"Things You Need to Know Before You Become a Personal Trainer"
First Steps
So you want to become a Personal Trainer?
It's quite possible that fitness has been a part of your life for many years now. Maybe you are your own best, recent success story. Or, as in many cases, you are fed up with the "9am - 5pm" cubicle-dwelling lifestyle and are beginning to dream of change.
Many people look for ways to become a personal trainer every year.
We are here to paint the picture for you of a typical day in a Personal Trainer's life.
The Prerequisites
As a former fitness manager, I've found that the best personal trainers aren't always the ones with the most book smarts.
Initially, they are the men and women with a good combination of the following characteristics:
Exceptional Customer Service Skills
A True Passion for Helping People
An Ability to Communicate Effectively (or just hold an intelligent conversation)
Professionalism
Confidence
and a MOUTH (you have to talk!)
When looking for new fitness hires for our team, colleagues and I would search at local retail stores, searching out those employees displaying the best customer service skills.
We can teach someone who is passionate the science behind Personal Training and we can teach them sales techniques. We can't teach passion and personality.
I was a very quiet kid during my childhood and to this day I am still an incredibly observant person -- usually thinking before I speak.
Over the years I've been able to attack my fears and overcome my shyness on my way to developing a very successful Personal Training Business.
So, if you don't yet embody all of the characteristics listed above, not all hope is lost!
Yeah, Yeah, But What About the Hours?
This will depend on where you end up working. (Later in this guide, we will cover the pros and cons of all different types of fitness facilities). Most health club chains will encourage you as you become a Personal Trainer to work a mix of mornings, evenings, weekends, and even split shifts. This will put you in contact with more people, but can be taxing at the same time.
Most health clubs hold their full-time status at anything from 20 hours per week up to 40 hours per week.
We will help you find the fit that is best for you.
There are many Personal Trainers who fall into the trap of letting the gym run their lives.
IMPORTANT: This is the extreme.
I've seen lots of Personal Trainers make this all-day setup work for them. On the other hand, some of the most successful trainers I've seen have complete control of their schedules. For example, how would you like to work as a Personal Trainer from 8am - 4pm, Monday through Friday, with your nights and your weekends off? It is possible!
The Early Going
Whether you eventually decide to become a Personal Trainer in a health club or on your own, you are going to spend your initial days meeting as many people as you can.
Think of it as the in-club marketing portion of your business.
Too many Personal Trainers end up blending in with the walls as they seem to avoid conversations.
At a health club you will be asked to provide complimentary fitness orientations to many of the newer members.
This does not mean that you will be receiving "Personal Training" pay which is generally significantly higher than shift pay.
You may also be asked to clean fitness equipment, teach Group Exercise Classes, perform Fitness Assessments, and call new members to welcome them to the gym. The early stages are not all fun and games.
Clients do not just fall into your lap
In many cases, you may only be making $7/hour during your shift. At 20 - 40 hours/week that translates to $140 - $280 per week (This is prior to securing a consistent client base...not to scare you away).
In Chapter #3 we will teach you how to prepare a budget and plan around this initial lack of money. We will also be looking at the average personal trainer salary in various regions of the country.
Middle Ground
As you gain more experience and with that, hopefully more clients, the day to day setup will change slightly.
Although, if you are in a health club setting, you may have more time dedicated to designing fitness programs and tracking your Personal Training clients' progress, you may still have certain shift responsibilities.
What is important to note about this is that you are still guaranteed a certain amount of shift pay while you do receive higher commissions for the time spent in Personal Training sessions.
When we arrive at the Business Planning portion of this guide, we will look at when your Personal Training revenues begin to exceed your shift pay totals (an exciting point for those climbing that fitness ladder).
Become a Personal Trainer: Master Trainer
There will be a time in either the health club setting or in your own Personal Training Business where you reach a comfort level, at least financially.
At this point, the focus of the Personal Trainer usually shifts to the continued progress of their existing client base.
To reach this elite level, specific personal trainer requirements often must be met. Depending on the organization, these may include continuing education credits, recertification, specialty certification, or superb feedback on supervisor reviews of your work. Often, and rightly so, this progression is looked upon as a privilege and not a right.
The Master Trainer has most likely earned a raise in commission per session, enough that the regularly scheduled shift is no longer a requirement. This is not to say that a Personal Trainer of this status shouldn't hold the same values and team spirit that was hopefully expressed through their growth and progression.
Your Commitment to Become a Personal Trainer
It took me years to decide that I wanted to become a Personal Trainer and then that I wanted a business of my own.
However, I don't regret any of the years that I've spent Personally Training in the health club setting.
I have gained valuable knowledge of Personally Training, multi-site management, bookkeeping, program design, facility management, sales and communications skills from fortunately having so many great mentors around me. Had I tried to start my own Personal Training business years ago without this knowledge I can't say for sure that it would have been a success.
Can you do without the spreadsheets, revenue reports, billing, and bookkeeping? Then it may be best to go the route of working for a Personal Training business owner in a studio or health club. If you want to become a Personal Trainer and you also want some of that extra responsibility and income, looking toward ownership may be the way to go. We will explore these options more thoroughly in Chapter #3 and Chapter #4.
Chapter #1: Become a Personal Trainer Directory
Personal Trainer Requirements - Your list of "must haves" with a look at degrees, certifications, education, personality and more. Find out if you've got what it takes.
Personal Trainer Job Description - Do you want a better idea of what to expect when you're on the job? Our unique way of looking at job descriptions can give you an edge on your competition.
Personal Trainer Job Outlook - Is all of this hard work and education going to be worth it? Take a closer look at the state of the industry and what the future holds.
Average Personal Trainer Salary - It's what everyone entering the fitness industry wants to know. Learn about financial promise for your area of the country.
Personal Training Cost - Earning your certification or degree takes more than just time and effort. Learn about the costs associated with becoming a Personal Trainer.
Personal Trainer Course - A popular addition for many of our Personal Training students. You've got the textbook knowledge. Now learn how to communicate that knowledge effectively to grow your business to new heights.
Thank you for visiting My-Personal-Trainer-School.com. As a health professional for much of the last decade, I understand the ups and downs of the fitness industry and the successes and frustrations that many of you have.
It's been a wonderful ride and if I could do it all over again, I would -- but with one definite change. I would have started my personal training website much earlier on in my career.
Having a presence on the web has opened my eyes to forms of monetization that I never would have realized, opportunites for joint ventures with health and business professionals around the world, and taken my overall fitness business to new levels of success.
You probably want to become a personal trainer so you can help change and save lives, but the ugly truth is that you won't be helping very many people unless you understand the sales process.
Our eBook outlines the most important elements of your sales presentation and how you'll be able to help more people doing what you love with only a few minor adjustments.
As personal trainers, we are most comfortable on the fitness floor, but to get there we have to wow our potential employers during the interview process.
If preparing for an interview makes you nervous and you want an edge on the competition, this is a must read.
