A personal trainer occupies an interesting space in the world; there are so many people who don’t see the benefit of having one, but for those who have one they are beyond essential. There are actors and musicians who will not go on tour without their trainers, one tends to be assigned to every world leader to ensure they can stay fit with the eyes of the world upon them, and yet… Not everyone knows what a personal trainer does.
If you want to enter the competitive field of personal training, it is a good idea to make sure people do know precisely what you do. A major part of the importance of personal trainers these days is that they should be specialists. Generally, clients will hire you because they are looking for something specific. That can range from routines which are beneficial for quick weight loss, or which can help someone who has reduced mobility, or a range of other matters. Either way, it is beneficial to think where your specialism might lie…
Personal trainer for a specific sport
Sports professionals work with personal trainers every day. For team sports players, those specialists may be provided by the club – after all, the biggest sports clubs have huge medical staffs – but for individual pros, they will usually be directly hired by a player, and will travel with them on tour. A personal trainer working with a golfer, for example, will take them through exercises and diet plans that benefit endurance and core fitness, while someone helping a sprinter will try to get mind and muscles attuned at the right time for a big race.
Specialising in certain exercises and equipment
There is a huge industry in exercise equipment, selling innumerable pieces every year to people who often just use the stuff a couple of times and then leave it to rust. In truth, a lot of well-intentioned dieters and exercise amateurs simply don’t know what you do with a piece of equipment besides lift it or wear it. A personal trainer with a kettlebell certification will be able to show clients how to use these increasingly popular weights to achieve the results they need. Yes, everyone knows they’re to be lifted, but a good personal trainer knows how to do that for the optimum results.
Offer training for demographic groups
There are lots of people who want to get fit, lose some weight, feel more confident in themselves and pursue a dream – and for whom the average personal training regime feels wrong. Older clients might find the typically high-octane approach to be off-putting, or female prospects may find the usual training tactics to be slightly too testosterone-laden. There are other groups who will be marginalized for other reasons – and for whom a bespoke approach may be just what they need. Design an approach that works for someone other than the classic gym-goer, and you’ll find that you have plenty of customers who are pleased to see a change from the norm.
A personal trainer who sees the need for something extra in their offering will never be short of potential clients, and will be able to keep building their skillset to appeal to more and more people. Consider your specialty and think about how you can offer a little more than the usual.