How To Become A Manager/Personal Trainer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a manager/personal trainer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN

Some people need a little extra direction in order to succeed at the gym. That is why many fitness centers and health clubs offer personal trainers, who help clients with personal fitness plans for an extra fee. The manager/personal trainer oversees all the personal trainers at a gym.

The manager/personal trainer is first and foremost a personal trainer. They work directly with clients to develop fitness plans, teach them how to use various gym equipment, and build healthy habits. The manager/personal trainer also ensures that the whole team runs smoothly by interviewing new hires, supervising the work of other personal trainers, and selling personal training packages to clients.

A manager/personal trainer often, but not always, has a bachelor's degree in a field such as kinesiology that gives them the know-how in order to design fitness plans. They also have several years of experience working as a personal trainer before working up to a managerial position. Often, they also need to know CPR and basic first aid in case of an emergency.

What general advice would you give to a manager/personal trainer?

Matthew Sabin PhD, LAT, ATC, SMTC, CIDN

AT Program Director | Professor, Eastern Kentucky University

There are so many different fields within the area of kinesiology that this is often a difficult question to answer. Coming right out of school, I believe content knowledge is important. I think you can maximize your marketability (employers and clients) through strategically pursuing additional certifications/credentials that compliment your education, strengths and desired job setting. If you can balance that with soft-skills, like communication, team building, problem solving and critical thinking, I believe you enhance your marketability.

I think it is also fair to acknowledge that if you plan to pursue an industry that requires you to build a client base, thinking you will graduate and "maximize" your salary may be a misnomer. The goal will be to continue to develop those skills ("hard" and "soft") to maximize your earning overtime. Clients/patients want someone working with them who knows their field and is effective. Employers see that over time or word of mouth and marketing spread the news. That is what leads to your value increasing.

ScoreManager/Personal TrainerUS Average

Salary

4.9

Avg. Salary $63,117

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.4

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 7.05%

Hispanic or Latino 10.64%

Unknown 5.40%

White 71.31%

Gender

female 33.06%

male 66.94%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a manager/personal trainer

Explore manager/personal trainer education requirements

Most common manager/personal trainer degrees

Bachelor's

67.5 %

Associate

14.1 %

Master's

7.1 %

Start to develop specific manager/personal trainer skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	27.34%
Program Design	14.79%
Cleanliness	14.11%
Payroll	4.77%
Physical Fitness	4.72%

Complete relevant manager/personal trainer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New managers/personal trainer learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a manager/personal trainer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real manager/personal trainer resumes.

Gain additional manager/personal trainer certifications

Manager/personal trainer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific manager/personal trainer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for managers/personal trainer include Certified Personal Trainer and Advanced Personal Training Certification (APT).

More About Certifications

Research manager/personal trainer duties and responsibilities

Manage the database administration and upgrade to Microsoft CRM to meet changing business needs.
Manage CMS require new member welcome calls, member updates and retention outreach projects.
Recruit to develop and manage member and provider appeals for this new Pennsylvania Medicaid contractor.
Process daily ACH transactions, manage cash shipments, and act as primary advocate of member services.

Prepare your manager/personal trainer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your manager/personal trainer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a manager/personal trainer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable manager/personal trainer resume templates

Build a professional manager/personal trainer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your manager/personal trainer resume.

Apply for manager/personal trainer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a manager/personal trainer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do managers/personal trainer rate their job?

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Manager/personal trainer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

No punching a time clock. Ability to set own hours - although you’ll make more if you are flexible with client availabilities. Rewarding helping others get healthier and seeing the positive outcomes in their fitness/health.

Cons

Early mornings and late evenings - midday naps are often needed. Typically need to work Saturdays. People think that a personal trainer’s time is worthless because they rarely call to cancel… no-shows are always happening and it really sucks for the trainer, especially since it happens so often.

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019