Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: calfzilla on January 15, 2014, 03:14:25 AM
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Without owning your own studio or gym?
Most gyms have a sign that says no personal training allowed so do you work for the gym, contract with them?
How does all this work typically.
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Without owning your own studio or gym?
Most gyms have a sign that says no personal training allowed so do you work for the gym, contract with them?
How does all this work typically.
The way it works here in the UK is that you have to pass your NVQ level 3 qualifications which can take anywhere between 6 weeks full time to 6 months part time and costs around £3500 to complete although you can pay in installments usually or take finance.
You either have the option to work for the gym, which means you have to spend half the day or at least few hours a day maintaining the gym etc and the rest of the time you can train your clients. If you work for the gym you pay them a reduced rate, something like £500 a month usually.
If you work for yourself and are freelance you would pay the gym rent, usually £1000 a month here in London and then you train your clients whenever you want and that's it.
Off course you can totally go free lance and not even pay the gym rent and train people in the park or in their own houses or rent gym space from various places that provide that etc or just get a day pass at any gym etc.
Hope that helps.
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Almost all chain gyms in America have a no personal trainer policy. Why would they give up that source of income? Many personal trainers bring clients to Mom and Pop dive gyms. Every time I go to this one park to run I see a personal trainer there training clients using body weight stuff. He either has a client or is waiting for one. He must be doing alright because he is always there.
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Without owning your own studio or gym?
Most gyms have a sign that says no personal training allowed so do you work for the gym, contract with them?
How does all this work typically.
I trained people at their houses or at a public park.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
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Almost all chain gyms in America have a no personal trainer policy. Why would they give up that source of income? Many personal trainers bring clients to Mom and Pop dive gyms. Every time I go to this one park to run I see a personal trainer there training clients using body weight stuff. He either has a client or is waiting for one. He must be doing alright because he is always there.
Sounds understandable for gyms, staffed with qualified trainers. My gym has only one staff member with an all round function (bar, cleaning, keeping things organized and sometimes(!) performing his/her actual job), so they don't mind. Training outdoors is great but not always possible because of the weather.
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When I went for a run the other day the personal trainer in the park had two clients muddy as hell rolling around on a soccer field. He was completely clean. I just finished lifting and I'm driving to the park for a run in about 30 minutes or so. I'll see what he's up to. He always eyes me when I get out of my car. I think he wants to give me a sales pitch and put down running for fitness but that is wild speculation. If he does I will tell him I only use personal trainers who are in better shape than me and I haven't found one yet.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
Getting an education is probably the most useless thing one could do when it comes to getting "a real job", in actual fact I would go suffice to say it will probably count against you unless you intend on being a doctor, lawyer, dentist or work in a very specialist technical field.
For 98% of other job's out there it's pretty much useless.
By the way I have a 2:1 degree in International Business & Marketing so I speak from experience.
Only after University when I realized that it was next to impossible to land a meaningful paid job and with mounting student debts and very expensive personal habit's I had no choice but to work in a smelly call center selling telecoms services in telesales for £5.50 an hour.
I wasn't to know at that time that this would lead to me becoming sales person extraordinaire, winning award after award for performance, being promoted and finally head hunted in the end to become sales director for a rival company.
However, I wasn't satisfied with that because I was very ambitious and knowing my former boss's weaknesses which including snorting lots of cocaine in the office bathroom and fornicating with many of the female employee's there and having had access to the company database as well being very friendly with the top performing sales people in that organization many of whom were my personal friends it became increasingly obvious and clear to me that the path to success was to set up my own outfit and essentially stiff my old boss (no homo) and as they say the rest is history.
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When I went for a run the other day the personal trainer in the park had two clients muddy as hell rolling around on a soccer field. He was completely clean. I just finished lifting and I'm driving to the park for a run in about 30 minutes or so. I'll see what he's up to. He always eyes me when I get out of my car. I think he wants to give me a sales pitch and put down running for fitness but that is wild speculation. If he does I will tell him I only use personal trainers who are in better shape than me and I haven't found one yet.
Agreed, a PT should at least be in shape, but that says nothing out his/her knowledge, teaching & motivation skills. A female PT in my gym is a little out of shape (granny arms, but a good ass :P), but she does an excellent job when I observe the interaction with her client.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
I have a college degree, BS and a job. My job is not great so no I guess I wouldn't consider it a real job.
I agree with most of what uncle junior said.
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Agreed, a PT should at least be in shape, but that says nothing out his/her knowledge, teaching & motivation skills. A female PT in my gym is a little out of shape (granny arms, but a good ass :P), but she does an excellent job when I observe the interaction with her client.
Most personal trainers in the chain gyms hire girls/ guys in their 20's. You really have to work hard at abusing your body to look out of shape at that age.
I might have to eat crow regarding that park personal trainer. I'm beginning to think he's a former running back from the NY Giants. I will wait till I see him again. I won't mention his name until I confirm it. My wife pointed it out and now I'm thinking she might be right.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
Define real job.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
ah ok,mr bloomberg,if you say so
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lol @ real job .. you need to do something you enjoy and make a living.. simple as that
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My gym is so packed I doubt the staff would be able to tell you're bringing clients in.
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lol @ real job .. you need to do something you enjoy and make a living.. simple as that
Sev you didn't know that you have to be an officer for a fortune 500 company to post on Getbig ?
I just got reviewed by the accpetance committee and almost lost my account :o
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ah ok,mr bloomberg,if you say so
What do you do for a job anyway? Serious question btw
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What do you do for a job anyway? Serious question btw
Gal is a shoe shiner.
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What do you do for a job anyway? Serious question btw
raider.
im a raider of the unemplyment office 8)
Shoe shiner.
only on weekends
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raider.
im a raider of the unemplyment office 8)
only on weekends
haha, etc etc. It was a serious question my man
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Define real job.
Something you do where you don't buy your PHD online for 10 bucks?
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Something you do where you don't buy your PHD online for 10 bucks?
You will find fraudulent people in every possible business, from house cleaners to top bankers.
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I have 3 clients. All three approached me and offered me very good money to train them..so why not.
I train one at Lifetime Fitness..60 a month
I train one at LA fitness. 30 a month
I train one at 24 hr fitness. 34 a month
125 a month overhead to make an extra 600 a week CASH on average on top of my real job...ha ha ha
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Sev you didn't know that you have to be an officer for a fortune 500 company to post on Getbig ?
I just got reviewed by the accpetance committee and almost lost my account :o
I think the opposite .. if someone makes a living independent (not the "conventional way") I applaud them.
PS: I feel bad for your review. MAYBE A COUPLE OF DEGREES WOULD HAVE LANDED YOU A SAFER NORMAL JOB.
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Something you do where you don't buy your PHD online for 10 bucks?
You're joking?
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The way it works here in the UK is that you have to pass your NVQ level 3 qualifications which can take anywhere between 6 weeks full time to 6 months part time and costs around £3500 to complete although you can pay in installments usually or take finance.
You either have the option to work for the gym, which means you have to spend half the day or at least few hours a day maintaining the gym etc and the rest of the time you can train your clients. If you work for the gym you pay them a reduced rate, something like £500 a month usually.
If you work for yourself and are freelance you would pay the gym rent, usually £1000 a month here in London and then you train your clients whenever you want and that's it.
Off course you can totally go free lance and not even pay the gym rent and train people in the park or in their own houses or rent gym space from various places that provide that etc or just get a day pass at any gym etc.
Hope that helps.
This pretty much sums it up.
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I have 3 clients. All three approached me and offered me very good money to train them..so why not.
I train one at Lifetime Fitness..60 a month
I train one at LA fitness. 30 a month
I train one at 24 hr fitness. 34 a month
125 a month overhead to make an extra 600 a week CASH on average on top of my real job...ha ha ha
how many $/hr are we looking at here?
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I believe he was joking.
To give a comprehensive answer to your question would require nearly a book's worth of answers.
To simplify: (All certs aside) know your shit. How? Experience and half a brain.
Communication skills. Computer skills, Understanding of Physiology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Psychology, Physical Therapy, Diplomacy, Tact and Management of people, time and money.
Find a gym that is privately owned. Make them money. Market yourself. Be in shape (I don't give a flying rats ass what ANYONE say's about that part, fucking STAY IN SHAPE!) You are your own advertisement. Eventually word-of-mouth and referrals will follow.
If you are intelligent, calculating, motivated, consistent, prompt and driven, you can make bank.
If not, find another line of work.
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I'm a trainer, and have been for 14yrs now.
for the past few years, I've brokered a deal for a gym, which I run, so I train for the gym, as well as for cash, as well as training people at home and in parks or at the beach.
old school "personal training" is a dying business model. the money is in 'group training', bootcamps and crossfit-style training.
give me a medicine ball (jam/slam ball), a kettlebell, a 35lb plate, and a resistance band and I can train 6-8 people for an hour. each person paying 10-20$ and I can do that 3-4x per day no problem. (oh, and a stopwatch)
the days of bringing in a guy and siting him down on a machine and counting his reps are over because people are more educated because of the internet and magazines and tv... it's the 'unique' stuff like "functional cross training" that makes you stand out and draws in clients.
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Personal training is big money if you hit rich vhrientd
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I'm a trainer, and have been for 14yrs now.
for the past few years, I've brokered a deal for a gym, which I run, so I train for the gym, as well as for cash, as well as training people at home and in parks or at the beach.
old school "personal training" is a dying business model. the money is in 'group training', bootcamps and crossfit-style training.
give me a medicine ball (jam/slam ball), a kettlebell, a 35lb plate, and a resistance band and I can train 6-8 people for an hour. each person paying 10-20$ and I can do that 3-4x per day no problem. (oh, and a stopwatch)
the days of bringing in a guy and siting him down on a machine and counting his reps are over because people are more educated because of the internet and magazines and tv... it's the 'unique' stuff like "functional cross training" that makes you stand out and draws in clients.
sad but very true..I was just reflecting on this the other day
Here is my experience..
I do train clients the exact same way I have trained myself. Circuit training in the gym..
10 min cardio
abs, chest, back, biceps, side and rear delts, 3 sets 1 exercise 15 reps light weight
20 min cardio, stretching
I do their diets, everyone knows those, lean meats, green veggies and some healthy fats, monitor them daily and this is how I transform them.
I never worked with anyone more than 2-3 months. Never had repeat customers (2-3 in the past 10 years). 2 years ago I stopped training them in the gym.
Some good lessons:
I wanted to find the best formula that works in the advantage of the client .. bad idea .. it works against me
Learned, and now I am a little bit more fair with me.
Prices are relative. The ones who do it right, get great results and would pay even more for the same..the lazy, always feel they paid more than it was worth, obviously they never achieve what they set to do.
I looked at myself, and at other trainers who make a LOT more money and have a LOT more clients than me.
All of them do the cross fit thing like ES pointed out.
The PEOPLE like that stuff better along with the TRX bands crap, group circ du soleil chalestenics and so forth.
I admire them because they are smarter than me, adapted and make a nice living. I chose to perfect working out one on one with someone and focused more on diets and working from a distance. Obviously not the smartest of ideas. But I wanted to do this and disregard the financial aspect as much as I can.
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I believe he was joking.
To give a comprehensive answer to your question would require nearly a book's worth of answers.
To simplify: (All certs aside) know your shit. How? Experience and half a brain.
Communication skills. Computer skills, Understanding of Physiology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Psychology, Physical Therapy, Diplomacy, Tact and Management of people, time and money.
Find a gym that is privately owned. Make them money. Market yourself. Be in shape (I don't give a flying rats ass what ANYONE say's about that part, fucking STAY IN SHAPE!) You are your own advertisement. Eventually word-of-mouth and referrals will follow.
If you are intelligent, calculating, motivated, consistent, prompt and driven, you can make bank.
If not, find another line of work.
Solid post!
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To anyone who wants to be a personal trainer I advise that you get a gun and blow your brains out
Your better off blowing your brains out than working as a trainer
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They are merely repetition counters.
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They are merely repetition counters.
This but they are mostly therapists for people who don't want to go to therapists because of the stigma going to a shrink carries
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They are merely repetition counters.
It's more effective than counting sheeps.
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Trainer...lol
Don't eat shit food. Sleep. Pick up weight, put down weight.
Wow.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
:D
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The trainer transmits some of his energy and love for what he does to the trainee. The trainers who suck at it should look in the mirror first. When I was a bitter and sore people would not be knocking my door down. When I am happy and enthusiastic and trully enjoy what I do, meaning doing it from the heart, people pick up on that. And so it goes..
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I'm a trainer, and have been for 14yrs now.
for the past few years, I've brokered a deal for a gym, which I run, so I train for the gym, as well as for cash, as well as training people at home and in parks or at the beach.
old school "personal training" is a dying business model. the money is in 'group training', bootcamps and crossfit-style training.
give me a medicine ball (jam/slam ball), a kettlebell, a 35lb plate, and a resistance band and I can train 6-8 people for an hour. each person paying 10-20$ and I can do that 3-4x per day no problem. (oh, and a stopwatch)
the days of bringing in a guy and siting him down on a machine and counting his reps are over because people are more educated because of the internet and magazines and tv... it's the 'unique' stuff like "functional cross training" that makes you stand out and draws in clients.
I see this as well but what I call "cattle call" workouts are cheapining the industry and giving more ammunition to people (like most on here) in thinking you don't have to know much to be a trainer, just have them jump around, sweat and count reps.
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To anyone who wants to be a personal trainer I advise that you get a gun and blow your brains out
Your better off blowing your brains out than working as a trainer
Yes, because becoming a gay prostitute is something to aspire to.
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You fail at getting an education and a real job?
Doesn't make sense since most full time trainers who work for themselves make more than the typical college grad in almost any field.
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Yes, because becoming a gay prostitute is something to aspire to.
a) easy for you to say anything because you do have clientele brother....and it took you years to develop said clientele....Don't lie, joe...It took you a while to develop your clientele
2) I imagine being a gay prostitute is very difficult for a heterosexual man with a drug habit....actually, who am i kidding...being a rent boy was pretty low but thankfully I had said drug habit to blame for that dumb mistake...BTW- the only reason I had to "do that" was because I couldn't making money as a legit gigolo at the time
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a) easy for you to say anything because you do have clientele brother....and it took you years to develop said clientele....Don't lie, joe...It took you a while to develop your clientele
2) I imagine being a gay prostitute is very difficult for a heterosexual man with a drug habit....actually, who am i kidding...being a rent boy was pretty low but thankfully I had said drug habit to blame for that dumb mistake...BTW- the only reason I had to "do that" was because I couldn't making money as a legit gigolo at the time
Instead of blasting the training industry and saying you'd rather blow your brains out, you could have made a legit business from training, you have knowledge, you were/ are in shape, etc. drugs suck, trust I know, but you're the one who ultimately makes the decision. Where you're at, it doesn't take that many clients to make a very good living, even where I'm at I couldn't demand that kind of rate. Sorry I offended you, but fuck!!
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even with that aside I still think that any starry eyed 20 year old who wants to get into the training business should still keep there day job and perhaps consider blowing there brains out....do one of the two....or both
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even with that aside I still think that any starry eyed 20 year old who wants to get into the training business should still keep there day job and perhaps consider blowing there brains out....do one of the two....or both
Unfortunately you have 20 year old who have good reading skills coming out as online gurus who are making a fortune without even have trained an actual client.
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which including snorting lots of cocaine in the office bathroom and fornicating with many of the female employee's
You re describing me there to a tee 8)
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Trainer...lol
Don't eat shit food. Sleep. Pick up weight, put down weight.
Wow.
It's not just a matter of sharing the knowlegde & experience. The mental part (motivation/social/feedback/etc) plays a very important role.
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I see this as well but what I call "cattle call" workouts are cheapining the industry and giving more ammunition to people (like most on here) in thinking you don't have to know much to be a trainer, just have them jump around, sweat and count reps.
well, you have to understand the market. the market for 1on1 PT sucks. the clients usually only train with you for no more than 3 months, and the one's who do a year or more at 3x per week usually want a friend/therapist as much if not more than a trainer.
bodybuilders or fitness girls? they'll pay you to get ready for a show and that's it.. maybe 3 months at most then they're done and either think they know it all, or they'll move on to a new trainer next time.
pt is full of 6-session deals or 10, then they're done.. so you have to constantly be picking up new clients.
with 'group training', the people will sign up for a year at a time no problem, and get 12 sessions a month.
now, group training isn't easy. no two sessions can be alike or else the people will get bored... AND they have to be effective. it isn't bodybuilding. it's full-body depletion workouts combined with high intensity interval training. every muscle gets stimulated in proper order.. no haphazard bullshit. AND it has to be 'fun' and the people leave feeling like they just got their ass kicked (in a good way).
without drugs and a serious fitness/bodybuilding lifestyle (diet, ect... that they STICK TO when they leave the gym), the results from bodybuilding-style 1on1 workouts are minimal for most people (soccer moms, ladies and men 40+... their hormones just aren't what they used to be).... but the full-body crossfit-style, high intensity interval training stuff actually PRODUCES RESULTS, especially in people who've done nothing but sit at a desk for the past 30years. they're not used to moving.
I don't train that way myself (I'm a bodybuilder), and I was reluctant to train others that way, but once I began (and did my research and put effort into structuring the workouts), their results of the clients skyrocketed. if it didn't work, I wouldn't do it.
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I came to the same conclusions. But I am not going to give up and start doing jumping jacks ... ;D
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well, you have to understand the market. the market for 1on1 PT sucks. the clients usually only train with you for no more than 3 months, and the one's who do a year or more at 3x per week usually want a friend/therapist as much if not more than a trainer.
bodybuilders or fitness girls? they'll pay you to get ready for a show and that's it.. maybe 3 months at most then they're done and either think they know it all, or they'll move on to a new trainer next time.
pt is full of 6-session deals or 10, then they're done.. so you have to constantly be picking up new clients.
with 'group training', the people will sign up for a year at a time no problem, and get 12 sessions a month.
now, group training isn't easy. no two sessions can be alike or else the people will get bored... AND they have to be effective. it isn't bodybuilding. it's full-body depletion workouts combined with high intensity interval training. every muscle gets stimulated in proper order.. no haphazard bullshit. AND it has to be 'fun' and the people leave feeling like they just got their ass kicked (in a good way).
without drugs and a serious fitness/bodybuilding lifestyle (diet, ect... that they STICK TO when they leave the gym), the results from bodybuilding-style 1on1 workouts are minimal for most people (soccer moms, ladies and men 40+... their hormones just aren't what they used to be).... but the full-body crossfit-style, high intensity interval training stuff actually PRODUCES RESULTS, especially in people who've done nothing but sit at a desk for the past 30years. they're not used to moving.
I don't train that way myself (I'm a bodybuilder), and I was reluctant to train others that way, but once I began (and did my research and put effort into structuring the workouts), their results of the clients skyrocketed. if it didn't work, I wouldn't do it.
We still have our share of 1on1 and still get in about 2-4 in per month. Except for our sports teams, we do small group (3-6) per group. What we won't do is large group fitness "bootcamps" that have 20+ per group. Instead of breaking it up in per session packages we 3-6 or 12 month commitments. We're also able to bill through insurance as well.
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We still have our share of 1on1 and still get in about 2-4 in per month. Except for our sports teams, we do small group (3-6) per group. What we won't do is large group fitness "bootcamps" that have 20+ per group. Instead of breaking it up in per session packages we 3-6 or 12 month commitments. We're also able to bill through insurance as well.
we bill silver and fit and silver sneakers for the old people (although silver and fit made a lot of people ineligible jan 1st) for the memberships... how are do you bill the insurance for training?
I rarely do a group over 10 people.. 12 at most, before it gets unmanageable.
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we bill silver and fit and silver sneakers for the old people (although silver and fit made a lot of people ineligible jan 1st) for the memberships... how are do you bill the insurance for training?
I rarely do a group over 10 people.. 12 at most, before it gets unmanageable.
We have in-house Chiropractic and Physical Therapy so we can bill through their insurance codes.
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We have Silver Sneakers...
And I HATE group training. But you are correct ES.
I just have to maintain my sanity. I trained an Acro-gymanstics team for the Beijing Olympics and the US Swim Team for the Far Westerns. Those were Elite groups, and it was "O.K - fun" ~ other than that, I just don't have the stomach for it anymore.
I do O.K where I'm at with the 1-on-1. 10 clients at $300 a month plus commissions and Sunday desk hours makes my paycheck just fine.
I have trainers that work for me who do the group-training. That is their biggest struggle is to continually change things up and not become boring. They have to maintain a much higher energy than I do.
I spend a lot of time on nutrition with my clients, and I 'hand-pick' them. Back in the 'old-days' I took whatever came my way, but these days I have a questionnaire. If I even SMELL therapy sessions and sniveling coming, I don't care how much they pay, I steer them elsewhere because I know they will drain every ounce of positive energy out of me, and these days, that is a rare commodity.
I like training athletes and competitors, I don't care if they are Powerlifters, Bodybuilders, Fitness competitors or even "Crossfitters" ~ football players, soccer players, golfers...
That is just so much less dreadful for me when I get up in the wee hours of the morning.
That's were *I'm* at for now. It could change. I always keep an open mind. If there comes a time when 1-on-1 fails for me, I will have already rolled with the punches and moved on to what replaces that previous income.
What trainers and sales people need to truly realize, is that NOBODY that walks into your facility is broke. There is ALWAYS a way to make money. You just have to know how to play the game. And for you young guys reading this, I did NOT just go "off-topic" ~ any experienced trainer here knows that it's not just about referrals and staying in shape. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SELL!!!!!
Some folks just ain't cut out for this business, just like some aren't cut out to drive a truck across country. Whatevah....
BTW, ES, I have to add, that is an excellent fucking post! What you said shows how much you know about this suck-ass business. I forgot to add that the part about the 1-on-1 client that stays: YES! They ALWAYS become therapy sessions. If it's a female, she is there to see you. Then it's coffee. Then it's lunch (if you let it go farther than her BRINGING you coffee NOT going to Starbucks WITH her) ~ if you want to ruin your business, just let things go too far. Ha ha. I'm sure you've "been there did that" or you would not have posted what you did. As of right now, I have two clients that have been training for a long time. They hate eachother, but they try to hide it. They try to buy me off by constantly bringing me shit and giving me money and asking "do you need anything?" and then it's "are you SURE??"
Yes, they are steady income, but the last thing on their minds is training. Problem is; everyone in the gym can see it too. Not good for business, but it does pay the bills. It's a "Catch-22" ~ sometimes these bitches just slip through the cracks. It's like they contain themselves for as long as they can and then "WHAM" suddenly everything takes a 180 and you are just going "Oh fuck, here we go"
How many long-time trainers here have heard this question from a female: "Do you ever train the same client forever?" Most guys would probably think that's cool.
It ain't.
And "NO" it's not because you are a Cassanova, it's because they have fallen for you and your stupid-ass-fell-for-it-again ear that listens to all of their shit: Traffic, dogs, cats, food, work, bed, boyfriends, ex's, you name it.
Like I said, this business is funny. People think it's glamorous or something. When I leave the gym, my "Trainer" shirt comes off and a regular T-shirt comes on before I go anywhere else.
Anyone relating to me or am I full of dogshit?
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We have Silver Sneakers...
And I HATE group training. But you are correct ES.
I just have to maintain my sanity. I trained an Acro-gymanstics team for the Beijing Olympics and the US Swim Team for the Far Westerns. Those were Elite groups, and it was "O.K - fun" ~ other than that, I just don't have the stomach for it anymore.
I do O.K where I'm at with the 1-on-1. 10 clients at $300 a month plus commissions and Sunday desk hours makes my paycheck just fine.
I have trainers that work for me who do the group-training. That is their biggest struggle is to continually change things up and not become boring. They have to maintain a much higher energy than I do.
I spend a lot of time on nutrition with my clients, and I 'hand-pick' them. Back in the 'old-days' I took whatever came my way, but these days I have a questionnaire. If I even SMELL therapy sessions and sniveling coming, I don't care how much they pay, I steer them elsewhere because I know they will drain every ounce of positive energy out of me, and these days, that is a rare commodity.
I like training athletes and competitors, I don't care if they are Powerlifters, Bodybuilders, Fitness competitors or even "Crossfitters" ~ football players, soccer players, golfers...
That is just so much less dreadful for me when I get up in the wee hours of the morning.
That's were *I'm* at for now. It could change. I always keep an open mind. If there comes a time when 1-on-1 fails for me, I will have already rolled with the punches and moved on to what replaces that previous income.
What trainers and sales people need to truly realize, is that NOBODY that walks into your facility is broke. There is ALWAYS a way to make money. You just have to know how to play the game. And for you young guys reading this, I did NOT just go "off-topic" ~ any experienced trainer here knows that it's not just about referrals and staying in shape. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SELL!!!!!
Some folks just ain't cut out for this business, just like some aren't cut out to drive a truck across country. Whatevah....
BTW, ES, I have to add, that is an excellent fucking post! What you said shows how much you know about this suck-ass business. I forgot to add that the part about the 1-on-1 client that stays: YES! They ALWAYS become therapy sessions. If it's a female, she is there to see you. Then it's coffee. Then it's lunch (if you let it go farther than her BRINGING you coffee NOT going to Starbucks WITH her) ~ if you want to ruin your business, just let things go too far. Ha ha. I'm sure you've "been there did that" or you would not have posted what you did. As of right now, I have two clients that have been training for a long time. They hate eachother, but they try to hide it. They try to buy me off by constantly bringing me shit and giving me money and asking "do you need anything?" and then it's "are you SURE??"
Yes, they are steady income, but the last thing on their minds is training. Problem is; everyone in the gym can see it too. Not good for business, but it does pay the bills. It's a "Catch-22" ~ sometimes these bitches just slip through the cracks. It's like they contain themselves for as long as they can and then "WHAM" suddenly everything takes a 180 and you are just going "Oh fuck, here we go"
How many long-time trainers here have heard this question from a female: "Do you ever train the same client forever?" Most guys would probably think that's cool.
It ain't.
And "NO" it's not because you are a Cassanova, it's because they have fallen for you and your stupid-ass-fell-for-it-again ear that listens to all of their shit: Traffic, dogs, cats, food, work, bed, boyfriends, ex's, you name it.
Like I said, this business is funny. People think it's glamorous or something. When I leave the gym, my "Trainer" shirt comes off and a regular T-shirt comes on before I go anywhere else.
Anyone relating to me or am I full of dogshit?
which is why I don't date fitness or bodybuilding girls anymore. when I leave, I don't even want to THINK about the gym.
i've relocated to a place where there are country clubs EVERYWHERE, which means old, wealthy (or at least "rich") retired people... or at least people with disposable income. so most my clients are either 1-rich and old, 2, rich and gay, or 3, women who don't work.
the old people are demanding, so it's a lot of pressure to keep them interested. they're not 'fitness people' or bodybuilders and don't understand that progress takes TIME and EFFORT. plus, they're hormones are generally shit so their results won't be what a 30yr old's are.
the gay guys are vain and will generally train pretty hard and are always open to using steroids or growth hormone. (I have a Dr I refer them to, I generally don't sell to them because they're a liability... never know who they talk to and don't take the illegality seriously)... plus they like to look at me. lol. no worries, pretty obvious that I'm not gay and i've never been 'hit on' or had an awkward moment.
the women can be an issue. you gotta be carefull not to cross the line or professionalism. women in a group will talk about sex and try to embarrass you (me). they'll get off on talking about sexual stuff around another man other than their husband, especially a man who looks like me. they'll let things "slip".. comments like "you're freakin hot/gorgeous" type stuff, or how they're taking a mental picture for when they're bangin their husband or something. about 40% of the girls I WOULD consider sleeping with, but only about 10%, maybe 5%, would I consider dating or having a relationship with IF I wasn't training them.... in otherwards, I'm not usually attracted to them, so it's awkward to be hit on and know that most the female clients are super-attracted to you.. so you gotta be nice and let them have their fantasies or whatever. The WORST part is when they've built up this imaginary 'relationship' with you and they want extra attention (with women in group training, even women who are friends) and they get jealous. they hold your eye contact a little (or a LOT) to long, they ask for help when they see you talking to another girl or giving a NEW girl attention. It's very Catty. it gets weird when you have 47yr old women acting like 17yr old's over a a trainer who's wayyyy younger..... weirder still is when they call you from work, crying because they're having a bad day. (bitch, I'm not your husband or boyfriend, you need to call them with this shit! lol.. I have my own gf calling me with this nonsense, I don't need you too. lol), or they get into fights with their husband because A)-husband see's text messages or overhears phone conversations that seem a little too "friendly" or B)-woman calls husband by MY name, either at the supermarket, at home, or having sex.... most of the time it's the husband paying for the training, so that's not a good thing.
plus, I'm nice... I'm usually totally oblivious to when a girl is flirting with me (unless I'm attracted to her, and I'm trying to flirt with her as well). so I assume when girls are talking to me at work, it's because I'm working and doing my job. it's not until another girl will point out "they girl is/was TOTALLY flirting with you!.. didn't you see it?!" eh... no, I didn't. so by me being nice (i.e. not being a dick to her), they take it as I'm flirting back and there are mixxed signals and mis-communication.
like I tell the girls I date (girls think trainers bang all their clients)... "sweetheart, I don't want their pussy. I want their money. I can't pay my bills with another woman's pussy.".
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We are so on the same fucking page.
I bet we could share some pretty fucked up stories, no doubt.
Sometimes I seriously think that women are worse than men. Yeah, we have sex on our minds and we talk about it, but I have female clients who are writhing in their skin... just oozing all over the place.
No, I'm not saying it's because of me. I am a possible "means to an end" in their minds.
You stay professional, your other potential clientele see's it b/c they are always assessing you, even if they don't hire you right away.
I would much rather hear: "Us women really appreciate your professionalism" than to hear "you need anything?"
I don't shit where I live. I don't even work out at the gym I work in.
If I worked at McDonalds, my guess is, I wouldn't eat there either ~
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ESF is killing it here, some of the best advices iv'e seen... I am currently "studying" to get my cert from ACSM, & you are really giving me some stuff to think about. Thanks man, Stan
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Unfortunately you have 20 year old who have good reading skills coming out as online gurus who are making a fortune without even have trained an actual client.
yeah but "fitness" is a "carny" business
you make a buck HOWEVER you can
I know you are all about integrity in personal training but GET REAL.......I know A LOT of guy's with master's in Physiology, sports and strength conditioning and the like who are starving......you know who's making the money......gigolo's like me who would stalk divorcee's who want to spend there ex-husband's alimony......that's just the truth
Also I know coach is very anti crossfit (btw- that's such a cavalier stance to take ::) )
I too am anti crossfit
...but it has nothing to do with the fact that they are teaching shitty form, injuring people or because of those stupid "kipping pull ups"...No---I'm just bitter that I didn't think of charging soccer moms 150 dollars a month to do shitty clean and presses for time first
again- fitness is a con game.....