Personal training business

The personal training business is a competitive one, requiring not just the right qualifications, but also good people skills and the ability to market yourself. Personal training business skills are something that you have to learn, just as you learned skills like how to teach classes or instruct in the gym.

This is not an easy area to be successful in - the personal training business has grown dramatically of late, meaning there have never been as many opportunities for work, or as many competitors.

The good news is that the range of settings in which you can work is huge, and growing. You aren't just limited to working in a gym or a client's home, you will also find opportunities on board cruise ships, at a spa or resort, or in a corporate environment.

However, when you are getting started, working for a club is the perfect way to gain experience without the hassles of being a stand alone personal trainer.

The best place to find a job is to use the job search facility run by the industry professional body - the NRPT. You'll find jobs across the UK, though most are in major cities like London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. The NRPT also has a partnership with SpaandLeisureJobs.co.uk, where you can search for jobs by position, region and even country.

Once you have some good experience and qualifications, you can start to consider setting up on your own. There are two routes here. The first is to go it alone, in which case there are some good options for training in business skills for personal trainers. Options include:

• Fitness Wales: A long-established governing body and training organisation that offers a wide range of workshops. They offer: Personal Training - Business Skills - 24 CPD credits
• Focus Training: One of the leading training providers in the industry with a reputation for quality, flexibility and value for money. They offer: CYMCA Business and Marketing Level 3 - 24 CPD credits
• Northern Fitness and Education Ltd: A well established exercise teacher training organisation with a committed team of professionally qualified tutors and assessors offering training courses throughout the North of England. They offer: Business Marketing - 8 CPD credits.

Alternatively, you could consider working for a personal trainer franchise. They are a side of the industry that is growing fast, and they offer the possibility of steady work.

Personal trainer franchises allow you to own your own business, but operate under the umbrella of a well-established brand name that many people will recognize. The services they provide usually include:

• Business training
• Ongoing support
• Marketing support (this includes online advertising and client enquiry services)
• Pre-designed fitness programmes
• Administrative and financial support

There are a several different companies offering this service in the UK, with One Lifestyle and ?nergie Personal Fitness being two of the best-known.

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