Personal Training Career

Do you have a degree? Look into being a 'wellness coach' imo. Personal training is one of the most poorly regulated areas of health and fitness. It's very unlikely that you'll earn very much in it given that it's a classic burnout job and you're already not enjoying it.

I've always wondered this, and never felt to ask as I don't know my gyms pt's close enough and they might feel offended.
I know that any novice should be introduced into proper squat, bench and deadlift as a starting point, yet I see at commercial gym PT's talking healthy males (and all the other people) into doing "cardio" and using isolation machines, as a gym policy.
I know some pt's are retarded and actually know very little about fitness, but I've always tought that a bunch of them is aware of my previous statement and blatantly lie to clients to sell the gym's policy. Do you think this is something somewhat frequently? If so, would you do it? (as from your post it seems you will have to if you want to actually make money)

I actually have a degree in business finance and international business. I somewhat know the reality of being a trainer although I haven't experienced it myself yet, the rejections, clients not showing up, making calls, trying to find more clients. Only the few with strong work ethics and good character making it to the comfortable living wage range (IMO 60K+) but I'm up for the challenge. I'm not asking 24 hour fitness to hold my hand but what kind of training is "OK read the employee handbook, now go meet some people" for 5 hours Monday - Saturday? And go and shadow people that only have been working as trainers for about 5weeks to 4 months? I know how to train as a novice trainer but the fitness manager (who is usually a previously promoted master trainer) should at least give at least one walk through of a good example of a 24 hour fitness orientation and the "introductory 3 pack training session."

I've met some cool trainers so far, but some branches of 24 hour fitness just give you a bad impression, or run their business like shit.

On January 07 2012 17:51 GoTuNk wrote: I've always wondered this, and never felt to ask as I don't know my gyms pt's close enough and they might feel offended. I know that any novice should be introduced into proper squat, bench and deadlift as a starting point, yet I see at commercial gym PT's talking healthy males (and all the other people) into doing "cardio" and using isolation machines, as a gym policy. I know some pt's are retarded and actually know very little about fitness, but I've always tought that a bunch of them is aware of my previous statement and blatantly lie to clients to sell the gym's policy. Do you think this is something somewhat frequently? If so, would you do it? (as from your post it seems you will have to if you want to actually make money)

I believe good trainers will eventually introduce all the basic compound lifts to a client regardless what goal, hopefully sooner rather than later, but the reason you don't see a lot of clients doing the basic compound lifts with trainers is because they're either lazy/bad trainers, the typical client is a de-conditioned middle age person who can't stabilize themselves for shit and are also working out in a gym for the first time, or the client is doing a free session and trainer is trying to get the client comfortable in using a variety of machines.

Most clients are people who have been struggling with their goals for a long time and really lack self-confidence, so the last thing they want to do for their first few sessions is wobble in the squat rack with just the bar in front of a bunch of joe shmoes wearing ripped tank tops and women wearing booty shorts.

But yeah I see a lot of laid back sessions given by trainers, that's why only a small percentage of 24 hour fitness clients actually reach their goal. Most of it is because the trainer is not serious enough in what he/she is doing and the rest is just whatever issues the clients have with themselves.