Careers in this general field

[BareSteel]

Coaches,

I'm wondering what different career opportunities are available in the strength world.

I don't have the resources to embark on getting a DPT (my undergrad was in journalism) and a valuable internship as a PT assistant taught me that working as an aide wouldn't be right for me, because I have too many misgivings about the way most modern PT is administered.

Are there other options in this sphere that are relatively lucrative and in high demand?

Thanks for taking the time.

[Tom Campitelli]

There are lots of opportunities as a coach. That could be anything from renting space at a gym, to traveling to people's houses, to opening your own gym. The last option is the riskiest. I am not sure if you consider that as part of the "general field" in which you are interested.

[Chris Kurisko]

Most people don't have the brains or the patience to succeed in the private part of this business, but the opportunity is certainly there. This world is just dying for leadership these days and most people are horrifically weak. I would love to have a lot more coaches that could get the job done and would open several more gyms if I did, but these people do not grow on trees.

There is no path in this industry. You need to figure it out on your own. I offer an internship program to those that are interested in learning this business and slowly have helped develop several very competent coaches. It takes time to develop the skills necessary to coach people effectively and unfortunately most people are in too much of a hurry. My suggestion would be to learn all you can about training and start coaching as many people as possible. An internship at a gym like mine or at least training in a strength-based gym environment will go along way to developing the necessary skills necessary. And get to a seminar as soon as possible.

[Dlk93]

Yeah I'm currently a PT at a commercial gym and I've written a bit about my experience with implementing SS (on the Testimonial forum) with my clients here. I'm looking for somewhere else where I can better implement the program, but it's so risky because the only places in which I can do so don't offer jobs to PT's but merely allow PT's to train out of their facility, which means I'm not garaunteed an income like I am at the commercial gym. My ultimate goal is to be a SSC but it's very difficult for me to get the coaching experience. It's not impossible. Just hard.

[BareSteel]

Thank you for your insights.

Chris, SSC is definitely something I've thought about. Had I been a little more sure of myself in 2013, I may have passed the coaching part of the seminar. Now I'm better and more experienced. I think I'd make a good coach - especially for older clients. But after a failed independent training venture here in suburban N.Y., I'm gun shy. Everybody wants to love what they do, but only those who can make money can sustain it.