Covid-19 wrecked havoc on the health and fitness industry in 2020, and it continues to do so. Many personal trainers, physiotherapists, chiropractors etc. have suffered extreme setbacks to their businesses. Many have been laid off, and lots more are working reduced hours. Not to mention how many gyms have closed down, and those remaining are struggling big time.
As fitness specialists, personal trainers, gyms and clubs try to cope, virtual training took off slowly and now seems to be here to stay. Gyms, clubs, and individual trainers are offering it through different online platforms. And though many were very skeptical at first, it seems that more and more are coming around to it.
But while big box gyms and clubs have many resources and connections (financial, social, political), individual personal trainers are struggling more than ever. We don’t have the open floor to prospect for clients. There are no more face to face interactions where we make small talk that builds into something profitable for all parties involved. Demoing exercises is much more difficult, and cueing is a challenge due to the lack of contact.
Many of us also don’t have the resources or options for rent deferrals and extended bank loans. And while big box gyms, clubs, and companies are afraid of closing their doors, individuals are afraid of being kicked out of our doors. A company can file for bankruptcy and the person or people who own it would be safer than if a person files for it. This is obviously simplifying it, but you get the idea.
It’s A Dog Eat Dog World
Making a living as a personal trainer is tough. It takes long hours on your feet, very physically demanding, and mentally challenging. You’re constantly moving around, demonstrating exercises, correcting form, scheduling and rescheduling etc. Not to mention writing tons of emails, designing programs, studying and learning. I would sometimes train 3-4 people in a row before taking a breather. I know trainers who would train 6-8 people in a row without a break!
It is also incredibly emotionally demanding for some. Some clients need a lot more attention and instruction than others. At the end of the day it’s a service job and that takes a toll. And I don’t just mean that you have to put up with rude and nasty clients every now and then. I mean that sometimes your clients start to see you as their therapist. They confide in us, they vent and complain. And sometimes they project their negative feelings on us, because they’re having a bad day and we’re in close proximity.
In particular, it’s physically, mentally, and emotionally draining all at once because you can never rest on your laurels. Meaning that if you want somewhat of a steady income means then you are constantly prospecting for clients. Ask any trainer about it and they will tell you that clients come and go all the time. And you’re also competing with other trainers who are just as hungry as you are.
It’s Still Fun
That said, many of us love it and we keep doing it. I personally love teaching people how to move, and how to cultivate and appreciate their physical abilities. I love watching the light turn on for someone who never focused on a specific muscle contraction, to see what it feels like. Or someone who has been training for a few months and can actually see the fruits of their investment.
There is so much to learn about health and fitness. So many people with different perspectives and methodologies, and approaches to solving and dealing with many challenges. You often build amazing relationships and connections with your peers and your clients, and get to know many of them on a real personal level.
My mother has worked as a hairdresser and hair stylist for over 25 years. She always tells me stories about clients who have followed her wherever she went. Her clients trusted her so much, and felt so comfortable with her that they couldn’t see themselves going to anyone else. One time I inherited a client from a trainer who thought him and I were a good fit. The trainer moved to a different city and wanted to make sure her clients were taken care of. Him and I definitely got along great, right after the first session, and every single session after that. And he told me he’s been going to the same barber for 15 years, and has been with his trainer for 10 years.
All this to say that there are a lot more positives than negatives to personal training…If you want there to be.
PT Job Categories
I’ve identified three main job classes for personal trainers. A health and fitness specialist who does personal trainer will usually fall into one, two or all categories. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, depending on how you look at it.
1- Direct Employee: Is a personal trainer who is employed by a gym or a club. This trainer gets paid by the session, usually lasting between 30-60 minutes. The trainer’s rate is split between the trainer and the gym/club, usually as a % or a $ amount. The rate is determined by the club/gym, depending on the trainer’s experience, certifications/education, and performance metrics. Their taxes are all handled through the company they work for.
2- Contractor: Is a personal trainer who hired by the gym/club but isn’t employed by the business. The pay is still the same in that it is based on a % or $ amount of the trainer’s rate. However, the trainer’s cut may be slightly higher since they are responsible for tracking their own taxes and receipts etc. and billing the company.
3- Independent/Solo: Is a personal trainer who isn’t necessarily affiliated with any gym/club/company. Usually on their own, providing services at the home of the client, or they may rent out space at a local gym. This trainer is responsible for setting their own rates, finding their own clients, and keeping track of their own bills and paperwork.
Support The Solo PTs!
I’m probably going to get some hate for this because it may sound as if I’m trying to take business away from the other PT categories. But nothing could be further from the truth. In some sense ,despite the struggles, I like to believe that there is an abundance and not a scarcity of clients. And if and when a company complains that solo trainers are taking away business, they are just flat out lying. The idea that solo trainers represent a threat to big box gyms or clubs, is frankly not true. We have a lot less resources to work with, and we typically have to do it on our own. We don’t have a team of managers, marketers, HR department etc.
The truth is every PT is solo in some way. This means that we are always looking for private clients, whether we are employees or contractors. The biggest reason, all things being equal, it is less taxing and more profitable in both the short and long term. Think about it, I have to train less people as a solo PT to make the same amount as I would as an employee/contractor. And of course there are perks to the other categories as I already mentioned.
Essentially, I would compare supporting solo PTs to supporting small local businesses. Small local businesses usually have a single location, run by a small staff. Their marketing and advertising resources, among other things, are small. They stay in business mainly through lots of hard work, word of mouth, and consistent clientele. Big businesses on the other hand have so much more at their disposal, from finances, staffing, marketing, advertisements etc. So yea, SUPPORT LOCAL!
The Struggle Is Real: 4 Things PTs Want You To Know
Independent/solo personal trainers seem to be struggling the most right now. We have to prospect for clients through creative ways, and it’s much tougher for a few reasons.
1- We can’t do it on the floor, like we used to. I used to strike up conversations with different members everyday anything and everything. People would come in for workout on their own, and it was the best way to interact with members. Since gyms have been closed, we don’t have that option anymore unfortunately.
2- Word of mouth helps! Though definitely less than before, where colleagues, other clients, and management at the club and gym use to help with that. Any trainer who has worked in a gym knows how much client referrals matter. From personal experience, 30%-50% of my clients were referred or have contacted me through word of mouth.
3- The funnel is MUCH smaller now. New members were funnelled through fitness assessments and paired with a trainer. Prospective clients could be found on the floor on any day. And though an immediate sale is never guaranteed, the possibility of generating leads always was. Nowadays generating leads is much tougher, especially when you’re on your own and can’t afford advertisements and marketing.
4- Selling people on VPT is tough. Virtual personal training is here to stay, despite the fact that many people still don’t buy into it. I wasn’t convinced of it myself at first to be honest, but it didn’t take me long to realize that it works! That said, selling people on VPT is still a challenge. Space limitations, safety precautions, not the same as a gym, it’s at home, less contact and ability to cue.
How You Can Help
Solo personal trainers are everywhere on social media, all you have to do is search for #personaltrainer on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. Chances are that you already know someone who is working with a trainer. Even trainers employed by a gym/club are always looking for more clients. It is harder than ever to be a PT right now, because even the ones employed or contracted by gyms/clubs are struggling due to closures.
Hiring a PT right now can cost you anywhere from 50$-100$/60min session, and paying them directly means they get the full rate and don’t have to split it. And believe me when I say that none of us are getting rich by doing this. We have taxes and bills to pay like everyone else, and most of us are literally just getting by.
The free content you get from health and fitness social media accounts will only get you so far. In my 10 years I have learned that EVERYONE can benefit from 1 on 1 training. So find the right trainer for you, interview them and look at their experience and qualifications…Then pay them for their services!!