Being a personal trainer can be a gratifying career in many different ways. But what is really involved in terms of commitment? Can you become a part-time personal trainer? Many trainers work part-time, enjoy it, and make excellent money. Full-time trainers make a good living at it, but you don’t need to work forty hours a week to get a lot out of a job. Even if you only train one client weekly, you’re making a little extra cash and sharing your love of fitness.
Put Your Knowledge to Work
Many part-time personal trainers may already have a career in another field but still, have a passion for fitness and training. Serious fitness buffs will already know more about exercise and fitness just from pursuing their own goals. They may realize that they could put their knowledge to use and become certified personal trainers. However, they may not have the time to dedicate themselves to being a trainer full-time. Even working “just” part-time as a trainer allows them to move their fitness-oriented lifestyle in a new and fulfilling direction. Of course, extra money always comes in handy.
If you decide to become a part-time personal trainer, it can be a great second job for someone already spending a significant amount of time in and around fitness facilities. Earning money to help others learn how to exercise better and more efficiently—part-time, without completely changing careers—is a great way to share your love and knowledge of fitness without a huge, life-changing commitment.
Work on Your Terms
And you don’t necessarily have to work for a gym. Self-employed trainers can set their own schedules according to what else is going on in their lives and can take on as many (or as few) clients as suits them. Of course, any personal trainer who’s paying monthly rental fees for gym space can’t work too sparingly—working too few hours to cover expenses or turn a profit doesn’t make a lot of sense. But nothing says you can’t train people in other locations or even from your home.
Enjoy the Benefits of Working for a Gym
Which isn’t to say you should rule out working for a gym entirely. Many gyms, especially larger franchises that may be open long hours, may be able to give part-time trainers more flexibility in their working hours. Some gyms are open for business twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and may need part-time training staff on evenings, nights, and weekends. In fact, newer employees at a gym generally won’t be working prime hours, as those will go to the trainers with more seniority—who are almost always going to be full-time. But for the person who’s coming to personal training as a second job, those off-hour shifts may be exactly what they need.
A lot of larger gyms and fitness centres sometimes experience high turnover in their staff, which would make qualified, consistent, and loyal personal trainers a valuable asset. No business wants to lose a good employee with specialized training and knowledge. Gym management in many larger gyms would likely be more than happy to keep a good trainer on their team, even if it’s only for a few hours per week. They may even need part-timers or split shifts to cover specific days and times.
Work From Home or on the Go
And of course, there’s no rule against working part-time for a gym and part-time for yourself, as a self-employed personal trainer working out of a home or other location. Some gyms do expect or require their trainers not to work elsewhere. Still, many will have no such restrictions, and a certified trainer with a real love for the business and a winning way with clients is likely to be in demand regardless of whether they’re an exclusive employee of a specific gym. Remember that most gyms would expect trainers not to solicit current gym members, which only makes sense: no one in their right mind would pay someone to steal their customers. Make sure you understand what’s expected of you and that everyone’s on the same page, and everything should work out fine.
Part-time work provides a lot of flexibility. It’s an excellent way to transition from one career to another, and of course, you can always scale back your working hours and go back to being part-time if the need should arise. Weekly personal training hours can change as needed, and the only thing necessary to increase a part-time schedule to a full-time one is to seek more clients.
If you have a passion for fitness and a love of helping others, working as a part-time personal trainer is something you’ll want to consider. Working as a part-time trainer provides additional career options, a lot of freedom, and a great backup plan if anything should happen to your “main” job.
Suppose you’re interested in becoming a part-time personal trainer. In that case, your best first step is to look into acquiring a Certificate III in Fitness, and the best place to do that is right here at the Personal Training Academy. Contact us today to learn more about the process and be one step closer to realizing your goal.