Strength, nutrition, and mindset coaching (AKA personal training) isn’t black magic. (As in many cases, everybody in this industry seems to make it out to be.) Let me unpack it for you in the clearest, most straightforward way possible. The decision to hire a coach is a relatively straightforward one.
They boil down to this. “Who am I now, and what am I willing to invest in myself to become the person I see myself as?”
What’s the PRICE ?!?!
Hiring a coach or personal trainer is about investing in yourself by hiring a professional to help you achieve your goals more efficiently. Now, that investment can range from $50 to $300 an hour, depending on your location, the person you are working with, and what you may need or have access to to achieve the results you are looking for as quickly as possible.
The average nationwide cost is $70-$100 per session, primarily based on a 60-minute training session.
What drives these astronomical rates!!! (Wait… it isn’t free?)
Several factors influence the situation. This breaks down into four items:
Where are you located? If you are more urban, the cost of living is higher, so the person or team you are choosing to guide you must be able to afford groceries and potentially opt not to live in their car by the river.
What does this person have in terms of experience? Ideally, have they helped people just like me achieve the goals that I am looking for? This usually comes with some level of education on their end. (Degrees, certifications, continuing education, workshops…) Believe it or not, just like you are an expert in your field, so are they.
How is this structured for your ease of access or desired level of accountability? Are you looking for an in-person option or an online option? Both have merit, but also need to work best for you!
How often do I/should I need to train? This is part of the overall conversation with the coach you want to work with. This is based on your goals and your ability to access the gym, training facility, or space to achieve the targeted goal you have both decided on.
This can equate to a package, a one-time fee for a solution, a recurring membership format, or a pay-as-you-go option. All of them work and really should be tailored to your goal.
Wait a minute. This person gets paid?
Not that you care, but it should matter to you. If you are looking to hire a professional to help change your life in a long-term way. The average trainer’s industry life expectancy is 11 months. (No, they aren’t being murdered for a better version of them.) They often become burned out and decide that their terrible hours and minimal wages are not worth the effort, leading them to consider a career change in an entirely different industry.
Here are some basic numbers: Most trainers earn between $17 and $48 an hour. The top end of that range is generally reserved for those in more urban areas with a higher cost of living.
Why so low? Well…running a business has a lot of things you don’t see regarding expenses (kinda like a restaurant, or any other service-based business). Rent, utilities, equipment, insurance, flooring, software for communication and billing, marketing, websites, continuing education, health insurance… and payroll. (That $70-$100 an hour gets eaten up real quick)
Shut the front door… is this worth it?
It’s a value equation. For example, I could do my dental work. Or fix my car (which I enjoy doing; working on my automobile, not my dental work, yikes!) You could spend hours watching YouTube videos (we have one of those channels that explains things, by the way. You can find it here —it’s free!) Or download a free workout and follow that for a while. Join a low-cost gym, wander around, get discouraged, buy a protein shake, and leave.
Or like all of the coaches I have hired over the years. (Business, marketing, sales, training, fitness, website, legal, hospitality, therapist…) It’s an investment in speed, and generally, the more I pay, the faster I arrive at my destination. I don’t have the time or desire to learn all of those things to become an expert, and so I am willing to trade my cash to invest in doing other things or moving through difficult things quickly.
So, are they experts? How long have they been doing this? What about their team (if they have one)? How long have they been in business? Is this a custom-designed program based on my goals and timeline? Do their coaching hours or business hours work for my schedule?
Affordability is always an option. (Who doesn’t love a deal?)
Sometimes, you can receive an introductory offer or a guarantee.
Maybe 1-on-1 is more hands on than you need and isn’t budget friendly, semi private (all the 1-on-1 perks but share the cost with 4-6 people) we have seen great success with in our 10+ years, or maybe you just like 20-50 people sweating it out at the same time, jamming out with a great cheerleader (classes).
There is always a good option. You can only decide what your return on investment looks like.
How to Choose the Right Coach?
So many factors go into this. In my experience, I have hired well over a dozen coaches in multiple fields over the years. Who are they? Do our core values align? What do their testimonials from current/past clients sound like? Can they help ME achieve MY goals?
Hiring a coach is about investing in a guide to help YOU achieve YOUR goals!
Dave…Seriously, wrap this up.
Here is a checklist:
- Decide what your goal(s) are.
- When would you like to achieve them by?
- Write both of those things down.
Now do some research. We live in a crazy time where we can Google everything and anything. I often use AI to search for things, which speeds up the process.
Next order of operations:
- Make a list of facilities or people.
- Call them, or schedule a Zoom (if remote).
- Ask some questions based on your goals (They should ask you some as well).
- Book a tour of their facility (if you meet them in real life).
Ask about pricing. (They should give you a range, either per session or project-based)
Then commit yourself to becoming who you want to be!
