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Comment by Beach Robinson on March 1, 2010 at 2:34pm

Try entering fitness and modelling competitions, i see them coming up all the time in the UK.

Comment by Mario Fanzolato on February 22, 2010 at 11:03pm

I can't remember what famous actor said this, but the question he asked the host of a talk show was: Who's the most popular personal trainer of all-time? The answer was Arnold Schwarzenegger. With all due respect to Arnold, he might have trained one or two people in his time... but I doubt he ever got any certifications, let alone a university degree (like exercise science or kinesiology). In any case, he has influenced millions of people to join a gym and get fit. He did this through his bodybuilding books, in action movies, and personal appearances.... But his stepping stone, and the thing I want you to pay attention to, was bodybuilding. He had a gift, and that gift was his physique. Don't ever listen to trainers that say you need this certification or that degree... It's bull. Be the best at what you're good at and the clients will come.

Legally, you don't have to be certified to train people. Instead of paying for a certification, you may consider getting personal trainer insurance. This is to cover anyone ever sueing you and accusing you of 'hurting' them (Honestly speaking though, I don't think you'll ever need it). The only issue you may have is with your local gym. Today, most gyms have a strict policy on hiring trainers that are certified... and in some cases the trainers have to be insured before being able to give programs as well. But you could probably find a local personal training studio where the owner is a little more flexible. Independent trainers tend to have more freedom, and are usually not scrutinized at all by the owner of a gym/studio. You'll just have to pay the owner a small percentage everytime you have a session with a client, and he'll be happy.

People sometimes want to know what your credentials are. You can just reassure them that if results are what they want... then having a trainer with 'experience' is much more valuable. Nothing beats experience... especially if the trainer practices what he/she preaches and it shows (as in your case). You can get a certification if you want... ACSM allows you to do it through correspondence (meaning you order and study their book, and then take the test at a major institution nearby [like a University]). It costs about $350-$600 though, but the certification lasts about 3-4 years.

Doing seminars leaves the doors wide open for creative ideas, however it could be tough getting customers if all your doing for promotion is putting up flyers. Nevertheless, if you get 5 people paying you 50 bucks and you did it at a college campus that didn't charge you anything... there's 250 bucks in your pocket for 1.5 hours of work. Eventually, you can do it more often during the week, and your popularity will also grow. At that point, you can even increase prices. If you've got confidence speaking in front of a crowd, then go for it.

Some other things you can consider are outdoor/indoor bootcamps or at-home personal training (yours or the client's). Here's some articles I wrote on becoming a personal trainer. Hope it gives you some ideas.

PS: If I ever hear of a sponsorship opportunity... I'll let you know Jae. And remember what I said... "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity". Start preparing!

Comment by Jae Santos on February 22, 2010 at 8:41pm

thanx for the advise...really like your ideas on seminars or group sessions! But, would I have to be certified in order to make that work? im not really looking to get sponsored for a annual monetary contract, i just want the exposure and free supplements. Im really dedicated!

I will definetly take ur advise into consideration. Thanx

Comment by Mario Fanzolato on February 22, 2010 at 12:26pm

Hi Jae. I'm glad you asked this question, because I'm sure that it's a question that's on many fitness/bodybuilding enthusiasts' minds. We all want a nice $200,000-a-year contract with a supplement company that also guarantees us excellent exposure, not to mention free supplements to help us cut training costs. But the reality in this industry, is that the athletes always get the short end of the stick. So few bodybuilders or fitness models actually have a monetary contract with a major supplement or apparel company. Some very known ones only get free supplements and a little exposure from their sponsor. This might be a dream come true for someone who wasn't getting ANY exposure prior to the contract, but you have to keep in mind that exposure doesn't necessarily translate to more money or more opportunities. I don't mean at all to sound negative or to discourage you. I'm a strong believer that 'luck' happens when preparation meets opportunity (so the most important thing is that you keep training/improving). I also believe that opportunities are everywhere, and are present at every moment. All I'm suggesting is to be on the lookout for those opportunities that empower you & that reward you for your efforts. Being sponsored is a little bit like having a regular job... The owner of the company is always the one reaping the majority of the benefits, while those under him have to work in order to barely scrape through. It's a very cool thing to be able to tell your family/friends that a supplement/apparel company believes in you (& your physique) enough for them to give you a small contract, but the fact remains that you're going to have to promote their products on a regular basis... basically doing the same job as a distributor (but without receiving as big of a paycheck, if any).

I'll give you a few ideas to help you save time, and make more money: If you've got tons of knowledge & experience with training, nutrition, etc... then speak to the owner of your local gym about giving a seminar on fitness twice per week. Mention to him that you'll give him half of the profits. He'll do all of the promoting, and all you have to do is give two seminars per week. Note: The seminar could always be the same, if there are enough members in your gym - Otherwise, you could alternate between the different aspects of fitness at each seminar (&/or do a progression from one to the other [beginner, intermediate, advanced]). Imagine if 10 people sign up for a 1.5 hour seminar, twice per week at $50 per person. That's $500 profit for three hours of work (Note: The other $500 went to the owner of your gym). You don't necessarily have to give seminars if you're not big on public speaking. You can also do group sessions. This is great because you can charge much less per person (which pulls clients in very fast) and still multiply the profit you would receive from a single-client session.

Another idea is sponsoring YOURSELF through a supplement company. I, for example, proudly endorse & am an independent associate of Isagenix. Isagenix was co-founded by John Anderson (who is also the master formulator & head researcher for their products). For over twenty years he's been a manufacturer of high-quality supplements selling to most of the major bodybuilding supplement companies (like GNC, for example). Their products like IsaPro & Natural Accelerator are excellent, and Isagenix offers a great business opportunity which I think is perfect for bodybuilders (or any other kind of athlete). Think big, but don't assume that generating significant income is fast and easy. It will take time (most probably years) & effort, but in the end you'll have created a small fortune for yourself thus enabling you to do what you love & on your schedule. Most importantly though... you'll be free!

PS: It's totally your choice, Jae... but next time it would be cool if you could make similar posts on the subject of 'athlete sponsorship opportunities' in our forum. I think more people will eventually see it this way.

PPS: You've got great potential... Continue following your dream.