How to Start a Personal Training Career Part-Time [3 Tips For New Personal Trainers]

In this video, I show how you can start a personal training career, part-time, with 3 key tips.

If you're a new personal trainer or just thinking about getting certified and working in the fitness industry, this video is for you.

One of the top questions I'm asked on my channel by new personal trainers or by people who want to become a personal trainer is this:

"How to/can I start doing PT part-time"?

This video starts with why I recommend starting your career in the fitness industry part-time, and why working another job/side-hustle is a smart idea.

I then give recommendations for part-time jobs that work for new personal trainers with flexible schedules. These options are low-commitment ways to make quick cash so you can cover expenses while building your PT business on the side.

When I started personal training in 2008, I bartended on Friday and Saturday nights to cover my basic needs and put cash in my pocket.

Next, I discuss a VERY IMPORTANT tip that no personal training coaches ever discuss: are you an AM or PM trainer?

The reality is that you can't work mornings, afternoons, and nights for long when you're starting your training career. You'll burn out. No one wants to train with a low-energy, burnt-out personal trainer.

Then, I give some key tips and strategies to decide what schedule you'll want to work. Trust me, this advice will save years of frustration and headache.

The last tip I give is how to move your schedule from part-time to full-time, once your fitness business has picked up enough clients. The worst thing you can do is make your schedule available at all hours of the day.

YOU are the authority with your personal training business.

You need to set boundaries in place for your own health, fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, and sleep. If you take clients at any time of the day, you won't last long as a trainer.

Career PTs treat their schedule with respect by blocking off time for training clients, and time for themselves.

No one wants to train with an out-of-shape trainer! You have to look out for number one.

As a PT, I've worked with over 1,000 clients. I've taught kettlebell and fascial stretching certifications to other personal trainers, I've owned a boot camp/CrossFit style gym, I've worked in big box gyms, and I've been an independent personal trainer for the last 10 years.

This is exactly what I would've wanted to hear when starting out as a new trainer.

My goal is that if you're a brand new PT or if you're thinking about a career in the fitness industry, you take this advice and use it to guide better decisions when beginning your journey.

Work a job. Keep making an income while you start your training business. Get so busy part-time that you NEED to move to full-time personal training.

Better to have 2 days a week where you're killing it with your PT business, helping clients, and making money, than to have 5 days where you only have 1 or 2 PT clients.

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TIME STAMPS:

00:00 - Can you start PT part-time
01:02 - Additional income stream
1:33 - Start in the busiest gym you can
2:17 - Tips for Independent PTs
3:05 - Part-time job/side-hustle options.
3:26 - Freelance sites for part-time work.
4:56 - Savings in the bank will help you during consultations.
6:11 - AM or PM trainer
7:27 - Condense your schedule.
8:06 - Minimum clients you should train daily.
8:52 - Prioritize you
10:33 - Deliver the best customer experience.
12:48 - The best schedule for PTs.
13:20 - Sales tip every PT should know.
13:47 - How to go from part-time to full-time.
14:06 - Avoid big gaps.
14:56 Additional services for PTs
15:39 - Grind two days/week
15:55 - Advice every PT needs to hear.

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Join 'PT-NATION' - my private FB Group for 1-on-1 Personal Trainers:

Follow me:
IG: @dave_maclean_strength

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The BEST advice I can give to new personal trainers is this:

- Strength is the 'mother quality'. Focus on strength first with your personal training clients.
- Become an expert at something. Specialize and solve a big problem for a particular niche.
- Education is key. Be a life-long student of the personal training business.
- Perfect your craft in every way. This includes training, sales, and marketing.
- Trust your gut. Don't second-guess yourself.

#personaltrainertips #personaltrainingadvice #personaltrainer

[wildestdreams]

I’ve decided that I want to be a personal trainer to truly pursue my passion. I can no longer keep working in industries that I literally don’t give two shits about.
It’s not an easy decision and I think it’ll be a rather hard transition, but I am ready to commit! Thanks for this realistic pov!

[CaptainCowboy]

Best point. Giving your last client of the day the same quality treatment as the first. Great advice.

[cameronluangrath]

Dave my man! I just started as a independent trainer and got my first 6 weeks free rent then next 6 weeks $80 rent per week and then $180 per week after that. You have given me so much inspiration to be the best I can be and do the best I can with the techniques that you have taught through your videos. I feel a lot of weight off my shoulders and just want to thank you !

[kianmerrills]

starting next week as pt have my first client !

[smesh]

start studying my cert 3 & 4 next month, these videos are great. thank you

[coach.marios]

Im studying for my certificate and watching this video made me more enthusiastic about becoming a PT.. Thanks for the tips man

[Give_Me_Rent]

Man thank you for this! I'm starting college in january and I was starting to have doubts as to whether or not personal training is the career I want to do but this video really made me realize that it can be a sustainable lifestyle if you just put in the work and stay consistent.

[iannahpowell]

Hi Dave, I just came across your page and this video was incredibly helpful! I have just completed my Cert 3 in Fitness which I'm super stoked about! I'll be starting my Cert 4 very soon and I was researching how to start my fitness business as a fitness instructor part-time on the weekends while working corporate Mon-Fri, this video has given me a great foundation to begin! Love from Melb, Australia

[marquiesha_janae]

This is the info I’ve been looking for. I’ve had my certification for 8 months but haven’t taken a client yet. I also work a regular 9-5 job that’s Monday-Friday in the medical field. I recently applied at a gym but the pay is minimum wage 7.25 when I’m not taking clients and I would receive 35%. It’s part-time and with our city attempting to shut down again for 4-6 weeks due to COVID-19 no one will be going to the gym.

[lonestar]

Thanks for this video man your content is helping me out so much with building my PT business. Right now I am working at UPS 5 days of the week from 4-11pm but I'm pretty sure I can talk to my managers about this for sure. Thanks for the video!! 👍

[ptrgr]

Thank you for the information. I have a corporate job but my background is in wellness. I always dream to have some part time activity in fitness.

[JejeNdungu]

Thank you soo much for this! I am in the process of getting certified and also working on myself to Look the part. I was wondering how to get out there and this Video just answered most of my questions.

[caldwellfitness]

Thank You for this information I was already doing something similar to this, but this video has helped me get a better understand of how to structure my schedule.

[mizer]

Thanks a lot for sharing the essential info. With us🙏🙏🙏

[zazainreallife]

Just passed my cert exam 2 days ago and am need of direction so this video is right on time

[jaketowler]

Thank you for this video. I’m studying for my certificate and I was worried about how unsociable the job could be. I didn’t need to worry. Schedules can be set however it fits me.

[justinvaledon]

I love this video and here are a few steps I'm taking. I take my ACE certification in April. I currently drive Uber and now am getting business cards done and also getting shirts that say trainer on them so when I Uber or walk around I also can hand out my cards. I did Uber for 3 years and did 10, 000+ rides, you know how much networking that could've been. Anyway at 35 I'm finally getting my life together. Also I created another Instagram page just for fitness and I'm going to try to post everyday, whether it's something I read regarding fitness or videos of a workout I'm doing. Also it might sound tacky but who cares, I drive Uber with my ACE (or whatever certification program you're using) manual so that people can see. You take the train? Read your manual so people can see and it's also an icebreaker, some people are afraid to ask for a trainer at the gym. So far those are my ideas and I will keep everyone posted. Sorry for the story but thanks for the video again! I wish you all the success 💪🏼

[mustangaddict]

This was very helpful I appreciate ur advice! I just got certified 1 day ago and I'm excited to start 🤗

[terwils]

Great video Dave, thanks for the great tips. I'm just starting into PT at 55. Currently a real estate appraiser, but with recession, extremely slow. The last recession I was out of work 2 years. It's a feast or famine business. I'm starting work now on my NASM Cert and hope to complete in 2 to 3 months. Then prep to start training & learning. My background, I got into bodybuilding as a teen, using Arnold & Franco Columbu training book because I liked the focus on strength and realism vs puffy & fake. Most my life been focused on understanding how the body works naturally. Then after near death accident I had several years of recovery. Thankfully I had outstanding physical therapy from a guy who was passionate about what he did and designed workouts that work with the body. That got me back mobile again without meds. Recently I got into backpacking as a result started learning about function, facia, mobility type training. Going part time seems like the best route to stick my toe in and see if this can work. Your video helps me focus on a great direction. Thanks again!

[rileywallace]

Love it. I really appreciate your opinion on the tactful scheduling method btw. I'm about to start working two 12 hour shifts at my normie job and I'll have 5 clean days for this. I start my cert process as soon as I'm cpr certified