Whether full-time or part-time, personal training can be a great career for many types of people. However, there’s often a stigma that part-time trainers aren’t “serious” or that they’re simply in between “real jobs.”

Let’s go ahead and clear this up real quick – that’s all BS.

There are countless trainers in the field that work less than 30 hours a week and are still changing lives, earning good money, and making an impact. In fact, I’d venture to say that most of the well-known trainers in the industry aren’t actually training clients full-time or they wouldn’t have time to promote their business, educate up and coming trainers, or put themselves out on social media to become known.

The truth is, part-time personal trainers are just as important as full-time trainers and working with clients part-time may actually be a better fit for many aspiring personal trainers, based on where they are in life.

Read on to discover some scenarios where training part-time really shines and how it could better serve many clients in the end as well. 

When You’re Just Getting Started

Getting certified tends to be one of the easier parts of becoming a personal trainer. It’s what happens next where the rubber really meets the road.

Whether you decide to work independently or get a job at a local gym, chances are that you won’t have a full book of clients or packed work schedule just yet. Inherently, this will make you a part-time trainer.

This can be a huge barrier for some, but it’s actually a good opportunity in the beginning since you’ll likely still be trying to figure things out.

Let’s be honest, if you got started the old fashioned way then the book didn’t prepare you for the daily demands of training and gaining clients. It’s going to take longer for you to write programs, conduct assessments, and find new prospects. 

So, having free time in your schedule will be a blessing. And, since you won’t be busy all the time, you’ll have the benefit of getting some in-person experience that will let you make some mistakes to learn from and have time to reflect on what you could be doing better. 

This will allow you to become a better trainer and sharpen your skills without burning out early on. 

When You Need A Solid Work/Life Balance

One of the best benefits of being a personal trainer is being able to control your hours and make pretty good money for the time you invest. If you’re good, then you can work moderate hours (25-30/week) and still be able to afford a nice lifestyle.

While most standard jobs earn a set rate per hour worked, personal training has a lot of flexibility that can allow you to control your income more effectively. With options like training multiple clients at the same time, increasing rates, or even working with clients online, there are tons of options that allow entrepreneurial trainers to break the mold of trading time for money.

Today, more than ever, many people value having more free time and less stress than a huge paycheck. Maybe you have a young family that you want to spend more time with or some responsibilities that consume a large portion of your day. Maybe you’ve been a full time mom (or dad…it is 2020) and the kids are now in school and you still want to be with them when they’re home, but have something of your own. 

If any of these resonate, then being a part-time trainer just might be the perfect fit for you.  

When You’re Tackling More Than One Thing At A Time

While a worthy career in and of itself, personal training isn’t the end goal for all those that help clients change lives. And, that’s ok. Some trainers are simply working in a job they love while going to college, pursuing another career, raising a family, or getting back into the workforce and finding their purpose. There is a lot of flexibility in personal training which makes it a great complement to achieving other goals at the same time.

Being a part-time personal trainer can be not only a convenient job option from a time perspective, but also an experience that helps to develop valuable skills that you can take anywhere. There are few positions out there that teach you how to work with people, sell yourself, and create countless networking opportunities as well as being a personal trainer. Many great trainers often find themselves expanding into other industries and doing exceptionally well due to the lessons and skills they’ve learned.

Conclusion

Don’t let industry dinosaurs dictate how becoming a trainer fits into your life’s plan, because there is a lot of good that can come from bucking the traditional job trend. When approached correctly, personal training can be a long-term career OR a short-term job and both have the ability to make a difference. It may take a little while to hit the income you’re looking for, but what industry doesn’t? If you want to make money helping others then stay the course because it can offer a lot of flexibility, considerable benefits, and a great work/life balance.

Despite the old school criticism of personal training being “just a side job,” part-time and full-time trainers are valuable in bringing change to the masses and creating diversity in a field that drastically needs it.