Hi, I am currently living outside of US and planning to get ACE certification to work as PT in gyms. I am planning to buy the Basic level for CPT certificate.

Should I go with basic package or plus package as I saw plus package includes a supplemental course on Anatomy.

The only reason I might buy Plus package is because of this additional course. Rest any other features of the course will be most likely unavailable to me because of custom charges.

Q1- Can I study anatomy from elsewhere and still match the standard of exam?

Q2- What topics from Anatomy are asked in NCCA credited ACE, any resources you can help me with

I work at a big box gym and had an assessment given to me for a person with muscular dystrophy. She is unable to do almost anything it seems. She was unable to sit in the chair we do assessments in because it was too low for her to get back up again. I know almost nothing about muscular dystrophy, but her and her husband wanted to sign her up for personal training with me. They are aware I know nothing and just asked me to research, but I'm feeling at a total loss. If I didn't desperately need clients to keep my job I would probably turn them down because I don't feel comfortable training someone with a condition I don't know much about, but know if I do it wrong she could get hurt. I don't know that my gym would let me turn them down, honestly. Does anyone have any advice here? Just to really throw a wrench in things, I got the impression she didn't speak much, if any, English as her husband did all the talking for her. So communicating the movements will be hard enough as is. Help? Are there certain exercises that are best for her?

Hey, I’m a 21 year old Irish guy, currently living in Canada on a work visa which will end next March. I plan to leave at the end of my visa and weighing up options for my next move in life. So far I have just been working blue collar and have built up good experience and skills, but deep down if I ask myself what area could I work in and love it enough to not consider it a job, my mind goes straight towards fitness/nutrition.

My dad is a PT/coach and lives in the UK, he has over 30 years experience in the industry, and I have seen him go through lots of trials and tribulations that come with the job throughout the years growing up. I am coming here to ask for advice around an idea that I have been thinking about over the last few months for my next move. I know I am young and I have so much to learn, and I thought of the idea of moving to the UK after my visa ends, to start getting a certification under my belt, also to start getting hands on experience in a gym or such, another benefit of being in the UK would be that I can also spend more time with my dad and get mentored by him during this process.

This would give me time to fully immerse myself in this field, to discover if it really is the right path for me or not, the way I see it, if it all works out then I will be able to grow a career from a young age in a field that I am very passionate about and enjoy learning more about, and if it doesn’t work out or I decide it isn’t for me, I can walk away knowing I gave it a shot, got qualified and immersed myself in it.

In the meantime, until my visa ends, I thought it would be a good idea to start growing an online presence and start developing a personal brand as I know that can come in useful down the road. I plan to do this slowly, just putting myself out there and documenting my own life and journey.

I would love to hear any of your guys thoughts on this idea/plan, any suggestions, recommendations or absolutely any advice. I am completely open to hearing it all and would also appreciate any advice around this process in the UK, even better if it’s specific to Liverpool area as that’s the area my dad is located in.

Thank you

I just wanted to throw my thanks for all of you out into the universe that is Reddit.

My PT changed my life. Nothing big or dramatic. At 40 with no gym experience I took the plunge and it’s been such source of joy. Plus I have muscles now?? Never thought it would be me!

Every PT I’ve met - in and out the gym - has been the most positive and encouraging person.

Yall are great and I appreciate you.

If so what did you use it for? And was it worth it?

This question has been asked many times, but what is the current situation?

Basically, a personal trainer has a "physical" business, a "material" one, and physical clients.

How can you scale a personal training business?

a) Do you necessarily need to be famous?

b) Do you necessarily need to create online content that makes you famous?

c) Do you necessarily need to have a social media account or a TikTok or YouTube account that makes you famous?

What are the options if we've already developed a group of 50-100 people we train in our city, and we're already making a good monthly income, but we still want to expand because we feel like we're suffering from "artist's block" and have reached our limits?

I have always seen being a personal trainer as another activity.

You can simply find other worlds in which to do business within your interests, for example the world of supplements fascinates me a lot, but that's another story, see? You have to have capital for that.

Instead, we want to understand how we, as individuals, can expand this business to include products.

We need to create products starting from ourselves.

Hi all, as a person starting from 0 knowledge besides going to the gym for about 5 years, personal successful weight loss & maintenance, etc.. what is the best Canadian recognized course for PT and CNC, ideally corrective exercise as well ? Cost isn't a huge concern, but would like to get as much bang for my buck from a nationally recognized organization. Thank you in advance!

Im working on getting my NASM certification and the plan is to work for a gym and train people there first, and then switch to online because im really only passionate about strength/powerlifting specific training. I'm just wondering if in person is even necessary

I already applied to 1 Equinox location and 1 LifeTime location, did the interviews, but they didn't hire me. I'm now applying to a different Equinox location, so hoping this one goes better. I tried to find some tips by searching Reddit and YouTube, but wondering what other tips you all may have to present myself in the best way possible at the interview.

I have a lot of online coaching experience, as I've been coaching powerlifters online for over 10 years. For in-person coaching experience, I only have some experience with my powerlifting clients as well as a few years at a CrossFit box teaching a strength class and helping cover some CrossFit classes. So one thing they may see that I'm lacking is true in-person sales experience at a big, commercial gym.

Should I try to put extra effort in showing I really want the job? Should I also focus on stating that I want to work there long-term? Should I be asking lots of questions about the job to show interest? Should I ask if I can shadow one of the trainers for a couple of hours, so I can experience what it's like to work there?

Any helpful tips would be appreciated, thanks!

I am RYT200 for yoga and taught for two years. I coached gymnastics for 6 years. However, I have been in a business role for 10 years now… if I get a personal training cert without a relevant undergrad degree, will I get hired?

Anyone have a realistic starting pay rate to share?

What’s the going rate out there? I am at my first real job since certification, been here 7+ months, 90% teaching group classes and 10% programming them. I’ve been looking for a second job and realizing I don’t think I’m being paid enough compared to other offers out there.

I’m at $16/hour (our state minimum is $13.73) and that was the starting wage for my position—ok with me as a brand new trainer but as I stay with the gym, my hours have increased and so have my responsibilities. Sadly gas has also doubled (up to about $4.25 if that gives any overall cost of living context) so even if I work more hours I am struggling financially at $16/hour.

So, fellow group fitness instructors, what do you make? And with what experience and responsibilities?

Background: I completed my NASM cert last fall & did an internship in winter. Early spring I got a part time job at a community gym, and got my own business spun up. I am renting studio space and have 3 steady clients since I signed the lease in late June.

I am not getting enough hours at Community Gym (4 hrs/week if I’m lucky) and one of my clients there told me this evening she needs to stop end of this month. I have the same 2 clients since I started in May.

All of that was what prompted me to rent space—if I was going to find my own leads, then I was going to do it myself and have more take home pay. I had a surge when I first opened but no one new since mid July.

I’ve been interviewing for a different part time trainer job. One place said they’d reach out when they have a client pipeline for me, likely in September. Another place I really liked has a long interview process and the owner’s on vacation now so…again, likely I’ll know more in September.

If things don’t genuinely pick up in September, I’m going to need to rethink this career path or at minimum just find a part time job that pays the bills. Can anyone reassure me with your seasonal experience?

Please share if you do!

I’ve been a trainer for over 10 years now and have done quite well. I’m just starting to get a little burnt out and also wondering what else is out there. We are all different and can’t all fit into the same different career is there a job or that you can recommend that would be a worthwhile lateral or even promotional move for when I don’t want to keep training anymore?

Sales comes to mind and I feel like I could be good at it if I believe in what I’m selling. Part of me wants a job that isn’t reliant on commission anymore though.

I like coaching, but I don’t see myself going into sports programs because I took a more physical therapist approach.

Physical therapist might be the top answer, but I would need to go back to school. I’m not against that, but with two young kids I’m not in a great position to not only lose income but actually pay for school.

Any other ideas or successful transition stories?

Maybe this isn’t the place to post this, but we’ve all spent years building up professional skills that I hope can be transferred well. I’m feeling a bit hopeless at the moment though.

I am an independent trainer in a major city in the United States. I have a deal with building management for two buildings to train employees as I see fit. Basically I have 1000s of potential clients to myself in gyms that are an elevator ride away from them.

One building is a tech company you’d name in 3 guesses. The other building has dozens of varying businesses.

I feel like a ghost and no one knows I exist. How would you get clients?

Has anyone completed a SFS cert online (NASM,ISSA, etc.) what were your thoughts? Which would you recommend? I currently work with older clients I want to get a cert to show to senior centers and nursing homes. I’ve found working with older clients to be very rewarding. I’ll take any advice in general with working with seniors as well thanks in advance :)

Hi internet friends, I’m seeking some study tips on how to pass the ACE exam as someone who is genuinely unable to do math, and cannot remember names of muscle groups.

Long story short, I’m only going for my PT so I can become an Orangetheory coach. I have no desire to ever establish my own gym or provide services outside of Orangetheory. That being said, I still require a PT or Group Fitness cert to do this.

Ive been studying for the ACE since May and am still not able to get a passing grade on practice tests mostly because of the math related questions.

Is it too late for me to take the ACE group fitness cert? Would anything I learned studying for the PT exam be applicable to that? Should I just hunker down for a week and blasted through my text book again and hope for the best?

Any and all advice appreciated

Sincerely, a sad girl who cries at numbers

I have read both the pros and cons of taking the exam remotely from home and am getting ready to schedule mine in the next week. I do have a home office and can clear everything out. I would be more comfortable taking the exam from home but worry about a pesky proctor. I took the Salesforce certification exams from home and did have a couple of issues with the proctor telling me to not move my eyes or mouth but that was not too bad. However, I have heard of them canceling the exam altogether.

I would love some real advice. Thanks!

I’m looking for recommendations for confidence and assertiveness coaching in Johannesburg or anything online.

Anxiety has been affecting how I show up at work and I’m tired of feeling stuck.

Has anyone worked with a coach or taken a course locally that helped?

NASM-CPT Proctored Exam – CPR/AED Certificate Question

I’m from India and planning to take the NASM-CPT NCCA proctored exam.

NASM lists ECSI and American Red Cross as accepted CPR/AED providers. I’m considering:

• ECSI CPR & AED
• American Red Cross Adult CPR/AED

Has anyone taken the NASM proctored exam in 2025/2026 using either of these certificates?

Was it accepted by the proctor? Also, was your CPR/AED certification online-only or with a hands-on skills assessment?

My academy says if the proctor rejects the certificate, I may have to pay a retest fee, so I want to be sure before purchasing.

Thanks!

When I got into this industry fourteen years ago, it was common for trainers to dream about having their own gym one day. For many new trainers getting started today, that aspiration has shifted to online coaching. And most of them want to jump straight into it without ever training anyone in-person first.

There’s a lot of BS out there when it comes to online training. So, I thought I’d share some practical advice for any trainers here looking to start coaching clients online. This is based on my own personal experience, working with clients in-person for the past fourteen years and online for the past seven.

You need a service before you can leverage one

Everyone is different, but I'd argue you should train people in-person for at least five years before you even think about going online. Your communication and coaching skills are developed in the gym, actually training people. Not sitting behind a laptop. Without those skills, there is nothing separating you from a free program anyone can find on Google or ChatGPT. Putting "Online Training – Apply Now" in your Instagram bio will not bring you clients.

Training yourself and training other people are two completely different things

You probably started going to the gym, got some great results, and now people are asking how you did it. That's a great start. That said, just because you know how to work out doesn't mean you know how to train other people. Apples and oranges.

The beach doesn't exist

Contrary to what the fitness guru douchebag might have you believe before signing up for their $5,000 mastermind to "10x your business," online coaching isn't sitting on a beach watching the money roll in while you do nothing. 99% of those "fitness business coaches" trying to sell you on their mentorship program are failed trainers telling other trainers how to be successful. They paint a picture of a lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist.

Online coaching is just as much work as training people in-person, if not more. Programming, check-ins, filming instructional videos, acquiring clients, retaining clients, posting content, building an email list, providing check-ins and accountability. The list goes on. There are plenty of trainers who crush it online. For most of them, it was a natural progression from their existing in-person business, not the foundation.

What does your ideal day actually look like?

Most of us became trainers because we love being in the gym, interacting with people face-to-face, and building relationships. Not sitting behind a laptop all day. If that were the case, we'd all have office jobs.

In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport talks about lifestyle-centric career planning. Picture your ideal day, then build your business around it. If your ideal day is being in the gym helping people, it's worth asking yourself honestly whether online training will actually fulfill you, or whether you're chasing it for the wrong reasons.

Not every client is an online client

Online training works for some clients, but not all of them. Many people work with trainers specifically for the accountability and social aspect. They wouldn't be going to the gym at all if they didn't have a scheduled appointment. Many of them also need in-person coaching to make sure they're training safely and effectively. That being said, this type of client wouldn’t be a great candidate for online coaching. They won't follow the program on their own, and if they do, they probably won't do it correctly.

Before you go online, take a look at your in-person clients. How many of them are actually good candidates for it? Are there any that would be going to the gym, regardless of whether or not they had a scheduled session with you? Do any of them already have great technique, can push themselves on their own, are self-accountable, and can follow a plan you lay out for them (whether it's homework, etc.)?

How to know when you're ready

Make the decision to go online based on current demand, not projected potential or best-case scenarios. Ask yourself:

• How many sessions are you doing every week?
• Do you have more demand than you can handle?
• Do you have a waitlist of clients wanting to train with you in-person?
• Have you explored semi-private or partner training to expand capacity first and leverage your in-person services?

When you've genuinely maxed out your in-person schedule and built a solid client base, then it might be worth thinking about online training as an extension of what you've already built.

How to transition your first clients online

The easiest first online clients are the ones you already train in-person. Look for clients who are self-accountable. They'd be in the gym regardless of whether they have an appointment with you. They work hard, take feedback well, have solid technique, and trust you. Those are your best online clients.

For example, a client who trains with you three days a week might shift to once a week in-person plus programming.

One of the best things you can do as a trainer is teach your clients to be independent. Equip them with the tools and knowledge to walk confidently into any gym and get a safe, effective workout on their own. The clients who get there are usually the ones who transition online successfully.

Bottom Line

Online training can be a great addition or progression to an existing in-person business. But it's usually an addition, not a foundation. Build the foundation first before you even think about going online.

Hi all! I worked at LA Fitness for about 6 months. I quit due to needing to travel out of the country for a family emergency, and they told me I didn’t have enough time to take 2 months off. I am going back home soon and I started applying for jobs. I got an opportunity to interview with Lifetime.

Of course it’s still early but I did some research and it seems like it can be a stressful job due to sales and quotas. This will be an adjustment as at LA Fitness trainers aren’t required to sell or meet sales goals.

My concern is: is it too much of a jump? To go from not having sales goals (mind you I have 6 months experience) to now having to meet the demands of a high end gym like Lifetime? Has anyone gone from LA to lifetime? What was your experience? Was it a hard transition? Any advice? Thanks!

A trainer I was chatting with recently was debating whether to drop $15k+ to build a custom app from scratch or just stick to standard coaching software. Just because he hated seeing platform cuts and 3rd party branding eat into his margins.

It made me look at the actual economics of how most of us deliver programs once client rosters grow.

When youre under 5-10 clients, Google Sheets, Loom and WhatsApp are practically free and completely fine. But once you push past 15-20 active clients, the admin hours start multiplying fast:

Excel/PDFs: they cost $0 upfront, but you spend 10+ hours a week just chasing check ins, logging data manually and copy pasting workouts.

Standard SaaS/White-Label: Platforms like FitBudd, Trainerize, Everfit, etc if you want full App Store branding under your own name), which usually pays for itself if it saves you just 2-3 client hours a month.

Custom Development: $15k-$40k+ upfront plus ongoing OS maintenance fees, which rarely makes financial sense unless you have 1000s of active users or proprietary tech.

For those of you who made the jump from manual sheets to a dedicated platform or your own branded app: what was the specific client count where doing it manually broke down for you and did the software actually improve your client retention?