Gym membership is falling.
Despite a recent drive to cut obesity and force people into getting fit, recent figures have shown that gym membership is falling. A Times article in March 2008 announced ‘the death of the treadmill’, revealing that 54,000 fewer people took out a gym membership in 2007 than they had 18 months previously, while in Northern Ireland, the West Midlands, and the North East, dropout rates fell to around 8%.
According to the Leisure Report, people are seeking out a ‘wellness’ lifestyle – and who better to help than a personal trainer, who will take you outside the stuffy, artificial atmosphere of the gym and into the fresh air?
There’s no doubt that as the government gears itself up for the battle against obesity, and with the UK set to showcase its sporting prowess in 2012, the next few years will see a peak of sporting activity – and those helping the population to achieve that goal could be set to reap the rewards.
What is it?
Once you have decided which area you want to specialise in, (helping people lose weight, working with pre-natal women or even training elite athletes), you need to find a suitable course which will give you the training and qualifications you need. While there's no singular qualification for fitness instructors, some are more respected than others.
Other than the cost of training, which can be anything from £300 to £5,000, depending on your speciality and prior knowledge, other overheads are limited. Insurance is a must, and will often be in the region of £100 per year, and transport is also vital, but other costs depend on you. Most personal fitness trainers work from their clients' homes so investment in the necessary equipment, such as free weights or a blood pressure machine, is usually an early outgoing, with equipment being replaced or updated perhaps every couple of years.
In terms of marketing yourself, most trainers agree word of mouth is the most effective – and cheapest – way of raising awareness. Roger Bradley, a fitness trainer based in Witney, Oxfordshire claims that one client will often lead to another.
“I have a number of fairly affluent clients and I will go to their houses and work with them. I recently started working with both the head chef and the nanny of one client purely as a result of my work with their boss.”
Linda Grave, a personal fitness trainer based in Suffolk, echoes his thoughts: “Most of my clients know each other because friends have recommended me to them,” she says.
Bradley has also invested in a cost effective way of not only publicising his services but giving his business a more professional look. He spent in the region of £7,000 on a van that would accommodate all his equipment and an additional £450 on having his name and logo painted on the side - a cheap way of getting his name known wherever he travels.
Many personal fitness trainers have also set up a website to give themselves a broader reach, but generally find it isn’t as effective as it can be for selling other products and services because the nature of the job traditionally requires close geographical proximity. But there does appear to be a growing market for training people virtually. “I have three clients who I deal with mainly by email, sending them workouts, receiving their feedback and adapting the programme accordingly,” comments Bradley, who spent £500 setting up his site. “I then meet up with them once every two months.” This often suits busy but motivated people who require the expertise to achieve a particular goal but are happy to carry out the training themselves.
However, while being a personal fitness trainer might sound attractive because of its limited overheads, hungry market and opportunity to earn, the job will not suit everybody.
