r/personaltraining

Does anyone have a policy regarding a minimum number of sessions their clients must attend/pay for each month?

My clients have set days and times that they come see me. They pay monthly - we go over our schedules and see if they are out at all that month and they pay the amount they are here for. I have a strict 24 hour cancellation policy but for cancellations outside of 24 hours clients are currently able to credit that missed session to the following month.

I’ve never really had a problem with this set up. I know that July and December I’ll have less sessions lined up, there’s plenty that cancel in 24 hours and forfeit and there’s also usually one or two crediting cancellations happening.

Lately though, I’ve had a couple of clients that are out a lot for travel or are missing and crediting to the next month. I have one client who is only here for 3 out of a possible 9 sessions this month and also was out a lot last month, including a credit they put towards this month. So I’ve made very little money off of their timeslot the past 2 months. (She’s also an OG client who pays less than my new clients)

I’m at the point where I’m turning new clients away monthly because I don’t have the space, so when I have this happening it makes me feel like I need to implement a policy about how many sessions per month you can miss, so that I’m not left with an empty timeslot for a majority of a month. I also don’t want to turn off my current clients, so looking for insight on how much they might care, from anyone who has this type of policy.

I was thinking of having a 75% attendance/payment policy. So if they have 8 session slots for the month they are responsible for payment of 6. I also want to cut my policy where I credit to the next month and make it so that they can reschedule to the current month only, if they cancel outside of 24 hours.

I think the fact that I know I could fill this spot for more money has me feeling this way, I just don’t know how it will be perceived 😅

Any advice or insight is appreciated!

A lot of people walk into private or commercial gym sessions assuming every certified trainer approaches programming the same way, only to end up with cookie-cutter circuits, zero mobility assessments, or immediate burnout.

From your perspective (either as a client who hired one or as a trainer working 1-on-1): what is the single biggest red flag or misconception clients overlook during that initial consultation phase?

What are some good ways to cue the cat/cow stretch to a client? I have a client that is not understanding how to move her body to make the cat/cow. (no hate to her ofc) I tried giving her a few different cues and demonstrating but I wasn’t successful. I promised her we’d work on it since one of her goals is spinal mobility.

Experienced PTs: Is $65–75k pre taxes/biz expenses realistic with 20–25 coaching hours/week, without owning a studio?

I’m considering returning to personal training after several years in corporate work as a 37f (noting for reference in case similar backgrounds). Previously spent most of my 20s training professionally, including private clients, small groups, and gym-based training.

I’m trying to understand what’s realistically achievable long-term, rather than exceptional success stories … from a wide variety of experiences outside of my own or observed.

My ideal arrangement would be:
- Around 20–25 client-facing hours per week, ideally concentrated between 2–7:30 PM Monday–Friday
- About 5 weeks off annually
- An established studio or gym that provides most client leads
- Light solo prospecting, marketing, or sales (mostly daunted by the idea of marketing/lead acquisition, I’m fine w sales mostly)
- W-2, 1099, or a hybrid arrangement
- Ideally working towards $65–75k annually before personal taxes, & after any business expenses (I understand this will take some time, and would love to get experiences on how long). Of course more is always welcome, but I’m trying to be reasonably realistic (is this?)

For trainers with similar schedules or studio arrangements:
- What do you actually earn annually, & is that gross revenue, W-2 salary, or profit after expenses?
- How many paid sessions do you consistently deliver weekly, and how many additional unpaid hours do you work?
- Does your studio provide clients, or are you responsible for acquiring them?
- Is this income realistic in a medium-cost-of-living market/area?
- If you’ve achieved something similar, what compensation or business arrangement made it possible?
- I’m particularly interested in sustainable, repeatable income, not peak earnings or working 40–50 hours weekly.

I’d appreciate candid responses, including if my expectations aren’t realistic. I GET this will take time & effort to build up. I expect some to hem and haw, and hopeful others will provide genuinely thoughtful/helpful responses.

Pilates & Fitness people!

I’ve been thinking about doing this for a LONG time, ever since I started setting up a medium sized fitness studio in my basement a few years ago. And now I’m finally at the point where I’m seriously considering opening it up to a small number of clients.

A little background: I’m a certified Personal Trainer and Mat Pilates Instructor, currently continuing my studies in anatomy/biomechanics and comprehensive classical Pilates. I’ve also completed training in a specific reformer/hot sculpt method, although I can’t use that particular method independently because of the contract I signed with the studio.

My home studio can comfortably fit about 6 people, and I’m thinking of keeping it intentionally small and intimate.

My current plan is:

Mat Pilates (ball, pilates circle, light weights, blocks, mats available for everyone)

Offering 4 classes per week

2 weekday evening classes & 2 weekend morning classes

1x/week & 2x/week memberships

Intimate, women's safe space, calm, peaceful and lofi, jazz, bossa nova vibes.

Plants, salt lamp, low soft lights, mirrors, clean bathroom/changing room.

I’m also thinking about doing a small Pilates workshop/opening event first. Something that introduces people to Pilates, the history/principles, and some foundational movements. Using that as a way to get the studio rolling and hopefully convert a few people into founding members.

For those of you who teach Pilates out of your own home/studio: what do you wish you knew BEFORE you started?

I’d especially love to hear about things that aren't obvious until you're actually doing it.

Things like:

- Scheduling/payment systems (I currently have been playing with an app called ForActive have not tried finalizing a sale or anything so would like to know what other people are using)

- Boundaries with clients when they’re coming into your home

- Taxes/business setup (I am getting liability insurance)

- Burnout or overbooking yourself

- Things you underestimated

- Things you spent money on that you absolutely didn’t need

- Things you wish you had invested in sooner

I would love to hear the “I wish someone had warned me about this” stories too.

If you run a home-based Pilates studio, I’d really appreciate hearing what worked, what didn’t, and what you would do differently if you were starting over.

Thank you!

P.S. Currently teaching at a boutique studio (Reformer & Hot Sculpt), so I have experience and great feedback from clients.

I always wondered who was in charge of fitness areas/gyms in hotels and even other places like fire departments and such. Too often I've seen it looks like they just threw crap in a room and it wasn't optimal or even made sense.

Has anyone ever done consulting for these places? Such as go in and help optimize their gym when it comes to equipment, layout, etc? Do you work with an equipment vendor and get a cut?

I have a registered full time job and I do training very part time. But if I could make a good chunk of money doing consulting for an hour or two by suggesting different layouts and equipment, that would be great. It seems like a semi untouched market.

I’m working to become a fencing coach. I’m considering applying a holistic approach to my students with the ability to not only talk about fencing but also personal training and possibly nutrition down the road. My students are ages 10 to 60. I’m also getting ready to start a Masters program in coaching.

My biggest concerns for my people are avoiding injury, encouraging and maintaining mental health, and being successful without losing the wonder of the sport.

To just provide sport specific training advice to my students, is independent study sufficient or should I aim for a program like NSCA-CSCS? I have an unrelated doctorate, and the masters in coaching should play into that, I think.

Also, what study materials would you recommend to get started in general. I have a library replete with sport psychology and youth sport psychology books, but would take additional recommendations for those as well.

Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m applying for the ACSM-CPT and I’m trying to clarify the CPR/AED certification requirement.

ACSM’s current handbook says the CPR/AED certification must have a **“live/in-person practical skills examination component.”**

I found AllCPR’s Smart Manikin CPR/AED certification, where you go to their physical location and complete the skills assessment on a Smart Manikin. There is no instructor physically present during the assessment, but you are physically at the testing location and the manikin evaluates your CPR/AED skills. AllCPR then issues a CPR/AED certificate through American Red Cross.

Does anyone know whether ACSM accepts this type of certification for the CPT application or has submitted one using the smart manikin self instruction? I tried calling ACSM to ask but their answer was very ambiguous.

As per the title, I'm kind of torn as what to use.

I'm considering the following (prices not accurate)-

4x1hour sessions £200 - the intention is for 1 a week to be used

OR a subscription model

£215 per month, 1x1 hour session per week, (roughly £49.60 per session).

I was wondering what others found more success with, The caveat with a subscription model is having cancellation terms but I don't feel like thats an issue from my side, I'm just curious as to what others think, especially for newer PT's