Personal trainer

Fitftofire
Fitftofire Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is this a dying profession and is there some success story’s that involve personal trading in 2020

Replies

  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    No, it's not dying though it has been tough for many PTs in 2020. I know several who have had to try to find other work to supplement their income, but most of those I know have been busier than ever and have adapted well to cope with 2020.

    I've used several personal trainers over the last few years. It took a while for me to really discover what I wanted from a PT in terms of approach and that has changed over time. At the start I was terrified of exercise and weights and if anyone had been very strict or pushy or tried to give me "homework" I would have backed out at once. Now I pay someone to give me homework!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    craighowe2019 wrote: »
    Is this a dying profession and is there some success story’s that involve personal trading in 2020

    Most definitely not a dying profession. I had my best results in terms of physique, overall fitness, and athleticism working with a trainer. It got a little pricey for me, so I stopped for awhile, but I'm now working out with my former trainer's wife along with my wife as I get a discount since my wife is paying full price. My bigger issue right now is doing the work I'm supposed to do outside of the training session.
  • Fitftofire
    Fitftofire Posts: 4 Member
    This is very helpful, I have been throwing around the idea to really dive in and learn more about PT and nutrition. Through the last couple years I have really enjoy fitness and the inspiring story’s that come from really good PT.
    It seems to me there is a lot of PT out there and hard to tell how many people use them.
    But you both have confirmed to me that it’s something that is not going away even with the year we had.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    Fitftofire wrote: »
    This is very helpful, I have been throwing around the idea to really dive in and learn more about PT and nutrition. Through the last couple years I have really enjoy fitness and the inspiring story’s that come from really good PT.
    It seems to me there is a lot of PT out there and hard to tell how many people use them.
    But you both have confirmed to me that it’s something that is not going away even with the year we had.

    IMO learning is never a bad idea. I got the education and got the initial two levels of certification to coach my sport from the national body, but don't formally coach. It was fun, useful, informative. (Can't do the next level without actually coaching myself, last time I looked.)

    I do get that if you're looking to change career direction, there's a tradeoff with other possible choices.
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 836 Member
    I have been using a PT since Oct this year (well actually two as during London lockdown 2.0 I hired a nice lad who worked out with me in the park). When I first started in Oct I only had two gaps in my schedule and there was no gym class on one of the days. I wanted some motivation/ help and I knew I loved pump classes so I spoke to one f the PT's/ class instructors about PT. About 6-8 weeks in I realised that actually I could do it myself and had the motivation to do so (helpfully built up by mr PT) so we are currently working towards ensuring I am comfortable and confident to work out myself.

    The PT I choose was perfect for me - just the right amount of encouraging, and not mean, who knew when to ignore my complaining and when I needed a pep talk. I suspect all good PT's are good at judging people as well, to know who requires what. Everyone will be different in how they use a PT as everyones goals are different.
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    JessiBelleW wrote: »
    The PT I choose was perfect for me - just the right amount of encouraging, and not mean, who knew when to ignore my complaining and when I needed a pep talk. I suspect all good PT's are good at judging people as well, to know who requires what. Everyone will be different in how they use a PT as everyones goals are different.

    This. One of the best responses I have had from a PT was when I dragged myself to the gym one miserable January day. I always got there early to warm up prior to the session, which was only for half an hour at the time. So he turns up and finds me lying on the mat having a stretch. I go over all moany and say "Oh, I don't feel like it today. Can't we just sit around on the mats for half an hour?" He, knowing fine well if I had summoned enough energy to get to the gym I was up for a session, started walking off to the kitchen, saying "Fine by me. I'll go and make us some tea and toast." I was off that mat like a shot, headed to the weights area.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited December 2020
    I don't think it's a declining profession, quite the opposite really as far more people seem to want guidance and programs these days than when I was young. When I was young sports participation and learning as you went along was far more common. You will have the challenge of online resources being so plentiful now, free online information can be appealing versus paid face-to-face.

    My son is very sporty and would have hated a desk job so took Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer courses and gained the relevant qualifications. But he struggled to pin down a full-time job, at one stage he had six part time jobs on the go (two zero hours contracts as gym instructor and PT, sports club groundsman, Lifeguard, and two others).
    He didn't have the "get up and go" to build his own client base and really needed a full-time role at a big club or gym and there was a lot of competition for vacancies. Left the profession.


    Personal observations from using gyms for 40+ years (and very rarely wanting or needing a PT it must be said!):

    There's a lot of pretty poor PTs who have entered the profession because there's a low requirement for entry and perhaps had limited options to get a job elsewhere.
    (Hmmm - brain surgeon or PT??? :smile: )
    There's a lot of generalist PTs who know a fair amount about a wide range of aspects but not enough to really help someone with high ambitions in a particular sphere or sport. Fine for regular gym users though.
    There's quite a few PTs who are good in one sphere and poor in another and really should choose their clients more selectively. (e.g. If you are a PT who says "I doesn't really see the point of heavy lifting" then don't be a PT to people who want to lift....)
    There's some really excellent PTs who are good in all aspects and exceptional in some. To me it seems those that compete (or have competed in the past) in sports are frequently on a much higher plane than those that don't.

    Final observation is that unless you have specialist training in nutrition then being a basic PT does not make you any more qualified to give nutritional advice than Joe Public. Just like Joe Public there's a range of PTs giving nutritional advice from awful, to pimping supplements to knowledgable about some niche aspects. With a higher level of exposure to gym Bro Science be careful not to get sucked in. If you intend giving professional nutritional advice then make sure it’s good advice.

  • RashadLavelle
    RashadLavelle Posts: 46 Member
    Obesity is still rising. Still not enough personal trainers out there. So it's a growing profession.

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