Top PT myths squashed

[Footballa_19]

Hey fellow pt's, just wanted to create a thread that we can list some of the major myths and misinformation people have about Personal Training. I know just the other day I had a kid at my gym ask me how to become a PT because he heard we make doctors' wages! There's a lot of skepticism and enthusiasm on this site, so a little dose of hard honest truth wouldn't hurt. If more people knew the truth about this profession, they might reconsider how they think about it.

[supermant11]

Hey fellow pt's, just wanted to create a thread that we can list some of the major myths and misinformation people have about Personal Training. I know just the other day I had a kid at my gym ask me how to become a PT because he heard we make doctors' wages! There's a lot of skepticism and enthusiasm on this site, so a little dose of hard honest truth wouldn't hurt. If more people knew the truth about this profession, they might reconsider how they think about it.

This is good shiit bro. Greatly appreciated.

Though some of these aren't myths, I thought I would provide some advice as well.

-Don't think it's all rainbows and butterflies when you become a PT.
-Don't ever cut corners
-Ask yourself "why am I telling this person to do this"
-Always show up on time, even early
-Not every PT makes as much money as a doctor.
-You will need to put every ounce of your time and effort in becoming a PT
-Always always always read the fine print
-Gyms will charge you an over head for every single client you train

[Footballa_19]

-Don't think it's all rainbows and butterflies when you become a PT.

haha I can't rep this enough! great advice bro on all of your list man thanks

[DatdereCT]

Knowing how to sell PT is as important as knowing how to be a PT. [most clients will never care about why they do certain things, as long as results occur]

Do not undersell your own abilities as a trainer. If you are not always busy it does not necessarily mean you are bad.

[Roidmonster55]

You not only need to know what you're doing, you need to be prepared to improvise.

Plus you need to be a people person, with empathy and compassion. Some people only see dollar signs in the profession because a website told them PTs make upwards of $250/hr. Wake up call: you MIGHT make that much....if you are training Jason Statham for his next installment of Expendables sequels. That's about it. You're not gonna be a multi-millionaire off of it.

[jalundah]

If your only time spent "working" is the 60(or 30, or 45) minutes of the session with your client, you're doing your client a huge injustice. A good personal trainer spends a good deal of time prepping and evaluating.

A good friend of mine who worked as a PT once saw me writing a workout for a client in class(boring stats class, don't judge me), and he asked me why, followed by "I can't believe you still actually write your clients workouts, I just wing it". I think that's absolutely ridiculous.

I don't know if this qualifies as a "myth", but something I wanted to throw out there.

[Footballa_19]

Great advice so far guys! This is good stuff, def repped.

[rdferguson]

On another fitness forum, I recently had a discussion with a woman who honestly seemed to believe that hiring a PT meant that she should just get results in spite of what she does outside of training, and she seemed to feel that it was horribly unjust that keeping up her bad eating habits and seeing a PT twice a week wasn't resulting in her excess fat peeling off.

[Footballa_19]

On another fitness forum, I recently had a discussion with a woman who honestly seemed to believe that hiring a PT meant that she should just get results in spite of what she does outside of training, and she seemed to feel that it was horribly unjust that keeping up her bad eating habits and seeing a PT twice a week wasn't resulting in her excess fat peeling off.

dang man thats nuts, def why I make client screening a top priority! Women like her will ruin your rep

[PeteratCastle]

If your only time spent "working" is the 60(or 30, or 45) minutes of the session with your client, you're doing your client a huge injustice. A good personal trainer spends a good deal of time prepping and evaluating.

A good friend of mine who worked as a PT once saw me writing a workout for a client in class(boring stats class, don't judge me), and he asked me why, followed by "I can't believe you still actually write your clients workouts, I just wing it". I think that's absolutely ridiculous.

I don't know if this qualifies as a "myth", but something I wanted to throw out there.

Very much this.

- Once you have your certs you know it all.
- You will get clients as soon as you have your certs as people will line up to use you.
- You can build a successful business by only working 20 hrs a week.
- You can tell your clients what they want to hear rather than the truth and it won't come back to bite you in the arse.
- You can make your clients stick to the plan you laid out for them no matter what.
- You have to come up with a very elaborate work-out plan, for your clients rather than something simple they can stick at, just to impress them.

[Footballa_19]

I hope people aspiring to be PT's or who are inquiring about us are taking note to this thread. A lot of good info. If you follow the advice of good PT's like these, you can not only be successful, but you'll stand out by working efficiently and knowing what to expect and plan for.

[SFT]

The one that annoys me the most is that anyone can enter the field as long as they enjoy working out. Not everyone may feel this way, but entering this field really changed the "game" for me. What used to be that one hour of excitement in your day becomes work for 8-12 hours per day. Don't confuse this with a loss of passion for fitness, or especially for improving the health of others. However, a lot of what might have excited you in the past becomes, to be frank, quite boring.

If you are super stressed at another job and have lost all passion, the problem might be you, not the job. A career in fitness is often a long grind to make similar compensation to alternative professions. For instance, $50,000-60,000 a year as an accountant is quite different than $50,000-60,000 per year as a trainer. Most trainers making this much are independent, which means they are coming up with their own health insurance, don't have matching 401ks, paid days off or holidays, as well as any other form of benefits.

In short, personal training is not the answer to lead a happy and prosperous life after abandoning another profession.

[PeteratCastle]

In short, personal training is not the answer to lead a happy and prosperous life after abandoning another profession.

True, I made about 3 times as much as I do now in my previous life as a project manager. Prosperous I am not, i get by Ok though..before you guys all start sending me cans of beans and food vouchers

[RyouBakua]

What do you guys feel is better?


posting your rates publicly on your site or ask that they contact you?

[supermant11]

What do you guys feel is better?


posting your rates publicly on your site or ask that they contact you?

Posting them publicly, unless your rates change often or are dependent on the person there's no real reason to hide them or make them contact you.

[PeteratCastle]

What do you guys feel is better?


posting your rates publicly on your site or ask that they contact you?

There's a thread about this someone, just have a quick look. There are valid reasons for doing either.

[Footballa_19]

Here's one that just happened to me this morning. I have a lady cancel a session earlier in the week and reschedule for today, only to no call-no show. Man that irritates the hell outta me. I had people that could have filled that spot. Being at the mercy of your clients as sole income can be frustrating sometimes. You can try and be hard on them, but not hard enough that they think you're a jerk and then fire you. Sometimes ya just gotta take punches and roll with it.

[5more]

We don't always like our clients.
Have to deal with ask holes.
Ask hole- someone who is constantly asking for advice in the gym, then goes and does the exact opposite.

[WoofieNugget]

The one that annoys me the most is that anyone can enter the field as long as they enjoy working out. Not everyone may feel this way, but entering this field really changed the "game" for me. What used to be that one hour of excitement in your day becomes work for 8-12 hours per day. Don't confuse this with a loss of passion for fitness, or especially for improving the health of others. However, a lot of what might have excited you in the past becomes, to be frank, quite boring.

If you are super stressed at another job and have lost all passion, the problem might be you, not the job. A career in fitness is often a long grind to make similar compensation to alternative professions. For instance, $50,000-60,000 a year as an accountant is quite different than $50,000-60,000 per year as a trainer. Most trainers making this much are independent, which means they are coming up with their own health insurance, don't have matching 401ks, paid days off or holidays, as well as any other form of benefits.

In short, personal training is not the answer to lead a happy and prosperous life after abandoning another profession.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Many people decide to get into PT thinking they are going to be training celebrities and elite athletes while making tons of money, when (just like any other profession) maybe .5% actually do, and if they are most of the time it is sheer luck and good marketing and business sense, not knowledge of the body and actual science. Look at Jillian Michaels.

[sonti]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Many people decide to get into PT thinking they are going to be training celebrities and elite athletes while making tons of money, when (just like any other profession) maybe .5% actually do, and if they are most of the time it is sheer luck and good marketing and business sense, not knowledge of the body and actual science. Look at Jillian Michaels.

Oh, oh, Jillian... she breaks my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PG3BSkBPiQ

[PeteratCastle]

Here's one that just happened to me this morning. I have a lady cancel a session earlier in the week and reschedule for today, only to no call-no show. Man that irritates the hell outta me. I had people that could have filled that spot. Being at the mercy of your clients as sole income can be frustrating sometimes. You can try and be hard on them, but not hard enough that they think you're a jerk and then fire you. Sometimes ya just gotta take punches and roll with it.

Yeah that's annoying. You charged her though, yeah? Mine have a contract and they always have to pay

[RevolutionFF]

Top myths:

- you can please everyone. You cannot be a fat loss, muscle gain, strength coach, conditioning coach specialist. Choose an area and get very, very good at it.

- you have to waste words. There will be silences in your hour session. Get used to it. Do not fall into the trap of wasting words with stupid comments or info to make it less 'awkward'.

- you got yourself in shape so that means you can get anyone in shape. No, just no. Everyone is different and has different motives or things that makes them tick. 3 sets of 10 is not the only way to train someone.

- every hour will go to plan. No it will not. Make sure you know your stuff and give off an air of confidence when your plans go to jack because your client has an injury they have not told you about.

- you are a pro boxing coach. No just no, again. I may be just me, but this is my peeve. If you insist on training everyone with pads and mitts, please go and work out of a boxing gym. Sure it is fun and you look the biz, but is it really going to get your clients results in the long run?

[PeteratCastle]

Top myths:
- you are a pro boxing coach. No just no, again. I may be just me, but this is my peeve. If you insist on training everyone with pads and mitts, please go and work out of a boxing gym. Sure it is fun and you look the biz, but is it really going to get your clients results in the long run?

I love this one. I have 1 client who will only train as part of boxercise kind of stuff. She is great but if I ask her to do 25 BW squats she will fail everytime..however if I have her do squats as part of a boxing training session she will do it without even noticing she's doing it.

[ChessGuy]

Here's some myths:

The best built trainers are the best trainers.

No one will notice the silly home made tats on your arms and neck.

I don't need to brush my teeth twice a day.

The client doesn't mind the trainer chewing gum or food.

'No pain, no gain"

And on and on...I've seen all of them.

[rdferguson]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Many people decide to get into PT thinking they are going to be training celebrities and elite athletes while making tons of money, when (just like any other profession) maybe .5% actually do, and if they are most of the time it is sheer luck and good marketing and business sense, not knowledge of the body and actual science. Look at Jillian Michaels.

Oh, oh, Jillian... she breaks my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PG3BSkBPiQ

Are you two suggesting that Jillian Michaels isn't an utmost expert with solid knowledge, understanding and awareness of relevant fitness principles and safe+effective training techniques and methods? I'm flabberghasted.

[rockangel]

If your only time spent "working" is the 60(or 30, or 45) minutes of the session with your client, you're doing your client a huge injustice. A good personal trainer spends a good deal of time prepping and evaluating.

A good friend of mine who worked as a PT once saw me writing a workout for a client in class(boring stats class, don't judge me), and he asked me why, followed by "I can't believe you still actually write your clients workouts, I just wing it". I think that's absolutely ridiculous.

I don't know if this qualifies as a "myth", but something I wanted to throw out there.

I have to say that this ^^^ would be my biggest one. People seem to think that is the only time you "work" as a trainer, when you are with a client.
And its just not true.
I am working on building up my own business and i would have to say thats even more work than if you were only employed in a gym. But even if you work in a commercial gym, there is still more that you are doing in terms of getting clients, advertising etc.

Personally, I spend a lot of time answering emails, posting to social media, continuing education (working on sport nutrition ATM) as well as writing plans for clients, and other various "business" stuff.
Top it off that I teach fitness classes at a local gym and i still have to get my music and "lesson plan" together before i walk into the room. Also, this isnt my sole or main source of income so i can be picky about what i do, i know some cant. So while i dont make a ton of money, i make enough for what i want.

[RyouBakua]

I love this one. I have 1 client who will only train as part of boxercise kind of stuff. She is great but if I ask her to do 25 BW squats she will fail everytime..however if I have her do squats as part of a boxing training session she will do it without even noticing she's doing it.

gotta do what it takes


i find if i "chat" with someone while theyre doing planks, theyll do them longer

[Footballa_19]

Great points by everyone in this thread. I think one big point that can be made by all these posts is that PT is more time than one could ever expect ( I know if was for me) and that you will become the best trainer you can be by that amount of time that you put into it. Write every workout, always keep learning and researching, maintain relationships, and represent yourself. A coach of mine in college told me "a man has two things in this life, his name and his reputation". I take this with me everyday, whether I am "on the clock" or not, and it has made me successful. You get to better people's lives in ways that even doctors don't get the privilege of doing by attention to detail and personal relationships. Why wouldn't you want to make that the best experience possible???

[DPT31]

Hey fellow pt's, just wanted to create a thread that we can list some of the major myths and misinformation people have about Personal Training. I know just the other day I had a kid at my gym ask me how to become a PT because he heard we make doctors' wages! There's a lot of skepticism and enthusiasm on this site, so a little dose of hard honest truth wouldn't hurt. If more people knew the truth about this profession, they might reconsider how they think about it.

Maybe he confused you for a physical therapist-the only people legally allowed to call themselves PTs. Granted we don't make MD wages but we get anywhere from 60-110k depending on where you live and how good you are(me: just over 100k this year). I'm not a surgeon or anything but it is still a great profession. I'm cool with personal trainers and a lot of my therapist friends go to them simply for motivation. However, please stop referring to yourselves as PTs. It just confuses people. I have a doctorate, but I don't introduce myself as Dr. ___ because I don't want to be confused with an MD-not good for the overall wellness of the patient. When personal trainers call themselves PTs the client might assume they have advanced knowledge of injuries and the biomechanics of the body. Yah, I got my CSCS in PT school-I know what trainers are qualified to do.
A lot of trainers are great at what they do, but at most gyms they are a dime a dozen who like to work out and took a two day course. So please, stop perpetuating the myth that personal trainers are PTs.

[PerFit]

Here's one that just happened to me this morning. I have a lady cancel a session earlier in the week and reschedule for today, only to no call-no show. Man that irritates the hell outta me. I had people that could have filled that spot. Being at the mercy of your clients as sole income can be frustrating sometimes. You can try and be hard on them, but not hard enough that they think you're a jerk and then fire you. Sometimes ya just gotta take punches and roll with it.

Had she paid for it?

If she had not... well that ones on you.