Being a Personal Trainer at 24 Hours

by Alexander
(California)

There are a ton of negative comments on here about 24, but people really are not being objective.

Being a personal trainer at a commercial gym, you are also a salesperson. The gym will not simply drop clients into your lap, you have to go out on the floor and sell yourself. Yes, its not easy in that you will face rejection, but it comes with the job. You cant honestly expect to get certified and then just have automatic clients.

In regards to management and staff, this varies from club to club. Every club is different, and it is really up to the discretion of the club manager how he runs his PT. 24 Hour does like to have many trainers on hand, and its true you will have to be aggressive about getting clients. But to say that club doesnt support its trainers is short sighted. The job comes with independence. You lead generate, you sell the packages. Ive worked at 24 for the past year, and Ive done really well. I have a great boss who wants his trainers to build clientele. I also constantly am looking for ways to network and interest new clients. I have done very well and so have other trainers at my location. We help each other out whenever possible and network and will share clients and work together when effective. This job isnt just training with cookie cutter programs. You have to be versatile in your skillset, and that includes teamwork, sales, and continuing your education as a trainer.

There are plenty of bad managers out there, and plenty of lousy staff. Be discerning about where you apply. Talk to the staff that works there, talk to a trainer, ask them how they like working there. Ive seen 24s that were run horribly and had terrible employee retention, and Ive seen 24s that had great managers and staff where everyone worked as a team.

Nothing in this industry comes automatically, and you need to have perspective about your commitment and career. Dont just train hard, train smart, and dont just work hard, work smart. The intelligence of the work you put in will determine how well you do.