The Pros: Personal training is very rewarding when your clients are successful and follow the plan you have taken time to develop. It also allows you the flexibility to work when you want to work. This is great for moms.
Money can be good if you work for the right establishment. In my area, most (not all) are going to a pay scale based on the number of clients you are training. This is not the best option for a stay at home mom because I am not going to have as many hours to work as a single guy, thus limiting my income potential.
Another pro is it is a fun job. It is not hard and most of the time I have a really good time training my clients.
Another pro is the friendships you develop. This can also result in a negative so read on.
Training is relatively cheap compared to a formal education and it doesn't take a real long time to study and get certified. It took me 4 months to study and take the test. That was with two babies at home. I received my certification from NCSF. I researched certifications because I wanted one that was nationally recognized. Having the nursing background I think is why I also researched the companies that accredit them. When I saw that some of those companies also accredited nursing programs then I knew it was a legit company. There are better programs out there that are much harder and have the highest reputation, but I don't think it's necessarily where you are certified from that matters. It comes down to, are you a good trainer?
Cons: The cons to being a trainer are few but important. First of all, this absolutely depends on what market you work in. In my area you can earn anywhere from 20-30/hr. However, as I stated before, many gyms are going to staff trainers...and that can mean starting out at $13 and having to work your way up. If you work outside the gym, then that number can triple. While these numbers sound good, reality is, there are not always enough clients to keep you busy enough to make a true living. This is especially true during economic struggles, like we are seeing now. Personal training will be one of the first things people cut out. Unfortunately renewing your certification is very expensive. It will cost you at least $300 to get your CEU’s. That is way more than it costs me to renew my RN license.
Another downside can be the frustration that your clients cause. You can train someone in the gym and even give them a diet to follow, but you don't follow them home, thus you don't control what they put in their mouths. Uggggh! This is apparent on weigh in/body fat day. They will try to tell you they are following their diet, but you know better. I mean, I have done this. It is tried and true. It works...and it can work for anyone.
My favorite con to training is no shows. As long as they give you 24hrs notice they can cancel without losing their session. That means I don't get paid. I understand things come up. Kids get sick etc., but financially it sucks!
Trainers beware: There are those who want all your information and don't want to pay for it. They will start off as a paying client, befriend you, and then stop paying. I mean "you are their friend now", and shouldn't you do things free for friends? Well, real friends won't put you in that position. Take note and remember that one. Or, how about this one? Someone wants to "train" with you, but only a couple of times. Basically they are saying, give me your secrets and you will never see me again. Or how about when you do offer free training to someone who frequents the gym and then you see your training advice on facebook. “Oh thank you for the great advice”, the recipient posts. You look and it is something you have incorporated into your workouts for years. Instead of giving you the credit, they are trying to up themselves and make it look as if they actually know how to train. Oh that's a good one.
I really don't mean to be negative. It is a great job and the rewards out way the bad. I just want to be real. I am so appreciative of my trainer. I may not be able to afford him as much as I would like, but I always give him the credit. He has been doing this a long time and is good at what he does. He takes the good with the bad and even has a great sense of humor about training.
I would absolutely recommend this career for anyone. I think it’s important however, to know what you are getting into. The more you are prepared the better equipped you will be to train.
Future blog topics: alcohol and weight training, plastic surgery
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