Training at a Commercial gym is not for everyone

Last month, I resigned as lead personal fitness trainer at a commercial fitness center. During my 11 months there, I worked with some wonderful members and met some really nice and passionate fitness professionals. I also built several lifetime friendships.

Unfortunately, I also worked with a few individuals who were unprofessional and struggled mightily when it came to leadership and how to treat people. This was a problem for me, which turned out to be one of the main reasons for my departure.

I did learn a lot, and was able (with my clients) to achieve a great deal of success and a few failures with regards to members achieving their fitness goals. Those experiences and relationships set me up for success as an independent fitness trainer. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity!

Since leaving my commercial fitness training job, I have been training independently and online. There are major benefits in doing so; I control my own schedule, who I train with, and I can design programs for my clients using the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) model. I also get paid for my expertise, instead of the majority of PT fees going to the gym.

The best part of owning my own fitness business is I don’t have to deal with egotistical and unqualified Fitness Managers who only care about commissions. During my time as a commercial gym trainer, the biggest complaint I heard from members was they felt pressured by fitness, and general managers to purchase fitness training and memberships.

What I enjoyed most about my experience at the commercial facility was working with my clients. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about them and wonder about their progress. I really miss them! Being a trainer is about more than designing programs and conducting fitness assessments, it about relationships and trust. I would like to thank all of my clients for trusting me with their personal fitness care and sharing their personal lives with me.

I highly recommend working at a commercial facility after you get your fitness trainer certification. In fact, I believe it is the fastest way to learn and grow as a fitness trainer. You can learn from other trainers, use the best equipment and other resources, and get clients right away. You can also gain valuable experience that will help you as an independent trainer.

However commercial facilities are not for everyone. I had no intention of leaving the commercial gym I worked at, but personnel situations there dictated my departure. I became a Certified Personal Trainer to help people, not jump through hoops for fitness managers. I spoke with fellow trainers and many of them expressed the same frustrations with gym management.

I really care about people, and prefer more individualized, and personal attention for my clients. I did enjoy working at a commercial gym most of the time, but the situation would have to be ideal for me to ever work at a commercial facility again.