Reality of working in a gym? (UK)

G

ginomay89

New member
I am mulling over the decision to take my Level 2 Gym Instruction and Level 3 Personal Training qualification online with Study Active and getting a job in a gym.

I am not thinking of doing this for the money (as I understand there are lots of unrealistic earning potential claims out there) however I would need at least minimum wage that’s guaranteed income. I am 30 years old, have a house and things to pay for.

This has come about because I am wanting a career change and am starting to take a real interest in fitness, training and nutrition. So thought what better way to earn a living than have a job where I am doing this day-in/day-out to gain experience and do something I am really passionate about.

If someone could share their experience on the reality of working in a gym (in the UK) that would be appreciated.

The main questions that come to my mind are…

Is this just a young person’s job that isn’t sustainable?

What do typical day duties involve?

Can you do PT sessions where you are paid an hourly wage by the gym instead of having to find your own clients on a self-employed basis?

Are there any gyms that offer 9-5 hours, or are they all really early starts, big breaks in the afternoon, then late finishes? (all the job adverts I've seen for your main UK corporate gyms such are Gym Group, Pure Gym, Anytime Fitness etc. only seem to offer a minimum of 12 contracted hours)

Many thanks!

Gino.

 
I wish I could give you some better answers, but I'm not in the UK, so I'm not sure my experiences would apply. Here in Canada, there are all types of scenarios and sometimes it takes trying out a few different places until you find something that fits. I am a Kinesiologist and CPT so I didn't deal with the typical healthy population which helped for being able to have more or less regular daytime hours. I would think it would somewhat depend on the type of clients your are aiming to train. If you want the average, young, generally healthy folks, then you're probably going to be catering to before work and after work times. I don't think your age will matter much - I see trainers of all ages being successful in this field. I think it has more to do with your personality and enjoyment for the work.

I've been on salary, combination salary and hourly, and sub-contractor hours. I would assume the same options would apply in the UK, but I'm not sure. Are there areas you can specialize in with certifications there?
 
Thanks for your advice. I guess the main area I would want to specialise in would be weight training, to gain size and strength, as that is the sort of training I do myself so know it best. However after speaking to a few other people about this career path, those that have both done it personally themselves or know of people who do this, I've decided to give it a miss. A shame in a way as I do enjoy it but the irregular and unsociable hours just wouldn't work for me. And it seems here in the UK that all the big gyms contract you for 12 hours, then the rest of the time you're self employed and have to find your own clients.. but I can't take the risk of having a 'bad month' as I've got responsibilities and stuff to pay for. I can see how it would suit some people though, if you're prepared to build up the client base
 
I think it depends where you are in your life. If, as you say, you have responsibilities and can't afford to take the risk of not making much for a while, then it might not be the right time for it. It might be why there are so many younger people in the field - they are just starting out and probably don't have as many financial responsibilities and can do the awkward times. If you wanted to treat it as a bit of a hobby and/or took the time to gain a specialty, you might be able to bide your time until the right job comes along.
 
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