Yo glad, so I skimmed most of this thread and what these good people are trying to tell you is absolutely true. This job is about sales. Your job is to talk to people and convince them, that they need to give you their money, if they want to reach their goals. I've been training clients for 6 months now, and am just now started to really figure it out and realize the right things to say, and the wrong.
I have a build very similar to yours, 5 10 190, 9% bf (measured today) While your body is a great selling point it, unless you have the personal skills to match, you are not going to make a penny.
The majority of your clients will be middle aged men and women, people that are new to the gym and are just looking to get in better shape, they aren't looking to have a build of a bodybuilder and don't really care about strength. They just want to be healthy and have an improved quality of life. Also, the majority will need some type of special consideration, due to injury, age, similar to the case BM mentioned. Not to say you won't get some attractive young girls, or guys looking to bulk, but those clients are few and far between, and usually don't have the financial backing to stick with you for very long.
I have the ACSM cert, and I don't think it prepares you at all for the real world of training. Sure, it teaches you some basics of exercise, but this job is very little about the actual exercise. This job is about sales, and marketing. Remember that. Like the others have said, your cert doesn't matter at all, what matters is what your clients think of you.
I figure, if I am able to talk people out of their money, to put the time/pain/sweat/ work in, then I will have the sales skills to sell anything.
When it comes to the training, I will agree with you and Bino, it isn't difficult. 90% of the clients you train will be novices, anything you do to get them moving and off the couch will get them making progress. The tricky part comes from adapting to the individuals needs/wants/expectations and creating a safe and fun environment for them. Some people want a motivations to push them, some people want a friend to hold their hand. You need to be able to play both roles.
Their is however, quite a bit of satisfaction when you see a client that is making leaps and bounds in the right direction. As well as a decent amount of money if you are a good salesman.
PRO's of the job:
-Set your own hours,
-responsible for yourself, and no one else.
-$$$ can be made if you have the skills, live in the right area, work hard.
- free gym membership.
-feels good when clients are succeeding.
Cons -
-you have to sell it.
-you have to do lots of programing, which takes time that you won't be payed for.
-you have to market yourself and must alway be networking - which you don't get payed for.
- Tax benefits
-You can't let your body slide.
-You have to do a bunch of CEC's every year to keep your certification.
-The eyes of everyone in the gym watching you as you train a client, or workout. Judging you along the way.
-Zero job security/benefits.
I'm sure their is a lot more on both sides, but my brain hurts and I don't want to type anymore.
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