| Personal Trainer Salary Information |
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Personal Trainer Salaries Personal trainer salaries can vary widely based on a number of factors, including geographic location, education/credentials, experience level, and specialization. As personal fitness changes from a luxury to a necessity in the eyes of the public, expect a continued growing demand among a broader marketplace for personal trainer services. According to an International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) study on personal trainer usage, four million Americans were using personal trainers in 1999 and by 2004 the number of Americans who used personal training services hovered near the six million mark. The reason? A decade of mainstream personal training that stretches across all personal and socio-economic backgrounds and markets. Reports from The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that employment of fitness workers is expected to increase 29% between 2008 and 2018 – much faster, in fact, than the average for most other occupations. When recently compiled data by IHRSA for club trainer’s in-session rates are adjusted for this marked increase, it is clear that health and fitness club employment offers a level of security and flexibility with an opportunity for a solid career foundation and potential for growth.
Where to Begin? Generally speaking, it is best to start out by training clients in a health club or fitness facility that offers structure and benefits that can help you prepare for internal company growth or movement toward your own trainer business. Career advancement inside a health and fitness facility may come in the form of a Management or Director position, often times requiring existing experience and appropriate certification credentials and/or related two or four year degree. Career development in the form of starting or expanding a personal trainer business will also require an existing and effective level of education and professional experience. Education standards for personal trainers are expected to increase to keep pace with a growing marketplace interested in maintaining or improving an individualized level of personal fitness. Health clubs have reported higher in-session rates for both part-time and full-time trainers who specialize.
Independent Personal Trainers These numbers are difficult to compare to that of the independent personal trainer. Working independently can be a very lucrative option. But like many things, what comes with greater reward also comes with greater obligation. If working independently is your goal, first consider and research existing supply and demand principles that apply specifically to your area and market: How many clubs and private studios exist in your area? What are the demographics of your market and fitness reach in your community? How can you be a part of improving it and how can you stand out? Being an independent trainer, or health and fitness instructor of any type, will take the business knowledge and the know-how of a skilled professional, often in more than one discipline. Working with Special Populations While most trainers work with apparently healthy clients looking to improve their physical fitness levels and weight management; trainers are increasingly turning to specialized credentials in areas ranging from pre- and post-rehabilitation clients to working with competitive athletes and within specific fitness disciplines. Trainers are increasingly working with special populations, communities, and corporations in an effort to increase health and well being; outreach for improved health and fitness is on the rise across a number of specific fitness disciplines and populations. Education standards for personal trainers are expected to increase to keep pace with a growing marketplace interested in maintaining or improving an individualized level of personal fitness. Health clubs have reported higher in-session rates for both part-time and full-time trainers who specialize.
Thinking outside the Gym Not all personal training clients want to join a gym or health club to maintain or better their level of fitness. This means bringing the gym to them – and it represents an emerging market for certified personal trainers. One of the most prevalent ways to do this is through mobile personal training. As the name suggests, this means holding sessions outside of a club setting, such as in a client’s home, garage, apartment, or backyard. In most cases, the trainer supplies all the equipment necessary for a cardiovascular or strength training workout. This means that the equipment involved in these workouts should be able to in the back of the trainer’s vehicle. In addition, many personal trainers are finding out about the benefits of creating their own video workout demonstrations. Targeted for specific clients or general populations, these recorded sessions can be used to supplement in-person sessions, as well as serve as an advertisement of the personal trainer’s expertise for potential new clients. |
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