The personal training industry is currently experiencing a period of rapid growth and change, making it an exciting time if you’re considering a career in this field. But we also have to be realistic – the industry is saturated, and there’s a rise in technology and changes in consumer habits. Naturally, you’re asking yourself if a career in personal training is still worth pursuing in 2023.
There are many reasons you’d want to become a personal trainer as a playboy. You’ll be in great shape, get to meet a lot of people, and could make decent money. Not to mention that fitness influencers are very popular at the moment.
So in this blog, we’ll take a look at the current state of the personal training industry, including some surprising facts, and explore whether the benefits of a career in personal training outweigh the drawbacks.
The Pros of a Personal Training Career
Here are some of the reasons why you might want to become a personal trainer in 2023
High Demand for Personal Trainers
If you’re looking to make a change, switch careers or enter a more in-demand industry, personal training might be it.
The demand for personal trainers is growing rapidly. As more people realize their own power to make changes in their lives, they want to know what they can do and how they can do it.
Becoming a personal trainer means you’ll be able to help people learn how to change their lives by making small, manageable changes that add up over time. You’ll also be able to help them figure out exactly how much time and effort those changes will take so that they don’t feel overwhelmed by the prospect of making them.
As long as there are people to make new year’s resolutions and desire to get in shape, there’ll be a need for personal trainers.
Job Flexibility
A personal training career has a ton of location and scheduling flexibility. While many PTs work in a studio or gym, you don’t have to.
Some people like working out of home studios or even their own homes—and it can be an excellent way to get to know your clients on an even more intimate level if that’s what works for you. And if you don’t want to work from home, there are also plenty of opportunities for building relationships with clients in coffee shops, parks, or other public spaces!
Scheduling gives a ton of freedom as well because you can sit down with your clients and negotiate convenient periods that work for you both.
Personal Satisfaction
As a personal trainer, you get to help people achieve their goals, which is a pretty sweet deal if you think about it.
You get to be part of someone’s journey; something you can carry with you forever. And for many PTs, the knowledge that they designed a metabolic workout for clients that then made a difference is irreplaceable.
The Cons of a Personal Training Career
If you haven’t picked up on it by now, being a personal trainer has a lot of downsides as well.
Low Pay and Limited Career Advancement Opportunities
One of the biggest cons for becoming a personal trainer is the low pay and limited career advancement. Any PT will tell you that it’s very difficult to land the first personal training job, and even as an experienced PT, it’s not much easier.
While it might seem like a great job to start out with, it’s important to be prepared for these facts. You’ll often have to work for free or for very little money in order to get clients, and if you’re just starting out, this can take some time.
Another thing to consider is that there aren’t many opportunities for advancement as a personal trainer. Many companies hire trainers who already have experience working with clients because they know how difficult it can be to train new people.
This means that there might not be many options available to you if you want to advance in your career as a trainer, unless you want to start your own business.
Physical Demands of the Job
Being a personal trainer can be physically demanding. You’ll need to follow through on many exercises with your clients, and that can become a lot if you’re seeing multiple clients every day. Personal trainer adjacent careers are pretty much the same; you could become a performance coach, but that also means you’ll engage in the same high-performance activities.
Many trainers will spend up to 6 hours at the gym daily and then another 2-3 hours in front of their computer building clientele and marketing themselves online! That’s a lot of time spent on your feet and moving around all day long—and it can take a toll over time.
There are ways to mitigate this, but you need to be fully aware going in.
The Impact of Technology on the Personal Training Industry
Virtual personal training, fitness apps, and online workout programs have all made it easier than ever to get fit without a personal trainer. That’s good news for people looking for a great way to work out, but bad for you who’s trying to decide on a personal training career.
Let’s take a look at how these trends are changing the way people train.
1. Virtual Personal Training
Virtual personal training enables people to work out with a real personal trainer without actually having one there in person. Since this option is wildly convenient, you may face some competition from companies like Peleton who offer these services.
2. Fitness Apps
Fitness apps are also becoming more popular as people turn away from traditional gyms and prefer more convenient ways of working out at home. These apps help people do everything from tracking workouts to providing advice.
And with nearly every fitness influencer launching their own fitness app, you definitely have your work cut out for you.
3. Online Workout Programs
From YouTube to Facebook, anyone can easily find free workout programs that allow them to follow an exercise program curated by experts and get in shape. Granted this lacks the customization that’s necessary for true progress, but it’s still another obstacle in your way if you decide to become a personal trainer.
Is a Personal Training Career Worth it?
A personal training career can be worth it in 2023 if you are prepared to put in the work and create strategies to work around the cons. Limited opportunities, high physical demand, and increased competition in the form of online training are definitely working against you.
But, once you consider the amazing pros – high demand, flexibility, and job satisfaction – you may find that you enjoy the job very much. And once you’re doing something you enjoy, you can always find a way to win.
