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