"Personal Trainer Career Advancement"

Personal Trainer Career Advancement: Climbing the Ladder

Personal Trainer Career Advancement: In my years of Personal Training, coaching, and teaching experience, I have found that most people do not envision being Personal Trainers up through their retirement. Many decide to add additional certifications, degrees, or take on other business ventures that allow them to form their own unique path to success.

In this section we will take a look at the career progressions associated with beginning your Personal Training career in a Fitness Studio.

Step #1: Personal Trainer Career Advancement

Career progression in the fitness studio environment can happen quickly. Since you may find yourself in a supervisory role eventually, it is a good idea to get some "in the trenches" experience.

Many of us join the fitness industry to help people change the quality of their lives. It is important to gather an understanding of the successes and concerns of the Personal Trainers you may someday be leading as well as the desires of the clients that will be walking through your door.

At the beginning of my fitness career, I jumped into managerial roles rather quickly and did not give myself enough time to enjoy helping people directly as a Personal Trainer. Thankfully, I now have my hand in many cookie jars and am able to work one-on-one and in group settings with many clients.

Step #2: Personal Trainer Career Advancement - Management

A normal progression for many Personal Trainers in a studio setting is to take on the role of General Manager. This position will allow you to gather valuable experience in several areas:

• Communication - with your supervisor, employees, clients, and potential customers
• Organization - of files, records, expenses, schedules, and your life
• Education - of your employees and of yourself with new responsibilities
• Time Management - for a productive workday and balance between your personal and professional life

Benefits of Management

There are several benefits to becoming a General Manager. Your base salary should increase because of the increase in responsibility related to your job description. This should make your future financial goals more easily attainable.

General Management skills transcend industries. This means that should you leave fitness for any reason, your newly acquired skills will correlate to other offices, organizations, and businesses.

Most General Managers of fitness studios are still able to personally train clients, which means you won't be stuck behind a desk all day!

Your days should never be "boring" as you may be Personally Training, teaching your employees, networking within the community, presenting your facility to potential customers, coordinating facility maintenance, and reporting to your supervisor or business owner.

Step #3: Personal Trainer Career Advancement - Ownership

Several successful Personal Training Studio companies offer the option of purchasing your own franchise.

IMPORTANT: This is different than a "mom and pop" fitness studio, although some key principles may still apply.

If you have started your career with that company as a Personal Trainer and have worked your way up the ladder, you are well ahead of the game. Your knowledge of the industry, customer service, and the mission and vision of the company should lend well to your success.

As a business owner, you may still hold some of the responsibilities of the General Manager, but your primary responsibility is going to be the promotion of your business within the community. You will most likely find yourself sponsoring and attending:

• Local Youth Sporting events
• Chamber of Commerce meetings
• Community Health Fairs
• Local High School and College/University events
• among other events and meetings

You will also be responsible for maintaining the vision of the company. The employees of the corporate division are your support network and exist to assist you in ensuring your personal and professional success.

Ideally, you will hire men and women who will be able to manage your fitness studio activities effectively, so that you may concentrate on driving traffic towards your studio door or focus on expansion to new locations.

Continue to: Personal Trainer Career Comparison