24 Hour Fitness Personal Trainer

[J DUB]

I am needing some extra money so I am thinking about applying to be a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness. This isn't exactly my style, but sometimes you just gotta get some dough. I am CSCS and USAW certified, so my percentage pay should be decent.

Anyway, does anyone on here work there? If so, what's it like in terms of pay, clients, etc.?? Thanks for the help.

[CyniQ]

Originally Posted by J DUB

I am needing some extra money so I am thinking about applying to be a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness. This isn't exactly my style, but sometimes you just gotta get some dough. I am CSCS and USAW certified, so my percentage pay should be decent.

Anyway, does anyone on here work there? If so, what's it like in terms of pay, clients, etc.?? Thanks for the help.

I think they have their own certification. Have you checked on that?

[monsoon]

personally, I think you would be miserable there, you are way overqualified.

[J DUB]

I agree that I would be miserable there, but I have a feeling I would be more miserable waiting tables or selling cell phones. When I went in, it was bright as hell in there and there was some stupid techno music blasting...plus the plates were made of rubber and there was only one squat rack (no platform!!) and it was horrible (the bar was resting on the lowest rung so obviously it isn't used for squatting much). I had never been in a chain gym before like that and it was depressing to say the least. I only thought Gold's was bad.

Basically, the reason I am desperate is because the job I am with now is really screwing me in my pay. I have been an intern strength coach for 2 years now at a high level, and they are wanting me to work for intern pay again for a third year ($1,000/month), plus they refuse to pay for any of my certs, conferences, or grad school. I am only 22 and about to start grad school so I don't need tons of money (mom helps me some ), but that is absurd considering I work anywhere from 20-50 hours per week depending on the time of year. I put in my two weeks the other day and said to hell with it. I might not make as much as a part-time personal trainer, but I wasn't working there anymore for that pay...I've never heard of a three year intern.

BioAS, your comments are exactly what I figured it was like. I am not a good salesperson nor am I a good bullshitter. It is ideal to think that your results with people would speak for themselves, but that isn't always the case. A lot of people like trainers with the newest exercise toys (balls, suck in abs, etc.) rather than those who actually do stuff that works. No wonder they still look like crap.

As far as certs go, the CSCS is certainly not exempt from criticism. I am deeply disturbed by the number of athletic trainers and physical therapists getting the CSCS cert, as passing an exam does not make you a qualified coach or trainer. The exam is hard enough to weed out the most undedicated people, but it needs to be harder or else its value will be watered down over time.

Thanks for the comments so far and if anyone has any more LMK.

[CyniQ]

When my old gym closed and I went to Gold's they gave me 4 training sessions. So I asked for an experienced trainer who did not have great genetics or use steroids. I wanted to use someone who knew how to train naturally. They translated "experienced" to "old". And gave me the oldest trainer they had. He's 52, and has DEFINITELY used aas in the past. Fortunately he was also the ONLY trainer, I found out later, that new his shit. He definitely helped me improve my work ethic. Anyway, he's a great guy, knows his shit, and is the most successful trainer they have. So I think someone who actually knows what they're doing will be able to get work. But maybe not any repeat business...

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by BioAS

A. Are you a good sales person.

B. Can you bullshit people.

C. Can you train people and make them feel like they are getting results but in fact they arent because they are too fuckn lazy.

I could go on and on.

One of the guys I train(mma) with is a personal trainer. He has moved on to being independent because he couldn't deal with being a sales person. That's exactly what his beef was. He said he wanted to train people, not sell them shit.

C) is the reason that I decided not to pursue personal training. It seems to me that it's a con job. You have to give them a little bit of results, but not enough so that they're happy and stop coming back.

[TheChosen1]

I applied for the job there about 6 years ago and they had me take a test that had nothing to do with training individuals. Personally, it was a fucking biology test that regarded muscles that I've never heard of and no one ever work. Fifteen years of training (at that time) wasn't enough for them, they wanted some damn Einstein to train people. And the funny thing about it is why should you have to take a biology exam when all you're doing is selling contracts to members?

[singmanr]

J DUB,

I got my start as a trainer at 24 Hour Fitness. My experience was that you are a salesman, first, then a trainer, second. I did, however, luck out on being pulled into a pretty good staff and gained a lot of knowledge quickly. I've since realized that's pretty rare at that company (and at all the other big gyms). The manager you work for will have a lot to do with your success and happiness.

I might go about it this way. You are a CSCS, so use that as a selling tool (to the company, that is) and leverage it to being hired at a larger club with a lot of traffic (if you only saw one squat rack, you're at the wrong one!). Swallow the sales medicine for 6 months, maybe 9, during which time you can develop a clientele base that you can take with when you go on your own. There is a plus side to working for a big corporate/chain gym, and that is TRAFFIC--you get a lot of exposure.

You should, though, take care to "interview" them (the management and staff at the clubs you're interested in) to see if THEY might be a good fit for YOU. Go workout at the clubs you're interested in, and strike up some casual conversations with the trainers, maybe talk to the fitness manager. Like the others mentioned, many of them are hacks. But you will find little pockets of good people, and if you're gonna work for that company for any length of time, I'd put in the effort to sniff them out.

If you have any savvy, you'll use the advantages of working for a big club to build a foundation for your own business.

And lastly, as a trainer, you meet a lot of people. Those people (who are your clients) will do anything for you. I've been given choice tickets to NBA games, been invited to weddings, set up on dates, and have had other job offers. Just be awake and don't get too mired in 24 Hours' bullshit.