id Identify where you want to work and then try to get a part time job their that can work with your current schedule if possible. Then build the relationships and rapport you need to develop the job further.
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Totally agree with your thought process and @jackolee. Get in the door, prove you’re awesome, then they’ll be asking you how to make you happy.
Civilian employment, vs government, is nice that way.
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It sounds like you’re applying the right rigor to this process, and it sounds like you’ll be a lot happier in the long run not dealing with the sort of people you have to deal with on a daily basis as a police officer. Of course, at some point you’re just going to have to take the leap and just do it. After you get to the 25% retirement point sounds like a perfect time, since you’ll have a little bit of a cushion then.
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4.13.19
Woke at 211.2 lbs.
Edit to add that I had to tighten my duty belt for the third time this year.
@jackolee, @TrainForPain, @OTHSteve, I already have a bit of rapport with the folks at my particular Y. I talk with the employees regularly and have been going there for years. The branch manager knows me by name and that’s who I contacted last week. I basically told him about my passion and what I’d like to do and asked if he had any ideas for me. He responded and said he was going to share what I said with some other people and then get back with me about a meeting.
I’ve talked with employees about the new equipment, told them that their layout was dangerous, and helped them move stuff around. I’m on the right track to positive relationships there. That’s actually what sparked this new interest in the Y. I worked there as a personal trainer for a short stint in 2008 when I was trying to play college basketball. Looking back, I should’ve stayed and expanded my hours and role, but I left to go work with my mentor at his gym (hard to call that a bad move).
I just really enjoy my time at the gym, and not just the time I’m training. I enjoy the relationships and the small talk. It only makes sense to find a way to get paid at the same time!
The other thing that is appealing is that it’s a family place. I could take my kids and have them involved in a lot of things. I’m sure if I go that route then I’ll have to work some nights and weekends, but at least I’ll be able to take my family with me.
I goofed up and took my daughter to the Y with me on a Sunday morning before the Kid Zone opened. Terrell (the branch director), offered to let her hang out with his kiddo in one of the offices. He was there for an indoor triathlon event and brought her. That’s the kind of place I enjoy being. Work shouldn’t interfere with family. I could take a small pay cut for that atmosphere.
Heck, the more I talk about it and think about it, the more I want to make a move faster than 2023. It’s a good thing I have motivation to stick with what I’m currently doing (the 25% retirement benefit). That’ll keep me from doing something impulsive. 
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sounds like your being smart about it. So much of it is in building strong relationships with both customers and staff. I’m sure you’d be a great addition to any team. The tough thing with our ondustry is that there just aren’t that many positions that will pay the bills.
Sure you can be a trainer, or coach, but your gonnaxwork part time hourly with no benefits
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That’s why I left years ago. They used to just have one position - personal trainer. I got $10/hr to hang out and cruise the floor and I would’ve got more if I actually set up some personal training.
Now they have Personal Trainers and Fitness Floor Associates. The trainers get a minimum of $13/hr to hang out and interact with members but they can get up to $25 with the right certifications and doing an actual session.
Back when I worked there, there was talk of more money for certifications but it wasn’t implemented yet. And they are hung up on ACSM for some reason. I am a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. You have to have a degree in a kinesiology related field to get this certification. That wasn’t worth anything to them (and I’m pretty sure it still isn’t), but this ACSM test is their gold standard. Anyone can read the book and get the cert. I kind of feel like mine is better or should at least be viewed with equivalency.
I’d like to think I’d be on the higher end of the pay scale with my credentials and experience. We all know what the personal trainers are like. 99% of them are newbs who are just learning about training. They have their clients do whatever they learned the previous week.
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Lots of thinking in here J.
If you’re able to make the same amount of money or almost the same amount, I’ll bet you’d be a happy dude working at the Y.
Looking forward to hear more about it.
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My wife’s boss calls it “Y kids” - they’re always welcome and hanging around and learning there.
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In the gymnastics world they’re “gym brats”. I raised two of them
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You’ve been visiting my log long enough to know that I write out my thoughts a lot in here. I guess this is the closest thing I have to a journal. Lot of thinking, but not a lot of action. In the case of career changes and training programs, that’s probably a good thing.
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Just picked up a 3rd job working part time at my local Y. My title is “Wellness Coach” and it sounds basically like
Just walk around and see how things are going. We have some program that generates workouts for new members (pretty much just some machine work, that’s determined by your “goals”) that I will help set up if needed. Watch the Y kids to make sure they don’t kill themselves benching. Maybe do some cleaning, like vacuuming or washing. Pays minimum wage ($9.10 in my state).
Not expecting much out of it, but I would like for my future career to be at least partly based in helping others learn to be physically better, so it’s a start. Figure I can develop some relationships. I myself got into lifting by a former Wellness Coach there who now plays in the CFL, and was extremely strong and athletic, so maybe I can meet some young teenagers and help them too. I feel like that’d be cool.
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The Fitness Director spot might be a good gig. From what I can tell it’s a management position with a little personal training sprinkled in. It doesn’t pay as much as I’d like but the next spot up requires a decent amount of supervisory experience so it’s probably a necessary step.
I have my fingers crossed that I can skip some of the usual steps involved with working my way up the ladder. I’m not thinking I’ll get a handout, but maybe I can earn a better spot as my “first job” by getting involved now and building relationships in the right places.
It’d be nice to build my resume and work my way up while maintaining my current job. That would keep me financially stable. I don’t think I can take a big part cut to start a new career.
That’d be great! I just need to find a job that pays me a specific amount to help members. I don’t want to have to rely on selling personal training sessions to get paid.
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Push Day
LOW INCLINE DB PRESS
50 x 10
55 x 10
60 x 10
65 x 8
70 x 7
75 x 5
80 x 5
85 x 4
INCLINE BENCH 1.5 REPS
95 x 10 x 3 sets
Too light
SMITH OHP
95 x 8, 8, 8, 5
CABLE FLY
40 x 20
50 x 15 x 2 sets
LAT CABLE RAISE
20 x 10, 10
10 x 15, 15
REV PRESS DOWN {350 SET)
110 x 22, 15, 13
4.14.19
Woke at 211.6 lbs which was a pleasant surprise.
We went out to eat after church instead of eating at our house. I was craving pizza again so we went back to il Vicino. I had the same pizza which has chicken and veggies on it. It also has pretty thin crust. But this week we had dessert. I had some flourless chocolate cake and about a third of my daughter’s cannoli. Delicious.
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I love my job and it pays me very well. I work 60-70hrs a week and live 4 hours from home 3-4 days a week.
J - if I was you, I’d moonlight as a trainer. Possibly coach basketball/baseball at a high school or local college. Even try to train your overweight co-workers. I wouldn’t quit your current position tho unless you find something you can’t pass up. You may find similar salaries position, but your benefits are going to be far better as a PO.
I know someone who left the PD and now works for a software company that makes emergency responder programs. His job is training officers how to use in field.
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Can you also pick up private police work from churches directing traffic for services etc. I’ve heard that can pay pretty well hourly
I wouldn’t want to do this for long. I’m not looking to add to my work week; I’m looking to swap hours of one job for hours of another. I couldn’t do what you do and work 60+ hours every week.
These jobs are approved by the department and pay pretty well. Last summer I worked baseball games on Friday nights and this past winter I worked a few basketball games. I don’t have a regular part time job though. I used to work at Quik Trip (convenience store) every Saturday night but I can’t do that now that I have to be at work at 0700. Those shifts end at 0300.
I’m not looking for more money; I want a different job. I’m hoping to at least change my job within the department in the next year. That should help. But money is a factor in switching over to something entirely different. I can’t afford to just take a $20k/year pay cut to do something more “fun”.
I’d like to say we aren’t living paycheck to paycheck, but after the rental property fiasco we kind of are. We have debt again and I want to pay it off ASAP. Every extra penny goes towards that so we’re basically spending everything we make.
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Leg Session
(very short)
TABATA SQUATS (no warm up, just get to work)
bar x 15, 14, 14, 13 rest
bar x 15, 15, 15, 14
SL LEG EXTENSION
40 x 15 x 3 sets
No rest, just switch legs and go back and forth.
SL LYING LEG CURL
40 x 15, 10, 8
No rest, same as leg extensions.
That’s it. <16 minutes and I still had jello legs.
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This is a very, very similar situation to me. Slowly getting bored and frustrated at work however I can’t afford to start an entry level job and keep roofs over heads.
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Yeah, I think it’s impossible not get to get trapped. You put in some tone somewhere and get established but then the wear and tear gets to you. You’re invested just enough that it’s hard to walk away but not enough to walk away with benefits.
The lateral career move is like finding Bigfoot.
I could manage to add a part time job for a short term personal investment but I couldn’t sustain it.