Personal training is another highly profitable service that can benefit your club. Although a training program is available in almost every health club, the quality of the trainer doesn’t always measure up. Some people are trainers because they’re fitness enthusiasts, but they don’t have the education or the experience to lead someone else toward physical fitness. Other trainers take standardized tests, become certified and begin training, but many don’t have the drive necessary to educate another person on the merits of nutrition and health. When it comes to hiring trainers, you need to establish levels of expertise and education before you begin the interview.

At Fitness Edge, Fairfield, Conn., personal training is the most successful profit center. The standards there are steep. If 15 candidates are interviewed, sometimes only one is right for the position. Trainers must be certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) within three months of their employment. They must also undergo some other type of two-day certification course and complete a five-day nutrition course. The trainer must be interested in sales and must complete 50 hours of instruction on the basic tenets of customer service. Candidates are tested periodically by secret shoppers as part of their evaluation process.

After being hired, trainers are divided into three levels, and it usually takes about a year to progress to the next level. “The standards of a trainer must be high-caliber,” says Deb Keys, director of operations. The pay varies depending on the level of the trainer, ranging from $30 to $65 an hour, and increases as the trainer earns more certifications. Fitness Edge currently employs 37 trainers in their four Connecticut facilities. All work full-time and range in age from 20 to 40.

Trainers at Fitness Edge are responsible for a member’s physical assessment, as well as establishing a good rapport based on personal goals and the desired fitness program.

Trainers give prospective clients a presentation and tour of the facility during the first appointment and a training session during the second meeting, since the member usually wants to get right to work and isn’t too fond of initial paperwork and consultation.

The third appointment is a workout. After these initial sessions, the member is given the option to continue to work with the trainer and purchase a package.

Personal training for youths and special populations is another feasible and profitable service. Special populations can bring in huge profits, but you must hire trainers with the expertise and experience to work with these groups.

Tags: dietburn, evaluation, service

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