Personal Training: Business Articles

In our fast-paced, technology-filled lives, spending time outdoors has become a luxury. Ask most clients to reflect on their average day and they say, “Wake up, drive to the gym, drive to work, work all day, drive home, eat dinner, relax, work some more, sleep and start again.” Their greatest outdoor adventure comes from walking to and from their cars. It’s time for a change! Now is a great time for you to start an outdoor training program. Give clients a new challenge, a chance to benefit from fresh air and an opportunity to revitalize their spirit.

I have run several different-sized health and fitness businesses in New Zealand, Europe and the United States. No matter how big or small the operation, I have always used a qualified accountant to assist me with my accounts and prepare my end-of-year tax returns. Using an accountant has many benefits and, in my opinion, they far outweigh the costs.

We’ve all seen it. A club’s group fitness schedule posted on the facility’s website with former instructors still listed. A personal trainer’s blog with last session’s boot camp dates advertised. Even when your efforts have successfully led people to your schedule or site, outdated class or event information may discourage any further inquiry into your programs.

Finding Locations On any given day, you can find an outdoor fitness class operating at your local park. But it wasn’t always this way.

Client: Elizabeth Personal Trainer: Massiel MirandaLocation: Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Miami Time for Change. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved sweets,” says Elizabeth, a 32-year-old therapist from Miami. “I’ve always been ‘chubby.’” As a child, she preferred playing with dolls and watching movies over outdoor physical activity.

Have you ever dreamed of taking your clients on a fitness retreat to Mexico? Or a weekend of hiking in your local mountains? Maybe you’ve imagined leading an introspective Pilates retreat, a five-star motivational weekend or an energizing boot-camp getaway? newsletter_teaser: Check out this great article from the IDEA Online Library, and learn how to organize moneymaking workout getaways to increase client satisfaction.

What equipment would you include in your dream studio? You certainly have plenty of choices. The fitness equipment industry sold $4.3 billion worth of gear in 2010—a 4.1% increase from 2009—according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. While a substantial chunk of that revenue came from high-dollar devices like treadmills and elliptical trainers, a vast variety of specialized pieces of exercise equipment have also made their mark on the fitness industry. Which ones add the most challenge and variety to customer workouts?

R. was carrying 311 pounds on her 5-foot-8-inch frame when she had blood work done at a “Know Your Numbers” workplace event. The results were so grim that the staff volunteered to take her to the hospital. When the doctor told R. that she might not have lived much longer had she not come in immediately, R. realized she owed her life to her employer, Clayton Homes. “Thanks for the wake-up call,” R. said. “I’m now 60 pounds lighter, I feel 10 times better, and I will continue this battle and lose more weight.