How to Start a Personal Training Business

If fitness is your passion, training clients to meet their goals as a certified personal trainer is an ideal way to get paid while doing what you love.

For those with an entrepreneurial drive, becoming a freelance personal trainer can be a fulfilling way to encourage your clients along through their fitness journey. It also allows you to stay physically active, set your own schedule, and be your own boss, among other benefits.

In case you need even more reasons to start your new career, this article will answer some questions about what it looks like to be a self-employed personal trainer for hire, including:

• Should I become a freelance personal trainer?

• What kind of classes should I offer as a self-employed personal trainer?

• Should I offer outdoor exercise classes?

• How do freelance personal trainers make money?

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FAQs About Becoming a Personal Trainer

Should I become a freelance personal trainer?

Some people may be wary of starting their own freelance business for a variety of reasons. Job security, benefits, and a reliable salary can all be attractive reasons to remain employed. But with hard work and dedication, you can build up a secure client base that can earn you a lot more than working for someone else’s company.

Essentially, the answer to whether or not you should become a freelance personal fitness trainer depends completely on you. If you’re the type of person that enjoys creating your own schedule, managing your finances, and working long hours to build up a portfolio that’s attractive to prospective clients, this could be the job for you!

Related read: How Fitness Professionals Can Prepare for New Year’s Rush

What kind of classes should I offer as a self-employed personal trainer?

This is one of the best things about working for yourself as a fitness instructor – you don’t have to teach classes that you don’t want to! Being able to only offer sessions that focus on your specialty or that you enjoy teaching is a great reason to work freelance.

Some popular options for personal training classes are:

• Pilates

• Yoga

• Running

• HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

• Spin or cycling

• Jump rope

• Private sessions

• Barre

One thing you may notice about the options above is that some require specific environments or equipment, such as barre or spin classes. Remember to factor in the cost of renting or purchasing the equipment or spaces needed to run these exercise programs.

Providing many of these classes will require specific certifications and insurance as well. Most clients will want to know that they’re hiring a personal trainer that’s qualified and covered to teach the classes. It’s a great way to gain trust and make attendees feel more comfortable.

Related read: How to Be a Self-Employed Personal Trainer

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Should I offer outdoor exercise classes?

Offering outdoor classes can be a great way to attract more clients, and it can come with plenty of added benefits as well, such as increased levels of vitamin D.

Studies have also shown that outdoor exercise keeps clients happier during their workout, which allows them to think more positively about the experience, increasing the chance of them coming back for another session. They also tend to stay motivated, so you’ll see healthier, happier clients that often work out for longer periods of time and see better results.

Holding your exercise classes outdoors also allows you to save on monthly rental fees, which in turn puts more money in your pocket. While some provincial parks or building rooftops will charge you a small fee, this is generally quite a bit cheaper than what it would cost you to work out of a gym. This is especially true when you factor in maintenance and upkeep fees.

However, keep in mind that it may not be viable to offer year-round fitness classes, depending on where you live. Some northern cities may require you to think of creative solutions if you plan on offering outdoor winter classes.

Related read: Do You Need Insurance to Train Clients Outside?

How do freelance personal trainers make money?

Especially when you’re first starting out, it’s important to be careful about how you spend your money and market your business. Here are some helpful tips that can help you succeed:

• Keep living costs down: Not having a huge amount of rent and credit card bills to pay means the pressure of having to earn a lot of money every month is significantly reduced.

• Create a business plan: Having thought through every angle of your business means you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into. Knowing about competing freelance personal trainers, hidden or unexpected costs, and how to market yourself can go a long way towards ensuring the success of your business.

• Work on solidifying your sales tactics: A good entrepreneur knows that no matter what industry you’re breaking into, half the battle is being a good salesperson. Since you aren’t working in a gym or health club, where clients are brought to you, you’ll have to sell your business to prospective buyers and build up your customer base.

• Champion convenience: Modern consumers value convenience. For this reason, they’re more likely to work with personal trainers that have personal training apps. Personal training software like My PT Hub can allow you to make personalized workout and training plans that are sent directly to your clients phones. This can separate you from the competition and encourage sign-ups.

• Ensure you have the proper insurance in place: Getting caught in a lawsuit can end up costing you financially, even if you’ve done nothing wrong. Having a good insurance policy can protect you from having to pay these potentially crippling fees and, in some cases, save you and your business from bankruptcy.

Related read: Five Reasons Personal Trainers Need Insurance

APOLLO makes insurance simple, so you can focus on providing the best services for your clients. Start your application process today and get insured within the next 15 minutes.

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