Don't get it, why are personal trainers so EXPENSIVE?

[Reformer]

Maybe I'm missing something. Around here they get $50.-$60. an hour. Very few people use them. Maybe its because they are so expensive. Especially now when folks are so unsure about the future. Do personal trainers have that much education to warrant the high cost. Or is it just because so few people use their services that they have to charge so much? I bet if they weren't so expensive more people could hire them. Or maybe they are just for the wealthy. Our Gym doesn't seem to know its members and assumes we are all rich. Everything there costs way to much money. Their supplements, their energy drinks, their cloths, their memberships. Or maybe it's because I live in a small town and they have a monopoly on the fitness market. I know allot of single moms that belong to this gym because they don't have running water (Our town is noted for its Shed people). The gym is their place to relieve stress and get a warm shower.
Could someone help me who knows why PT cost so much? Thanks for letting me get this beef off my chest.

 

[mogambo]

I think they charge what the market will bear. Nobody really "needs" a personal trainer. It's usually for unmotivated or uninformed mostly older people who need someone to stand there and show them/tell them exactly what to do. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't work out. Sometimes they are people who have special needs, and rarely they are elite athletes or celebrities. But, the average person is an overweight middle-aged person who works a lot, is rather sedentary and needs someone to hold their hand for awhile because they lack the information and motivation to do it on their own. These folks make money, what they lack is time and information. If I train people, my goal is to get them over the hump so they can do it all on their own and don't need me anymore. I give them information, encourage them, deconstruct their excuses and when they see results, they can soon quit paying for services. It's kinda like psychotherapy, it's expensive, but hopefully short-term.

 

[kimroberts]

My goal as a trainer, like mogambo, is to teach folks enough to be self-sufficient. Or at least to cut their sessions down to once-a-month or twice a month.

The reason some trainers have to charge so much is that they must give a percentage of their income to the gym and also must pay their own taxes/Social Security if the client pays them directly.

Depending on what certifications you have, it can be costly to first of all get and then to maintain the certification. Some of mine don't "cross-over" so I have to go to some seminars for group fitness and take mail-in tests or something else for my PT. It gets confusing and time-consuming if you do it correctly.

Plus, my gym requires a uniform for which they provide only a jacket, you must purchase your own pants/shorts.

I did find a great bargain this coming up weekend in Atlanta. I'm getting 16 AFAA ceu's for $189 at a Fitness Etc. conference. My hubby has Marriott points so I get to stay for free.

PS: In my town, it's a status symbol to say you have a trainer, whether or not you're getting any results. People are soooooo silly!!!!!

 

[Reformer]

That's the right attitude.

Thanks both of you for your information. I can see you both have the right idea. I think my gym puts way to much emphasis on PT sections because they are money hungry. One trainer talks way over everyone's head hoping to impress or something. It's always with this kind of attitude that they know the mysteries that will unlock the key. I think Cathe's vids give allot of knowledge about form and such. Any way thanks for showing me the world of a personal trainer
.

 

[murph]

RE: That's the right attitude.

yes, taxes, sociasl security--and either a stipend to the gym for insurance or they have to pay their own liability insurance!!