New Personal Trainers Can't Get Into Gyms to Find Clients

“Not for money, mainly interest & passion, and potential side hustle. For example, sponsor athlete, personal brand of clothing, gears, drinks & etc. What is your first step? submitted by /u/shifttohold [link] [comments]”

“I read the previous posts. You seem to have mixed reviews on YMCAfit, The fitness group, Origym, Future Fit Training, TRAINFITNESS, Premier Global NASM, BISMA, etc. I looked at the trustpilot reviews and see mixed comments on the most popular providers. I'm struggling to pick a provider so I'm making an excel sheet of the top 10 providers to compare the services and costs. Your help would be amazing:) About me: Hi! I'm Aliya 28M Bosnian fitness trainer, traveling to London next month”

“Hello everyone, very recently I have received the opportunity to work at a smaller studio with a successful trainer and small team. I am fairly new to the paying trainer side of the job, as far as scheduling, payments, etc… (less than 4 months) As this is a wonderful opportunity both personally and professionally, I’m asking for some advice to either know what to except and how to help out the owner stay successful. I love staying curious and sharing knowledge with others but I need to beat this”

I didn't quite catch who exactly you coach, but you should definitely DM me! I too am a rookie coach who is also trying to get their footing. I see a lot…

“I haven’t done any personal training in a corp gym since Covid. I’ve been independent since. Anything change in these 6-7 Years for trainers in a corp gym since? submitted by /u/Fickle_Energy1371 [link] [comments]”

“I’m curious to hear from experienced PTs/trainers about how you approach this. For example, if you’re working in a gym where you’re initially helping general members with exercise technique, answering questions, correcting form, etc., how do you naturally transition that relationship into a paid personal-training client? I’m especially interested in: - How do you identify someone who would actually benefit from PT? - Do you actively approach them about PT, or wait until they ask? - How do you br”

“I’m curious where other trainers stand on this because I’ve seen both sides of it. At one point I was over 230 lb at 5’6”. I definitely had people look at me differently, and a few even laughed or didn’t take me seriously when I offered to help them. But within my first 90 days I built up around 60 clients and helped a lot of people make real progress. What helped me wasn’t having the best physique in the gym. I knew how to talk to people, make them comfortable, understand what they were struggl”

submitted by /u/TallCryptographer106 [link] [comments]

“Hello I’m just looking for any and all advice I am currently working full time as an engineer and want to start an online lifestyle coaching business on the side. I just got a personal training cert through ISSA and I am currently working towards a nutrition coaching cert. my goal is to get that started up by the end of the year and I just have a couple questions on getting started * what is the best insurance ? The ISSA website recommends API Fitness but I want to explore options and don’t real”

“I work at a gym, been training for a few years and want to get a certification under my belt, ive been looking at show up fitness. My gym doesnt hire trainers ( cheap owners) but they allow people to train clients at the gym, theres like 2-3 trainers. I want to be able to do that as well. So is show up fitness good for now, and if I feel the need to get the nasm cert down the line I can? Just want opinions since show ups cert is like one whole paycheck for me lol. submitted by /u/njd”

“I need a more experienced opinion here. I'm a brand new trainer, NASM certified and I've had a great internship so I'm confident in my ability to get results, just inexperienced at the business side. A gym that specifically advertises as being friendly to my niche community opened a second location in my area, so I applied to teach a class, hoping to use that to build a pool of potential clients for 1 on 1 training. They reached out after the demo that they're passing on the clas”

Fitness/personal training.

submitted by /u/Spare-Degree8265 [link] [comments]

“I became a CPT a few years back. I was working out at a well known, big box gym, with a trainer. I started developing a real passion for fitness so my trainer encouraged me to get NASM certified via a school owned by the gym. I love the course, passed the cert, and was immediately hired at my gym. However, I only worked there for about 3 months because I hated how overpriced and sales focused they were. I went to a training day and the instructors were like car salespeople. "Always be closi”

“Lunesia's point about trainers finding tools through other trainers holds online too. There are fitness coach subreddits, Facebook groups, LinkedIn communities where trainers already argue about which client management tool sucks less than the last one. Spend a few weeks just answering their actual questions, scheduling, invoicing, whatever, before you ever mention what you built. Slower than ads, but that's where your ICP already trusts recommendations instead of registering them as an”

“I have my NASM personal trainer certification exam scheduled for tomorrow, though no specific gym/studio/clients/anything scheduled at this time (currently looking into how to work it around my full-time job schedule). I know there are tons of companies that give CPTs discounts - do they mostly all require you to show proof of an active client/class schedule? Or are there any you can sign up for just with your certification? submitted by /u/mindfullee73 [link] [comments]”

“I live in LA so it’s mostly commercial gyms rather than private independent gyms. I just passed my NSCA test and am going to do commercial for a year before I try doing my own thing. I understand that all commercial gyms do not pay you very much and are a whole lot of sales and you don’t get treated very well and that it’s all around pretty bad work. All I’m looking for is: 1. No free labor 2. It’s not more selling than training (because I’m doing this for experience) 3. Isn’t a super toxic work”

“Hey everyone! I’ve been a personal trainer for a couple of years now and feel pretty confident in my knowledge, but I’m always looking to learn more and become a better trainer. I’d love to connect with someone who has experience and would be willing to chat, answer questions, bounce ideas off of, or just cross-check knowledge with me. I’m always questioning whether there’s a better way to program something, work with a certain client, approach an exercise, etc., and I think having someone exper”

“I just got certified CPT & group fitness instructor (plus 4 more certs I hope to finish by Feb) with ISSA and I’m hoping to cut my teeth in a big box gym to learn the ropes. I have a part time gig delivering by bike since forever so scant work/part time contract hours is ok. I’m not shredded but my cardio conditioning is pretty lit for an old dog pushing 50. Do you have to be shredded to get hired? Any tips for getting hired & getting your foot in the door? submitted by /u/Fe”

“I am an independent trainer in a major city in the United States. I have a deal with building management for two buildings to train employees as I see fit. Basically I have 1000s of potential clients to myself in gyms that are an elevator ride away from them. One building is a tech company you’d name in 3 guesses. The other building has dozens of varying businesses. I feel like a ghost and no one knows I exist. How would you get clients? submitted by /u/UncoolBill [link] [comme”

“Hello All! Returning to the personal training space after a good while I worked for an in home personal training company for about 2 years unfortunately the owner had to step away from the buisness so when that happened so did my job. In regards to marketing and social media how do you go about recording yourself in gyms, Im asking because atleast online people are getting more aggressive about not being recorded in videos I want to take my career more seriously I just don't want to be part”

“Hey everyone! I’m an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer. I previously trained clients 1-on-1 in Colorado, before recently relocating to Arizona. After taking a short break during the move, I am beyond ready to get back into the game! I absolutely love working hands-on with clients, guiding them through their fitness journeys, and watching them crush their goals. Right now, I’m building out my online personal training model, focusing on high-energy, live 1-on-1 virtual sessions and would love to con”

“Hello, I have a question for experienced/active personal trainers. I am looking to make a career change and Im interested in becoming a personal trainer. I would like to ask what is the best path to becoming a “legit” PT in Canada. I’ve noticed courses/certifications such as NPTA-CPT and NPTA-CNC. It is my understanding that these certifications don’t exactly equal training/education. Would a particular university degree or other program be advised? I believe some level of education is required”

“Trying to find a gym that allows personal trainers to train clients. My other option is turning my shed into a gym but I don't think that would be too enticing 😆 submitted by /u/Redgal6 [link] [comments]”

“23M living alone just graduated from college (applied kinesiology), I am a CSEP CPT, and starting my personal training buisnesss. The gym that I'm working at doesn't have any drop in so the only people there are trainers and their clients. This makes it harder to get clients. Having to do my own marketing and putting myself out there. I have yet to sing my first client and just do fucking scared of it all failing. I don't want to go to a commercial gym cause they take like 70% of the”

“Hey guys! Im thinking about trying out becoming a personal trainer and im unsure as to what certification i should get that will be best for landing a personal training job. I was looking at the ISSA course, and it honestly seems too good to be a true/ a scam. Its very affordable which is great but with everything Ive researched it says it is legit. They also said they would refund you if you dont get a job within 6 months which seems pretty cool. Anyway, with getting this certification, what ty”

“Context: I’m in the boxing community which niches me down a little bit but it’s what I really enjoy doing. I’m currently training out of a gym that doesn’t have a high foot traffic for people to naturally come into. I’d like to increase my client base by around 5-6 hours as I could do that with ease but not sure what to do that will work if I stick to it. I use social media but that never really converts to in person clients (over 45,000 followers). I’ve tried running ads (got over 200 leads) wi”

“Hi I am a 26 year old male who recently got certified as a personal trainer back in February and am coming from a predominantly martial arts and running background I shadowed a group fitness class but haven’t trained anyone yet at this point I have applied for about 100 jobs in the space including places like planet fitness which don’t require experience but even though I have gotten interviews nothing has come from them at this point I’m not really sure what to do at this point because I am mak”

“im trying to figure out whats the best online personal trainer certification might be. i work full-time, so realistically i be studying during my commute, lunch breaks and in the evenings. im hoping to find a legitimate, accredited program thats genuinely self-paced and works well on a phone instead of expecting me to spend hours at a computer or work through a huge textbook. do commercial gyms care that the coursework was completed online? or do they mainly look at whether the certification is”

“Hey everyone, I’m 20, recently graduated from NPTI, and I’m trying to break into personal training in the Cleveland, Ohio area. I’ve applied to several gyms but haven’t had much luck getting hired. I’m looking for advice on getting that first job, standing out, and whether getting my NASM CPT would be worth it even though I already graduated from NPTI. If anyone in the Cleveland area would be willing to mentor me or let me learn from their experience, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks! subm”

“Are there any NYC personal training studio owners willing to share a bit about their experience? Any other uniquely expensive city would be great to hear from as well (San Francisco, LA, Boston, San Jose, etc.) Would love to hear about the economics, successes, failures… Do you spend more time training or managing the business? What would you do differently if you had to do it all over again? Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/CoachBFoster [link] [comments]”

“Hey everyone! I've been working as a personal trainer at a gym for the past few months, and I've always been interested in training clients in their own homes. I'd love to hear from people who've gone down this path: how you got started, what you like most about it, what mistakes you hit early on, and how you handle contracts, waivers, and policies. A few things I've already worked out: Keeping my service area within 30 miles of my city I looked at local gym PT pricing so I h”

“Hey Team! I’m a new trainer (2 months in) and I’m seeking advice on getting clients in the gym to coach. A bit about me: I’m a yoga teacher by profession, but I have a degree in strength and conditioning with nutrition and 5 years of coaching young children in football (soccer) and rugby. I’ve been teaching yoga for a few years now. I’ve been gym training for 6 years, but have been playing sports for 20 years. I would consider myself as an extrovert if that helps you all. My coaching style is a”

“Sup trainers! I've got a consultation coming up and need some advice. I've been a personal trainer for 4 years now and I only do 1-on-1 sessions but I've got a potential client requesting semi-private sessions for her and her mom. Mom is 70 and daughter is very fit and 16 weeks pregnant. I've resisted doing 2-on-1 training in the past because I've found that unless both trainees are at the same skill level, it makes it for a worse experience for both clients trying to cater e”

“Hello everyone! I'm an experienced trainer with a large background in exercise science, and i'm a doctor of physical therapy student. despite working towards becoming a full-time trainer for about 7 years now, I find myself terrified of actually succeeding in this field. i'm a classic example of all the textbook information, but an inneficiency at coaching/helping my clients. This all comes down to extreme social anxiety. After a few sessions, I feel like i've educated my client”

“For a while now I’ve wanted to get into personal training and now I’ve decided that I want to do it as a job. So, my question is, Whats the best way to get into the business? I’ve seen that PureGym and JD Gym both do training courses which are 15 weeks long but I’m not sure. Could anyone give me good advice? submitted by /u/creamypanda1 [link] [comments]”

“People know what to read and where to learn. If you need the discipline of paying someone and that helps you then do it. This is how all Gym Trainers / Coaches work. You need to find someone that can spot your strengths and your weaknesses. Some schools of thought on this are improve weakness ( i don;t subscribe to this school). Get an awareness of your weak points so you can find ways you can compensate either with tools or outsource your weakness. Strength - If you are already good at somethin”

“Any recommendations for a bodybuilding or strength coach in Portland, OR? submitted by /u/Wanderdrew [link] [comments]”

“Do most of you work in a commercial gym? If you work in your own setup, what's your best way to get new clients? My friend has a gym in his house and he was very successful in a commercial gym but now he really struggles with getting new clients after most of his clients have moved away, gotten too old, etc. submitted by /u/Opposite-Lake-9679 [link] [comments]”

“I'm wondering if anyone who does in home personal training has any tips & tricks on gaining new clients? I mostly coach at a community center but I'd like to eventually start doing home personal training exclusively. I currently use a service called Find Your Trainer and it's really been the only thing that has worked with finding new clients, but the platform has major downsides and I rarely get anyone despite having all positive reviews and a fair price. In the past I've ha”

“Are there any personal trainers that target couples in their marketing? How successful has it been and what are some pros and cons? submitted by /u/HabitsAreKey [link] [comments]”

“For people who put their personal training business on LinkedIn: 1. How often do you get people hitting you up? 2. How often are they either weirdos who waste your time, or people who are trying to be cheap, looking for the cheapest trainers? 3. Are there more higher-quality people that might hit you up on LinkedIn? submitted by /u/BlackBirdG [link] [comments]”

“I’ve been thinking about how some trainers move away from general “weight loss and muscle gain” messaging and build a much more specific offer around a niche. One example I came across was Alex Folacci The Gentlemen's Trainer in NYC. His positioning is very focused on high-achieving men, strength, longevity, lifestyle, and private coaching instead of just selling sessions by the hour. For trainers who have niched down like that, how do you make the offer feel premium and specific without sou”

“Hi all, I am new to this community and looking to help my gym buddy get a job as a personal trainer. The guy really knows how to train hard and when he talks about fitness he's very inspiring. However, he's not that great at the whole job aspect of it, so I want to help him build a resume and apply to places. What should a personal trainer CV look like? Should we include a picture, education, his areas of expertise? I would really love some help regarding this.”

“Hello all, I have few years of sales experience as a territory manager and I think it will translate well to CPT but not quite sure how. I am applying to roles that are hiring personal trainers even while they are studying and in the process of obtaining the certificate.. I plan on spending Sunday hitting gyms and leaving my resume to get my name out there. I am in NYC. But there are lots of choices.. TMPL, Equinox, crunch, etc. do not know where to go but again I don’t think I have the choice..”

“Hey guys, if you could give one piece of sales related advice to your past self, what would it be? Try to only offer one piece, and something that hasn’t been mentioned! submitted by /u/Cxstlxs [link] [comments]”

“Hi all, I recently completed my NASM certification along with CPR/AED. I have reached out to the local box gyms in my area, introducing myself and giving résumé’s in person. I have yet to hear back, although it’s only been a week. My question is, how do I break into the industry if I can’t get into a box gym? Do I scout local studios? Start up my own independent and begin that way? I have some niche advantages in that I am a managed T1D, and I have built myself back up after a horrible motor veh”

“As the title says I am looking to expand my team and was wondering what avenues you guys use to find local talent? I want to hire another trainer that can help take over some strength training classes and start to build up their Pt book slowly with leads that I get through my website/walkins. Any info would be appreciated! submitted by /u/mdesanno8 [link] [comments]”