Any personal trainers that can give me insight to your career?

[chelle21689]

I am exploring options on a career change because I hate office jobs. So I thought if I'm into fitness maybe look into it. I still have a long way to go to reach my next goal of building up and learning more routines and other stuff. I don't think it hurts to start thinking of it while working my way up to being "qualified" enough.

But anyways, I have a few questions.

1. How did you get started in fitness training? I mean did you start off part time, did you quit your job, etc. were you bored with your current job?


2. How knowledgable and experienced were you? Of course to start off you must know more than the average person but did you know as much as an experienced trainer or sis that take time to build?

3. How did you start finding clients?

4. What are your hours like? Is it flexible for free time or are your weekends completely booked where you miss out on stuff your friends plan?

5. How much did u make starting out? I wouldn't mind anywhere from 30-40k.
Any other tips thanks!

[Finnegan Bell]

I am Electrical Engineer in a Petroleum company and I currently have a part time job running my own website for online PT. But I am willing to move it to full time job soon. My only advice , have confidence ,always believe that your are the best PT. Doesn't matter what qualifications you have as long as you work hard to improve yourself.

[visys]

I am exploring options on a career change because I hate office jobs. So I thought if I'm into fitness maybe look into it. I still have a long way to go to reach my next goal of building up and learning more routines and other stuff. I don't think it hurts to start thinking of it while working my way up to being "qualified" enough.

But anyways, I have a few questions.

1. How did you get started in fitness training? I mean did you start off part time, did you quit your job, etc. were you bored with your current job?


2. How knowledgable and experienced were you? Of course to start off you must know more than the average person but did you know as much as an experienced trainer or sis that take time to build?

3. How did you start finding clients?

4. What are your hours like? Is it flexible for free time or are your weekends completely booked where you miss out on stuff your friends plan?

5. How much did u make starting out? I wouldn't mind anywhere from 30-40k.
Any other tips thanks!

Want the truth -- there are so many PT out there. If you look at any chain gym, you will see trainers come and go. The reason is sales quotas. You are a sales person first and a trainer second. Floor pay is minimum wage. Newer trainers may get leads from membership but a lot of members are sticker shock at the trainer rates and rather do his/her own thing or take classes. There are gyms that offer tons of classes so keep in mind you are not only competing against other trainers but you are competing against free group exercise classes.

There are also outside personal trainers that belong to the gym but doesn't work for the gym. There trainers will recruit members off the floor and sell them private training for less than the gym charges. Sometimes the gym picks up on outside trainers, training members for less and kick them out of the gym but most times the gym has no idea.

Please don't take my post as negative or be discouraged. You could end up at a gym like lifetime where the members have tons of money and the cost of training is nothing to them. Lifetime is one of the chain gyms that want trainers with experience.

My advice is train part time on weekends to get a feel of the gym environment before quitting your office job.

[TheProgressiveOne]

Hey Chelle,
I have a bunch of answers to help with these questions on my blog (http://ptprophet.com) but here are some more directly for you.

1. How did you get started in fitness training? I mean did you start off part time, did you quit your job, etc. were you bored with your current job?
Most trainers are in your position...doing a job they dislike and want to apply their passion into a career. They make the switch and if they're truly passionate, they will stay there.

2. How knowledgable and experienced were you? Of course to start off you must know more than the average person but did you know as much as an experienced trainer or sis that take time to build?

I recommend getting the basic certification first, then spending no less than 1 month of extra training per year in training. This could mean spending time reading books, attending conferences, reading blogs, spending time with clients, learning marketing, etc etc. THe quicker you grasp the concept of learning, the better you will ultimately become.

3. How did you start finding clients?
Plenty of ways to find clients, ********, Word of Mouth, Local Service businesses in your area, working on the gym floor, speaking at seminars, wearing a tshirt that says "im a trainer - call me for results" would work too!
Check out my blog for more.

4. What are your hours like? Is it flexible for free time or are your weekends completely booked where you miss out on stuff your friends plan?
These can be as much or as little as you like. When you put the right practices into place, you can work whatever hours you wish.
But to start, I would expect hours to be anywhere from 6am-10am and then 3pm-8pm. But it really depends who your target market is...?

5. How much did u make starting out? I wouldn't mind anywhere from 30-40k.
This is going to depend who you are and what kind of results you can get for clients.
I know trainers who are making upwards of $400 per session now after achieving some amazing results for their clients.

I hope this helps!

[yochilllllllll]

I am exploring options on a career change because I hate office jobs. So I thought if I'm into fitness maybe look into it. I still have a long way to go to reach my next goal of building up and learning more routines and other stuff. I don't think it hurts to start thinking of it while working my way up to being "qualified" enough.

But anyways, I have a few questions.

1. How did you get started in fitness training? I mean did you start off part time, did you quit your job, etc. were you bored with your current job?
been training for years, people always asked questions and i trained my boys so said fuk it let me get paid

2. How knowledgable and experienced were you? Of course to start off you must know more than the average person but did you know as much as an experienced trainer or sis that take time to build?
As far as powerlifting and hypertrophy far beyond my co-workers experience but when it comes down to corrective exercises I fall a bit short compared to NASM trainers.

3. How did you start finding clients?
this is the part that sucks being a trainer. Most gyms are commission only no floor hours after a certain period of time. You shold expect to do a LOT of prospecting and a LOT of cold calling before you build up a good client base.

4. What are your hours like? Is it flexible for free time or are your weekends completely booked where you miss out on stuff your friends plan?
M-T work few hours in the morning few hours around rush hour and ill stay into the night. Don't feel like I'm working as I workout and eat meals inbetween clients. Friday & Saturday off (by my own choice.) sunday is always a breeze

5. How much did u make starting out? I wouldn't mind anywhere from 30-40k.
Any other tips thanks!

20$ / session, bumped up to pay lvl 2 when you hit 25 sessions a week (30 each)

Salaries vary, its extremely slow in the summer.

[jack45]

I have recently launched my website which has really helped boost my audience so this is something I would definitely recommend. Also you have to be willing to put a lot of hours in and not just your conventional 9-5. This could be seeing clients at 530am through to 9am. a few hours break/ exercise classes whilst you wait for another client at 4-5pm when they finish work. As mention above though definitely get a t-shirt, business card, flyers, social media, everything.

Any more questions just drop me a message on my website Jack-Sutcliffe

[Mediterranea]

very good advice!

[ILoveTrance]

I have recently launched my website which has really helped boost my audience so this is something I would definitely recommend. Also you have to be willing to put a lot of hours in and not just your conventional 9-5. This could be seeing clients at 530am through to 9am. a few hours break/ exercise classes whilst you wait for another client at 4-5pm when they finish work. As mention above though definitely get a t-shirt, business card, flyers, social media, everything.

Any more questions just drop me a message on my website Jack-Sutcliffe

Do you mind to share your website? Im thinking about making one and id like to see some examples. Cheers