Professional Personal Training

How to Make a Career as a Professional Personal Trainer

Have you ever wondered?

• Can personal training really be a career?
• What is the average salary of a personal trainer?
• How much money can I make as a personal trainer?
• How do I make a career out of personal training?
• Is there a difference between a personal trainer and a fitness professional?
• What is the fastest way to build my fitness career?

From Part-Time to Full-Time to Career

That is the path many of us take.

I overheard my friend, a trainer, talking the other day about how he got into being a personal trainer.  Like most of us, he started part-time, after a while he was able to build up to being a full time personal trainer. Now he is making a career as a very successful trainer.

My path was very similar!  I didn’t look for a job in a gym because I wanted to make a career out of personal training, I just loved exercise, wanted to have a gym to workout in, didn’t have any money for a gym membership, and needed a job (because of that “didn’t have any money” part.J)

I suspect that most personal trainers are the same.  Yes, some of us out there went to college for personal training (and that trend is growing fast), but most of us naturally gravitated towards the industry for similar reasons;

• “I can’t work behind a desk!”
• “I love working with people and helping them reach their goals!”
• “I love working out, being active, and playing sports!”

Where does this passion for health, fitness, and exercise come from?

Often it is based on our own experience with the transformative powers of exercise. I personally went from a scrawny, shy, fearful kid to a successful, happy, fit, and confident personal trainer with an awesome career and celebrity clients.

And you can too!

As long as you have that passion, are committed to investing in yourself with continuing education, and have a sincere desire to help people, then you can have a very successful career in this industry.  Recently, I have heard a lot of trainers telling me they are frustrated with their business and need more clients.  They are barely working or working part-time and really just want to help more people.

If this sounds like you, I hope you are encouraged by the idea that most trainers started out the same way!  I didn’t train full-time until 2 years into my fitness career (I was a full-time student in college at the time).

Focus on Helping Others and the Money Will Follow

If you are just getting started, take it one step at a time.  Even if you only have one client, work hard to consistently exceed that client’s expectations, and more clients will come.  Our industry is literally exploding right now, right along with our nation’s average belt size, the number of people who need your help is increasing rapidly;

• According to IDEA Health & Fitness, the personal training industry grew 21% from
1996 - 2000, and continues to grow, coincidentally, with the United States obesity rate which has increased every year for the past ten years.
• According to the Center for Disease Control, 67% of Americans are either overweight or obese!
• Not to mention that there are plenty of people with “skinny genes” who are still really unhealthy (although these people are less likely to seek our help until later on when their bodies literally start breaking down.)

There is so much opportunity out there but because our industry is relatively new and unorganized, there are very few examples of successful personal trainers who have already blazed the path.  Our job is just coming to the forefront of our national conscience as the obesity epidemic explodes and the limitation of “sick care” (waiting until someone is already sick) is becoming more apparent to the masses.

The 3 Keys to Building a Successful Career in Personal Training

All you need to build a successful career is to:

1. Continually investing in yourself with good education.


2. Realize and harness the power of exercise to transform people.


3. Be passionate about helping people.

The money, success, and lifestyle will follow if you focus on helping people first.

When I Grow Up, I Want to be A Personal Trainer!

Has anyone ever heard a child say this?!

I know I haven’t (if you have, leave a comment at the bottom, I would love to hear about it).   As trainers, we are often mocked by popular media.  And our industry is just getting started.

I want future generation of children to say it, as much as they say it about being a fireman, policeman, doctor, astronaut, or pilot.

Why?  Because we are just as important, creative, and powerful as anyone of those jobs, if not more so!

But in order for that to happen, we must push our industry forward, hold ourselves and our clients to the highest standards, and redefine what it means to be a professional personal trainer.  Even if you are just getting started, it is always a good idea to start with the end in mind and dream big.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of personal trainers out there who give the profession a bad name because they are not passionate about helping people and/or committed to learning.  They are stuck in the same pattern and the same way of training, whether it is due to a large ego or imbalanced self-image or who knows. They don’t realize that there is a BIG difference between 15 years experience, and 1 year of experience repeated 15 times!

This is a challenge, because we must overcome people’s preconceived notions of what a personal trainer is, but it is also an opportunity to differentiate ourselves and rise to the top.  The best way to do that is to set a high standard for yourself and build a business around that foundation.

What is a Professional Personal Trainer?

Have you ever asked yourself this question?  If you have not, now is a great time to do so.  Defining your own mission statement, moral code, and standard of practice will provide the foundation of a successful personal training career.

Below is “The Client Bill of Rights”, a set of standards I hold myself up to when working with clients.  I expect all of my trainers to exceed these standards as well.  For my business, this is the minimum standard of professionalism, not the maximum, and must be met consistently.

The Client's Bill of Right’s states that the client is entitled to a personal trainer who:

• Continually Tracks Your Progress and Goals as They Evolve.


• Helps You Define & Achieve Goals that are S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely).


• Keeps You Engaged With Fun & Interesting Workouts.


• Stays Attentive and Focused Every Session.


• Confirms Every Appointment.


• Has Excellent Communication and Listening Skills.


• Provides Safe and Effective Workouts.


• Effectively Teaches You Exercise Knowledge (so you know how to work out better on your own.)


• Is Always On Time, Prepared, With Good Hygiene and Looking Professional.


• Has Good Availability for Your Schedule, Rarely Cancels, and Provides Advanced Notice When Canceling.


• Responds to all Email, Text Messages, and Voice Mail Communications Promptly.


• Provides Motivation, Inspiration, and Leadership.


• Consistently Provides a Customized Workout Program.


• Challenges You to Work Out on Your Own, Be More Self-reliant with Exercise, and Addresses Lifestyle Habits.


• Comprehensively Addresses Your Health and Fitness by Collaborating with a Network of Health Professionals.

You may not agree with everything above, and that is totally cool.  Not ever fitness business should be the same.  But go ahead and take what you like from above, change it, add whatever you feel is necessary for your business, and make a commitment to that standard.  (I would love to hear what you are adding or changing in the comments below.  Let me know!)

Professionalism: The Ultimate Sales Tool And Fastest Way to Building Awesome Client Relationships

Print out your own “Client Bill of Rights”.  Share it with potential clients.  Write a blog post about it, or put it into your mission statement on your website.  I like sharing this “Bill of Rights” with prospects who are about to buy, right before I ask them what size package they would like to invest in.

It is great to have a printed version to give to them, something for them to look at when they go home because it:

• assure them that you are committed to their success.


• different than the average personal trainer.


• leaves them with something to take home and remind them of their experience with you.

I also put my business logo and picture on it; I think it sends a powerful message that I am committed to these standards and their success.  By showing them your level of commitment, it will inspire them to step their game up and make the commitment to themselves!

The “Client Bill of Rights” is also a good tool to weed out bad prospects.  Ideally, you will have weeded out anyone who is not serious about training before giving them a complimentary session to avoid wasting your time.  So before setting up a complimentary session, share it with them, and ask them if they will be able to match your level of commitment!  This is a great way to turn the tables on them; they aren’t shopping for a good trainer, you are shopping for a good client :)

Yes, you will scare off some people, but the people who stick around have great potential, and if you help them realize that potential, more clients will follow naturally.  Turning the tables in this way helps not only weed out bad prospects that are a waste of time, but will inspire and attract good prospects.

I hope this is helpful, will inspire anyone who is frustrated out there to stick with it, and provide a path for creating more success in your life.

Our  Personal Training Business Software, when used with the "Client Bill of Rights",  is a great way to stay organized and accelerate your pace down the path to success and happiness.

Leave me some questions in the comments and I will get right back to you.  SHOW ME YOU ARE ALIVE!

• Why did you become a personal trainer?
• Did you/do you plan on making this a career?
• What challenges are you facing?
• What stage are you in your career development?
• What other professionals, personal trainer or otherwise, helped inspire you to become a trainer?

Until next time, keep your business fit.

Johnny Fitness