Job Description of Personal Fitness Trainer
- Develop a customized workout schedule for your client to improve cardiovascular health and strength.
- Help clients improve technical skills for golf, tennis, and other sports.
- Assist a client in an exercise-based weight loss program.
Why would people hire a stranger to stand over them with a verbal whip, pushing them to get into shape and stay that way?
First of all, because many of us need a whole lot of motivation to work out regularly. A personal trainer provides structure and a schedule; the workouts themselves will follow a plan based on efficiency of time and effectiveness. Second, a well-prepared trainer will personalize a training program to take into account a client’s specific needs as well as any health conditions and injuries.
Perhaps most important, a properly educated personal trainer is capable of monitoring clients’ medical conditions as they perform their workouts.
Personal Fitness Trainer Challenges
Your success as a personal trainer may depend more on your personality and communication skills than on your technical skills and background. Clients will want to feel comfortable with you in the somewhat intimate setting of a workout.
If you will be working with clients in their homes, you should offer suggestions on equipment, but be prepared to work with whatever they have available. You will be in competition with health clubs, gyms, television workouts, and videotapes. Your response should be to emphasize your highly customized service.
Although trainers should not offer medical advice or take on any of the roles that should be done by a nurse or doctor, you should be able to offer certain limited emergency assistance and be ready to contact a doctor or ambulance if necessary.
Know the Territory Personal Fitness Trainer
A personal trainer is a bit of a luxury, perhaps not as much as a personal cook or chauffeur but nevertheless a service more likely to be in demand among people with above-average discretionary income.
Make a survey of available health clubs, gyms, and community centers to find out about their programs. Look for ways to present custom programs that are complementary to their offerings.
Some health clubs may allow you to work with a client at their facility; they may charge you a fee or ask for a percentage of your earnings. The advantage of such an arrangement includes access to a wider range of equipment than you might find at the home of your client or at your own studio.
An appropriate background for a trainer includes education or experience in physiology, athletic training, health sciences, or similar fields. Although there is no requirement that a personal trainer have a license or any professional certification, you should explore possible affiliation with one of a number of national organizations.
How to Get Started Personal Fitness Trainer
Advertise your availability in community centers, stores, and schools. Some health and athletics clubs may allow you to post flyers or business cards in their facilities. Place ads in newspapers and shopping guides. Ask satisfied clients to refer you to others; offer a discount or bonus for new
business they bring you.
Up-front Expenses for Personal Fitness Trainer
Most personal fitness trainers do their work in the homes or health clubs of their clients and do not need to set up a studio of their own. Start-up costs include books and research materials about general training and specific sports, plus the expenses of advertising and promotion.
Charge for Personal Fitness Trainer
Trainers charge by the hour. If there is more than one person in the group, you should adjust your rates to take that into account.