55k realistic first year??

[Rabid001]

Hello Trainers,

Great forum, great info! I being recruited by a large lifetime fitness center to become a personal trainer...I am new to the feild and will be getting NASM certified. They have assured me that I can replace my 55k salary the first year, does this seem realistic?

1. I am 100 percent motivated and will have a nitch teaching MMA.
2. I have experience and know that this will take sales and marketing effort.

3. I have a good corporate career that I could continue to pursue if 55K my first year is not possible. I dont want my wife to suffer just because I would rather be a trainer than a cube monkey.

Honest answers, realistic first year incomes appreciated!

Thanks!

[Muscle Mania Matt]

Hello Trainers,

Great forum, great info! I being recruited by a large lifetime fitness center to become a personal trainer...I am new to the feild and will be getting NASM certified. They have assured me that I can replace my 55k salary the first year, does this seem realistic?

1. I am 100 percent motivated and will have a nitch teaching MMA.
2. I have experience and know that this will take sales and marketing effort.

3. I have a good corporate career that I could continue to pursue if 55K my first year is not possible. I dont want my wife to suffer just because I would rather be a trainer than a cube monkey.

Honest answers, realistic first year incomes appreciated!

Thanks!

A lot of it depends on location and how good you are at sales, but that is very unlikely. The fact of that matter is that in most gyms, most trainers are broke. They might take 2-3 clients a day. There will probably be a couple that are full and have been doing it a while, and depending on rates even a full clientele might not bring that much home (if you are working for a fitness center). If you trained eight people a day (probably not likely, you are starting from scratch) and you were given a very generous rate (for having a single cert, no experience, and no degree) of over $25 per session (plus some commission), you could get that much.

[Rabid001]

A lot of it depends on location and how good you are at sales, but that is very unlikely. The fact of that matter is that in most gyms, most trainers are broke. They might take 2-3 clients a day. There will probably be a couple that are full and have been doing it a while, and depending on rates even a full clientele might not bring that much home (if you are working for a fitness center). If you trained eight people a day (probably not likely, you are starting from scratch) and you were given a very generous rate (for having a single cert, no experience, and no degree) of over $25 per session (plus some commission), you could get that much.

I would be getting rates around/over what you mentioned plus commision (I do have some related experience). The gym does seem to be packed and up-scale.

Thanks for your candid response!

[ChessGuy]

Hello Trainers,

Great forum, great info! I being recruited by a large lifetime fitness center to become a personal trainer...I am new to the feild and will be getting NASM certified. They have assured me that I can replace my 55k salary the first year, does this seem realistic?

1. I am 100 percent motivated and will have a nitch teaching MMA.


2. I have experience and know that this will take sales and marketing effort.

3. I have a good corporate career that I could continue to pursue if 55K my first year is not possible. I dont want my wife to suffer just because I would rather be a trainer than a cube monkey.

Honest answers, realistic first year incomes appreciated!

Thanks!

I would think that with that kind of potential, they would have reams of resumes of certified fitness candidates. They would not have to even consider someone without a certification. I would be very careful.

Heck, if it's that good, I'll move there!

[KyleAaron]

They're conning you. You are very unlikely to make that in your first year.

Or rather, you may have that income, but your actual salary will be lower. For example,
20 clients @ 2x30' at $60 an hour = $1,200 a week = $60,000pa
BUT
Rental @ $250/week = $13,000pa
Insurance = $1,000pa
Registration, etc = $1,000pa
Net salary = $60k - $13k - $1k - $1k = $45k

and of course, you are not going to get 20 clients on day 1. IF YOU ARE GOOD you will get 2-3 new clients each month, and 1 will leave each month, until you reach about 10-20 clients depending on your availability and how good you are. Thus, a net salary of $20-$30k is more realistic in the first year. If you're good.

Yes, I know you're brilliant. The problem is that everyone else thinks they're brilliant, too. They can't all be right. Yes, I know they're wrong and you're really right. But... Consider what ChessGuy said.

And it's niche, not nitch. People who have enough money to pay for PT tend to be well-educated and communicate a lot in writing, if you can't spell they'll assume you're an idiot generally (which is wrong of course, but that's life) so either learn to spell the words you use, or use only the words you can spell.

[Cdt_Richards]

Can it happen? Possible, but FAR from likely year one. Depends on your locations, piece rate offerings, floortime, etc. I've been from individual studios where there is a sales manager, to a high scale club where there is a minimal feeding system and mostly head hunting. If it's a studio, then no, it's basically impossible to earn that much total, let alone in a first year. In a high scale club, yeah it's easy to pass that level, there were 2 trainers at my last location who made close to or over 6 figures. That being said, they were at the club from open to close, most every single day, and it took them years to build their client bases. I was there for around a year and a half, and no I will say my first year there I wasn't anywhere near that. By the end of the year I was on pace, but takes a very long time to build up the clientel needed, just as KyleAaron said

[TrinityPT3]

They're conning you. You are very unlikely to make that in your first year.

Or rather, you may have that income, but your actual salary will be lower. For example,
20 clients @ 2x30' at $60 an hour = $1,200 a week = $60,000pa
BUT
Rental @ $250/week = $13,000pa
Insurance = $1,000pa
Registration, etc = $1,000pa
Net salary = $60k - $13k - $1k - $1k = $45k

and of course, you are not going to get 20 clients on day 1. IF YOU ARE GOOD you will get 2-3 new clients each month, and 1 will leave each month, until you reach about 10-20 clients depending on your availability and how good you are. Thus, a net salary of $20-$30k is more realistic in the first year. If you're good.

Yes, I know you're brilliant. The problem is that everyone else thinks they're brilliant, too. They can't all be right. Yes, I know they're wrong and you're really right. But... Consider what ChessGuy said.

And it's niche, not nitch. People who have enough money to pay for PT tend to be well-educated and communicate a lot in writing, if you can't spell they'll assume you're an idiot generally (which is wrong of course, but that's life) so either learn to spell the words you use, or use only the words you can spell.

Spot on. Clients come a lot slower then people think. It takes a while to become an established trainer with a name that counts for anything. Good luck and keep at it, good things come with time.

[Endevorforever]

My first month, I made over $1500 in a low scale area from personal training. I think you should keep the job that pays you $55k for less effort. After all, you and your wife are accustomed to it. See if they have anything part time. If some one says personal training is easy money, they are lying to you.

[Kataz]

Hello Trainers,

Great forum, great info! I being recruited by a large lifetime fitness center to become a personal trainer...I am new to the feild and will be getting NASM certified. They have assured me that I can replace my 55k salary the first year, does this seem realistic?

1. I am 100 percent motivated and will have a nitch teaching MMA.
2. I have experience and know that this will take sales and marketing effort.

3. I have a good corporate career that I could continue to pursue if 55K my first year is not possible. I dont want my wife to suffer just because I would rather be a trainer than a cube monkey.

Honest answers, realistic first year incomes appreciated!

Thanks!

I work at LTF and it really depends on your club size and your ability to retain clients. The benefit of working at LTF is typically they will have a good amount of wealthier clients. 55k your FIRST year is a definite maybe. If your at a diamond club, you have a very good shot, at an isolated gold or bronze, not as good of a shot. After that first year you can definitely make 55k or more if you're good at client retention. I know several LTF trainers who make anywhere from 80k - 100k a year. The average 1st year income is 30k-50k though, but like I said, with LTF it really depends on the specific club and its level.

[WoofieNugget]

Imagine that, a fitness facility telling you something that seems a bit shady.

No, you will not make 55k your first year for the reasons Kyle and others have said. Even if you are good, unless you have someone else finding clients for you then it will take you 3-6 months to get full of hours (meaning 30-35/week steady with cancellations factored in).

Think about it monthly: First month maybe maximum of ten training sessions per week (1 client new per weekish at 2 sessions/client) or say 30 sessions first month. If you continue at that rate (which is amazing for any trainer and highly unlikely) you would be at thirty hours/week after three months. This is 90 sessions paid per month at say $30/session (again, very high for a starting trainer). That's $2700/month. So in the first three months you make $900+$1800+$2700 = $5400 for the first three months. Projected income for the next 9 months, even if you continued at 30 hours average per week (again, factoring in cancellations, clients away, sick, etc - I always assume a 10-20% cancellation rate each week) = $24k plus the 5400 you already made, which is a total of 30k first year. If they pay 10% commission on sales you might add 20% to that. Simple math. you also have to pay taxes on that and work ridiculous hours.

The gym is lying to you, because they want you to work there. They may also lie to people to get them to buy sessions, go figure.

[BC02]

lol hell no.

[Kataz]

Imagine that, a fitness facility telling you something that seems a bit shady.

No, you will not make 55k your first year for the reasons Kyle and others have said. Even if you are good, unless you have someone else finding clients for you then it will take you 3-6 months to get full of hours (meaning 30-35/week steady with cancellations factored in).

Think about it monthly: First month maybe maximum of ten training sessions per week (1 client new per weekish at 2 sessions/client) or say 30 sessions first month. If you continue at that rate (which is amazing for any trainer and highly unlikely) you would be at thirty hours/week after three months. This is 90 sessions paid per month at say $30/session (again, very high for a starting trainer). That's $2700/month. So in the first three months you make $900+$1800+$2700 = $5400 for the first three months. Projected income for the next 9 months, even if you continued at 30 hours average per week (again, factoring in cancellations, clients away, sick, etc - I always assume a 10-20% cancellation rate each week) = $24k plus the 5400 you already made, which is a total of 30k first year. If they pay 10% commission on sales you might add 20% to that. Simple math. you also have to pay taxes on that and work ridiculous hours.

The gym is lying to you, because they want you to work there. They may also lie to people to get them to buy sessions, go figure.

There are A LOT more variables than that with LTF. $30/session (AFTER commission) is the MINIMUM you make coming in at LTF. If you consistently meet your monthly goals, by the end of your first 6 months you'll be making more like 45 bucks per session (more if you have a high education level). LTF also offers the 10% from sales but more importantly T.E.A.M. classes which bring in A TON of money once you establish the class. Not to mention special programs and small group training. You certainly CAN make good money at an LTF if you know what you're doing. If you don't know what you're doing and aren't motivated to grow your business... yeah then 30k is generous.

[ChessGuy]

I work at LTF and it really depends on your club size and your ability to retain clients. The benefit of working at LTF is typically they will have a good amount of wealthier clients. 55k your FIRST year is a definite maybe. If your at a diamond club, you have a very good shot, at an isolated gold or bronze, not as good of a shot. After that first year you can definitely make 55k or more if you're good at client retention. I know several LTF trainers who make anywhere from 80k - 100k a year. The average 1st year income is 30k-50k though, but like I said, with LTF it really depends on the specific club and its level.

Katz, need your advice. msg sent.

[KyleAaron]

Spot on. Clients come a lot slower then people think. It takes a while to become an established trainer with a name that counts for anything. Good luck and keep at it, good things come with time.

I picked up 26 clients in my first 12 months. However, I also lost 14 of them. It went like this.

2010 Jul. Started on the 19th, wasn't even supposed to do PT for the first three months, just gym shifts.
2010 Aug. Said, "fck waiting three months," brought a client in (this guy is still with me today). Gain 1, lose 0, total = 1.
2010 Sep. Chatting to gym members, I got 4 clients. Had both first and last session with a woman who was having IVF the next day, I don't know why she signed up. Signed up another 2 who lasted. Signed up a 4th who paid by direct debit, and never showed to a single session. Gain 4, lose 1, total = 4.
2010 Oct. Gym had a promo of 6 PT sessions as part of joining up, got 3 clients from that. Was referred 1 client who became long-term, and gym chats got me another client. Officially signed off the guy who'd never showed up. Gain 5, lose 1, total = 8.
2010 Nov. Gym promo netted another 2 clients, I signed up a 3rd. The 6-packs from last month finished. Gain 3, lose 3, total = 8.
2010 Dec. A final 6-pack client, and a gym chat client came in. 2 of the 6-packs finished. Gain 2, lose 2, total = 8.
2011 Jan. Nobody started or finished.
2011 Feb. Was referred a woman, a real dud of a client. Lost no-one. Gain 1, lose 0, total = 9.
2011 Mar. Gym chats gained 1, and manager referrals to make up for last month's dud were 2 more. Lost no-one. Gain 2, lose 0, total = 11.
2011 Apr. Gym chats gained 2, of whom 1 was great and a 2nd one a dud, and manager referrals got me another. Lost SIX people this month, 3 were previously-mentioned duds I'd been referred, 2 were "I achieved my goals, thanks, bye", and the last was the dud I'd recruited myself. Gain 3, lose 6, total = 9. Feeling glum.
2011 May. Gym chats got me a client, online presence on forums got me another, and I was referred one. The latter two lasted a long time. Lost no-one. Gain 3, lose 0, total = 12.
2011 Jun. Gym chats got me 1, who is still with me today. One of the earlier clients finished her 3rd 10-pack of sessions, said, "goals achieved, thanks, bye." Gain 1, lose 1, total = 12.

That's the first 12 months. I was considered unusually successful, especially in those first 6 months. Now, I was at a community gym, where there is less PT because the members tend to have less money and the managers don't have the commercial "money! money! money!" mindset so PT is not pushed or supported. But friends who work at commercial gyms have looked at my figures, and I have gone to enough job interviews to have seen this to be true, and both the gains and losses are 50-100% higher. So instead of 10-15 clients after 12 months, you're looking at 15-25. Or 10-15, but they're doing full hours rather than half-hours - full hours are more common at commercial gyms, half-hours at community, it's the money issue.

One key issue is retention. Obviously it's better to recruit 12 people in a year and keep 12, than to recruit 36, lose 24 and keep 12. The former option is the same money with less work and general hassle and drama. Now, if you are good at sales, you can sell PT. But you need to be a good trainer to keep them. And you'll become a better trainer over time. You become better at spotting people who are likely to stay, rather than just whoever will sign up, and getting them results in a timely fashion. In your first year you will probably not be a very good trainer.

If it were easy to make a lot of money quickly everyone would be doing it... and then managers wouldn't sign you up and make big promises even before you had your certificate, they'd be waiting until you got your certificate, and picking and choosing from among a lot of applicants.

PT is a job where most of your success is up to you. Most PTs fail. The typical PT has 0-3 clients.

[Rabid001]

Awesome info from everyone here; really helps me understand what I am getting into....

I'm being recruited because I have significant Martial Arts training from a very good MMA School and they want that skill set so I am coming in at a higher than entry level and will be teaching group/small group classes as well as individuals. It is a diamond or Platinum club, and it would be a great chance to start doing something I love full time.

Kataz fills me with hope while everyone else paints a pretty bleak picture of the industry. If the income potential is truly lower than described here, are there any other upsides to the career I should keep in mind?

[WoofieNugget]

There are A LOT more variables than that with LTF. $30/session (AFTER commission) is the MINIMUM you make coming in at LTF. If you consistently meet your monthly goals, by the end of your first 6 months you'll be making more like 45 bucks per session (more if you have a high education level). LTF also offers the 10% from sales but more importantly T.E.A.M. classes which bring in A TON of money once you establish the class. Not to mention special programs and small group training. You certainly CAN make good money at an LTF if you know what you're doing. If you don't know what you're doing and aren't motivated to grow your business... yeah then 30k is generous.

I call BS. I've worked for several chain gyms over the years and think that you're probably posting as someone who has drunken the LTF Kool-Aid, so you're probably a manager or involved with running the places.

Again, you're talking about when someone is established and running well - which takes time. Minimum of 3 months to get started even if the person is getting fed clients weekly. The $30 per session is like you said, AFTER commission. That also means the person has to sell for themselves as well. You also say IF you meet your monthly goals, which tells me that you have them, which means pressure to sell.

Even if after 6 months you're making $45 an hour working 30 hours a week you're making $1350/week x 26 weeks = 35k - if you make half of that in the first six months you're still only making 52 in the first year - not replacing his 55k salary.

To the OP, don't get sucked in by a pipe dream when you're in a situation where you have a family to support and a good job with a decent salary.

That being said, there are a TON of upsides, but like any industry you have to work hard for the first couple of years, learn your stuff, get a steady established clientele and the best way to make serious money is diversify so you have multiple income streams and work for yourself or run your own facility where you have trainers under you. I love the fact I get to make my own hours, interact with people all day every day, learn new things all the time and run my own show. But it is hard work. I'm looking forward to working on changing the industry and working on changing peoples' attitudes about exercise. Educating people about chain gyms and how they work is part of that.

[PeteratCastle]

tl dr but answer is No.

[SageFit]

Very highly unlikely. You're looking at an industry where nothing is ever consistent and you have to stand out to even break 30k. Do we know for sure? No. But statistics would say that's really aiming pretty high, especially in the first year.

[Rabid001]

The consensus seems to be for keeping a standard job.

Final questions:
1. Is 55K realistic year 2 or 3? I get the feeling it is not.
2. Would you do it over again if you had the chance or would you purse something else?

To clarify, I am not looking for easy money….I’m looking to do what I love even if it’s hard. I just want to make sure my standard of living is good. Second, I was laid off so I am at a cross roads…return to a corporate job hunt or pursue one of my passions.

[SageFit]

The consensus seems to be for keeping a standard job.

Final questions:
1. Is 55K realistic year 2 or 3? I get the feeling it is not.
2. Would you do it over again if you had the chance or would you purse something else?

To clarify, I am not looking for easy money….I’m looking to do what I love even if it’s hard. I just want to make sure my standard of living is good. Second, I was laid off so I am at a cross roads…return to a corporate job hunt or pursue one of my passions.

It's funny because im in the exact opposite boat. I own training centers and now looking back I would of rather stuck with my original plan to be a veterinarian or zoologist, even though it may not be as lucrative.

I love training but I don't love the business of fitness. It's not all you assume it's going to be. The more I dive into the fitness world the less I get to take care of myself

[WoofieNugget]

The consensus seems to be for keeping a standard job.

Final questions:
1. Is 55K realistic year 2 or 3? I get the feeling it is not.
2. Would you do it over again if you had the chance or would you purse something else?

To clarify, I am not looking for easy money….I’m looking to do what I love even if it’s hard. I just want to make sure my standard of living is good. Second, I was laid off so I am at a cross roads…return to a corporate job hunt or pursue one of my passions.

Once you have an established clientele and consistent niche marketing, yes it is. In fact, if you are good and can retain clients and start a referral network it is quite easy to make over that. It depends, because working for someone else you will always be giving likely 50% or more of your session cost to your employer. That's why so many good trainers go independent after a couple of years.

I'm an independent trainer now in my new city (was doing it before as well years prior) - just moved into it six months ago after moving to a new city and having to work at chains for a couple of years to build clientele and reputation. I'm projecting 60k in my first year working an average of 20-25 hours a week. Next year once I raise my rates and keep referrals coming in that target is moving up to 75k working the same amount of hours. If I increased my hours to 30-35 average my income this year would likely be closer to 75. Then six figures the year after that if all goes according to plan. However I also have 13 years experience, many advanced level courses/education and a great track record of success doing what I do.

I've tried other things and know that this is what I'm meant to do. That's the simplest way I can put it.

[BodyQuest1]

Very highly unlikely. You're looking at an industry where nothing is ever consistent and you have to stand out to even break 30k. Do we know for sure? No. But statistics would say that's really aiming pretty high, especially in the first year.

Sage, I'm very curious...During the FIRST year you EVER started training, how much did you bring in?(and how many years ago was this)?
And how much do you bring in NOW(Excluding the rent, staff, promotional expenses etc)?

[SageFit]

Sage, I'm very curious...During the FIRST year you EVER started training, how much did you bring in?(and how many years ago was this)?
And how much do you bring in NOW(Excluding the rent, staff, promotional expenses etc)?

When i first started training it was as a part time while going to school. I made around 15k the first year and then became manager which upped me to around 35k a year.

I opened my facility after training 3 years and now I make over 200k after being open 3 years. Our revenue is over 400k

[BodyQuest1]

When i first started training it was as a part time while going to school. I made around 15k the first year and then became manager which upped me to around 35k a year.

I opened my facility after training 3 years and now I make over 200k after being open 3 years. Our revenue is over 400k

Very nice!
Btw, what gym where you first training at? La Fitness, 24 Hr, Equinox, etc?

[SageFit]

Very nice!
Btw, what gym where you first training at? La Fitness, 24 Hr, Equinox, etc?

All small locals, never at a chain. In New York there's a fitness center ever few blocks so we have a lot of availability to choose from

[BodyQuest1]

All small locals, never at a chain. In New York there's a fitness center ever few blocks so we have a lot of availability to choose from

Why did you choose small locals over the chain?

[SageFit]

Why did you choose small locals over the chain?

Because I wasn't interested in doing my own selling at the time. The small places were personal training centers so anyone who went in there wanted personal training. What better way to get experience then to be able to do train hundreds of different people in your first 2 years.

[BodyQuest1]

Because I wasn't interested in doing my own selling at the time. The small places were personal training centers so anyone who went in there wanted personal training. What better way to get experience then to be able to do train hundreds of different people in your first 2 years.

I understand..That's def a great idea Sage! and going into the managerial aspect after, to learn more about running a fitness business!
Did you do ANY type of in-home training at all after working for gyms prior to making that transition of opening up your Own gym?

[LTFPT33]

Rabid, I've been a PT at LTF for about 8 months now. I've got a degree in kinesiology and my NASM CPT. This is my first job as a trainer, and I am far from a great trainer right now. However, I have been pretty successful in my first 8 months. Mainly because I came in and busted my ass to establish my business and I'm willing to learn. The first 2-4 months were pretty slow. I averaged about 2k bring home those first 4 months. The last 4 months I haven't made less than 5k or more than 6k/month bring home.

Depending on how good you are at sales, training, etc. I don't think 55k is absurd. It is probably unlikely but definitely not impossible. I think 60k in my first FULL year (2013) is very realistic. I think the biggest reason for my success is because I'm very outgoing and likable. If you are a likable guy AND your clients get results, you will do great!

Don't let people discourage you from pursuing your passion. Worst case, you hate it, and you go back to pursue corporate job. It obviously has it's cons, but overall, it can be a rewarding/fun/respectable career if you are passionate about what you do.

[Footballa_19]

55 k your first year? Yes it is entirely feasible. In my first year I made a hair under 50k before taxes, but I came in as a regular PT, worked 16 hr days (usually getting paid for half), worked my way up to head PT at my gym, and got a salary to go on top of my session money. If you are motivated, and work your ass off, you can make enough for a good living. If you want to make real money in this business though, you have to progress into being much more than just a PT. The only exception would be if you were in a place where people have the money to consistently throw 100$+/hr at you, which IMO is almost impossible to find.