| When considering your options as a personal | | | | you leave. You could also do a combination of |
| trainer, one of the very first things to | | | | both, depending on the needs and the fitness |
| decide is WHERE you are going to train your | | | | level of the client.If you are going to take |
| clients. The most obvious answer for most | | | | your clients through an aerobic workout |
| trainers is to get a job at a local fitness | | | | during their session, you can either |
| facility and train clients there. This is | | | | incorporate "heart rate maintenance" |
| certainly an option, and one that is | | | | exercises into the workout itself, or you can |
| recommended especially in the beginning of | | | | get the anaerobic exercises out of the way, |
| your career. The structure and experience | | | | and then move into an aerobic workout for the |
| that you will get by working at a successful | | | | second half of the session. Just remember |
| gym or fitness center is invaluable for a new | | | | that if your goal is to keep your clients |
| personal trainer. However, there are | | | | inside their target heart rate zone, there |
| drawbacks to working with your clients at a | | | | will be very little rest time in between |
| gym, and some clients will be unwilling or | | | | exercises.However, before you blindly go |
| unable to workout at a local facility. Don't | | | | forcing all of your clients to stay inside |
| lose those clients by not having other | | | | their target heart rate zone for the entire |
| options!Working out with your clients in | | | | session, consider the fitness goal of the |
| their homes is an option for any trainer, and | | | | client, and the metabolically intense |
| by offering this option to your clients you | | | | benefits of structured strength training |
| can increase your potential client base by a | | | | compared to a session when you just make sure |
| dramatic number, and you may even decide to | | | | they are sweating the whole time!Another |
| exclusively offer home personal training. In | | | | option for your client's cardio is to have |
| order to decide if this type of business | | | | them do it on their own after the end of the |
| model is for you, there are several points to | | | | training session. Obviously they still need |
| consider, and they include time management, | | | | your guidance on what to do, how to track |
| exercise modalities to be used, and business | | | | their heart rate, and how long they should |
| resources that are available.Time | | | | perform the activity, but not all clients |
| ManagementManaging your time and your | | | | will actually need you to stay there and |
| schedule is a critical consideration when | | | | guide them during the activity.Also, it is |
| deciding whether or not to work with clients | | | | not uncommon for people to own a piece of |
| in their homes. Unlike working at a facility, | | | | cardiovascular training equipment such as a |
| the amount of time that you need to dedicate | | | | treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair-stepper, |
| to each client is increased, sometimes to the | | | | etc. Nonetheless, most clients will still |
| point of even doubling the time spent for | | | | need some specific guidance on how to |
| each client session.For example, let's use a | | | | maximize the benefits from the type of |
| standard one-hour training session as our | | | | equipment that they have access to. Things |
| business model for this discussion. Although | | | | like interval training, cross training, and |
| many trainers are utilizing different | | | | training at different heart rate levels are |
| training times with their clients these days, | | | | all things that you should educate your |
| one hour is still a good time frame to use | | | | clients on, especially if they are going to |
| for your scheduling reference. You want to | | | | be doing cardio on their own.Business |
| remember that as a home personal trainer, you | | | | ResourcesYou must also consider the business |
| can be on a tight deadline to get from one | | | | resources that you will need access to when |
| place to the next, so you don't want to | | | | training clients in their homes. The time |
| schedule your sessions back-to-back like you | | | | factor has already been discussed, and you |
| can when you are working at a fitness | | | | should also consider the daily expenses |
| facility.You must also factor in your travel | | | | involved in this type of training model. |
| time to get to your client's home, as well as | | | | These include equipment expenses, "on the |
| to get to the home of the following client, | | | | road" expenses, and auto expenses.Equipment |
| the client after that, and so on. If you live | | | | expenses should be minimal. You may have an |
| in an even reasonably populated area, you | | | | initial cost, but after your initial |
| will have to allow at least 15 minutes of | | | | purchases, all of those assets are reusable. |
| driving time to and from every client's home, | | | | Basic items for home training include an |
| and sometimes as much as 30 minutes per | | | | adjustable set of dumbbells and an exercise |
| client, depending on the size of the | | | | ball at a bare minimum. It would also be a |
| geographic area that you train in. Using our | | | | good idea to have a roll-up exercise mat, a |
| one-hour training session as an example, just | | | | jump rope, and any other items needed for the |
| one training session can cost you as much as | | | | type of activities that your clients will be |
| 2 hours of your time.A standard 8-hour | | | | engaging in. A great cardio idea for clients |
| workday will now only allow you to train | | | | training at home is boxing drills. If you |
| between 4 and 6 clients, depending on where | | | | were to utilize that type of training, then a |
| they live in relation to your starting point, | | | | decent set of protective gloves for the |
| as well as in relation to each other. Your | | | | clients would be in order, as well as target |
| best bet whenever possible is to set up your | | | | mats that you hold for them to strike during |
| clients in a roughly straight line, or | | | | their drills.In all cases, the items that you |
| possibly a circle that brings you back to | | | | own stay with you, and they are simply taken |
| your starting point at the end of the day. | | | | from one client's house to the next. It is a |
| The last thing that you want to do is set up | | | | great idea to have your clients eventually |
| a client who lives 30 minutes north of your | | | | buy their own gear, however, which keeps you |
| starting point followed immediately by a | | | | from having to tote arm loads of equipment |
| client who lives 30 minutes south of your | | | | into and out of their houses day after day. |
| starting point. Not only will you eat up | | | | Also, depending on the type of program you |
| massive amounts of time driving to and from | | | | put them on, they may use some of their own |
| your client's homes, but you will put serious | | | | equipment in between training sessions."On |
| mileage on both your car as well as your | | | | the Road" expenses include food and drinks |
| wallet at the gas station! More on that in | | | | while you are traveling. Depending on your |
| the Business Resources section below.Exercise | | | | schedule, you will be on the road anywhere |
| ModalitiesThe next thing to consider is the | | | | from 2 to 12 hours at a time! In those cases, |
| type of training that you will be doing with | | | | you will obviously need to plan healthy |
| your clients in their homes. Unless they have | | | | places to eat along the way, or keep portable |
| a full fitness facility set up - which is | | | | meals in your vehicle each day. In any event, |
| rare - it is very likely that you will have | | | | make sure that you consider the cost of |
| to come up with ways to put them through a | | | | eating away from home as part of your |
| vigorous workout without the massive amount | | | | business expenses.Auto expenses are |
| of equipment that is available at a full-size | | | | potentially the biggest expense that you will |
| fitness facility. In order to put together | | | | have to face in order to train people at |
| these home workouts, you need to address the | | | | home. The wear and tear on your vehicle - |
| two different energy pathways that your | | | | although accountable on your taxes - can |
| clients will need to use during their | | | | still be a drain on your financial resources. |
| workouts: aerobic and anaerobic.Anaerobic | | | | You have to keep your vehicle insured, fueled |
| WorkoutsAlthough many trainers are used to | | | | up, and in good working order at all times. |
| the massive resources available at a local | | | | The last thing that you want to do is be late |
| gym, getting your clients a variety-filled | | | | for a client session because your car broke |
| and intense anaerobic workout in their home | | | | down, or you ran out of gas! Also, at |
| is actually easier than most would think. | | | | anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 per gallon, gas |
| With nothing more than an exercise ball and a | | | | can get expensive if you put in a lot of |
| portable set of dumbbells, you can take your | | | | miles every day.ConclusionAs you can see, |
| clients through the full range of motion and | | | | there are many considerations when deciding |
| exertion on almost the same scale that is | | | | whether or not to train clients in their |
| afforded those clients training at a gym.If | | | | homes, and you must weigh those |
| you are just starting out in the industry, or | | | | considerations against the benefit of being |
| are simply used to working your clients out | | | | "free" from the gym trainer's normal |
| at a fitness facility, you should do some | | | | boundaries, and instead being in charge of |
| research on the Internet for dumbbell | | | | your own day to day business. In return, you |
| workouts, bodyweight workouts, functional | | | | can command higher per session fees for home |
| training, and sport-specific training. Those | | | | training. Since you are saving your clients a |
| 4 keyword combinations alone will net you | | | | lot of driving time and gym expenses, as well |
| hundreds of websites with free or low-cost | | | | as giving them an opportunity to get healthy |
| resources that will teach you thousands of | | | | in the privacy of their own homes, it is not |
| exercises that can be done with little or no | | | | unheard of for a home trainer to charge $75 |
| equipment.The key to getting your clients a | | | | to $100 or more per session. Figure in |
| good anaerobic workout at home is not the | | | | scheduling issues, the exercise program that |
| type of equipment that is used, or the actual | | | | you will have your clients on, and the |
| amount of weight that is moved, but rather | | | | resources needed, and decide for yourself if |
| the INTENSITY of the workout. A bit of trial | | | | this type of training program will work for |
| and error will teach you how to take a client | | | | your business!Aaron Potts is the author and |
| through their paces in a safe but intense | | | | creator of The Ultimate Complete Personal |
| manner that will leave most people ready to | | | | Training Business Kit, a quick-start kit and |
| call it quits in 30 minutes or less!Aerobic | | | | business guide for new as well as seasoned |
| WorkoutsTaking your clients through | | | | fitness professionals. Aaron's experience as |
| appropriate and effective aerobic workouts | | | | a Fitness Professional has included |
| can happen on many levels. The 2 obvious | | | | management positions with local and |
| differences are going to be whether they get | | | | nationally known fitness facilities, as well |
| their aerobic activity during their session, | | | | as in-home and outdoor training with clients |
| or if you assign them activities to do after | | | | from all walks of life. |