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Side Hustles for Personal Trainers

Updated: Mar 24, 2023

Are you a personal trainer looking to boost your income and expand your business during tough Economic times? Well, let me tell you, there are plenty of side hustles you can tap into! But let's get real - your main hustle as a personal trainer should always take priority. While it's admirable to try and make ends meet, taking on a part-time job may not be the best solution. Instead, let's chat and see if we can help you streamline your business so you're not turning clients away.


Group Fitness Instruction



So, if you're looking for some awesome side hustles, I highly recommend ones that involve learning new skills. Not only do they challenge you and help you grow, but they can also be super rewarding. Speaking of upskilling, let's talk about why personal trainers might want to add group fitness instruction to their skillset. There are so many benefits to doing so:

  1. Diversifying Skill Set: By upskilling to group fitness instruction, personal trainers can diversify their skill set and expand their services to a wider range of clients.

  2. Increasing Revenue: Group fitness classes can attract multiple clients at once, allowing personal trainers to earn more money per hour than they would with one-on-one training.

  3. Building Community: Group fitness classes can create a sense of community among participants, which can lead to increased client loyalty and referrals.

  4. Scaling Business: Personal trainers who upskill to group fitness instruction can scale their business and reach a larger audience, potentially leading to higher profits and more opportunities for growth.

  5. Improving Teaching Skills: Group fitness instruction requires a different set of teaching skills than one-on-one training, such as cueing, pacing, and managing group dynamics. By upskilling to group fitness instruction, personal trainers can improve their teaching skills and become more effective instructors overall.

All in all, adding group fitness instruction to your skill set can be a game-changer for personal trainers looking to grow their business, diversify their offerings, and boost their earnings. That said, there is one potential downside to keep in mind: fitness classes tend to happen during peak client hours, which could take you away from your primary source of income. It's important to weigh the pros and cons before diving into this side hustle and make sure it aligns with your overall goals and schedule.


Online Coaching



Now, let's talk about the second side hustle on my list: Online Coaching! With this gig, you can offer personalized one-on-one coaching, design custom workout plans, and dish out valuable nutritional advice to clients using an online platform. While there are plenty of perks to online coaching, it's not for everyone. Let's dive into some reasons why a personal trainer might shy away from it:

  1. Limited Physical Interaction: Online coaching lacks the in-person interaction that personal trainers may prefer, such as the ability to provide hands-on assistance, observe technique, and offer immediate feedback.

  2. Technical Issues: Online coaching requires a reliable internet connection, video conferencing software, and other technology that can be prone to glitches or malfunctions, which can be frustrating and time-consuming for personal trainers and their clients.

  3. Time-Consuming: Online coaching can be more time-consuming than in-person training, as personal trainers must create and review workout plans, provide nutritional advice, and communicate with clients via email, phone, or video chat.

  4. Lack of Personalization: Online coaching can be less personalized than in-person training, as personal trainers may have less insight into their clients' individual needs, goals, and limitations.

  5. Different Skill Set: Online coaching requires a different set of skills than in-person training, such as the ability to communicate effectively via digital platforms, create and share online content, and manage online client relationships. It also pays to gain the knowledge of in person training better to be better equipt to help your clients.

  6. Competition: With the rise of online coaching, personal trainers may face increased competition in the market, making it more challenging to attract and retain clients.

When it comes to personal training, there's nothing quite like the physical interaction, customization, and personalized touch of in-person sessions. However, online coaching can still be a valuable tool for personal trainers to expand their business and reach a wider audience, provided they have the necessary skills and resources to succeed in the digital space.


Selling on eBay



And now for my top pick for a side hustle: eBay! Not only can you work on your own schedule, but it also offers a wealth of knowledge about the world of business. As a personal trainer, you might not think selling on eBay has much to offer in terms of business lessons. But guess what? Any side hustle can teach you valuable skills that can be applied to your career. In this section, we'll dive into some of the essential lessons you can learn about business by selling on eBay.

  1. Understanding the market: As an eBay seller, you'll become an expert in understanding the market and what people are willing to pay for certain items. This is a crucial skill that can be applied to any business, including personal training. By understanding your clients' needs and goals, you can better serve them and set yourself up for success as a trainer.

  2. Building a brand: Selling on eBay requires you to build a brand for yourself by creating standout listings and establishing a reputation as a reliable seller. This is similar to building a brand as a personal trainer, where you need to differentiate yourself from other trainers and establish yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy expert in your field.

  3. Marketing and promotion: As an eBay seller, you learn important marketing and promotion skills, such as creating compelling listings and promoting them through various channels. These skills are transferable to any business, including personal training.

  4. Customer service: Selling on eBay can teach you about customer service, including the importance of responding promptly to inquiries and complaints and being proactive in resolving issues. These skills are transferable to your personal training business, where excellent customer service is essential for building trust and achieving client success.

  5. Financial management: Selling on eBay can also teach you valuable financial management skills such as tracking expenses and profits, and managing cash flow effectively. As a personal trainer, understanding your income and expenses and managing your finances is essential for the long-term success of your business.

Overall, being an eBay Seller can teach you a lot about business, and the skills you learn can be applied to any industry, including personal training. Whether it's understanding the market, building a brand, marketing and promotion, customer service, or financial management, the lessons you learn can help you become a better business owner and achieve long-term success.


Final Thoughts


Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which side hustle aligns best with your goals and schedule. Remember to prioritize your main hustle and make sure any side hustle you take on supports your overall business objectives. Let me know in the comments below which one of these you’d most like to try out!


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