How many of you make a living off personal training?

[Simpllyhuge]

How about membership services at a gym? What type of credentials are needed for a position like this?

If you mean signing people up, At
NYSC none. They used to make good money but now I doubt many people are signing up. If you are in Manhatten, it's probably easier.

 

[ROCKEDUP]

Don't think you need much in regards for membership services. Often they have a sales background, but looking the part wouldn't hurt either. I train and believe more in practical experience, but continuing education in this field is huge. On top of a 4 year degree I am:
NSCA-CPT, CSCS
NASM PES, CES
PTAGlobal Certified trainer
Precision Nutriton Coach
And in progress CISSN,
But non of these have any merit to clientele unless you can get results. Experience and trail & error has trumped my education::tar-wars

Respectable credentials.

 

[Simpllyhuge]

There seems to be a lot of money is crossfit type gyms, if you believe in that.

 

[Kaladryn]

I have been personal training for 20 years. I have been a good personal trainer for about 10. It takes that long to get good. The number one thing is you have to be safe. You have to know as much about injuries as a physical therapist. As stated above, you have to give the client what they want, this does not always mean hard workouts or even getting in shape. You have to be able to work with young 'bodybuilders' just as well as 85 year old women. Again, you have to be safe, this is by far number one. You will never make money in corporate gyms. You have to not bullshit your clients. You have to be able to train doctors with enough knowledge to know what you don't know. You have to know how to work around injuries that can't be fixed. There is no certification that will even teach you 1% of what you need to know. Only a lifelong passion for fitness and constant learning about your own body will bring you even close to the knowledge you need to be a good trainer, then on top of that you need thousands and thousands of hours of experience working with people. You have to be a naturally good communicator, and you have to hone your communication skills to an extreme level. Good trainers are one of the rarest things in any profession, and if you are truly GOOD, you will have no problem gaining the clientele you need. You also have to be a natural leader. You will hit a hard cap to the amount of money you can make because you only have so many hours to invest, and can only charge so much.

Probably easier to become a hedge fund manager and make millions of dollars...

 

[musclehead33]

My son is a personal trainer.and I am not certified he is.but everyone wants us to train them and we look like bodybuilders.lol.now don't get me wrong if this is true for you like it is us you will have your fair share of haters.but we all know haters gonna hate.people actually come up to us and ask to be trained and it's hard because the trainers where we train at don't like it.so we have to take them to our buddies gyms and train them and the variety of equipment is not so good.that is the hard part.gyms need to figure this out and let people freelance and make a little extra money.just make sure the freelancers have their own insurance.

 

[Simpllyhuge]

Muscle head is that you in your avatar? If so you look to young to have a son.

 

[Cornelius]

I own a gym, doing online coaching and in person PT work.
PT by it self would not make me more than a few hundred $ per week because I simply refuse to work with most people.

 

[myosin]

caveat...

Something to keep in mind... all the extraneous costs that you will probably have to pay... not being pessimistic, just helping to see the whole picture.

Depending on the gym and the benefits they offer (which I believe is not much) you will have to pay for...
- Federal and State tax
- SS tax
- medical insurance
- retirement account

Granted, much of what you earn is otherwise cash so it's up to you what you claim.

 

[animal eater]

I have been personal training for 20 years. I have been a good personal trainer for about 10. It takes that long to get good. The number one thing is you have to be safe. You have to know as much about injuries as a physical therapist. As stated above, you have to give the client what they want, this does not always mean hard workouts or even getting in shape. You have to be able to work with young 'bodybuilders' just as well as 85 year old women. Again, you have to be safe, this is by far number one. You will never make money in corporate gyms. You have to not bullshit your clients. You have to be able to train doctors with enough knowledge to know what you don't know. You have to know how to work around injuries that can't be fixed. There is no certification that will even teach you 1% of what you need to know. Only a lifelong passion for fitness and constant learning about your own body will bring you even close to the knowledge you need to be a good trainer, then on top of that you need thousands and thousands of hours of experience working with people. You have to be a naturally good communicator, and you have to hone your communication skills to an extreme level. Good trainers are one of the rarest things in any profession, and if you are truly GOOD, you will have no problem gaining the clientele you need. You also have to be a natural leader. You will hit a hard cap to the amount of money you can make because you only have so many hours to invest, and can only charge so much.

Probably easier to become a hedge fund manager and make millions of dollars...

Everything stated above is very true. I have owned training facilities for a long time and do well but the key is helping people achieve their goals, not ours.

 

[Rory33]

Someone on here made a thread about marketing yourself as personal trainer. Remember reading it, and there was good info. Maybe worth a search.

 

[Unvme2]

I am a trainer trying to make it full time in chicago. It's a very up and down business but i have been doing it full time for less then a year. I do agree with some of the other guys on here. You need to look like good and have that swimmer build type body. Too big and you do scare people away.

My clients are moslty men but you will pull the guys who want to get big and strong. But need to know that they way you train and eat, your clients will not. The passion you have for fitness, they will not.

Just give the client what they want and need and try and show them some improvments weekly and you will be fine. Look good and have a good personality and you will be fine.

But starting out and building that client base is the hardest thing to do but once you do. It's golden.

 

[MightyJohn]

Someone on here made a thread about marketing yourself as personal trainer. Remember reading it, and there was good info. Maybe worth a search.

I have managed several PT Staffs in My life(single club and districs)and that is always the biggest hurdle for trainers to overcome

 

[terraj]

Mid 90s, I had some corporate kickfit classes I taught. 6-8 per class at 20 dollars each person a few times a week...it was a nice second income.

Give them something different
Teach them in groups.
Work for yourself so you can claim everything.

 

[cm]

exactly what I am talking about^^^

second income, do it in groups, make lots of money etc etc.
these people have no shot at this career.
If you want a second job go do other things and make those professions illegitimate
we have to much riff raff in this field already

 

[terraj]

exactly what I am talking about^^^

second income, do it in groups, make lots of money etc etc.
these people have no shot at this career.
If you want a second job go do other things and make those professions illegitimate
we have to much riff raff in this field already

Did you just call me riff raff?

OP asked about the money that can be made as a trainer....I just said what I did and what I think is one of the only ways to make it worth your while, there is little money in the standard personal training sytle....unless you approach along the lines I did and then its pretty easy cash
I understand you defending your livelihood...but....it ain't a career no more than bartending...anyone can do it... some people skills and your good to go bro

 

[cm]

there is little money in the standard personal training sytle....unless you approach along the lines I did and then its pretty easy cash
...it ain't a career no more than bartending...anyone can do it... some people skills and your good to go bro

could not disagree more
people like yourself dont do it b/c you believe this
REPHRASE YOUR QUOTE..........................hardly anyone can do it

the fact that you compared it to tending bar solidifies what I said earlier.

I gotta get going, making some money, doing the standard PT style that takes no skill to preform.


BTW I am not defending my livelihood, I am defending the profession against those who would set out to make it illegitimate and those who force me to overcome those stereotypes everyday and prove the unprofessional, untrained, unenthusiastic, and unskilled are not me.
On second thought:
I take that back, I guess if there was no riff raff, I could not differentiate myself and stand out in the crowd.
So i guess..........thanks???

see u at the bank

 

[chrisrivers]

Been a CPT for last7 years at commercial gyms and independent. Reading some of the posts, the guys that have been trainers on both sides hit the comments on the nose.

As far as money goes i've seen about 1-3 trainers make 80k at commercial gyms but they work slave hours, 10-14 hours a day. And some weekends. Theres a local,hardcore gym that myself trains and trains clients at. I dont make a much but im alot happier. At the same time. im not a slave to material objects(my car has been paid off for 2 years,dont want/need another car payment. I shop at target and old navy for my clothes, i would never spend over $100 on jeans like some do.)

Independent is much better IMO, but a lot harder to get clients but the clients you do get are more serious than at a commercial gym.

Bottom line is I LOVE EXERCISE/BODYBUILDING/NUTRITION/ETC and if you love whatever you do in life you will be happy too.

 

[Performance Based]

If I remember right you said you were unhappy with your current career path buddy?

If you are looking into the PT gig I would find a different venture, very little money to be made in that arena man. This is coming after our relocation talks and us having a general grasp of each other's lifestyles.

We need to find something that will leave you feeling satisfied, successful and some sort of passion that will grow within you where you can maintain or exceed current lifestyle buddy.

 

[shifty1921]

How did you get started? Are you working in a gym?


Im working at a gym. I walked into a gym to look at the place and possibly sign up for a membership and the fitness manager offered me a job. Free membership and a job. Pretty good deal, now I just need to book some clients.

 

[terraj]

could not disagree more
people like yourself dont do it b/c you believe this
REPHRASE YOUR QUOTE..........................hardly anyone can do it

the fact that you compared it to tending bar solidifies what I said earlier.

I gotta get going, making some money, doing the standard PT style that takes no skill to preform.


BTW I am not defending my livelihood, I am defending the profession against those who would set out to make it illegitimate and those who force me to overcome those stereotypes everyday and prove the unprofessional, untrained, unenthusiastic, and unskilled are not me.
On second thought:
I take that back, I guess if there was no riff raff, I could not differentiate myself and stand out in the crowd.
So i guess..........thanks???

see u at the bank

I'm sure that you are very skilled and professional at your job...its great you have something that you are passionate about...thats all that matters really.
I will say that I found the training and progress of the trainees quiet rewarding.