Post: #1

People in the fitness business--is it possible to dabble in personal training, i.e. do it as a side job a few hours a week?

I've been lifting weights for a long time now and feel like I have quite a bit of knowledge. I spend a lot of time in the gym anyway, I've though now and then that I ought to take this interest of mine and do more with it. I'd do it more for personal enrichment, to meet new people, to get status in the gym environment...nothing wrong with extra money but I have another career so I have no ambitions to move into training full time.

When I looked at job postings, though, it did not seem like gyms want someone like me. They seem to want people who are going to come in full time. Is it possible to do it as a hobby?

I probably wouldn't be the kind of trainer who makes gyms a lot of money. I see myself doing more, "Here's how you squat, here's how you deadlift, come back and see me in a month," than as standing over people counting reps.

Forgive me if my questions seem naive, I don't know much about how the industry works.

Post: #2

Depends on where you live. Where I am I don't need any kind of state license or certification to be a normal personal trainer, but most gyms want to see a certification like ASCM.

Now, I've been doing crossfit for a while, and got certified a couple years ago. When I moved here I hit up the local CF gyms, introduced myself and said I'd be interested in part-time training if they were looking for anyone.

Got hit up a couple weeks later, and now I do personal training and teach classes at a crossfit gym about 8-10 hours a week.

Making some extra money, expanding my social circle, and I've gotten two bangs with practically no effort because I get situational alpha cred by training these chicks, and the ones I haven't banged introduce me to their friends.

Look up what your state/province/whatever requires to be a trainer and start networking with gyms in your area.

Post: #3

(02-25-2013 01:55 PM)Ryre Wrote:  People in the fitness business--is it possible to dabble in personal training, i.e. do it as a side job a few hours a week?

I've been lifting weights for a long time now and feel like I have quite a bit of knowledge. I spend a lot of time in the gym anyway, I've though now and then that I ought to take this interest of mine and do more with it. I'd do it more for personal enrichment, to meet new people, to get status in the gym environment...nothing wrong with extra money but I have another career so I have no ambitions to move into training full time.

When I looked at job postings, though, it did not seem like gyms want someone like me. They seem to want people who are going to come in full time. Is it possible to do it as a hobby?

I probably wouldn't be the kind of trainer who makes gyms a lot of money. I see myself doing more, "Here's how you squat, here's how you deadlift, come back and see me in a month," than as standing over people counting reps.

Forgive me if my questions seem naive, I don't know much about how the industry works.

Think outside the box (so to speak).

Find your own clients.

Train them outside.

I see cats training people (some celebs) outside near my house all the time.

Charge what you can get ($60 per hour? $100 per hour?)

No overhead.

All profit.

All CASH.

Get referrals. Book up. Now you are making 10k per month. Again, all CASH.

Now you are cooking with gasoline and a match.

Post: #4

How is this going so far?

Post: #5

Any update about this?

I've never been big into lifting until recently but I dont know very much about it. I was thinking about taking some sort of personal training class not only to get more familiar with with the different lifts and techniques but possibly as a side gig after work.

My condo building has its own private gym which is usually empty. I was thinking it might be cool to not only learn and get in better shape myself but make a little money on the side as well.

Post: #6

I think it would be cool to freelance like G said. I've looked into being a trainer at a gym and it doesn't sound that great. I'm sure it's cool for some people though.

A guy could just go and get the ACE cert (or whatever is respected in your area; find out by asking some trainers at your local gym) and train people from a simple home gym. Just buy a power rack, a 45lb olympic bar, some plates, dumbbells, and a pullup bar. There's tons of shit like that on craigslist. You could probably set that up for like $500, probably less.

It would probably help to be pretty jacked -- big enough that people comment on it a lot -- that way you're like a walking advertisement and people will view you as an authority on the subject.

It could be a nice side gig for someone with the right knowledge and physique.

Post: #7

I would hate to make a career out of it. Dealing with peoples ignorance and them coming and going and having to push sales it would get old after awhile I think.

Post: #8

(07-05-2013 12:04 AM)derek76 Wrote:  I would hate to make a career out of it. Dealing with peoples ignorance and them coming and going and having to push sales it would get old after awhile I think.

I could see how that could get old. I just always hear stories how these personal trainers are just tearing up a bunch of different girls but its probably the same guy who would be tearing it up anyway even if they weren't a personal trainer.

Post: #9

(02-25-2013 03:23 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Think outside the box (so to speak).

Find your own clients.

Train them outside.

I see cats training people (some celebs) outside near my house all the time.

Charge what you can get ($60 per hour? $100 per hour?)

No overhead.

All profit.

All CASH.

Get referrals. Book up. Now you are making 10k per month. Again, all CASH.

Now you are cooking with gasoline and a match.

My brother is a personal trainer and employs a similar model to this. It's all about good social skills, i.e. customer service skills. Because at the end of the day, a personal trainer is providing a service to a client and part of that experience is the atmosphere and comfort level the trainer can present.

He works full time at a high end health club, but because of his commission-based salary, he had to sign a non-compete which states that he cannot steal clients away from the club in order to train them on the side for personal financial gain.

He goes out and joins a lot of sports clubs, i.e. basketball leagues, snowboarding events, etc. He networks through these channels and picks up clients this way. He does this part time so he chooses how many clients to take on, and what hours to work.

The reason why he isn't taking this full time is because he is still young. When he told me about his situation, I had advised him to keep working his job, to gain important credentials and reputation (which is very important in the fitness industry) so that when he does decide to branch out on his own, he will have a solid network that can back up his personal training business.

The most important element amongst all this is that he is passionate about fitness. His friends are all about fitness, he studied health and fitness in college, his hobbies are all sports...all that jazz. So that's why he's able to do the full-time + part time personal training like he does.

All in all, my point is, if you want to make personal training a good, profitable sideline gig, you need to treat it like any other business venture. Network, keep those good impressions consistent, and keep your clients happy.

Post: #10

(07-06-2013 02:29 AM)Albertron Wrote:  

(02-25-2013 03:23 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Think outside the box (so to speak).

Find your own clients.

Train them outside.

I see cats training people (some celebs) outside near my house all the time.

Charge what you can get ($60 per hour? $100 per hour?)

No overhead.

All profit.

All CASH.

Get referrals. Book up. Now you are making 10k per month. Again, all CASH.

Now you are cooking with gasoline and a match.

My brother is a personal trainer and employs a similar model to this. It's all about good social skills, i.e. customer service skills. Because at the end of the day, a personal trainer is providing a service to a client and part of that experience is the atmosphere and comfort level the trainer can present.

He works full time at a high end health club, but because of his commission-based salary, he had to sign a non-compete which states that he cannot steal clients away from the club in order to train them on the side for personal financial gain.

He goes out and joins a lot of sports clubs, i.e. basketball leagues, snowboarding events, etc. He networks through these channels and picks up clients this way. He does this part time so he chooses how many clients to take on, and what hours to work.

The reason why he isn't taking this full time is because he is still young. When he told me about his situation, I had advised him to keep working his job, to gain important credentials and reputation (which is very important in the fitness industry) so that when he does decide to branch out on his own, he will have a solid network that can back up his personal training business.

The most important element amongst all this is that he is passionate about fitness. His friends are all about fitness, he studied health and fitness in college, his hobbies are all sports...all that jazz. So that's why he's able to do the full-time + part time personal training like he does.

All in all, my point is, if you want to make personal training a good, profitable sideline gig, you need to treat it like any other business venture. Network, keep those good impressions consistent, and keep your clients happy.

your brother Works like an employee in that fitness club or is he renting the space ?

Post: #11

What is your weightlifting experience and credentials? I have been very skeptical lately of just anybody becoming a fitness trainer. Maybe its my own athletic background, but unless you yourself have been a champion athlete at the highest elite levels, OR.. have coached someone to the highest levels, I probably wont give you my money.

That being said, most people are not like this. If anything, its just about getting common people moving. And moving in any way. How creative do you want to be with it? Is it calisthenics in the park, or leading a group hike, opening a premium gym in the city, or just putting some equipment in your garage and coaching your neighbors(the earliest and most successful crossfit gyms started this way). Shit, playing kickball is hard for most people.

I see a major lack of understanding and limited knowledge of weightlifting in gyms all over the US. I work out at Equinox and the trainers there mostly dont know about it. Its gaining in popularity, so if you got a good certification, or a few, and went to them and said, I want to teach people how to squat and DL, you would probably get to the top of the resume list, but most of them have degrees in sports, etc.

So what I am saying is the most successful people at this have a niche, and are creative. Whats the difference with using you? What have you thought up thats fun and challenging? What kind of brand do you want to be? Have you written anything, learned anything from a team sport, have a unique sport/training experience to share? If you dont have these expensive credentials you have to be creative and create a rabid following of clients who love you.

Post: #12

(07-05-2013 07:46 AM)murrb Wrote:  

(07-05-2013 12:04 AM)derek76 Wrote:  I would hate to make a career out of it. Dealing with peoples ignorance and them coming and going and having to push sales it would get old after awhile I think.

I could see how that could get old. I just always hear stories how these personal trainers are just tearing up a bunch of different girls but its probably the same guy who would be tearing it up anyway even if they weren't a personal trainer.

My PT friends say that as soon as you hook up with a female client the cash payments stop. Either you work for the action or drop the client.

So you have to decide, are you in it for the girls or in it for the money?

Post: #13

I live in a large American city that has an endless supply of fatass people and wannabe fitness types, especially includes women. With New Years resolution season right around the corner, I've been thinking about doing a bit of PT as a side gig. I'm not licensed, but I would consider it if the barrier to entry and cost to do so was low enough.

Anyone have any experience with this in the states?

I would also be interested to hear from guys living outside the west how this works as well. Especially in emerging market countries with a rapidly growing middle to upper class.

Post: #14

(07-05-2013 07:46 AM)Teddykgb Wrote:  

(07-05-2013 12:04 AM)derek76 Wrote:  I would hate to make a career out of it. Dealing with peoples ignorance and them coming and going and having to push sales it would get old after awhile I think.

I could see how that could get old. I just always hear stories how these personal trainers are just tearing up a bunch of different girls but its probably the same guy who would be tearing it up anyway even if they weren't a personal trainer.

I think the biggest advantage is it could put you into a situation of fucking a girl of higher value than you would get by cold approach. Thats really where the advantage comes when you use social circle(work in this case) for hookups.

I know of a guy who ended up pulling a girl way out of his league(shes rich, semi celebrity) while he's making a personal trainer salary. He never would of had a shot of getting her without being her personal trainer. The best way of pulling women actually out of your league is doing shit like that. Hedi Klum in her prime married her fucking hairstylist.

Post: #15

Yeah if you've been lifting regularly here and there, it's not that hard to train a girl to lose some weight or a guy to gain some muscle. you go there gym anyways, why not spending extra hour to make some money? (not considering the fact that you can't train someone in someone else's gym) Sounds awesome huh?

It look simple as it sounds but it shouldn't be easy like that.

Think about photography. there are lots of guys who can take decent photos. they would love to shoot for little bit of money and the quality can be as good as photographer who makes a living out of it.
You might think charging $100 compared to $500 should win over customers.

Well, how are you going to find them though? how are you going to make them to trust you?

Without established business, you will have hard time just charging $15 an hour (compared to $50 at the gym) and you will need to spend very good amount of time to collect clients to make decent amount of money (let's say $500 bucks a month)

Those trainers (who has good certifications and been in the business several years) are not dumb to work for the gym and give up more than half of their hourly rate to the gym. They work in established business that renders the credibility which opens customer's wallet. And it is not Cheap to open up that business.

I am shooting photos for fun. I have no interest doing this to make money. It's still hard to find girls who will come out for a free photo shoot. I run into some ads on craigslist on CL looking for photographers. Their offering is just ridiculous and I am sure there are enough people who will want that job because it's their side gig or they just want to do it for fun.

I think if you can make several hundred bucks a Month doing this, you are doing pretty good. But would it be worth your time?
Plus, people don't mind free coaching but when they give you a cash (Whether it's $5 an hour $50 hour), they will get critical.
Can you handle that pressure?