How to Turn Your PT Side Hustle into a Business – Secrets From the Experts

There will be very few people who haven’t been affected either financially, or emotionally or both. But rather than dwelling on the many negative aspects of 2020, let’s focus on the positive aspects:

1 – Faced with adversity, millions of people have found other ways to make money.

2 – Faced with a global health pandemic, millions of people have a newfound appreciation for health, fitness, and wellness.

3 – Faced with lockdowns, millions of people have discovered the intrinsic benefits linking exercise and physical activity to mental health and emotional stability.

4 – Faced with no option to work or socialise face-to-face, millions of people now appreciate how effective technology can be.

5 – Millions of people have had time to reflect on what actually makes them happy, and therefore, what they should be doing more of in the future.

Taking all of that into account, there has never been a more appropriate time for a fitness enthusiast to make a career change and become a fitness professional.

Part-time, full-time, online, offline. It really does not matter.

The fitness industry has been growing steadily for decades but is expected to grow exponentially in the not-so-distant future, and you could be part of that.

Read on to discover why and how you can grow your interest in the fitness industry into a real future career, turning that side hustle into something that you will be proud to call your business.

This post will cover:

• The secrets of working in the PT industry that most trainers won’t tell you
• How to get qualified
• How to choose your platform
• How to perfect the art of the hustle
• How to continue your training

Secrets From the Industry

 

Historically, personal training sessions are feared because of how brutally tough they always are. In reality, however, this could not be further from the truth.

In fact, I will let you into a secret that most personal trainers struggle to admit.

I need to whisper so listen carefully…

Ssshhh…

You didn’t hear this from me (wink wink)!!

But, the specific exercises you choose to use…does NOT matter. I would go so far as to say that maybe 20% of the job is about what you make people do.

Things like exercise selection, sets and reps, or specific technical aspects are skills that you can learn easily.

The other 80% of the job is about how you make people feel.

Most people feel anxious or slightly intimidated by a ‘gym’ environment. Therefore, they would feel a LOT more comfortable working with a ‘normal’ person who has a story to share, as opposed to someone who appears to live in the gym.

Why am I still whispering? And why are you still reading this with a whispering voice in your head??

That’s better.

Actually, there was no need for me to whisper. In fact, it should be screamed from the rooftops.

If you are:

• enthusiastic about health, fitness, exercise, or wellness
• if you understand the importance of a client-centered approach
• if you have a story or journey to share
• if you would like to inspire others to experience their own journey

this could be the career change for you, and the first step in your journey to becoming a fitness professional!

The first step is to get qualified.

How to Get Qualified

 

Initially, you will need a Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification. This provides a basic understanding of the human body and allows you to work in a gym environment teaching classes, administering basic programs, and inducting new members.

Many people choose to stay at this level, others look to complete the Level 3 Personal Training qualification which provides a more advanced level of detail and sets you up to be able to work more specifically with one-to-one clients or small groups. Level 3 also gives you the minimum qualification to become a self-employed personal trainer, meaning more scope to:

• train specific clients
• work on your own terms
• ultimately have the potential to earn more.

Hypothetically, you could be signed up and have access to learning material on the same day. You could work through the virtual elements of the courses in your own time around work or family commitments and book yourself onto the relevant practical days when you feel ready.

All the while you would have access to an industry-leading team of experts who successfully guide thousands of people just like you each year. And if you don’t want to pay all in one go…there are a range of payment options to make it much more affordable. Future Fit was one of the first training providers to meet CIMSPAs personal training qualification standards, meaning you will be getting more for your investment than just a piece of paper after video lectures.

Choosing Your Platform

 

Once qualified, you face the decision of whether to operate face-to-face, or online, or both.

There are certain skills that crossover to both environments and there are other skills that a specific to one or the other:

• Operating face-to-face allows you to benefit from seeing your client’s form and technique in real-time.
• Operating online gives you the opportunity to reach a wider audience; anyone with an internet connection can join your sessions from anywhere in the UK.

At Future Fit, not only are we fully aware of the skills required by a personal trainer working in any environment, but we also pride ourselves upon overdelivering on the required levels of coaching, marketing, and programming needed to embark on a career in the fitness industry.

The Art of the Hustle

 

One thing is for sure, the day you have your personal training certificate in your hand there isn’t going to be a queue of people at the door begging you to train them. Businesses sometimes take time to grow and, with the right level of commitment and tenacity, you can develop your client base over time.

However, the art of the ‘hustle’ is a specialty of mine and from a networking perspective, we will ensure that you don’t waste any time barking up the wrong trees like so many before you! Getting your foot in the door with the right people can sometimes be the springboard you need to access a wider client base, professional athletes, and potentially work abroad with international fitness groups. With the right friends on your side, the training world is wide open.

Everything and anything from knowing who the most reliable people of influence are within the industry, what the latest trends are, any innovative approaches and evidence-based sources of information are our daily bread and butter.

How to Continue your Training

 

Future Fit Training students understand that this is merely the beginning – the tip of a metaphorical iceberg. You will be competent enough to do the job and confident enough in your ability, but you will be well aware that there is a lifetime of learning ahead of you.

This is why we have developed an award-winning platform ProZone, designed to give you relevant and effective information on a wide range of topics that all fall into one of these four categories:

• Training
• Nutrition
• Business
• Coaching.

At just £15 per month, this is a small price to pay for such a wealth of knowledge and networking abilities at your fingertips.

We also offer a wide range of smaller CPD (Career Professional Development) courses and more specialised Level 4 qualifications in a growing number of subjects.

To Conclude

 

If there ever was any doubt about whether a side-hustle or full-time role in the fitness industry is right for you then that doubt should have disappeared completely by now.

Anyone who has read this far is keen enough and interested enough to forge a great business for themselves in the fitness industry. And now you know that we are very well placed to ensure that you succeed.

To arrange a no-obligation chat with a member of our team then simply fill out the form below, and one of our dedicated staff will get back to you as soon as possible. enter your email address below and we will contact you to arrange a good time to chat.

 

Author Bio – Mark Laws is a Future Fit Training graduate who has worked in the industry since 2005. He has written for leading publications, presented at conferences around the world, and delivered courses to thousands of fitness professionals. He now works as ‘PT Master Trainer‘ for Future Fit Training.