Calling all Personal Trainers or X- Personal trainers

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-28-2002, 06:36 PM

I'm thinking of changing work fields, I posted In the General Forum but nobody posts there, so if you have experience in this field could you help me out....http://www.anabolicreview.com/vbulle...hreadid=15089- thanks

SOLID

**Tankass** · 03-28-2002, 06:43 PM

i know that at the gym i worked @ the PT's made $200-$400 for every 2-4 sessions so in essence it is about $100 a session. This is just at the gym I worked at.

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-28-2002, 06:45 PM

...damn this could be a good field change.

**bigkev** · 03-28-2002, 06:53 PM

if you work for a gym they will take a big percentage. the thing to do is start for a gym, and build your clientel up, then quit the gym and keep the clients. you arent allowed to train for yourself at a gym, but you are allowed to have as many "training partners" as you want, and you can be in the gym as many hours a day as you please. just get an understanding with your clients, who will be faithful as long as you produce results, that its hush hush. bally charges about 60 dollars per 1 hour session. undercut them and charge 45 per session to start.

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-28-2002, 07:00 PM

right on my brutha...well my buddy used to train at Golds in L.B.,CA now owns a Nutrisport- he said he could probably hook me up over there. I just need to get certified - I'm looking into ACE right now- I'll take your advice my friend - thank you.

SOLID

**Dr. Derek** · 03-28-2002, 07:11 PM

I charge 40-60 depending on the request and length per session and I have to diagree with Big Kev on this one, get in good with the gym and the percentage they take is most likely negotiable, especially if your good and in demand, just tell them hey if you wont take this percentage I'm offering you then I will take my in demand ass and all my clients (who are members here) to the gym down the road. But it will take a while to get established as a good PT before you can pull this kind of trick. I dont pay a percentage at all, but I also own the gym.....

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-28-2002, 08:17 PM

what is the best certification? I heard ACE?

**Tankass** · 03-28-2002, 08:20 PM

Bump. I would Like to know to. I know of one in NYC i was gonna take. I am unsure of the name though.

***Sicilian30*** · 03-28-2002, 08:59 PM

Jason will probally know alot of these answers.. kev is correct on some of it, but again it is how you negociate I think..

**tbulldog** · 03-28-2002, 10:13 PM

ace is a good start, the most credible certifications are American College of Sports Medicine and National Strength and Conditioning Association, these three combined will hold up VERY well in court

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-28-2002, 11:01 PM

what's the diference between all the certifications? what should i look for when choosing a cert? thanks.

**tbulldog** · 03-28-2002, 11:08 PM

The difference is the Credibility in your potential area/city gym. but you do want to cover your ass in court. so it would be wise to get one of these two,ISSA and ACE and work toward NSCA and ACSM. you just contact the gym, Ace, International Sports Science Association, are probably the top 2, check PHILKAPLAN.COM

**G Child** · 03-28-2002, 11:28 PM

A buddy of mines is trying to get me to become a PT at 24 hour fitness. I wasn't interested, but now I'm getting there with this under the table stuff... wouldn't be too bad.

**PTbyJason** · 03-29-2002, 10:28 AM

Ok, let me try to cover everything that I can. Pay is based on location more than anything else. When I lived in a small town I was only making about $10 an hour. It was a place where all of the personal trainers got their start. The gym collected the money and paid me out of that. The pay seemed good at the time to me, but when I moved the first time, I realized that I could make $25 - $30 an hour for individuals, $50 an hour for couples, and $100 an hour for training someone at their home. That was a midsized town and were decent gyms. I collected the money and paid the gym out of what I made. Both of the ones I have mentioned were privately owned gyms. Now I am working for 24 hr fitness. They charge $50 - $60 an hour and I only collect $22 from that. But I do get bonuses for working which helps a lot. Plus the thing I have finally learned is that I can make a lot of money off commissions. I get 10% of all of the personal training I sell. So yesterday I made about $200 just because I sold a couple of grand in personal training. Plus I got paid for personal training, plus I get a bonus for the # of hours I worked this week, plus I get commission off the supplements I sold yesterday. I am getting much better at sells now, so I have a feeling that my paycheck will be increasing more and more everyday. So if you do want to personal train, you have to find what works best for you. If you go to a small place that is privately owned, you will probably make more per hour, but you will have to find your own clients. Go to a corporation and clients are given to you a little more (at least at my gym it is that way). You can also look at personal training studios. These are really good places to learn. I learned so much because that is what my first gym was. My pay wasn't great, but that depends on the studio. But the good thing is everyone that comes in wants a trainer. Very easy that way. The type of gym or the city you are in will also change how much you get paid per hour. I know some places in Dallas where trainers make $100 per session with each client. There are places like that all over the US. Find a very nice, plush community, find a gym there and your job will be easier than just finding a local gym that everyone goes to. You want to find the wealthier community. I know that sounds bad, but that is where most of the clientel will be coming from. If you set up your business right, and the right people know it (gym owners, clients) you will be treated very well. I have only been at the company I am at now for 2 months. Because people know I am honest, treat my clients well, and work hard, I have clients handed to me. Right now I have about 30 - 40 people that I don't have time to train right now. I never expected to be as busy as I am, this fast. Just come in, work hard, let everyone know that you want to learn and do your homework. Know what you are doing when you go in there. If you don't know how to help someone, do some research. People will take notice. I specialize in rehab, so I get a lot of clients with major problems. But everyone knows that I can help them, therefore I have a waiting list now.

The best thing I can tell you about choosing which certfication you want is to do one thing. Find where you want to train at, ask which certfications are accepted, then find one of them and get certified. It will save you a lot of time because some gyms only accept certain certifications. tbulldog listed some very good ones and ACE is good too. But save yourself some time, go talk to the gym, and then go get your certification.

**XBiker** · 03-29-2002, 10:35 AM

Jason, you got any tips on buying a car?

**PTbyJason** · 03-29-2002, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by XBiker
Jason, you got any tips on buying a car?

LOL

Become personal trainer. Find the owner of a car dealership, become his personal trainer, get huge discount on new car from him.

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 03-29-2002, 12:22 PM

Jay you are the shit bro- thanks for taking the time to help a brother out. I workout at 24 hour. So I was thinking of training there, since I already know alot of people, and people know me. So I guess I'll go talk to the manager today and see what he says. I'll find out which cert they require or prefer. I'm excited, this could be a fun transition...and I could always still bartend on the side. Also I heard with 24 hour- the more certs you get the more money you make per hour. One thing I have to ask, is their a lot of bullshit politics involved with management and other trainers? Thanks again Jay

**G Child** · 04-02-2002, 10:26 PM

24 Fitness takes the IFPA cert. for sure, my buddy and the whole personal training staff are all going to get certified at the end of this month. I told him to add me to the list just to get the cert. I might end up working there after all, I'm tired of writing tickets and telling people what to do.

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 04-02-2002, 10:29 PM

right on, go for it bro. But you'll still be telling people what to do, just not writing tickets.

**PTbyJason** · 04-02-2002, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by Iwan2bsolid2
One thing I have to ask, is their a lot of bullshit politics involved with management and other trainers?

I meant to respond to this, glad it got bumped. A nice and easy way to say this is it's a corporation. It's just a gym that's a corporations, so there is more politics to it than a regular privately owned gym.

**Iwan2bsolid2** · 04-02-2002, 10:48 PM

yeah, that's what I've come to find out. I went to go and talk to the manager at 24hr...he told me how it all worked, I am still kinda hesitant to go for it there...but one positive thing is they help to get you clients, instead of you prospecting your own at a personal gym. So once you get established with a nice clientel, you take them somewhere else. The bad thing, assuming there willing to go somewhere else, since these are mostly commited members? But who know's, I'm looking into Gold's gym.

**2tuff4you** · 06-14-2002, 04:59 PM

I am cerified by AFFA and I am plannining on starting my own business with my buddy. I used to work out at 24 hour fitness when I lived in LA, all I have to say is that they don't care what you know or how many people you want to help..they careabout how much crappy supplements you can sell and how many sessions you can sell. 24 is a the devil, plus their trainers (no offense to any 24 trainers on this board) are fat and out of shape and don't know $hit!

**tt333** · 06-14-2002, 05:16 PM

Ive been certified by NESTA. NestaCertified.com. Im doing this till i graduate from College as a Sports Nutr. Is doesnt really matter where you get certified at.

**PTbyJason** · 06-14-2002, 05:21 PM

Originally posted by 2tuff4you
I am cerified by AFFA and I am plannining on starting my own business with my buddy. I used to work out at 24 hour fitness when I lived in LA, all I have to say is that they don't care what you know or how many people you want to help..they careabout how much crappy supplements you can sell and how many sessions you can sell. 24 is a the devil, plus their trainers (no offense to any 24 trainers on this board) are fat and out of shape and don't know $hit!

Yep, you're right. Sales are the biggest thing to them, I will agree to that. Most of the trainers are out of shape. That's why it only took me 2 months to build up to double the clientle of any other personal trainer in my club. I was one of the only one's that even worked out much less knew what the hell I was talking about when I trained. I was in the top 50 in the whole corporation in sales last month, my 4th month on the job. People talk to me and buy from me because know how hard I train to be in the shape that I am in, and because my degrees and background gives them accurate information. So while it does suck to look at the other personal trainers and see how they represent the company and themselves, you can take advantage of it by using who you are and excelling past all others in your club and the company.

**HARDCORE** · 06-14-2002, 06:34 PM

Jason-if you don't mind me asking, does 24hour accept ACSM? I'm intersested in getting a job there, and am already working on two other certs., but want to get even more. ACSM looked pretty good-and cheap.

**PTbyJason** · 06-17-2002, 09:01 AM

honestly you don't even have to have a cert to get a job there. They do their own certification class. The more certs you have the higher you get paid though. I am pretty sure that the acsm cert will count for you though.

**SAC** · 06-17-2002, 12:45 PM

hey bros i worked at 24hr fitness up until a few months ago. i got sick of the "you gotta sell" bs. the supps were crappy and they preached unethical selling techniques. once i started lying things got out of controll because i started forgetting what i had fucking lied about. i cut the bullshit and started getting harassed by my boss because i wasn't doing/saying what i had been trained to do/say. now i work for a personal training studio which i like better. the clientel is rich and like someone said when they come in you know they want a personal trainer.

**anabolicmyo** · 06-17-2002, 01:16 PM

Im N.S.C.A.-C.P.T., A.C.S.M., CPR, first aid certified and going to be starting my bachlers for physical ed. this winter. Ive been training for about 7 months. Let me tell you i havent found a good gym yet, they all want to much, either becoming a salesman, lying to cliental over a specific form they want you to train in, not paying crap, or just over-all B.S. I just reacently got licensed and insured to train independently and ive found a gym that has no B.S. but its pretty hard to drum up a private clientele. Those clients I do have on avg. have paid me about 730$ for a package of 18 one hr. sessions or 40.55$ hr. so its alright money, and if I can find 5 new clients a month that well be 44000$ a year. Can you live with that, doing something you love? I can.

**anabolicmyo** · 06-17-2002, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by HARDCORE
Jason-if you don't mind me asking, does 24hour accept ACSM? I'm intersested in getting a job there, and am already working on two other certs., but want to get even more. ACSM looked pretty good-and cheap.

where the hell did you get your info? you need atleast a 2-year or 4-year degree in a health related field and 900 hrs. of practical experience and it costs atleast 280$. But if you fail the written or the practical you can take again for the same freaking price. And thats if you can find a state this year near you holding it. Sorry letting off some steam, it aint no freaking A.C.E. cerificate.

**Vegas Kid** · 06-17-2002, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by 2tuff4you
24 is a the devil, plus their trainers (no offense to any 24 trainers on this board) are fat and out of shape and don't know $hit!

We got a fat trainer at our gym and I always wondered, how the hell can somebody take you serious if you look like shit. Looks has nothing to do with knowledge (I'm sure she knows something) but wouldn't you want to look good to attract clients?

**HARDCORE** · 06-17-2002, 07:46 PM

Originally posted by anabolicmyo

where the hell did you get your info? you need atleast a 2-year or 4-year degree in a health related field and 900 hrs. of practical experience and it costs atleast 280$. But if you fail the written or the practical you can take again for the same freaking price. And thats if you can find a state this year near you holding it. Sorry letting off some steam, it aint no freaking A.C.E. cerificate.

First off, you better calm the fuck down. I don't like being cursed at over the internet by someone who "needs to let off some steam"-go find a fucking punching bag or something. Second, It was my understanding from visiting their website that the long distance cert. that I was going to get, cost 250.00 plus 10.00 shipping for a total of 260.00. Which is considerably cheaper than both of the other certs. that I've already finished. I didn't see any of the other requirements that you mentioned either, though I could have overlooked them-

**bty** · 06-18-2002, 09:09 PM

Originally posted by HARDCORE
Jason-if you don't mind me asking, does 24hour accept ACSM? I'm intersested in getting a job there, and am already working on two other certs., but want to get even more. ACSM looked pretty good-and cheap.

Yes, 24hr does accept ACSM (I'm looking at the approved list of 19 right now). As Jason said, you dont have to be certified to work at 24hr, they put you through their own certification class. If I recall correctly, here it is $3/hr more for one outside cert, and then $4/hr on top of that for the second cert.

I must agree with the rest about 24hr having a number of trainers who are totally out of shape but it does make it easier for those of us in shape to get more of a clientel