and cleanliness while others will wait until scientists create a vaccine . And still others may never come back as they have invested heavily on virtual group classes and in-home fitness equipment .
Our citizens were told , and initially thought that the social distancing mandates would last for only a few weeks . This was all supposed to be over by Easter . However , when the month of May rolled around , Group Ex Instructors and Personal Trainers knew that they needed a solution for their lost income . They learned to utilize technology and ask for donations from their many followers via Venmo , PayPal and other avenues . Club members were forced to search for workout alternatives and Fitness Professionals were forced to find innovative ways to deliver their services . One Instructor figured out how to go online . One Trainer helped another Trainer , and the knowledge and skill spread … after all , we are all in this together .
The pandemic is directly related to the surge we see in digital fitness and the accelerated awareness and usage of technology . Necessity is the mother of invention and online exercise ! Professionals rely on the income ( however small ) that they make from teaching a few classes per week . They use it for groceries , clothes , and often rent . They crave the social interactions and love what they do .
Group Ex Instructors and Personal Trainers may be part-time employees and contractors , but they consider this a part-time “ career .” This “ work ” is a “ profession ” and not a mere “ job .” It is a calling .
Group Ex Instructors may work two hours a week or twenty , but physically , they could never handle much more . Yet , Group Ex instructors are invested in our industry , imbedded in our community , and consider teaching a “ career ” and definitely not a “ hobby .” They invest in themselves and this translates into investing in our patrons . They see our members as their members , and because of this , they reached out immediately to their members during the pandemic .
Personal Trainers are equally as committed . The one-on-one environment creates an even closer connection to our members , who they consider their clients . Personal Trainers typically make more money per hour than Group Ex Instructors and are therefore more likely to go full-time . They rely on this sole income to survive . When clubs are closed and have not adapted to streaming workouts , Personal Trainers had to figure out how to literally stay in business and how to train their clients . Without club-revenue split , Personal Trainers were and are making more than ever .
Personal Trainers could connect with their clients quickly because they had emails and cell numbers . Then the biggest adjustment came with how to actually train the client . How to get them equipment and get a client to use different forms of media . Personal Trainers had their clients purchase their own equipment or simply dropped off pre-sterilized equipment at their home . One of the biggest hurdles was training their clients how to adjust their camera so that the trainer could see the client and actually train them . Often directing a squat or sit-up has more to do with camera angles and visuals than proper posture and execution .
Group Ex pros pivoted with passion , and Personal Trainers adapted with ingenuity .
As the pandemic progressed , Group Ex instructors needed to learn more business techniques and strategies . The best instructors were inspired to figure out how to get paid for their online programs . The resourcefulness of these workers was and is impressive . They figured out how to connect with their clients and be paid an average of $ 10 of per class per student . This enabled even the least-favorite Instructor to earn twice or threetimes ( and sometimes even 10-times ) the amount they used to be paid for an in-club class .
SCW Fitness constituents have shared this same experience over and over again on webinars , chat boxes and through social media . Group Ex instructors who pivoted were making and continue to make more money than ever .
Personal Trainers have been even more prolific and ingenious . Some are charging clients 100 % of their previous fees while others have discounted virtual training prices by 10 % - 30 %. All of these funds are going directly into the Trainers pocket because the facility no longer receives a share . Personal Trainers have increased their income and have become even more personal and private . They have become and remain more confident in their abilities to survive and thrive outside of the club environments .
With the utilization of home equipment and inexpensive items such as mats , tubing , and small dumbbells at-home workouts are thriving . The convenience of in-home training has attracted more and more clients , as well . While members cannot go to the gym , or are too scared to go to the gym , home workouts have become the only alternative . The saved time of reduced travel ( just walking downstairs ) or no membership dues combined with the intimacy and focus on “ me ” in this type of training has made Personal Training a more viable alternative for clients .
More and more Group Ex Instructors have seen the expansion of Personal Training and possibility of increased revenue available . More Instructors are now becoming Trainers . The SCW Personal Training Certification has continued to grow during this pandemic , along with booming participation in Virtual Training Certifications . Instructors and Trainers both want to learn how to or expand their skills to train more online clients .
These front-line fitness workers no longer need a club to survive and thrive . They have and are figuring it out .
Therefore , if clubs have not done so already , owners and managers much connect with their best Instructors and Trainers now , ASAP and without hesitation . Even if they have ignored their frontline workers for the past six months , it is not too late . We need these talented people to continue to connect with our members and bring them home .
There remains hope for our facilities . For the same reason our members first joined them gym , our clients will come back to the gym .
Members joined originally because of the need for a variety of equipment and creative movement , but most of all the socialization and reinforcement that a gym provides . This socialization sometimes means community and connections or quiet and solitude . Maybe the members need to be around like-minded people , or simply have a way to engage old friends or meet new people . Often , our members travel to a facility to be inspired to workout . They find that being in a fitness facility inspires them to start exercising , stay exercising and increase their exercising . Either way you look at it , it is a place to go . It is a getaway from the boredom of the ordinary and the pressure and reminders of responsibilities .
Working from home day-in-and-day-out , the constant contact with spouses , the demands of home-schooling , and the long pet-walks along the same paths all seem to emphasize the need for change and often escape . A simple change of environment represents a freedom and a time for “ me ”. Simply put , our clients need and crave to “ get out of the house !”
The public prefers to go out to restaurants , even though they love the convenience of Door- Dash and Grubhub . They want to go out even if it means cold outdoor cafes . We crave stimulation and connections . And when we do have the opportunity , we chatter away with our neighbors when picking up the mail or walking the dog . We