Personal Trainers----Help me out please.

[roidog420]

Appearance will get you in the door sometimes, but if you don't know what you're talking about, you'll lose every intelligent client you have to a organized, experienced trainer. And your rep will grow......the wrong way.....

Well I do have the appearance thing down, and I am good with people since I have been a bartender most of my life. I have been training for about 15 years now & its the only thing that I have ever really had any passion for(as it relates to a possible career)so I feel that I would be good at it. How did you get certified? I.e., over the net? Did you have to travel somewhere to do it? Just curious & thanks you've been helpfull!

 

[gymnpoppa]

Just go to the websites, and register for exams, study anatomy, and the study material for the exams. They probably list the test sites in your area on the web, Continously educate yourself, stay up to date on training techniques, but always stay with the basics, and the nutrition.

NSCA.....National Strength and Conditioning Association....located in Nebraska at the Cornhusker's school.

NFPT.....National Federation of Personal Trainers......

 

[bignate73]

go for nationally recognized certs

nsca
nasm
issa
ace
if youre in oklahoma, rts.

get on at a chain gym to learn the business and build your style. realistically it will get you in the door. you can then decide to work "on the side" at other gyms. the benefit of working a chain gym is that you will get hourly wage at least and also they will feed you some clients to get you started. if you just try to break into the business and work freelance or gym to gym, you will get eaten up by the trainers already established. gyms that let you freelance will charge you a rent fee or a per session fee to train in their gym. best to get a following or at least a name before you make the leap and to be honest, you have to learn your style and people skills first.

im at a chain gym, ive learned the ropes, could train on the side but for now i choose not to because promotions are coming quick and i could easily be over the $60,000 mark very soon. but for now, im really not in that range because the chain gyms will take a large percentage of the hourly session rate.

 

[gymnpoppa]

Bignate

How long have you been at it? Personal training?

 

[roidog420]

go for nationally recognized certs

nsca
nasm
issa
ace
if youre in oklahoma, rts.

get on at a chain gym to learn the business and build your style. realistically it will get you in the door. you can then decide to work "on the side" at other gyms. the benefit of working a chain gym is that you will get hourly wage at least and also they will feed you some clients to get you started. if you just try to break into the business and work freelance or gym to gym, you will get eaten up by the trainers already established. gyms that let you freelance will charge you a rent fee or a per session fee to train in their gym. best to get a following or at least a name before you make the leap and to be honest, you have to learn your style and people skills first.

im at a chain gym, ive learned the ropes, could train on the side but for now i choose not to because promotions are coming quick and i could easily be over the $60,000 mark very soon. but for now, im really not in that range because the chain gyms will take a large percentage of the hourly session rate.

What is a typical hourly rate & what percentage would a gym take? Thanks. You guys know your shit.

 

[gymnpoppa]

For

24Hr fitness, I think it's according to how many certs you have.....of course you have to complete their cert course, which can't be used outside their gym, or it isn't recognized outside 24Hr gyms.....like 20 per hour, but they charge 55 per hour....and it goes up in percent with the certs you have up to 65% I believe. Most small gyms take about 300-400 per month, unless you work some desk shifts as a tradeout......a good rate of picking up clients would be about 3 per month for the first 12 months......Of course you probably won't keep all of them, but if you try to reach those goals, you'll be getting off to a great start financially. I've been at this about 10 years....before it was really a big deal.

Bnate had a good suggestion, get your feet wet with a chain, I'd probably go with a small gym first, because they will work with you more, and you can make more of what you keep normally......

 

[roidog420]

Re: For

24Hr fitness, I think it's according to how many certs you have.....of course you have to complete their cert course, which can't be used outside their gym, or it isn't recognized outside 24Hr gyms.....like 20 per hour, but they charge 55 per hour....and it goes up in percent with the certs you have up to 65% I believe. Most small gyms take about 300-400 per month, unless you work some desk shifts as a tradeout......a good rate of picking up clients would be about 3 per month for the first 12 months......Of course you probably won't keep all of them, but if you try to reach those goals, you'll be getting off to a great start financially. I've been at this about 10 years....before it was really a big deal.

So basically it sounds like a good idea to work for a gym for awhile to establish a presence there, as well as a decent client base, then move on the paying the same gym rent. So if you are on your own then, you would charge the same price the gym charges?? $55/hour?

 

[gymnpoppa]

UH

It depends on the gym, and how you train your clients. Scrutinize all contracts you sign with any gym as a trainer, in case you outgrow them, and want to take your clients to another gym. as for the hourly rates, it depends on the location, clients. See what the going rate is for the elite type trainers, then the norm type trainers. People are weird, if you go too low (40 or below), they tend to think you aren't experienced. Go higher (55 is normal here), and they pay, go figure. I usually get well off referrals, or athletes, so they can afford whatever.

 

[The Shadow]

Well...

Ok, so how do you go from being paid $7/hr by the gym to making $60000/year? It almost seems like you would have to build up a clientelle & then quit your job at the gym since if you work for the gym & use their facility to train, then they get the money. I dont have a friggin clue(obviously right) to how the process works.

Make the gym a deal where they will allow you to train your clients there. In return, the clients will purchase a one-year membership. DO NOt split you profits at them. Most gyms will jump at the chance to lock someone in for a year at a time. I work in a VERY small town and I usually average about $50 an hour, depending on what the client wants.

 

[roidog420]

Re: Well...

Make the gym a deal where they will allow you to train your clients there. In return, the clients will purchase a one-year membership. DO NOt split you profits at them. Most gyms will jump at the chance to lock someone in for a year at a time. I work in a VERY small town and I usually average about $50 an hour, depending on what the client wants.

Thanks Corn. Nice to hear from you again!