PERSONAL TRAINER CAREER INFO

[aqrojase]

Hey bro's, I am interested in getting my NASM certification and becoming a trainer. I have 10 years experience in nutrition and fitness, but never worked at a gym as a trainer. I have trained many of my friends and family members and they have had great results. This is going to be part time, as i will be attending school to get my masters in Business Managment. WHAT GYMS PAY THE BEST, AND ANY INPUTS ON MAKING IT A SUCCESS OUT OF IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I AM LOCATED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU.

 

[Creation]

24 hour fitness

I believe of the chains, 24 hour fitness gives you best money...I trained there..I enjoyed it and also it worked well for part time job in college. All the trainers i worked with that were full time were all making 50-60k and one guy an ex basketball player was pushing 100k.if you have any specifics just lemme know

how they pay is you sell a package and get X% of that package price. Then when your clocked in and training someone you get hourly pay(6-8$) + 10-20$ depending on what level of trainer you are and how much the package they bought was. If your clocked in not training anyone then all you get is base pay, which really sucks until you have people buying 500-1000$ packages

You do need NASM for 24 hour fitness and the more certs you have on top of that = more money

Good luck bro.. maybe some other bros can chime in on the other chains

 

[aqrojase]

I believe of the chains, 24 hour fitness gives you best money...I trained there..I enjoyed it and also it worked well for part time job in college. All the trainers i worked with that were full time were all making 50-60k and one guy an ex basketball player was pushing 100k.if you have any specifics just lemme know

how they pay is you sell a package and get X% of that package price. Then when your clocked in and training someone you get hourly pay(6-8$) + 10-20$ depending on what level of trainer you are and how much the package they bought was. If your clocked in not training anyone then all you get is base pay, which really sucks until you have people buying 500-1000$ packages

You do need NASM for 24 hour fitness and the more certs you have on top of that = more money

Good luck bro.. maybe some other bros can chime in on the other chains

Thanks bro
So i am guessing when a new member joins 24 hour fitness and buys memebership, they are given first 2 training sessions for free. It will be the trainers job to sell a full package after the training session. Now from your experience was the selling very difficult?

 

[DBenedicto]

Thanks bro
So i am guessing when a new member joins 24 hour fitness and buys memebership, they are given first 2 training sessions for free. It will be the trainers job to sell a full package after the training session. Now from your experience was the selling very difficult?

I've had several friends and acquaintances join 24hr fitness recently and none of them received any personal training for free, nor have I.

If i remember correctly, I believe most of the personal training packages sold are offered to people as they sign up, from there it's how you put it to train the individual more.



Creation, can you elaborate on what other certs help increase pay and how you go about being a higher level trainer?

 

[Thunderclese]

Bump.

This is in my interest as well. I've been looking into becoming a personal trainer as well and wanted to know the best route to maximize the income I earn from it.

 

[EricJ123]

You won't make big bucks working for a gym. You can however make good money when you go independent which is what I did.

 

[Aaron Osaka]

Going to start PT'ing early next year. Luckily all the gyms here (even the big chains) use the free agent system instead of staff-trainers so I set my own prices and the gym takes a 15-25% cut.

 

[aqrojase]

Some great information. I see a lot of trainers in my gym that don't even look like they have ever touched a weight....And some of them seem to have big client base. I also wonder what type of healht benefits some of these gyms offer? I workout at golds gym, but one of my uncles also owns a local gym...that i also plan to use for some clients on side.

 

[Creation]

ya each client gets a free "orientation" and then its all on you to show that working with you, this person will achieve their goals..

its very easy to get like the 3 for 99$ special on alot of people but its all about being personable, knowledgeable, and asking for the sale....always ask for the sale no matter if you think that person has 5$ or 1million$ and eventually you will get clients resigning with you then its smooth sailing...just remember its a number game the more people you see and talk too the higher chances for more clients

 

[aqrojase]

ya each client gets a free "orientation" and then its all on you to show that working with you, this person will achieve their goals..

its very easy to get like the 3 for 99$ special on alot of people but its all about being personable, knowledgeable, and asking for the sale....always ask for the sale no matter if you think that person has 5$ or 1million$ and eventually you will get clients resigning with you then its smooth sailing...just remember its a number game the more people you see and talk too the higher chances for more clients

Thanks bro, I got one more concern. I have more bodyuilding background and believe in getting people in shape with resistance training and diet plans. I do see lot of trainers working with clients with the ball and bands and doing very odd workout. I believe those are NASM based workouts. Are those necessary for trainers to incorporate in their programs? I personally think its just a tool to fool the clients into thinking that their getting some type of secret workout.

 

[SL1CED]

Very interesting. I have some more questions

1) What is the most basic certification should I go for if I just want to work as a Personal Trainer in a commercial gym(24/Lifetime/LA/Ballys)?

2) What is the timeframe it takes the average person to complete this certification?

3) What is the cost of this certification entirely; books, exam, certification?

4) You think this would be a good way of just side cash(i.e part time)?

Contemplating starting this in the summer and finishing by the time I graduate just as side money. I get a gym membership, get my protein/food money, and can just meet people recreationally.

 

[alpmaster]

Thanks bro, I got one more concern. I have more bodyuilding background and believe in getting people in shape with resistance training and diet plans. I do see lot of trainers working with clients with the ball and bands and doing very odd workout. I believe those are NASM based workouts. Are those necessary for trainers to incorporate in their programs? I personally think its just a tool to fool the clients into thinking that their getting some type of secret workout.

No NASM follows almost all ACSM guidelines.

Bands, balls, ropes, bullshit, but it makes your client think you offer something unique that can give them an 'edge' and allow them to reach your goal. I mean, why would they pay someone to follow them around and show/make them do machines.

The paradox, but reality.

 

[GJ]

Try to get in with a semi-private or private training studio. That is where I have had the best success with getting plenty of clients and the best pay. At the semi private we got paid for half hour trainings, and we would stay busy from 5am till 6pm m-sat. Hourly not commission too.

 

[Creation]

ya when i first got certified in NASM I tried out those workouts and I dont like them..at my gym i could train however i wanted...i believe in full body workouts with free weights and machine weights and basic core work..

some of these people have no basic knowledge of muscle physiology so they dont know how to use muscles like we do which makes alot of that stuff useless and the fact when your training in a gym during peak hours you cant be running around tracking down balls and bands... but thats just my opinion..

i do however think highly foam rolling and do it 2-4x a week..shit is awesome

 

[Creation]

Try to get in with a semi-private or private training studio. That is where I have had the best success with getting plenty of clients and the best pay. At the semi private we got paid for half hour trainings, and we would stay busy from 5am till 6pm m-sat. Hourly not commission too.

that good shit GJ...

 

[Creation]

Very interesting. I have some more questions

1) What is the most basic certification should I go for if I just want to work as a Personal Trainer in a commercial gym(24/Lifetime/LA/Ballys)?

2) What is the timeframe it takes the average person to complete this certification?

3) What is the cost of this certification entirely; books, exam, certification?

4) You think this would be a good way of just side cash(i.e part time)?

Contemplating starting this in the summer and finishing by the time I graduate just as side money. I get a gym membership, get my protein/food money, and can just meet people recreationally.

1) NASM cause of no matter where you go its highly accepted( i hear good things about ISSA and ACE as well)
2) 1-5months depends on your dedication to studying
3)500$
4) and ya its a sweet part time job, Personal Training can be alot of cash if you can get the people and consistency

 

[alpmaster]

No one has mentioned all the job perks.





You will fuck a housewife.

 

[aqrojase]

Great info "CREATION". The private inhome sessions also seem very good. And yes, the perks of maybe hooking up with some rich cougar is always a bonus. Now how much is the insurance on average for private trainers?

 

[musclehead33]

also been wanting to get into this profession for a while now.just posting to keep up with the thread as of now.also 123 trainer how do you advertise/get work.thanx:headbang:

 

[ericraven2003]

Hate to be a downer, but the personal training business is way down due to the economy. The first thing people will cut when getting expenses under control is PT.

FYI. Life time fitness has some of the best paid trainers in the business and the clinetel have good money.

Also, you need to be a good sales person to do well in training.