Personal Training: Business Articles

It used to be that only those with disposable income availed themselves of personal training services. Now that more middle-class consumers are turning to personal trainers, the field has become even more competitive. That means trainers need to find a way to separate themselves from the pack. One way to do that is to generate more sales. Unfortunately, most trainers are ill-equi...

During my working years, I’ve lived through at least three recessions—and survived them all. Surviving was not easy in my early days of personal training, but I did learn from each of the slow periods that my business experienced. I progressed from twiddling my thumbs and worrying in 1988 to planning and actively accepting the reality of slowdowns today. During the 20 years I&...

As a personal trainer you get asked many health- and fitness-related questions from clients who rely heavily on your expertise. You have to remain on top of the news and trends. Reading research articles and trade journals, following online fitness forums and health websites, evaluating training textbooks and DVDs/videos are assignments that come with the job. Although you can&rsq...

The April issue of this column examined the myriad issues that you should consider before deciding on a legal structure for your new or existing business. If you have chosen to incorporate your company, there are several ways to go about it. Each of these options comes with its own price tag and its own advantages and disadvantages. Hire an Attorney <...

If you’ve decided it’s time to get serious about your business finances by adding specialized financial software programs for recordkeeping and tax preparation, congratulations. Obviously, growing your business with a no-nonsense, professional approach is the only way to go. Get from here to there with the following sampling of accounting programs and tax preparation s...

One of the most important decisions you will make as a business owner is how to legally structure your company. Your own assessment of the risks and costs involved, together with guidance from your professional advisers, should determine your corporate structure. Many personal trainers open their studios as sole proprietorships and then find that as their businesses grow, that st...

Do you often feel that you have a million things you must do, a thousand things you’d like to do and no time to do any of them? The feeling of having too much on our plate can rob us of the precious energy we rely on. Time management is an essential key to success for any busy fitness professional. Between training clients, designing programs, responding to phone calls...

Obtaining a full client load is a crucial aspect of a personal trainer’s job, but getting those clients can often seem the most laborious and difficult task of all. Whether working the floor at a large, full-service gym or striking out as an independent contractor, each trainer must find a way to attract new clients or all the hard work and dedication put into earning his title will be for naug...

You see them on TV. You see them at conferences. You see them training celebrities. “They” are fitness professionals who have become fitness celebrities. They are experts who have used their skills to become the movers and shakers of our industry, and they could be you! But how did they do it? You Are a Brand When you strive for celebrity status, you need to r...

Today’s athletes have all the resources needed to perform their best. Many college campuses are outfitted with athletic complexes that provide all the necessary staff and “stuff”: the right atmosphere, an appropriate learning space, the best training equipment and the latest technology, as well as skilled nutritionists and tutors. A built-in support system defines practice days and hours,...