieving what's right for you. Career switch to something you love. Follow your passion and the how will just happen

[JessDragon]

I came across this as I too am looking for onsite and motivation. Not a quick pay, and definitely not a pencil pusher. I'm a wife, full time peds nurse, and a mother to an almost 2 year old.im writing to high five you, and to reprehend the negative feed back. This is a fitness and health motivation site. How dare any of you put down someone's goals and ambitions!? I love being a nurse, I'm not a fan of the hours and time away from my family. As a personal trainer I feel I will be able to help those on the hours that are "busy" and spend the majority of my time with my family and pushing myself to be a better me. I feel you! I know how easy it is to put your career and others first and lose site I yourself. If I MADE this career change I feel it will push me farther to put me first WITH others. I'm in a gym, no excuses!! So go you for your decision. I'm sure you were doing well financially and this change won't happen over night, nore will the cash flow.

[Ronin4help]

Hello,

I have just decided to switch my career to being a personal trainer/wellness & fitness coach and I was just hoping that I could get some input from some experienced trainers. First a little background about myself...I am 25 and have been working out since I was 15 because of high school football. I've kind of fallen out of the habit of working out lately due to the pressures of work and that is part of the reason why I want to switch fields. When I started my freshmen year in college I had in mind majoring in kinesiology and being a personal trainer, but unfortunately I listed to money and switched my major to accounting. After six years in school I graduated with honors and a BBA and Master's in business/accounting. I took a full time job at the largest accounting firm in the world and even though the pay was great I hated the job...bottom line was I didn't care about my work at all and it didn't feel meaningful. So I quit that job about a month and a half ago and have since been thinking about all my options.

I have decided that I want to go into health & fitness for a number of reasons: throughout my life I have always been at my best (just feel so much better) when I work out consistently; once I get back into it I am really passionate not just about working out but also nutrition; I want to do a job that I truly love and I'm passionate about; and lastly I cannot think of a better and more personally fulfilling job than helping people get in better shape and feel better.

Anyway I am planning on ordering my ACE review course and get ACE certified for personal training as soon as possible (plan to start studying on Jan 2). After that I'll probably get the health coach certification too. I also want to get some type of nutrition certification and possibly go back to school at some point (longer-term) and take more psychology classes to better understand how to motivate clients. For now I'm probably going to start applying at gyms and health clubs even if it's in a more administrative position just so I can get my foot in the door, besides, my degree should help me. I have also gotten in touch with my friend's dad who is the CEO of a few YMCA's in Illinois and I'll be talking to him after the new year.

What do you guys think about my situation? What should I do or what would be the best way to make this transition? Should I worry about my lack of a college degree in a health-related field (although I have spent countless hours on this forum in the past and I've read numerous nutrition and workout books) or would having my business degree actually play out to my favor when it comes time to run my own business?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I have decided that I'm going to do this, I just need to figure out the best way to transition into the field and mitigate the financial hardship that I'm fully prepared to endure in the meantime.

It's difficult to say what you personally will experience. Some trainers make it and others struggle. Think of it this way... if five people who struggled as a trainer tell you to not do it and five others who are presently successful tell you it is a great idea to make the switch, what would you do? Who do you listen to?

[hawkeyes1201]

Curious, it's been 4 years since you started this post. Were you successful? Do you enjoy it if you stuck with it? Considering a career change and deciding between being an accountant or a personal trainer. I would like to here the outcome of the route you took.

[KyleAaron]

It's more than 3 years since he's posted on bb.com, we won't hear from him. If you don't hear from them then we can assume that like most would-be PTs, they either never started or didn't last even 12 months. That's the nature of the industry: we have to go through 20 or so wannabes before we got one real trainer.