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About becoming a personal trainer
- Thread starter Kyle Aaron
- Start date
Kyle Aaron
Active member
I am inclined to charge, but the client is normally very reliable - as well as hardworking and likeable, and has goals I think are cool (strength).
Dunno, we'll see.
Dunno, we'll see.
DKD
Private Dancer
A couple of different medicos I've seen recently have both had signs stating a specific amount that would be charged should appointments be broken without sufficient notice.
I agree you should be entitled to charge for this, but it's better that these terms be clear to the clients up front. Making it up as you go may piss the client off. Sometimes this might be a good thing, sometimes not.
I agree you should be entitled to charge for this, but it's better that these terms be clear to the clients up front. Making it up as you go may piss the client off. Sometimes this might be a good thing, sometimes not.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
The terms are actually quite clear in the contract they sign - less than 24hr notice, they lose the session. No ifs or buts or conditions. Less than 24hrs, session's gone.
However, since if they lose the session we PTs get paid but piss off the client, and if they keep the session we don't get paid but make the client happy, in practice it's up to the individual trainer.
Basically, to me the thing is that the person should let me know they'll miss the session as soon as they know. So if they wake up feeling sick and give me 15 minutes' notice, well, they told me as soon as they knew. For example once a client's car battery went flat on the way to the gym, he called me while waiting for the RACV - fair enough.
But if a person goes out and gets pissed the night before, or if they stay up till 0300 and sleep in and miss it, or if they were sick on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but didn't tell me about the 1400 Sunday session until 1345 Sunday, that's not good enough, I charge them.
As well, everyone fucks up from time to time, so if a person is usually reliable but missed this time, well... But if a person is frequently asking to change session times the night before, and often late, and often hungover, etc, then... I'm not going to cut them much slack.
However, since if they lose the session we PTs get paid but piss off the client, and if they keep the session we don't get paid but make the client happy, in practice it's up to the individual trainer.
Basically, to me the thing is that the person should let me know they'll miss the session as soon as they know. So if they wake up feeling sick and give me 15 minutes' notice, well, they told me as soon as they knew. For example once a client's car battery went flat on the way to the gym, he called me while waiting for the RACV - fair enough.
But if a person goes out and gets pissed the night before, or if they stay up till 0300 and sleep in and miss it, or if they were sick on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but didn't tell me about the 1400 Sunday session until 1345 Sunday, that's not good enough, I charge them.
As well, everyone fucks up from time to time, so if a person is usually reliable but missed this time, well... But if a person is frequently asking to change session times the night before, and often late, and often hungover, etc, then... I'm not going to cut them much slack.
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
Just gotta make sure you're consistent. Cos sometimes things like that can come back to bite you in a backside
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Sure, you want to be consistent. But while you don't want to be a wuss and get walked over, you don't want to be an arsehole and lose clients, either.
You just have to use your judgment and common sense. Remember I have fired clients - mostly for being unreliable. Of course, that was at the place where it's all pay-as-you-go, so when they fail to show, I am not paid. I am less tolerant there than at the place where it's direct debit and up to me whether to charge them.
So long as you're not crazy about it all, you don't have to be perfectly consistent. It's not like someone is going to tally up all the forfeited sessions and write a report seeing how consistent you were with it. It's not a court of law, just a gym.
You just have to use your judgment and common sense. Remember I have fired clients - mostly for being unreliable. Of course, that was at the place where it's all pay-as-you-go, so when they fail to show, I am not paid. I am less tolerant there than at the place where it's direct debit and up to me whether to charge them.
So long as you're not crazy about it all, you don't have to be perfectly consistent. It's not like someone is going to tally up all the forfeited sessions and write a report seeing how consistent you were with it. It's not a court of law, just a gym.
PowerBuilder
New member
That sounds reasonable Markos. Choosing to be in an industry where clients have a tendency to flake out at not give much notice, I suppose you need to accept the risks or pick up a career selling shoes or reflex paper
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
Hmmm to roast or not to roast?
I trained my friend yesterday arvo because she wants to get in shape for her 21st (May I think). Anyway, she kept going on and on and on about how she wants to look good etc then kept going on and on about how she wasn't having sweets, drinking heaps of water instead of soft drink, had cut back on drinking etc
Then about 5 hours after the session I get sent a picture of her passed out on her friend's staircase after they'd gone to Maccas.
How are you meant to help people that won't help themselves?
I trained my friend yesterday arvo because she wants to get in shape for her 21st (May I think). Anyway, she kept going on and on and on about how she wants to look good etc then kept going on and on about how she wasn't having sweets, drinking heaps of water instead of soft drink, had cut back on drinking etc
Then about 5 hours after the session I get sent a picture of her passed out on her friend's staircase after they'd gone to Maccas.
How are you meant to help people that won't help themselves?
PowerBuilder
New member
You can't. You don't, sometimes.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
First mistake. People won't listen to their friend. I can rebuke clients for their failures of effort, I can't rebuke my friends. Nobody does as their friends tell them. Hell, most of your non-friend clients will ignore you, too.
If you did not charge her, that's a second mistake. If the person is serious, they'll pay for it. This money commitment also acts as a mental commitment. It's not a total commitment, they can still skive off - but they're at least a bit more likely to actually do the right thing.
Friends will expect freebies, then ignore all your advice, then complain about their lack of results - and their lack of results will be your fault. Two years from now you'll see them on ausbb.com saying, "I hired a PT once, he was useless, I got no results."
Give your friends general fitness advice only, just as you might give them advice about other stuff you're experienced with, like lovelife or what kind of car to buy. Don't train them. If they really want to be trained, refer them to a trainer buddy of yours - while telling your buddy to refer their friends to you. But most of the time they won't follow up.
Go back to training people who are serious about it, and let your friend go back to their Macca's.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Aaron, Aaron, Aaron - keep it professional, mate.
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
Lol if you really want there's a couple of pics of me and her on fb
Kyle, I'm at bdo atm and have school tomorrow night but I'll reply to your post in full at some stage early in the week (hopefully)
Kyle, I'm at bdo atm and have school tomorrow night but I'll reply to your post in full at some stage early in the week (hopefully)
One of my 17yo clients has dropped out of school, got qualified as a PT and signed on for a year at $253 a week rental at a Genesis gym, thats over $13,000 a year. His cousin is also there. They hope to one day start a little gym together, in the meantime, these boys are paying $26,000 rent for a year. I hope they do well. I'll post up info as to how they are going as I get it.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
I wish them well. I also wish they'd talked to someone before making their decision whether to sign up with Genesis.
Should have finished school first, though.
Should have finished school first, though.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
At Fitness First, their first month is free, second month 1/3 cost, third month 2/3, and fourth and following months full cost. Is it full cost from day one at Genesis? That's harsh.
At a mainstream commercial gym, a 17 year old will find it difficult to get clients. He'd be much more successful at somewhere like PTC, more of a community where individual achievements are respected rather than people just prejudging you.
Well, lots of young blokes will get into car loans they can't afford and that sort of thing, they have a hard year or two and survive and learn.
At a mainstream commercial gym, a 17 year old will find it difficult to get clients. He'd be much more successful at somewhere like PTC, more of a community where individual achievements are respected rather than people just prejudging you.
Well, lots of young blokes will get into car loans they can't afford and that sort of thing, they have a hard year or two and survive and learn.