Personal Training

[Phills14]

My wife is on a workout kick and she's doing great at it. She really enjoys it and is starting to talk about becoming a personal trainer. She's been a stay at home mom for the last 10 years and now that the kids are almost all in school she's looking ahead at a career that she can take on that will allow her some schedule flexibility.

She's found a 6 month program that teaches her everything she needs to know (work out techniques, diet, motivation, running a personal training business, etc). After she finishes the class she has to take a state exam to be a licensed personal trainer.

Anyone work in the industry? Can anyone clue me into what she can expect? Are jobs available at gyms? Are there a lot of night and weekend times or can she realistically make a solid business out of working mostly between 9 and 3 m-f with a few jobs on nights and weekends? What are the common rates for a 1 hr personal training session and how much of that does she have to give to the gyms?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

@Nicky could probably help ya

 

[Nicky]

Which certification program is she taking? (with who: ACE, ISSA, NASM, ACSM)?

Getting a personal training job is a bit tricky. You will find that most people do their training with a trainer after 5pm (that's when they're the busiest). The personal training hours is split like this at my gym (8am-12pm then they're not back in until 4pm-8pm). If this is a paying member, they make exceptions and will sometimes come in as early as 5am if that's what a client needs.

Most trainers are off on Sundays- again- unless the client pays them to come in. Payments range upon the package that member wants. If you want 2x a week, it can be as low as $25 or as much as $40 (per session). The bad thing is the gym takes all of it and then kicks a percentage to the trainer. -- They do not make a lot of money.

Cancellations are very, very common. You find that people think they want someone to help them out, but then after a couple of sessions, the pace is too much for them.

It's a field that you absolutely have to love and have patience to deal with the snarky "I think I know better than this trainer" person(s) that you're bound to encounter.

A lot of trainers have second jobs, because of the uncertain paycheck. It's a grind type of job.

 

[Phills14]

This is the program she is looking into. She will attend the open house soon to get more info
http://www.nptiohio.edu/


Really personal training to her is more of a lifestyle than a money maker. It'd be great if she can pull in some money but it's not necessary for us to survive.

 

[SixPACK]

Yeah, Nicky is the best go around for advice on here.

All I can really throw into the bunch is my girlfriends, sisters fiance is a personal trainer and he works an on-and-off schedule. He will have clients from 7-11am, off a couple/few hours, then back for more clients anywhere from 2-9. Mainly M-F, but he will have his occasional Saturdays/Sundays that I believe he charges extra for.

When he isn't training them, he is making the schedules for the next day(s) for each individual person/class he teaches.

He also is one of those distributors for Advocare products (Spark, Rehydrate, etc..) So many people are so health conscious now-a-days that they will take any sort of supplement. That is literally his side job. Doesn't work any other jobs. He has been building his base for quite a while and actually makes pretty decent money for doing absolutely nothing. If your wife can get into one of those Advocare programs, Beachbody coach, ItWorks! person, and she has a lot of friends/family/acquaintances, could be even extra side cash. It is quite annoying seeing my friends who do it post all those fishhook statuses all the time, but one of them is a Beachbody coach and makes 6 figures/year. Put in the effort and you will see the reward.

Good luck. Maybe she can create her own workout DVD's "Pilates w/Phills: 14 moves, 14lbs., 14 weeks™"

 

[Phills14]

Good luck. Maybe she can create her own workout DVD's "Pilates w/Phills: 14 moves, 14lbs., 14 weeks™"

If you're not in a marketing job, you should be

 

[Phills14]

@Nicky any thoughts?

 

[The Oi]

@cdt

Where do you live @Phills14? I work with a lot of gyms.

 

[Phills14]

Chardon

 

[The Oi]

Chardon

@cdt is most definitely your guy.

 

[Surge]

Sarasota

 

[The Oi]

Sarasota

Stfu

 

[Huber.]

I give up