A quick update on how lame MuscleMedia is these days - In their latest issue they ran a column on how Myostatatin inhibitors don’t work…27 pages later they run an add for MYOSTAT…in addition to that they run ads for other products and diets that they often trash…does anybody else remember the MM2K seal of approval?..
2) The real reason for my post...After listening to what a personal trainer at my gym was telling one of his housewives (I mean clients) I almost started laughing. I'm getting ready to leave MD and move to NC to be closer to my son and have decided to leave my job as a bank officer and become a personal trainer. I've read the T-Mag article on Personal Trainers and found it to be very accurate. It scares me that my knowledge of bodybuilding and sports enhancement is greater then the people who get paid to it, but is significantly less then those who regularly post on T-Mag.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get started and be successful in this business?
Raven: After almost two years or so on this Forum, it’s become apparent that personal training is a “Catch-22”. In other words, your market (or “where the money is”) are #1) Middle aged women #2) College Aged Women and 3) Professional Men. (Ain’t no money in “know-it-all” muscle heads and College Aged Men).
Regrettably, the “money” market is “sold” on soy, Body-for-Life, bunny weights, and aerobics. And they read “Fitness”, “Prevention” “Cosmo and Glamour” and “Men’s Fitness” for their nutrition and workout advice. Now…all that info ain’t all bad…but a lot is…and if you start spewing off Hardcore, state-of-the-art information, that Real Estate agent with big hair is going to leave you in the dust of her Jag, that Soccer Mom will run screaming for her mini-van and that young investment Banker will flip you off quicker than his Cell Phone. Just something to think about…
Marketing…YOU are the biggest marketing tool…you need to be a “beautiful person”…no string tops, baggy pants and hair out of some 80’s rock band nightmare…That exec and the Real Estate agent wants the “Men’s Fitness” look, not the “Flex” one. The former because he wants to “look like that” and he wants that look NOW; the latter because you’re WAY cute and not intimidating.(Remember; she wants to work out; but not sweat; and she DEFINITELY only wants to do machines and MAYBE some light dumbbells “in order to tone”, because she doesn’t want to “look like a man”).
It’s a mind field of high carb/“seed and feed” diets, Caltrate with Soy, “Lite” cookies, peanut butter on Rice Cakes and Myoplex Lite Shakes…its a land of butt kicks, 2 1/2 pound Dumbbells, Pec Decs (without use of the stack), and Step Aerobics to the sound of the “Madonna Vogue Mix”…
Raven…this is NOT meant to discourage…but if you don’t know your market…you’ve failed before you even get started…
I just started training in a big ol’ commercial health club. I’ve been training everyone with things I’ve learned from t-mag. Surprisingly, people eat it up if you feed it to them right. I thought the same thing Mufasa just said, but if you get results w/ these women they’ll do whatever you tell them. I’ve got everyone on lo-carb grow! & flax/fish oil. I put a couple guys on 5x5, and they worship me now… they’d been thru every other trainer at this place doing these stupid circuits w/ no results. Now they’re getting laid & lovin’ me for it. This whole selling game is new to me, but its actually kind of empowering dealing with all this money. I’m lovin’ it!
I have to agree with chuckwagon here. I used to do personal training on a side basis (not full-time), and the most effective sales pitch I had (and virtually the only one I ever used) was: “Yeah, that other guy told you . Okay, give it a shot and see what happens. I personally don’t think it’ll work, but hey, see for yourself. Maybe I’m wrong. But if I’m not, and if you don’t get the results you’re after, then come back and talk to me.”
You can tailor this to each particular person (some of them, for instance, will want to know why you think their current program is bad), but needless to say, a lot of them will come back when they fail. Using this approach, the incompetance of other trainers actuallys work in your favor.
Still, Mufasa has some good points. If you don’t like working with “average slobs” you probably shouldn’t go into PT.
I am a personal trainer. I have gotten used to a few things in order to keep my job.
Don't let the boss know (if you end up with one) that you know more than he/she does. It will be easy to do so, so watch out.
Get used to hearing the same outdated information on nutrition and supplementation from other trainers that you hear from "civilians". This will be very frustrating, as people actually listen to trainers as if they know what they're talking about.
Forget about teaching clients to use free-weights, at least not right away. Most gyms (again, assuming you're not freelancing) like to have you teach machines, because they're easier and safer for clients to use by themselves.
Keep your personal AAS use to yourself.
Sell yourself. Find out what the soccer mom and investment dad expect from you, and give it to them. As asinine as this may sound, they aren't necessarily paying you for results; they are paying you so that they can tell their friends "My personal trainer...". You're like a walking, talking fashion accessory. It's depressing, I know.
Slowly, and I mean slowly, introduce your clients and coworkers to quality training and nutritional info. Not everyone is ready for the truth, and in this line of work you have a civic duty to challenge the status quo and bring in new ideas. Since you're reading this website, you have a responsibility to get good information out there.
Finally, use all that pent up anger and frustration (trust me, it'll be there in spades) to fuel your workouts.
Thanks for all your advice and suggestions. I have to admit when I think about getting into this business I thought I would come in and change how things were done. Any advice on how to get into a gym, what type of gym to get into and how to negotiate pay scale?
Raven: what you now then need to do, is look at a variety of gyms. Go to the chains, and also visit the small, local gyms. Go to gyms that allow private trainers and the ones that have “inhouse”. Talk to the PTs’ at ALL the places you go. THIS is your homework, your research.
What you'll hear from the private trainers in the small gyms is that you more than likely will have to have a clientele all ready. SO, if you don't have clients, then maybe begin your PT career at a large health club chain, learn the ropes, get established then look into taking your business to a smaller gym.
Also, establish some goals - what do you want to accomplish for you AND your clients. One thing to remember is that yes, you are providing a valuable service, however, it IS a business. Might help to write your goals, etc. in some sort of "mini" business plan. It will also allow you to "negotiate" that salary/rate with a potential gym/health club. If you look like you're taking this seriously, then they will take you more seriously as well.