More Frequently Asked Fitness Questions
Last week, I wrote of a couple of frequently asked fitness questions that were a little off the beaten path, so to speak. What I mean, is that I don’t hear them with the regularity of such questions as what’s the best way to lose weight, etc. Having been an Austin personal trainer for over 20 years and a gym owner since 2007, I thought it’d be fun to share a few of the more interesting, and less common of the frequently asked fitness questions. This week’s blog will cover a couple of them that are more related to the business side of things.
3)
What is involved legally as well as financially in both owning and operating a gym?
This is certainly not one of the most frequently asked fitness questions, but it does come up from time to time, and I think it’s one of the more interesting ones. There’s no short answer for this one, as there’s a lot of responsibility legally, morally, as well as financially in owning/operating a gym. The stereotype of the creepy personal trainer with an over sized libido is there for a reason. In turn, that is one of the reasons why I own my own gym. I simply have no patience for such behaviors. The other stereotype of personal trainers is that they have big muscles, are financially destitute, and know very little. Sadly, this too is pervasive in the industry, and is yet another reason why I own my gym. I train 6 doctors for a reason, and it’s not because I have big arms.
The financial responsibilities of owning a gym begin with leasing or buying a space, installing flooring, mirrors, equipment, etc. Then you’ll need a lot of liability insurance. You’ll also need to register your business’ name with the state, pay a ton of taxes, and even pay close to $1000 or more yearly to play music in the facility, as you must pay a yearly due to a company called ASCAP. Yes, it’s highway robbery, bordering on extortion, but it’s something that’s not negotiable. Beyond those things, there’s website expenses which can be astronomical, advertising, payroll, and all of the taxes associated with it. This is only starting to scratch the surface of your responsibilities as a gym owner, if you do it properly. You must maintain equipment regularly, which means costly repairs and occasional replacements. You must fix air conditioning units quickly, especially in here Texas, and make sure the walls, windows, mirrors, bathrooms, equipment, etc, are all super clean. Then there’s the monthly utilities and rent expenses… Suffice it to say, it adds up quickly, but honestly, I would have it no other way. I have been around gyms professionally as a personal trainer for over 2 decades, and with all of the nonsense I’ve seen, there is no other option other than for me to own my own facility in order to keep said nonsense away from me and my clientele.
4)
How do you stay motivated to train people after doing it for so long? Don’t you get bored?
This is actually one of the more frequently asked fitness questions, and usually from beginner level clients who are feeling self conscious being in a gym and being acutely aware that they are at the very beginning of their fitness journey. The answer is always truthfully no, I am not bored. I love my job so much that I don’t even consider it as a job. The reality for me is that I can genuinely help people enjoy a better quality of life,and earn a good living doing so. As a genuine people person, it is a bit of a no brainer for me to do this type of work. I train professional athletes, movie and television personalities, physicians, a lot of physical therapy patients referred by doctors to me, all the way to beginners who are excited to make a positive change in their lives. After all these years, it always comes down to the same thing, no matter who the client is. If you’re really ready to make a big effort towards your goals by doing what is asked of you inside as well as outside of the gym, show up on time every time, approach this endeavor with a positive vigor, and give me your best effort, how in the world could I find that boring? That to me is nothing short of beautiful, and that is why I love what I do. It sure as hell beats working for a living.
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Andy
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