Gas Prices and the Future of Personal Training

[TrainerGriff]

Hello everyone! I have been lurking here for a few weeks and this is by far the best, friendliest and most informative fitness forum I have seen. That being said I hope to get some good honest evaluations of my first question and post to everyone here. I am going back into the fitness industry next month by taking my certification exam for personal trainer. (I used to manage a gym but never got certified. I now work in a lab in a sports medicine practice.) I have been hearing horror stories on Fox news and CNN from all the so called "experts" on world economy about gas going beyond $4 a gallon in the U.S. to possibly $5 to $6 dollars a gallon in the next few years. How do you all think this will affect your careers or business in training and fitness? Will this affect the industry at all in your opinions? I really want to make the right decision and have a good future in it for me and my family and hope the others here continue to prosper and help others as well. Thanks to whoever takes the time to respond. God Bless you all. Griff

[chrism]

I doubt this will cause any problems. Unless your clients are traveling a good distance to work with you AND you're a "budget" trainer who markets to and attract clients on the lower end of the income scale. (Meaning your clients drive 25 miles to work with you and only make $27,000.00 a year, or something like that)

I wouldn't worry about this, all it'll do is take your focus off of your goals and put them on things you don't want to happen... which almost NEVER helps biz

My two cents
Chris
KickBackLife.com

[TrainerGriff]

Thanks chrism. An encouraging reply! Which I guess is really what I'm looking for!!!.......

[Aoife]

There's another thread around here where people talk about the current economic situation affecting their business -- or not. hmm, ah, here.

[Jean-Paul]

Welcome to the forums Griff!

Are you talking about the cost of getting to work cutting too heavily into your income or the overall ecomony being so bad that people can't afford you?

It may cut into the industry at large, but I personally feel very safe. My systems and methods put me at the top of our local foodchain, so I will always do well, even if most of the trainers in this market do not.

Just realistically ponder on which one you will be. Don't give up on your dreams, but don't kid yourself either.

Glad to have you aboard!

[TrainerGriff]

Thank you for the welcome Jean-Paul! I am thinking more along the lines of the overall economy being affected by the rising price of fuel (food prices up, everything up because of shipping costs) and, yes, if people will be able to afford my services. I am trying not to get discouraged before I even start. It seems like once I decided to go for my certification, which has been a dream of mine for the last few years, all this economic downturn and rising prices started and I guess I need reassurance that all will be well and there will always be a way to make it. I have made vast improvements in my perspective on life (came from a pretty rough background) and I just don't want to be a neg-head and want to stay positive through these tough times and improve me and my family's quality of life while helping others improve theirs as well. I really admire you and the others on here who have made it in this business and I feel like I have mentally made it to the point where I can finally go for one of my dreams which is being a certified trainer. I just don't want the slumping economy to give me a negative outlook about my future in the business.
I am teachable and a sponge ready to absorb more knowledge about how to reach and train people. I thought I knew a good bit about training and fitness until I started to work towards my certification and started perusing these forums. I realized I have just scratched the surface. And it feels good to know that!

[diamondpete]

Hi Griff

Welcome aboard. I am not a trainer, but...

If the economy gets much worse, it is likely that it will affect the number of potential customers. Families tend to cut cost for the parents first (so I will give up my trainer before my kid's piano lesson, etc). I think to start with MANY people see a trainer as a luxury (with the status implied as well) . I was shocked the last time I was in a suburbia BBQ (of toronto) and "my personal trainer" was being used like name dropping. (i live in japan so i may be out of touch on this, for my generation , I think it was the figure skating coach for the kids....)

Anyway, I the personal trainer is seem as a luxury item and will probably be a first cut. It is also easy to cut because you can still workout without a trainer (though perhaps not as successfully). However, I think that the wellness industry will still grow and good trainers will still make money.

good luck and welcome aboard

Cheers


peter