Turning Your Hobby into a Career as a Personal Trainer

by Hossein Noshirvani
(United States)

Personal trainers seem to embody fitness. The image of a personal trainer is large, hulking muscles; bright smiles; and a "no pain, no gain" attitude. Most personal trainers didn't start off with the perfect, lean body and industry know-how. They developed a passion for fitness often through years on the athletic field or some sort of life changing commitment followed by dramatic weight loss.

The fact is your personal trainer simply started with a passion for fitness. You should consider a career as a personal trainer if you share this passion for healthy living and personal wellness.

Are you cut out for this line of work: Working out and eating healthy must be more than just a passing fad with you in order to be a successful personal trainer. You must be a natural people person who is good at motivating others. If you'd rather workout alone with your headphones, personal training may not be for you.

Decide on a specialty: The wide world of fitness encompasses an endless list of types of fitness routines from Pilates to yoga or boot camps to power lifting. Many gyms now offer spin classes and aerobics as well as Zumba classes. You can always choose to go the traditional route. Research the various certifications necessary for your particular specialty.

Find work at a local fitness facility: Starting a fitness business from the ground up can be difficult for newcomers to the industry. Your best bet is to call around to fitness facilities in your area and ask if they are taking on new personal trainers. The built in membership base will help boost your clientele and the gym will handle the marketing and promotion. Most club billing software will help you keep track of your invoices and clientele.

Stay ahead of the competition: The fitness world is ever-changing with new exercises and machines frequently being introduced to the growing marketplace. Stay competitive in your region by being certified for these new fitness techniques.

Promote your services: Whether your personal training services are associated with a local fitness facility or you have decided to start your own personal training business, the best way to gain clients is to promote your services. This can be a tiresome effort when you are starting out; however, the importance of promotion cannot be undersold. Create business cards, go to local networking meetings, and ask for referrals in order to generate a name for yourself in the fitness world.