Do you earn more money doing personal training at a gym or doing mobile training?

Mobile training is more lucrative because the trainer doesn't have to pay a cut to the gym.

To really figure out which opportunity is more lucrative you would need to calculate your overhead: gas, automobile maintenance, equipment. The other factor to examine is the amount of time you spend going from client to client.

I agree with Debi above. However, another factor is how to attract clientele. One cost we forget about is marketing. A gym typically provides you with a certain amount of "free" marketing and access to potential clients.

The other respondents answers are excellent. I've done both, and either can be lucrative. If you are confident in your ability to attract clients, and don't mind changing locations between every session, mobile/in-home training is for you. It allows you to set your own rates without any overhead. Do keep Debi's response in mind, of course; you'll need to factor in fuel and vehicle costs.

On the other hand, if you prefer not to carry all of your tools with you, a gym can be lucrative as well. You can see more clients in less time, and most gyms have fitness and/or membership directors who facilitate sending clients to the training staff. Since you'll be sharing profits with the gym, you may need to get a bit creative to earn more per hour. Seeing two or three clients at once is a great option, in or outside the gym, allowing you to make more per hour, and maximizing your potential referrals.

Good luck!

Andrew

Transporting equipment is inconvenient and can add significant cost for equipment needed to train various clients compared to a gym which will most likely have all the equipment you need.
But mobile training is more lucrative than working in a gym as well as being able to set prices based on client income compared to fixed rates which could turn potential clients away in the gym.

I personally think that the time you have to invest and the cost of transportation does not outweigh the money you make. Unless of course the gym you work at takes a huge cut from your fee.

Depends on your demographic and if you want to do mobile training full time or part time. You do get more money per hour but may not have as many clients if you were at a gym or studio.

I've done both as well. It has been much more lucrative for me at a gym/club, I can fill my schedule up easily without as many gaps and of course no drive time lost. And like others mentioned the club fills up some gaps in my schedule with new clients too! Alsom, unless you're doing in home training for a club or you're in business for yourself already you not only have to figure in cost of gas but liability insurance as well. The exception for me has been mobile group circuit training. I love doing that and if a group of 8 or more pay for a full month of group training it's worth my time to go to them.

Hope you find the best fit for you!

I totally agree with Debi above. When you're trying to figure out your actual "take home pay" amount from mobile training, in comparing it to your in-gym training you have to look at some of the obvious expenses: gas, etc. along with some of the hidden costs: such as "opportunity lost" due to travel. A lot of trainers focus only on the dollar amount being charged/collected instead of factoring in the lost time due to travel. So, for example, a $100/hour mobile rate may initially look great compared to a $60/hour rate at the gym (these are just examples :-)), but if your total time (training and travel) to the mobile client took you 1.5-2 hours total, your actual per hour rate is lower, AND when you add in the direct costs of the mobile travel, that $100 rate is not so great all of a sudden.

I think that your question is a great one, and hits on the type of analysis a trainer must take a hard look at before deciding the rate they should charge for their mobile training practice. Take a look at ALL related costs before setting your mobile training rates!

I hope this helps.

LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
lecfitness@yahoo.com

I have worked in a gym and now work as a mobile trainer. I definitely earn more now than I did in a gym. I sell my sessions as a package with payment up front. This benefits both the client and the trainer; the client has to make a commitment an I am assured a certain amount of money. I have been doing this for a few years now, and ave never had a client not renew thir contract.

I am now an in home personal trainer and have set my schedule up so my clients live within 5 minutes of each other.
My sessions are 45 minutes long.
I love the freedom
It's truly "personal training" rather than training a person one on one in a gym environment.

I have a gym in my home where I train most of my clients.I bought my equipment overtime. I get to write off my equipment and space. I also worked at a gym and they took most of our money for each session. I love the freedom and since I am at home I workout between clients and get stuff done in my house.

Session for session, I make way more training mobile. The personal cost, however, is also way higher in time utilized. Transportation, loading equipment, planning routes in case of road work or traffic.. yadda yadda ya. So, I don't normally do it. I have a studio and I love it. I train more sessions per day and don't have nearly the hassel. I do still undertake mobile sessions but they cost... a lot.