Author Topic: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?  (Read 25744 times)

Steelrabbitt

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #175 on: February 14, 2016, 12:26:43 PM »
Having worked as both a trainer and as a Plumber's assistant, the latter is easily the more stable source of a solid income. Hell, even at 50, I could probably get back into the game in short order. But, be warned, Plumbing is literally a shitty business. If you can handle that reality, there's definitely money to be made pumping this kind of iron:





The plumber that my company uses is definitely a millionaire, granted he busted his ass in his 20's-30's but he's 48 now and just cruises. House in South Carolina and a Benz. I'm a contractor and still think plumber/electrician is the way to go. I would choose electric over plumbing personally.
Jay

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #176 on: February 14, 2016, 12:29:02 PM »
The personal training industry suffers because of the justifiable stigma of lack of value as provided for by 95% of its participants.

The low barriers to entry set the tone for most who just see it as a temporary gig and not a career to be nurtured.

It's still an industry in its infancy, when/if some multi million dollar PT companies come along they will give trainers genuine career paths and thinks will look up for the higher echelon and ambitious younger trainers.

There are a lot of PT companies that offer exactly that, a career path. There are so many opportunities in this industry that people don't realize.

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #177 on: February 14, 2016, 12:32:50 PM »
There are a lot of PT companies that offer exactly that, a career path. There are so many opportunities in this industry that people don't realize.

Where are these companies?  Serious question.

Thin Lizzy

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #178 on: February 14, 2016, 12:37:51 PM »
The personal training industry suffers because of the justifiable stigma of lack of value as provided for by 95% of its participants.

The low barriers to entry set the tone for most who just see it as a temporary gig and not a career to be nurtured.

It's still an industry in its infancy, when/if some multi million dollar PT companies come along they will give trainers genuine career paths and thinks will look up for the higher echelon and ambitious younger trainers.

The deception I see in the Fitness Industry is the over-emphasis of exercise as a fat loss tool when it's really all about diet. Every commercial you see for a piece of equipment talks about how much fat you burn.

To lose weight via exercise, requires exercising in amounts that are unsustainable and lead to injury.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #179 on: February 14, 2016, 12:42:02 PM »
Where are these companies?  Serious question.

Just about everywhere. At least either close to or in major cities. What city are you close to or in. Of course you don't have to give specifics. lol

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #180 on: February 14, 2016, 12:48:06 PM »
Just about everywhere. At least either close to or in major cities. What city are you close to or in. Of course you don't have to give specifics. lol
care to name any in your area?

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #181 on: February 14, 2016, 12:48:34 PM »

The plumber that my company uses is definitely a millionaire, granted he busted his ass in his 20's-30's but he's 48 now and just cruises. House in South Carolina and a Benz. I'm a contractor and still think plumber/electrician is the way to go. I would choose electric over plumbing personally.

Electric is the cleaner, less hard labor intensive of the two, but there's more work for Plumbers.

I recently replaced a light switch and an old Radiator Valve at my girl's apartment. The former was a piece of cake; the latter almost separated my shoulder.

Personally, I'd rather run wires than deal with pipes, but, if it were all about a sure fire way of making money, I'd go Plumbing.

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #182 on: February 14, 2016, 12:53:29 PM »
I travel all over so pick anywhere you think there's a PT business substantial enough to allow trainers to build a real career path.

They are few and far between as they don't have the scale.

Take Peak in NY, there's no career path there as the place has never turned a profit. Rising up the ranks by making a few extra bucks an hour isn't an authentic career path with true longevity.

LA is all boutique studios and as far as I know the PT operations are owner operated spaces where the PT career isn't a whole lot different than working at Equinox.

But I am open to be educated.  I'm genuinely curious, a lifetime in the gym and in business means I pay attention to this.

ritch

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #183 on: February 14, 2016, 01:25:13 PM »
I got 50 the gym got 50. I only had a few appointments a week and a shitty base pay. Flintstones is given 7 page of good advice and he's worried about bitches hitting his phone up lol.

Bahaha!!!

But I had a similar "deal" as you.
The gym charged $50 and guess who got an big extra $3 per hour to train over my baseline salary?
?

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #184 on: February 14, 2016, 01:28:31 PM »
I travel all over so pick anywhere you think there's a PT business substantial enough to allow trainers to build a real career path.

They are few and far between as they don't have the scale.

Take Peak in NY, there's no career path there as the place has never turned a profit. Rising up the ranks by making a few extra bucks an hour isn't an authentic career path with true longevity.

LA is all boutique studios and as far as I know the PT operations are owner operated spaces where the PT career isn't a whole lot different than working at Equinox.

But I am open to be educated.  I'm genuinely curious, a lifetime in the gym and in business means I pay attention to this.

Funny you mentioned Peak. Dowdell has been in business since at lease the mid 2000's. I don't think he would still be in business if he were not turning a profit. I don't what commercial leasing is in Manhatten but I would have to guess at least what? $6 sqft + triple net?

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #185 on: February 14, 2016, 01:29:15 PM »
Electric is the cleaner, less hard labor intensive of the two, but there more work for Plumbers.

I recently replaced a light switch and an old Radiator Valve at my girl's apartment. The former was a piece of cake; the latter almost separated my shoulder.

Personally, I'd rather run wires than deal with pipes, but, if it were all about a sure fire way of making money, I'd go Plumbing.

+1 on plumbing. Especially gas plumbing. Fuck ton of money.

ProudVirgin69

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #186 on: February 14, 2016, 01:39:58 PM »
The personal training industry suffers because of the justifiable stigma of lack of value as provided for by 95% of its participants.

The low barriers to entry set the tone for most who just see it as a temporary gig and not a career to be nurtured.

It's still an industry in its infancy, when/if some multi million dollar PT companies come along they will give trainers genuine career paths and thinks will look up for the higher echelon and ambitious younger trainers.

These multimillion companies exist, they are the chain gyms like Lifetime, Equinox, etc.  PT -> PT/Fitness Manager -> General Manager -> Regional Manager is the career path for successful trainers in these companies

If/when health insurance begins to cover personal training sessions, THAT'S when it'll really take off

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #187 on: February 14, 2016, 01:43:37 PM »
Funny you mentioned Peak. Dowdell has been in business since at lease the mid 2000's. I don't think he would still be in business if he were not turning a profit. I don't what commercial leasing is in Manhatten but I would have to guess at least what? $6 sqft + triple net?

It has been bankrolled by a series of investors, the latest being a well known tech billionaire.

Irrespective of that, where's the career at Peak, a one site PT gym? There can only be so many chiefs.

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #188 on: February 14, 2016, 01:45:50 PM »
These multimillion companies exist, they are the chain gyms like Lifetime, Equinox, etc.  PT -> PT/Fitness Manager -> General Manager -> Regional Manager is the career path for successful trainers in these companies

If/when health insurance begins to cover personal training sessions, THAT'S when it'll really take off

That's not the career path serious trainers aspire to, you're just referring to a (usually shitty) and low paid (PTs often make more) fitness career progression.

I was referring to multimillion dollar PT businesses, if they exist.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #189 on: February 14, 2016, 02:00:40 PM »
That's not the career path serious trainers aspire to, you're just referring to a (usually shitty) and low paid (PTs often make more) fitness career progression.

I was referring to multimillion dollar PT businesses, if they exist.

We are talking about Flint here...

Thin Lizzy

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #190 on: February 14, 2016, 02:27:17 PM »
We are talking about Flint here...

IMO, it's a great time to learn a trade. So many kids are coming out of College with useless Liberal Arts degrees. Someone who can actually do something beyond showing off how smart they are shouldn't have a problem finding work.

For him, I would go with Electrician. It's the most "Sensitive" of the trades. 

Start here Flintstones:



Remember, Red and Black are the "hot" wires.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #191 on: February 14, 2016, 02:29:15 PM »
Flint will arc out on a 200 amp/220 volt service in week one. PIP.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #192 on: February 14, 2016, 03:47:56 PM »
That's not the career path serious trainers aspire to, you're just referring to a (usually shitty) and low paid (PTs often make more) fitness career progression.

I was referring to multimillion dollar PT businesses, if they exist.

I'm a little confused here. Is deciding to become an Entrepeneur not a career path? If someone (especially now a days) decided they wanted to start out as a PT then open their own studio, gym or performance center then finish their days out in that particular industry either having an out (selling their business) and going on to other paths within the fitness industry (like any other business) is that not a path? I know I won't own a facility forever but I do have other goals  within this industry when I decide to sell.

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #193 on: February 14, 2016, 10:39:25 PM »
I'm a little confused here. Is deciding to become an Entrepeneur not a career path? If someone (especially now a days) decided they wanted to start out as a PT then open their own studio, gym or performance center then finish their days out in that particular industry either having an out (selling their business) and going on to other paths within the fitness industry (like any other business) is that not a path? I know I won't own a facility forever but I do have other goals  within this industry when I decide to sell.

Being a successful entrepreneur, buying yourself more than a job but actually owning a real business, is very hard and rare. If that is the expected career path of the PT then the vast majority have no chance.

My comments are not aimed at me being negative towards your own situation, I just wanted to know where the multi million dollar PT companies are that will be needed to bring stability/longevity/career development to most within the PT industry.  If being "successful" within the world of PT means being able to hustle and wanting to own your own business, then that's massively limited for all those trainers out there with other things to offer.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #194 on: February 14, 2016, 11:11:23 PM »
Being a successful entrepreneur, buying yourself more than a job but actually owning a real business, is very hard and rare. If that is the expected career path of the PT then the vast majority have no chance.

My comments are not aimed at me being negative towards your own situation, I just wanted to know where the multi million dollar PT companies are that will be needed to bring stability/longevity/career development to most within the PT industry.  If being "successful" within the world of PT means being able to hustle and wanting to own your own business, then that's massively limited for all those trainers out there with other things to offer.

Exos, FQ10, Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Results Fitness (Alwyn Cosgrove), Unbreakable (Jay Glazer) just to name a few. The most successful out of this list would be Exos (formerly Athletes Performance) and a lot more around this country.

The only thing that would be limiting PT's from moving on to their own facility would be themselves and nothing else. Not sure why you would say they would be massively limited.

Btw, I could also name people that either still have facilities or have moved on from facilities to go on to PT business development that have made millions within the industry. They all started out as PT's.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #195 on: February 14, 2016, 11:35:46 PM »
I will keep it short: Yes.
©

HonestBob

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #196 on: February 14, 2016, 11:50:13 PM »
Exos, FQ10, Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Results Fitness (Alwyn Cosgrove), Unbreakable (Jay Glazer) just to name a few. The most successful out of this list would be Exos (formerly Athletes Performance) and a lot more around this country.

The only thing that would be limiting PT's from moving on to their own facility would be themselves and nothing else. Not sure why you would say they would be massively limited.

Btw, I could also name people that either still have facilities or have moved on from facilities to go on to PT business development that have made millions within the industry. They all started out as PT's.

These are not examples of multi million dollar businesses that offer real career progression. None of them are remotely big enough for that. Scale is needed for the right proportion of chiefs to indians.

You are blinded by your bias. I am not being derogatory to PTs, I think it is a tremendously hard job to do well and most people will never appreciate that, but you've not shown me a single business here that could offer long term career progression for a group of ambitious young men as they develop within their profession.

Other industries take their young talent and nurture it, allowing room to grow whilst still using many of the skills and insights picked up along the way. That's very rare in PT because the business is still too much every man for himself and / or small businesses. I do think it will happen, but it needs the right sort of businesses in it in order to offer the right long term opportunities.

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #197 on: February 15, 2016, 12:05:25 AM »
No offense here, but I think you're a little lost here or not keeping up with what the industry offers..

http://www.athletesperformance.com


Also, I'll be at Tempe facility at the end of March then a day later to UofA for their Pro-day. If you're out that way during that time. You're really underestimating the opportunities here.

Mike

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Re: Personal trainer a dumb career choice?
« Reply #198 on: February 15, 2016, 12:07:26 AM »
These are not examples of multi million dollar businesses that offer real career progression. None of them are remotely big enough for that. Scale is needed for the right proportion of chiefs to indians.

You are blinded by your bias. I am not being derogatory to PTs, I think it is a tremendously hard job to do well and most people will never appreciate that, but you've not shown me a single business here that could offer long term career progression for a group of ambitious young men as they develop within their profession.

Other industries take their young talent and nurture it, allowing room to grow whilst still using many of the skills and insights picked up along the way. That's very rare in PT because the business is still too much every man for himself and / or small businesses. I do think it will happen, but it needs the right sort of businesses in it in order to offer the right long term opportunities.

Not much room for growth in PT at big box gyms...sure

But...i met my future boss 15 yrs ago personal training.  It is a GREAT way to network, if you can do it right.  He saw i was a hard worker and i asked him for a job.  im a Director at a large recycling company now.

Other route: learn the fitness business, open a gym or be a GM.  Research " Thomas Plummer" and fo to one of his seminars.  Or get his book, its called someing about making money in the fitness business.

Ive been there...23, PT and not sure what to do.  Difference is that I have a Big Ten college degree to "fall bakc" on.  Regardless, those are my suggestions

Side note:  I would go back and get my NSCA CSCS ( or something like that - strength conditioning specialist) and do what "coach" does and train athletes.

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