Demand for Personal Trainers

Finley Calm Arena wrote: »

Coach (Strength Coach/ fitness coach) =/= personal trainer.

That's true, but we were talking about good personal trainers. Not cookie cutter programs and bootcamp in the park.

"Transform wrote: »

Finally this whole idea that "well im passionate about training and nutrition, have always been into sports and regularly attend courses to update my skills so i think i have the skills to be a great trainer" is a total fuxking joke.

What you have said here is exactly my point. Some people think that liking sport and exercise is a vocation that validates them as a fitness expert and grants them license to establish themselves as someone who should be paid for this expertise. In my opinion, many new trainers are just people from other walks of life who have become bored and see this industry as low hanging fruit and a get rich quick scheme. The best example of this is my former postman who now goes around calling himself a "strength and conditioning coach".

Transform wrote: »

you wont make a great living? are you out of your mind?

You can make an amazing living AND do what you love.

This is the major issue with trainers - they are too apologetic about making money (so they under charge because they dont think they're worth a fair price) and think well its ok im doing something i love.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”—Charles Darwin

Trainers will come and go (more going in the next year IMO) and this is all down to a lack of basic understanding of their role in being a trainer and under pricing themselves to the point where they're working crazy hours just to make ends meet while living with their parents and telling everyone how successful they are.
Thats a lovely branded car, tshirt etc you got there but overall your clients dont really care if you cant actually make significant changes with them.


“Underpromise;overdeliver.”
― Tom Peters, i went to see him live 15yrs ago when i had bugger all money and could barely get by living in dublin. I still apply this daily and overall couldnt give a flying fucx what most trainers do as ive seen it all, they all come and go but those that succeed are those that adapt and have the ability to discard whats useless and apply what works as opposed to becoming the TRX guy, the kettlebell guy, the strength and conditioning guy, the functional movement gal, the running gal etc

My two cents or as the hodge twins say "do what ever the fuxk you wanna do".

No, I'm certainly not out of my mind. Maybe what you and I consider a great living are two different things? I don't want to get into that though as it can be a sensitive issue. I do fine out of it but I wouldn't consider myself rich. As well as that, we have to consider that while it is possible to make a great living being a trainer, coach, whatever, that isn't going to be everybody's experience. I think there are a lot more people making very little in the industry than there are earning a high income. And the clincher, for me, is this: This is not an industry in which there is substantial job security. Sure, earnings might be large for a few short years but do you see yourself still plugging away on the gym floor, doing the same things, when you're 65? Personally I'd like to think yes, but that isn't the reality for the vast, vast majority. How likely is a trainer to be considered a viable candidate for a mortgage? I'm not sure. Maybe you have/got one but how about your 3 day a week bootcamp guy doing it for a laugh on the side? If there were less bootcamps, he might be a 6 day a week guy. It's all very well working in Dublin, Cork or Galway but what about the guy/girl who works out of Claremorris or Letterkenny? These are just open-ended questions, I don't suspect that there are any clear cut answers but I'm just trying to let you in on why I think the way I do in relation to the matter.

Transform wrote: »

we're on the same page here and overall i just dont see it any different than any other business TBH.

There are lots of golf coaches earning very little and there are a few doing really well for themselves - they blog regularly, put out good content, do great work with their clients etc its no different.

NO SELF EMPLOYED JOB offers job security so thats irrelevant.

Ive done this for close on 20years, own two really successful businesses that i could sell tomorrow so yup doing ok. Yes we own our own home (my wifes the smart one TBH and has a proper job as i have the fun easy job).

I co-own a business in kildare that actually employs 4 people full time (no cash under the table, wink and a nod ****e that goes on) so yes it can and does work because its run like a professional business thats 8,500sqft and looks and operates amazingly well.

Best to look at solutions rather than pointing out the pitfalls (of which there are many). I honestly dont much care about what other trainers are doing as it takes me away from doing exceptional work or writing material that gets people training or eating in a more improved manner.

Thinking i Really need to write an article called the 6 big reasons you shouldt become a trainer.

Should or shouldn't?

There's plenty of reason on both sides of the argument. You've clearly done well as you seem to have the skills to exploit the market. I don't think you are comparing like with like either though. I do accept that being a trainer is just like any other business but if you have a large gym as you do, the landscape you are faced with is not exactly similar to that faced by the recently qualified trainer with no experience who feels he can take enough of the market to fund his life. On the contrary, I think that you would be that guy's competitor and that the market that he wants to exploit could be your back yard. He's in trouble if that's the case and that's fine because we live in a capitalist society. Also, if you established yourself over the last two decades, you were faced with a less cramped market and, for some time at least, a booming economy. Could it be argued that you'd built yourself a decent business by the time the crash came around? If so, you might have been in a good position to weather it. That's not the case for someone now who has to fight against numerous Crossfit facilities and the (re)emergence of road cycling, not to mention a still flagging, albeit recovering, economy. When it comes down to it, I'm not saying it can't be done; it can! But I don't think there's a huge market there and the OP would likely be faced with market conditions akin to shark-infested waters.

Slightly off topic but still related to it, what is the gym industry like at the moment? It seems to be very busy now or is that just me? Are gym's hiring people these days as Gym Instructor's? Was thinking of doing a gym instructor course.

Vet Thrower wrote: »

There is a personal trainer set up right by the entrance of a driving range that I go to. The range is always busy, with enough customers to support a golf shop, and several golf coaches.

It has always amazed me that the personal trainer isn't trying to tap into this market in some way. It doesn't appear that he is so busy that he doesn't need any new clients, and it would be the easiest thing in the world to put together some sort of programme for golfers, and, at the very least, advertise it in his window.

Basically, there are loads of potential clients walking right right past his premises all day long and he does absolutely nothing to target them.

That is just so typical of most trainers who could name a few nutrition and training coaches they look up to but couldn't name a single business person that help them improve their bottom line.

Transform wrote: »

Yup all valid points and I have a girl interning with me right now and I 100% guarantee she will have a successful business or co-owned business within the next 1-2 years.

It can be done but trainers are mostly lazy, selfish and treat It like a hobby.

Btw I helped open my brothers gym ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Performance-and-Fitness-Academy/257985114224163 ) smack bang in the middle of the recession in one of the biggest dole counties in Ireland. Zero bank loans also.

It's not a "if you build it they will come" BS mentality which is based on "well all my mates said they will come to me for training (they won't!!) and I'm passionate about what i do (lol) " it's knowing what your ideal customer looks like and then taking a good 5 years of hard work, no holidays and plenty of very very heated discussions on how to do things best because hell you only have EVERYTHING to lose! pretty big motivation.

No doubt. The tenaciously hungry go-getters are always going to stand a great chance in this business. I think that's the only way you can be if you want to succeed.