NASM cert is $900 now? WTF

[ProudVirgin69]

Not shitting on you, but how do you not think spending $900 to make yourself more marketable is too much? Dude, it’s only $900. Even if you never do it, it’s not a huge pile of money to invest in yourself.

You’re not wrong but Thin Lizzy beat me to it:

It doesn’t make you more marketable. Nobody gives a shit.

My interest in being certified is 90% for insurance purposes and 10% so that I can say “certified personal trainer.  Given that, why spend more than I need to?

 

Even half assed you would make that $900 back quickly, no?

Even at a low rate of $50/hr it would take 18 hrs to recoup.

Yes, but I’m reluctant to spend that much on something where I’m not sure if it’ll take off. Part of the appeal of training as a side gig for me is the low cost of entry.  I’ll use the weights and equipment I already have and maybe get some more low cost training stuff (big truck tire + sledgehammer, battling ropes, etc) and I’ll only be into it for a couple hundred bucks.  That way if it doesn’t pan out, no big deal.  But spending $1000+ on something that I’m not sure will pay off is too risky for me at this point.


I’m gonna talk to my insurance provider and see if maybe an umbrella plan would make more sense than some third-party “personal training liability” insurance, maybe then I can just skip the whole certification song and dance

[Tapeworm]

The devil's in the details. I'm not compliant with the endless and ever changing minutiae of my policies. No one is. It's insurmountable by design.

[Grape Ape]

You’re not wrong but Thin Lizzy beat me to it:

My interest in being certified is 90% for insurance purposes and 10% so that I can say “certified personal trainer.  Given that, why spend more than I need to?

 
Yes, but I’m reluctant to spend that much on something where I’m not sure if it’ll take off. Part of the appeal of training as a side gig for me is the low cost of entry.  I’ll use the weights and equipment I already have and maybe get some more low cost training stuff (big truck tire + sledgehammer, battling ropes, etc) and I’ll only be into it for a couple hundred bucks.  That way if it doesn’t pan out, no big deal.  But spending $1000+ on something that I’m not sure will pay off is too risky for me at this point.


I’m gonna talk to my insurance provider and see if maybe an umbrella plan would make more sense than some third-party “personal training liability” insurance, maybe then I can just skip the whole certification song and dance

If you're going to half ass it, might as well just not do it.  That is a recipe for failure.

But you easily could just dedicate yourself to recouping the start up costs, and then back off if you really want.

I realize everyone's fiscal situations are different, but a $1000 bucks start up fees are small, relatively speaking.

[ESFitness]

15 years ago ace was 400,Issa was 600 and nasm was 800. Not a big investment to make great money. But why bother even getting the cert? Just train people if you look the part.

I can't hire a trainer if they're not "certified". Insurance nonsense.

I have vague recollection of my certs being all around $1k?? With continuing education credits being a few hundred every couple yrs.

[oldtimer1]

The biggest risk with training people in your garage or basement is the liability. Personal trainer insurance won't be enough. Their lawyer will go after you homeowners insurance. Your homeowners will then say you didn't have a rider for a home business then your house will be fair game to go after.  They will say their neck hurt and present a bunch of doctor notes.

[Rambone]

The biggest risk with training people in your garage or basement is the liability. Personal trainer insurance won't be enough. Their lawyer will go after you homeowners insurance. Your homeowners will then say you didn't have a rider for a home business then your house will be fair game to go after.  They will say their neck hurt and present a bunch of doctor notes.

I have a full gym in my garage, thought about training people for a second, and soon stopped and thought about this.

[robcguns]

I did in home training years ago and it was always in their house. Safest way to do it. Also I’m going back 15 years ago and I was getting 100-200 per hour cash for every session. Training is great money. Just look the part and put cards and flyers out and you will make money like anything else. It prob is the cheapest start up there is. Fuck the certs just get liability insurance and get on it.

[oldtimer1]

I have a full gym in my garage, thought about training people for a second, and soon stopped and thought about this.

I would love to train people in my basement. Not risking my house on chump change. Took me 20 years to pay off this house. Well to be more accurate I have one or two years to go. I have the cash to pay it off right now. If I called my house insurance and they agreed to a rider for a home  training business I would do it. I don't think a homeowners insurance would ever agree to that without charging more than it's worth. One person saying they hurt there back or neck will be one costly law suit.

[joswift]

I would love to train people in my basement. Not risking my house on chump change. Took me 20 years to pay off this house. Well to be more accurate I have one or two years to go. I have the cash to pay it off right now. If I called my house insurance and they agreed to a rider for a home  training business I would do it. I don't think a homeowners insurance would ever agree to that without charging more than it's worth. One person saying they hurt there back or neck will be one costly law suit.

[IroNat]

I train myself and so far no incidents worthy of litigation.

I'd sue myself in a heartbeat though if something happened.

[GymnJuice]

There are too many PT's and the cert cost is an attempt to limit competition.

They should triple the cost to further limit competition.

A cert should cost $100,000.

Sounds like the NYC taxi medallion business plan

Worked for immigrants for decades until Uber.

[ProudVirgin69]

If you're going to half ass it, might as well just not do it.  That is a recipe for failure.

But you easily could just dedicate yourself to recouping the start up costs, and then back off if you really want.

I realize everyone's fiscal situations are different, but a $1000 bucks start up fees are small, relatively speaking.

I was a full time trainer ten years ago and hated it.  The actual training part was secondary to chit-chatting w your clients and selling more sessions.  Bored housewives were cash cows that trained 5x a week so you had to kiss their ass and pretend like you’re interested in what they have to say, etc.  Soul crushing stuff if you’re passionate about training.

This time around, Im just looking for a productive way to fill some free time in my evenings. If I can find motivated clients, I think it would be a lot of fun.  If you’ve ever helped someone along their path to physical selfimprovement , you know how fulfilling it is.

All that said, there’s a decent chance that it doesn’t go the way I hope it does.  I’m not trying to “half ass” it, just keep my startup costs low in case it doesn’t pan out.  Why pay the extra for the NASM cert?  I’d rather get a cheaper cert and spend the money on training equipment—the things that will actually make a difference with my clients.  Fancy certs are only worth it if you’re trying to get hired at a commercial gym.

[ProudVirgin69]

The biggest risk with training people in your garage or basement is the liability. Personal trainer insurance won't be enough. Their lawyer will go after you homeowners insurance. Your homeowners will then say you didn't have a rider for a home business then your house will be fair game to go after.  They will say their neck hurt and present a bunch of doctor notes.

Just talked with my insurance agent and a business liability policy for this is gonna be a couple hundred annually so not a big deal.  Doesn’t even sound like I need to be certified, but he’s gonna check with the underwriters. 

I have State Farm, but I’m assuming it isn’t unique to them.  Give your agent a ring and see what he says.

[ProudVirgin69]

I did in home training years ago and it was always in their house. Safest way to do it. Also I’m going back 15 years ago and I was getting 100-200 per hour cash for every session. Training is great money. Just look the part and put cards and flyers out and you will make money like anything else. It prob is the cheapest start up there is. Fuck the certs just get liability insurance and get on it.

 

Did you bring equipment or just use what they had at their house?  $100+ per hour is serious money

[deadz]

I’ve been looking into training some people from the neighborhood in my garage as a way to make some extra cash and I wanted to get certified to obtain liability insurance.  I was a personal trainer over ten years ago and did the NASM certification back then and it was like $150 back then.  Went on to the website to buy the course and they are charging $900 for it now—and that’s one of the least expensive options.

Who tf do they think they are charging that much??  All the personal trainer certificates short of CPT are pretty much worthless, you just need it to look “legit” and qualify for insurance.  Back to the drawing board I suppose.

Hurting for $900, shouldn't have voted for PedoJoe!

[robcguns]

Did you bring equipment or just use what they had at their house?  $100+ per hour is serious money

Sometimes I would bring light dumbbells,bands etc… but usually they had equipment. I had a guy that paid me 200 per hour 2-3 times a week and usually would bring his wife or kids and pay 200 per hour for them. He was worth hundreds of millions. I used to say no charge or half price for extra person but he always insisted on paying full price. Some people have to much money.

[IroNat]

For that money did you provide the wives with sexual services, robc?

[robcguns]

For that money did you provide the wives with sexual services, robc?

Haha no, not my thing. I live in an area surrounded by huge money, so these people have no problem paying for training and wasting their money.

[Grape Ape]

Haha no, not my thing. I live in an area surrounded by huge money, so these people have no problem paying for training and wasting their money.

Housewife: "Ok rob, where do we start"

RobcTrainer "we are going to go easy with a few sets of curls"

Housewife: "how many?"

RobcTrainer: "400"

[Rambone]

Housewife: "Ok rob, where do we start"

RobcTrainer "we are going to go easy with a few sets of curls"

Housewife: "how many?"

RobcTrainer: "400"

Boy, what a workout. Are we done yet?

You’ll be done after you walk 8 miles, bitch.

Thank you, Rob. Here’s $200.