Its a hard job, and very frustrating.
Because everyone thinks they know what their talking about. And they dont.
The clients, gym managers, trainers. All think they know whats best.
Its a hard job to do. And half the reason everyone gets on here and gripes about all the goof ball trainers they see giving their clinets 5 lb dumbells and telling them to go play on the ball, or other things that are relatively inefective. Is that they have to do this. The clients expect you to put them on the ball, they see the pictures on the magazines etc. They dont want to work hard, and if you teach them how to do anything that isnt on a machine, theyll be worried that its dangerous.
So be careful, when you go into things. Judge your clients. My experience has been this.
40 year old women: They dont really care, dont make them work hard, or theyll think there in danger <- this is 70% of your clientel.
Women under 35, especially really fat women (like 300lbs) are young enough that they arent afraid, and fat enough that there going to be strong. So you can push them hard, and heavy. and they will be proud of their strength and their accomplishements stemming from their hard work. This group was my favourite.
Women in their early 20's Just want to look like a pop star, and have read all the articles in the fitness magazines. (or enough of them that there reasonably confident they know what movements they want to do) So make sure you stick them to isolation movements, and good streching movements. Tell them the streching will give them nice long muscles and the isolation is for toning. Of course this is bullshit, however if you want to be succsesful you have to work with peoples belief systems. Work against it, and you wont build credibility.
Men: The great thing about men is that usually the ones who have been reading magazines have decided they know enough to do it themselves, and havent gotten a trainer. Or because they are men want to push themeselves hard, and hired you as a trainer to motivate them. Which is cool, but you rarely get male clients.
I reccomend building up some reasons to believe that you are a good trainer as you progress. Get powerful testements, before after pictures. Ask premssion of your clients to keep a copy of their fitness apraisals before and after to show your clients.
The gym i worked out took 50% of what we sold. And the sessions sold for 55.00/hour. We could make deals like 10 sesssions for 500 instead but we would have to give them the extra session out of our time.
The other option the gym had for trainers was renting the facility for 500.00/month. Which is a good option if you really start to have a clientel.
But inorder to do that you want to ensure your clients recognize how good you are as a trainer as opposed to how good the trainers are at "Commercial Gym X"
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