One of the great aspects of being a personal trainer is the variety in not only the people you get to work with, but also the settings you get to work within. Personal trainers are no longer just restricted to a gym setting. There is actually a wide variety of locations/settings trainers can work in these days. Generally personal trainers have the following as options for work location:
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- Private Health Clubs
- Commercial Health Clubs
- Medically-Based Fitness Facilities
- Community Wellness Centers
- Personal Training Studios
- Physical Therapy Clinics
- Retirement/Senior Centers
- YMCAs/JCCs
- College/University Centers
- Recreational Settings
- Corporate Fitness Centers
- In-Home Training
Each of the above provides a trainer with various perks and benefits. As example, with Commercial Health Clubs you will probably be able to make a decent yearly salary as Commercial Health Clubs (especially franchises like Bally's) market heavily. This is a plus for you as it helps to bring in a regular amount of potential clients. However the downside is you may feel at times like the company is more about the bottom dollar as opposed to the client and/or trainer.
Another example is Non-Profits such as YMCAs (Young Men's Christian Association) and JCCs (Jewish Community Centers), which tend to be the opposite. You may find the pay is not comparable to Commercial Health Clubs, but they at times provide better benefits. In addition, the camaraderie is far more evident with non-profits. For some, working in the community for a real cause can be more fulfilling than receiving a big paycheck.
Another option for personal trainers that is somewhat of a balance between commercial health clubs and non-profits is In-Home Training. In home training is great as it provides complete job flexibility (as those who train in-home tend to be their own bosses), the money you collect per session is one hundred percent yours (as opposed to working for a facility and they take 40-60% of the session fee), and you can provide a great service that many people would love to participate in (as many do not go to fitness facilities due to feeling uncomfortable, lack of time, etc).
Overall personal training as a profession has a lot of perks. People can do it full time and make a great living. It is also flexible for those who need it. An example of this would be stay at home parents. By being a trainer, a stay at home mom/dad would be able to earn a small income on the side while still being able to take care of their children (if the gym they are employed at has day care). Finally it provides variety. You will be able to work in the setting of your choice with the type people you want to train. In the end, personal training is a great profession to get into. You will more than likely find exactly what you want and will as a result wake up everyday looking forward to work.
Fitness is becoming ever so popular and so are jobs in the fitness industry. A lot of people are hiring Personal Trainers more so than ever before, or have thought of hiring a personal trainer in the past. Personal trainers are the professionals of the weight loss industry. It's funny in a way that when you need someone to handle your legal affairs you hire a Lawyer. If you need someone to fix your car you hire a mechanic. But when people think about losing weight they go through a myriad of choices include fad dieting, weight loss products, plastic surgery etc...
The problem with those options is that they are only short term solutions. You will probably see weight loss in the short term but be extremely frustrated when you gain back the weight AND THEN SOME. All of those above solutions do not tackle the real problem which is our North American lifestyles. The truth is we need to be informed of the right decisions.
The Pros & Cons of A Personal Trainer
Personal trainers cost money
Personal trainers charge anywhere between $40-120 per session, and yes you read that right. That's just for a one workout session which is no more than an hour. Also with that said in order to train with some personal trainers you may need to get a gym membership, which means more costs for you. These costs can range from $240-720 just for a package of 6, plus the gym membership.
There are different levels of certifications
Let's be real now, almost anyone can get a certification and those that don't just can't cut it. A certification is just a way of telling whether or not this trainer is competent enough to know his/her basic anatomy and exercise physiology. You need to check if your trainer is certified and IF they have other certifications. It does not automatically make them the best but you at least weed out contenders from the pretenders. Still note that having a certificate doesn't mean they know what they are doing.
Don't be a guinea pig
The personal training industry has a 90% turnover rate. A lot of people think they can do the job but only a few actually stick around. You want to be with someone who has a proven track record to get you to where you want to be. Check their references through testimonials and past clientele. If they were referred to you then it's EVEN BETTER.
How is their fitness level?
Looks are not everything but they are a good indicator when choosing the right trainer. Would you be motivated by a trainer who is overweight and soft? I didn't think so.
Health and Fitness MUST be their choice of career
Not every good trainer will be a trainer for life. But I have always found that the best, most knowledgeable and the ones that probably have the most fun at training are those that make health and fitness a career. They are just more serious about the job then someone who is doing it part time to "make a little extra cash".
Tips!
If you have ever wanted to try personal trainer HIRE one for a session and see the difference. Many offer a free Personal Training session, but some don't. I would advise to find a trainer that is willing to prove themselves to you with a free session. In most cases if you find the right PT you will achieve your results 80% faster and come away bmi online with knowledge that could quite possibly last you a lifetime.