Starting a personal training business . . . got any name ideas?

[The Process God]

So I'm seeking to start a personal training business, and I'm currently brainstorming on what to name it. I want the name to be something cool and memorable. I'm also considering relating it to somehow excelling, using words like "excel, exceed, beyond, epitome, pinnacle, peak, top, ultimate, etc."

Also, if you don't have a good name, at least helping me grow my descriptive word base would be good. What I mean are words that describe what the business is. For example: fitness (most common and trying to avoid), performance (like), athletics (also like), training, etc.) Helping me expand what words I could use to describe my business would help.

Two words or less is desirable, but two words is most likely. One word to make it memorable. Another one to describe what the business is.

If the business name can be remade into a cool slogan, like "Excelling in performance: excel performance," or something like that, that's a good idea.

I also like ancient Greek, Hebrew, and Latin words since i went to seminary, so things like "*insert word of another language here* Performance" could be used.

I also like animals, particularly mythical ones. I thought of "Chimera Performance," but it was taken. "Phoenix Fitness," "Phoenix Athletics," and "Phoenix Performance" are all taken, it seems (I'll have to look more into that).

Hardcore words like "Unchained" and "unleashed" are welcome as well. My training style is more hardcore with lots of free weights, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, HIIT, and I also might want to use this business name to head an athletic performance center that works with elite level athletes, which is my ultimate goal.

'm looking at schools for my MS in Exercise Science/Strength and Conditioning right now, grabbing certifications left and right (CSCS, FMS, USAW, etc.), and I am networking with NSCA members to get ready for that jump over these next few years into the world of strength and conditioning.

No, I won't use my name in the company title.

Don't make me regret saying this, but thanks in advance.

Any advice on how to start a business is welcome as well. I'm going to maintain a full-time job while I do this business unless this business takes off. Otherwise, it's just something I'm doing on the side to bring in some extra cash and build experience.

 

[FiveThous]

ITrainUGain, but seriously what about something like like true performance?

Verum Performance
Verum Training

 

[DCunleaded]

What are you offering? Only in-person training, or online programming/diet/etc? What other experience/etc do you have to set you apart from every other PT in FA God town? Are you planning on using a gym, or having your own place? Gimme some deets, dude

(FTR my side gig is a Peer Fitness Trainer for the 1400 person FD where I have worked the past ten years. 40 yo FF with some decent strength #s, and stays active living here in FLA. I didn't want you to think I was trolling or anything.)

Veritas S & C sounds cool.

 

[The Oi]

I have 100+ gyms (And also mma studios, wrestling clubs, etc) as clients because I lease them their equipment or startup finance. I know the business well, but it depends on what you're looking to do as far as what advice I'd offer.

Are you looking to set up your own brick and mortar or contract with other gyms to be their in house trainer?

 

[kookoo]

HIIT FIIT
But the I's are dumb bells in the logo.

 

[The Process God]

What are you offering? Only in-person training, or online programming/diet/etc? What other experience/etc do you have to set you apart from every other PT in FA God town? Are you planning on using a gym, or having your own place? Gimme some deets, dude

(FTR my side gig is a Peer Fitness Trainer for the 1400 person FD where I have worked the past ten years. 40 yo FF with some decent strength #s, and stays active living here in FLA. I didn't want you to think I was trolling or anything.)

Veritas S & C sounds cool.

I'm initially offering in-person training only, but I want to quickly add online training as well as both in person and online programming and nutrition consultation. I work in Seattle, which is FUCKING LOADED with trainers. The Seattle area is very hipster/green, where everyone is into fitness, organic stuff, recycling, you name it. So naturally people capitalize on being a personal trainer here. My specialties in training are strength, power, weight loss, and hypertrophy, and I'm currently working on becoming an expert in corrective exercise, PREhab, and speed and agility.

I've been training individuals in their homes since 2012 somewhat illegally since I've never opened up a business for tax purposes. It just never made sense to since I originally started training people I met from when I worked at GNC. I would train maybe 5-10 hours a week. I could never put more time into it because I was working 30ish hours a week at GNC until 6/2014 on top of full-time Seminary (MDiv). I moved to Seattle after I lost my job at GNC over a bullshit reason (won unemployment because they fired me for violating a policy I never was shown in written or told orally).

Once I arrived in Seattle, I had gotten a job at a local gym that paid 100% commission. I averaged literally $3.50 an hour there, and they were demanding that I come in to meet my quota, but I told them I wasn't coming in until they made up for at least minimum wage ($11 an hour in Seattle). They acted like I was in the wrong and also fired me, which is how things had to happen if I were to continue getting unemployment from when I worked at GNC; I had to get fired from that job, and not just fired, but fired unjustly, which I was, instead of quitting because, if I had quit, I would've lost my unemployment. Now I want to open up an actual business that has the chance of becoming something bigger, so being legit is important. I had just finished my third interview for a management position at a Super Supplements, which is owned by Vitamin Shoppe, so hopefully I can use that as my main source of income while I get this up and running.

Other details about me: I have my BS in Exercise Science. I'm actually only CPR/AED and USAW Sports Performance Coach Level 1 in terms of certifications right now, but I'm currently studying for my CSCS right now (taking the test Nov. 6th), and I have bought my Functional Movement Screen home-study course package too, so I will get that by February at the latest. The CSCS, in my opinion, is the best training cert out there because of the quality of the NSCA's education and requirements. So, in two months, I'd say a trainer with a BS in Exercise Science, CSCS, and USAW is in the upper tier of at least education when it comes to personal trainers. Most trainers I see have no degree in a related field and have something like NASM, ACE, etc., all of which are much easier to get than the CSCS.

I'm planning on continuing my education pretty extensively, and I've got it pretty well laid out: I want my MS in Strength and Conditioning from Edith Cowan University, and the program for that is headed by the president of the NSCA, Greg Haff, so you know it's a super legit program and not just another MS in Exercise Science. It's an online program, which makes my life much easier, but I do have to travel to Australia for 2 weeks for a practicum. This is what will really catapult me into being able to work with elite athletes like I've always wanted to. Nick Winkelman, who runs the NFL combine, got his MS in S&C online from here, which is also a good sign. I'd like to eventually get my PhD in something Exercise Science related as well. I saw a professor get their PhD in Strength and Power from Edith Cowan University as well, so that might be an option as well.

I'm also planning on getting certified in a lot of things: National Association of Speed and Explosiveness (NASE), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES from NASM), CISSN (Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition), Barefoot Training Specialist (saw a presentation at a conference on barefoot training, and I want this now), just to name a few. I love continuing my education, and plus getting more certs completes my CEUs needed for other certs, which is nice. I figure I can get 3-4 certs a year.

I plan on being an independent contractor with local gyms, renting their gym space from them.

And Veritas S&C is already taken! Just watched a youtube video on it. Although I do like S&C at the end.

I have 100+ gyms (And also mma studios, wrestling clubs, etc) as clients because I lease them their equipment or startup finance. I know the business well, but it depends on what you're looking to do as far as what advice I'd offer.

Are you looking to set up your own brick and mortar or contract with other gyms to be their in house trainer?

I don't know what you mean by "in-house trainer" when you mention it with the words "contractor" because, from my understanding, an in-house trainer is an employee, like a trainer at a 24-hour, Gold's gym, etc. I am just planning on being an independent contractor with gyms. I absolutely do not want to work for another gym as an employee ever again unless it has a pretty good base salary. I won't allow a gym to tell me how I can or can't train my clients. If a gym wants to feed me clients, yet still pay me like I brought in the client myself, then fine, but I'm not going to allow a gym to have me wrapped around their little finger ever again.

I'm a personal trainer who is heavily influenced by strength and conditioning, so that makes me a high maintenance trainer in that I prefer training in a well-equipped gym. I don't need a crazy amount of stuff, but I definitely need benches, squat racks, and lots of barbells, dumbbells, and plates on top of the normal machines like 45 degree leg press, hack squat, double cables, etc. In Seattle, tons of gyms have this stuff and can rent out space, so I'm lucky there. I haven't contacted anyone, but, from what I've been told, I'll have no problem finding what I'm looking for.

I might be moving to Redmond, WA, depending on whether or not I get this job, and Redmond is FUCKING RICH. Average house cost is $468,000, and thousands within the city work for Microsoft because it's where their HQ is located. If I train there, I'd be golden. However, the cost of living there is worse than inner city Seattle because it's considered the nice, rich part of the Seattle area.

This new job, if I get it, will pull in anywhere from 43k to 57k depending on how negotiations (if there are any) play out for 45+ hours of work per week. If I can put 10 hours per week into my training business and bring in 15k per year off of it, I'll be pretty happy. I don't care much about the money. I just want to love the hell out of what I'm doing and be able to put my heart towards something with my all and do well at it. Also, with me having my MDiv and originally having planned on actually being a pastor, I have felt called to serve as a spiritual mentor to athletes, so I want to not only be athletes' S&C coach, but also a mentor in life to them, building that rapport and trust so that I can speak wisdom and the gospel into their lives.

Anyhow, I really want to make it in the field of S&C as a S&C coach, so I want to be able to take this alleged company and turn it into a S&C company if possible.

Sorry for the book, guys, but you two are asking me details about my dreams, so of course I'm doing to spill the beans!

Keep the names coming, guys!

 

[Hurl Bruce]

Pump Pro
Max Power
Master Blaster
Pain and Gain
Real Training Fans

 

[Adam]

Whatever you do take a look at the bodycoach and his business model, he's managed to really leverage social media and create a scalable business plan

 

[Otsego Mar]

Only train the hottest chicks. Try to bang all of them.

Jizz 4 U Training
Protein In You Training
I Train You Bang
Bang Me I'm A Trainer LLC

 

[The Process God]

Whatever you do take a look at the bodycoach and his business model, he's managed to really leverage social media and create a scalable business plan

What does he do exactly? I've definitely been thinking about how I would use social media to build my business. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages; regular posting, those multiple videos in one instagram post of people working out and stuff.

And back to the topic at hand, the more I think about it, the more I want to end my company's name in "Strength and Conditioning."

I really like the name, Phoenix Strength and Conditioning because it's fucking sweet and also because I like the Christian theme behind the phoenix in that it is reborn (even though the phoenix itself isn't from Christianity), but it's already taken by some company in Ireland. It's fucking amazing how many fitness companies there are out there.

 

[The Process God]

Ok, so the phrase, Iron Phoenix, is not taken, and i like it because it has phoenix in it, and Iron is directly related to what I love doing, which is weightlifting, so the two go together.

What about some of these:

"Iron Phoenix Strength and Conditioning/Iron Phoenix S&C"
"Iron Phoenix Athletics" (IPA . . . lol)
"Iron Phoenix Performance"
"Iron Phoenix Performance Systems"
"Iron Phoenix Athletic Performance"
"Iron Phoenix Performance Enhancement"

I want to avoid the words, "Fitness," or "Personal Training" because those are really more so for the general population, so they don't translate well if I were to, say, make this gym an athlete's gym only. However, I've seen plenty of gyms use strength and conditioning, athletics, performance, etc., in BOTH contexts of average joes being the main clients AND athletes being the main clients. So, if I were to convert over to working with athletes only, keywords "S&C," "Athletics," and "Performance, etc., would work better, IMO.

I'm really leaning towards using "*Insert Adjective/word here* Phoenix Strength and Conditioning" or "*Insert Adjective/word here* Phoenix Athletics" as my company name.

If you guys could help me come up with some adjectives to put up before Phoenix, that'd be cool.

_______ Phoenix Strength and Conditioning

 

[The Oi]

Meaning you'd contract with the gyms and they'd present you as their in-house trainer. I wasn't referring to it from an employment/contracting standpoint. If you're creating your own llc/corp or being a sole prop with a DBA, by definition you are a contractor with them.

I might suggest backing off of the "spreading the gospel" through exercise, if you're working for other gyms. I could see that pissing off gym owners in a hurry if it doesn't match their belief systems and I could also see it turning off members who would otherwise be on board with your style. I'm not a religious

If you're going to do the online thing or own your own gym/studio, by all means. Perhaps that's your calling. It would set you apart from competition and there may very well be a market for people who go to gyms for a religious/exercise experience. Perhaps you could bring in Dana Carvey to do his church lady bit and tell people to exERciiiiiise the demonnnns, as a highly advertised publicity stunt.

Maybe you should attend some Conservatives of Seattle meetings and recruit there.

 

[The Process God]

Meaning you'd contract with the gyms and they'd present you as their in-house trainer. I wasn't referring to it from an employment/contracting standpoint. If you're creating your own llc/corp or being a sole prop with a DBA, by definition you are a contractor with them.

I might suggest backing off of the "spreading the gospel" through exercise, if you're working for other gyms. I could see that pissing off gym owners in a hurry if it doesn't match their belief systems and I could also see it turning off members who would otherwise be on board with your style. I'm not a religious

If you're going to do the online thing or own your own gym/studio, by all means. Perhaps that's your calling. It would set you apart from competition and there may very well be a market for people who go to gyms for a religious/exercise experience. Perhaps you could bring in Dana Carvey to do his church lady bit and tell people to exERciiiiiise the demonnnns, as a highly advertised publicity stunt.

Maybe you should attend some Conservatives of Seattle meetings and recruit there.

Ok I get what you mean now by independent contractor. So how does the relationship tend to work between gym owner and independent contractor trainer usually? I've never done it before.

Also, I don't really express my faith in a shove-it-down-your-throat way (not that you're saying that). It's really more about being such a positive influence in someone's life that they wonder what the source of that light is. I build rapport with that person, and I gently bring up God if I feel like it's the right time. It's not something I plan on advertising heavily unless I sense it will help me. For example, if I recruit at a church, that would be a good idea to mention that I'm a Christian trainer. I'd never bring up religion to a potential client or client if it would offset them, and, if it did, I'd drop it. I'm more about helping others through action than words, but I do use words when I sense the situation I sense that they're susceptible to it.

But again, I really want to work with athletes--mostly young men--who are still growing as individuals both physically and spiritually. It's not supposed to be the main topic of this thread, but I understand your point. I'm always careful to measure susceptibility. It's what I learned in my seminary education. I'd never let it get in the way of my job or even come close to jeopardizing it.

However, if I did end up opening up my own facility, I might consider being openly Christian-based. I could see people and parents dishing out money to send their kids to a strength and conditioning coach that knows his stuff and is a positive influence on their children's lives. Or I might just not necessarily advertise it, but I might instead just bring it up when the time is right, once again. But I digress. Back to the naming! lol

 

[Nicky]

We have a trainer/nutrition expert in our gym who is contracted through the company. She can come and go as she pleases. Not an offical employee of the gym, but she gets paid more than the trainers that we have here (I believe). She has a key to our facility which I think is a big NO NO. We've had issues with her openin the gym because she's not an employee of the gym, so if someone gets injured, it's a bad scene for the company.

Opening up a purely Christian based business is a touchy area, as you are going to ailenate possible members. You want to be all inclusive (espeically in the beginning). Social Media is very important to your business. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Short clips of your workouts and tips, nutrition facts, etc. You keep the people interested and wanting to learn more from you.

 

[I LOVE YOU ABBY]

Washington Redskins Athletics