The fact of the matter is, America has an obesity epidemic with a 67% climb in recent years. For the fitness industry, we see this as a good sign for growth. The demand for personal trainers is expected to increase by 24% by 2022, taking into account the numbers of our aging baby boomer population needing training. With need comes growth and challenges to go along with it.
The personal training industry is known as a highly competitive market and in some gyms this is very evident as you walk in the club. It is predicted in the next 10 years for the pt business to be even more cut throat as the number of trainers rise. What does this mean for certified personal trainers? You need to bring your A game to work with you every day? If you are not in this field for the right reasons it will come out in your training style and you will have a hard time building clients as well as retaining them. As a trainer, you want to really help every person you can physically and mentally.
As for the baby boomers, they are the generation that embraced group fitness and are the fastest growing members for health clubs. There is an estimated 75 million aging boomers between 50-70 years of age with a percentage of 35 of those 75 million still actively exercising. They are also considered the wealthiest group of consumers that not only can afford a good membership but the extra training they need and they have the time to put into it during clubs “off” hours.
With the new certified trainers coming into this field, it would be a great idea for them to really get familiar with this specific demographic and what they are needing. Building a clientele is key for longevity in this area of expertise and the boomers are proven to be loyal. They can also help an establishment increase their retention rate. The choice to enter this industry is up to you, but if you really do enjoy working with people and love helping them reach their goals then the fitness realm is truly rewarding and a good fit.