Success as a fitness trainer is actually harder than most would think.

It’s estimated that 90% of trainers quit before the end of their first year. Clearly, the certification companies selling the certs are promoting this fact! (that stat comes from the US Dept of Labor statistics)

If creating a sustainable career in fitness were easy, you would see more trainers over the age of 40. The harsh reality- most don’t make it that long. Actually, the average age of a fitness trainer is 22!

The fitness training industry is always saturated with young trainers. If you look around any gym, how many trainers do you see that make it to the age of 35? Not many, right?

A “Lifer” is a trainer that is able to train people as a career through their adult life. Those who become lifers, will likely have found ways to manage their time and get paid enough per client to be able to work less hours.

There are many reasons you see so few “lifers.” Here are just a few of the more common ones:

The hours are long and abnormal. Often, you’ll have strange hours like working from 5 a.m. until 10 a.m. Then after a mid-day break, return to work from 3:30 pm until 8. This is not always easy for people with families or other obligations.
Most trainers simply aren’t good enough at helping people fully achieve their goals in order to achieve the level of client retention and word of mouth marketing needed to earn an income that supports a sustainable and higher standard of living.
People haven’t learned how to make enough money as a personal trainer to support the lifestyle they wish to have. A trainer needs to do the math. You cannot be the cheap trainer in town or make 40% of sales working at a low-cost gym and hope to create a long, successful career. Trainers need to earn top dollar and to earn top dollar, one needs to make themselves a tip tier trainer in their town/city.
Many trainers are unable to “look like a trainer” as they get older. As politically incorrect as this sounds, getting out of shape simply makes it harder for most trainers to sell training packages to people. An out of shape trainer better be really good at producing results. Does anyone want to go to a dentist with black teeth or a chiropractor with chronic back issues?
The “trainer burn-out” rate is very high. The job can become tedious. The job isn’t as glamorous as Instagram makes it out to be. You are expected to bring the energy and positivity day in and day out. Trainers, after a few years will sometimes get bored or “tired.”

Anyways, I wish I had one piece of advice to give young trainers regarding what it takes to “make it” as a trainer and have a long, successful and happy career.

I’m now in my 26th year of being a personal trainer and have a fitness business I love and enjoy! Flash Fitness Bangkok- Group Classes, Personal Training and Body Transformations Sathorn

But I’ll be the first to tell you all those things I discussed are real and part of my own journey as well. It is up to each individual to find their own way through them.

Soon, I’ll share some tips and lessons in the future about what helped me navigate my way through and find success in the industry.

Until then…I hope you are well and loving your days!