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Youngguns
05-06-2009, 04:40 PM
You see them in gyms, you are one or you know one personally, what type of personal trainer is the most successful?

Diggy
05-06-2009, 04:47 PM
Ones that can sell and have personality. Ones that are in shape usually make it easier on themselves, people can see the results.

Im a terrible salesman, I never pressure anyone. The clients that I ended up with were the end result of them liking me as a person after their comp sessions. They usually ask me about training more than me pushing it on them like a shark....but many times over most the sharks get paid.

robert da strongman
05-06-2009, 04:48 PM
the one that goes for the lowest common denominator...trains the most clients, gets them in and out in 45 minutes.

Suzy Brown
05-06-2009, 04:56 PM
I know of 2... one was IFBB pro, the other is a model. They both work off their personal accomplishments mainly. The model has a great outgoing personailty and networks heavily.

kraken
05-06-2009, 04:59 PM
I know of 2... one was IFBB pro, the other is a model. They both work off their personal accomplishments mainly. The model has a great outgoing personailty and networks heavily.
Add looking like you know what you are talking about and here you go.

buster12
05-06-2009, 05:08 PM
The trainer who has the the proper balance of physique/ selling ability usually is the best.

Suzy Brown
05-06-2009, 05:09 PM
Add looking like you know what you are talking about and here you go.

He looks great, esthetically pleasing. I trained with him a few times and didn't love his style, but he knew what he was doing. (I traded tans for sessions, I don't pay people to tell me what to do.)

lomox
05-06-2009, 05:18 PM
The pretty ones. My friend Paul was a trainer/instructor at Equinox and had some seriously rich ass private clients. All becuase he was good looking and had one of those sheepish mellow yoga guy attitudes. Older housewives ate him up. Then he got arrested for trying to cut off a stripper's head and is now incarcerated. I don't think he did it though (seriously).

But I digress, the best networkers will always excell at anything sales related.

GREENMACHINE23
05-06-2009, 05:25 PM
The most successful personal trainer is one who can make the necessary adjustments with your training and diet to help you achieve your goals. A successful personal trainer will take the extra time to make sure you are doing your personal best and not just going through the motions.

lomox
05-06-2009, 05:34 PM
The most successful personal trainer is one who can make the necessary adjustments with your training and diet to help you achieve your goals. A successful personal trainer will take the extra time to make sure you are doing your personal best and not just going through the motions.

You are describing a GOOD personal trainer, not neccesarily a successful one.

Lordston
05-06-2009, 05:37 PM
Depends on what you mean by successful. If by successful you mean actually gives the right information and instruction to get actual results or the guy who makes the most money?? They are DEFINATELY not the same guy/girl in most cases. They can be, but are often not. The one who will make the most money in the short term will be the one who hustles...the one who wants to make a career out of it will have to get results to keep his business afloat in the years to come and walk the walk. If you are not in shape...no one will trust what you are saying for long unless you have a fantastic "proven" track record. In the end, I don't know anyone who stays in personal training forever. They either move on to other careers that are more lucrative or become a manager or owner of their own gym.

HeavyDutyGuy
05-06-2009, 06:02 PM
Unless you get results, you're not successful, I don't care how much you make.

Sledge
05-06-2009, 06:54 PM
It depends how you measure success. If you mean money wise then the guys above have hit it on the head pretty well.

If you mean success with clients then I think their are several things a good PT has.
Great communication abilities with various types of personality.
Empathy with clients.
A good base knowledge in the chosen area he/she trains in.
The ability to help clients motivate themselves.
A positive but realistic outlook he/she can convey to clients.
The ability to adapt change and research to meet clients specific needs.

Their is heaps more but that’s the gist of it.

BigJD69
05-06-2009, 07:06 PM
I feel that you have to be somewhat in shape, be a motivator and have a good personality.

Joshua H
05-09-2009, 03:41 PM
It depends how you measure success. If you mean money wise then the guys above have hit it on the head pretty well.

If you mean success with clients then I think their are several things a good PT has.
Great communication abilities with various types of personality.
Empathy with clients.
A good base knowledge in the chosen area he/she trains in.
The ability to help clients motivate themselves.
A positive but realistic outlook he/she can convey to clients.
The ability to adapt change and research to meet clients specific needs.

Their is heaps more but that’s the gist of it.

I have to agree 100% with this. A combo of both academic knowledge in aspects of anatomy, biomechanics, endocrinology, nutrition, supplementation, progression and real world experience is a must. Degrees and certs act as a sound foundation as well but dont garuntee you a good trainer.

Having invested time and commitment to the lifestyle yourself by looking like you know what your doing also helps. Being positive and upbeat in attitude and demeanor helps as well. Knowing when and how to adjust programs on an individual basis that used both scientific rigor and real world empiricism. The charisma and vigor a trainer displays in the gym can be a selling trait all in itself vs the other trainer who just counts the reps and demos exercises the whole workout while holding the clip board.

Many trainers who are also bodybuilders, models, fitness competitors or even triathletes make the best trainer I know of due to their real world familiararity and exposure and participation with such outside activities that keeps them in the know of what works and what does not work.

Sadly I am at a dilema of sorts right now in that after having done my own personal training and consulting/coaching for 2 years now with the same group of 12-14 clients, I am now looking to drop everyone of them come July 1st when I go to take 1 of 3 potential out of state jobs as a strength and conditioning specialist having just wrapped up my MS degree. This was the plan all along but never did I expect my personal training pursuits to mature as they have and grow on me as quickly as they have. Personal training clients for contest related goals is my fasination while athletics sports conditioning is my passion, and that right there lets me know where my heart really belongs. Still not going to be an easy transition when the time comes!:(

Youngguns
05-11-2009, 07:28 PM
By successful I meant the ones who make the most money.

Thank you to those who replied.

MichaelWayne
05-11-2009, 08:03 PM
Successful trainer. Somebody who doesn't have muscle!

Answered an ad today looking for a part-time trainer, figured a couple extra bucks never hurt so I showed up to talk to the owner.

Knew soon as I walked in and his 5'3", 101lb frame judged me to be 'too scary', that I was wasting my breath with every word.

redline777
07-23-2009, 10:15 AM
how to be a successful trainer:
1,know what your talking about in training, nutrition, supps and drugs.
2,look the part yourself!!!
3,be brutally honest. dont suck up to clients.
4.charge reasonable rates
5.make sure there are results at end of 12 weeks

Shawn Bellon
07-23-2009, 10:16 AM
It depends how you measure success. If you mean money wise then the guys above have hit it on the head pretty well.

If you mean success with clients then I think their are several things a good PT has.
Great communication abilities with various types of personality.
Empathy with clients.
A good base knowledge in the chosen area he/she trains in.
The ability to help clients motivate themselves.
A positive but realistic outlook he/she can convey to clients.
The ability to adapt change and research to meet clients specific needs.

Their is heaps more but that’s the gist of it.

Very good post. Totally agree.