The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has recently released the fourth edition of their Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines. The guide includes updated standards, state-specific requirements... View More
A few months ago you may have seen an image that went viral on Facebook (among fitness professionals, anyway) that presented a parody of sorts of the life of a personal trainer. It showed a series of pictures... View More
Why did you start your fitness business? I'm guessing it was because you love being fit and love the way it makes you feel -- so why not share that feeling with others, right? It probably was not because... View More
Most personal trainers don't have a natural affinity for running a business, or maybe that was just me. Well, if you're like me I'm sure you can appreciate the frustration of what, at times, feels like... View More
With private training and even group training, it's mind-boggling how much time we spend with our clients -- more time than pretty much any other person in their lives. Despite time, I think very few trainers... View More
In this column, I wanted to share something applicable for both stroke survivors and those struggling with Parkinson's. Keep in mind while we typically associate both conditions with older clients, trainers... View More
PFP is excited to announce the Top 10 finalists for the 2013 Trainer of the Year, scheduled to be announced at Club Industry 2012 … Valorie Ness Valorie is the CEO of the award-winning Catalyst... View More
Optimal knee function relies on proper hamstring strength and activation. Keep in mind a normal quad to hamstring strength ratio would be 3:2. Most females tend to be 2:1. Aside from flexing the knee and... View More
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the daily administrative tasks of owning your own business. The typical business owner spends a majority of their time doing 95% of the tasks that have the least impact... View More
Bridging is a common exercise used in fitness and rehab. It is very effective for targeting the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscle groups. But, aside from hip extension, bridging is very effective for... View More
Effectively tapping into your clients' innermost insecurities and frustration is what can take you from being an ordinary trainer to an extraordinary trainer. Our clients' success is not just driven by... View More
If you're looking for a new read with the perfect combination of motivation and entertainment, add Take a Shot! to your must read list. Jake Steinfeld, founder of the Body by Jake global brand and his... View More
It pains me to hear from a struggling trainer, and when I say struggling I mean a trainer in dire straights; someone living on credit or fearful that they're not going to be able to support their family... View More
If you're jumping into this business right now and are looking to begin providing for yourself from the get-go, there's one key piece of advice I have for you, and please don't forget it: You need to treat... View More
Research has shown that recreational weightlifters have greater imbalances between the upper and lower trap than the general population. Therefore, performing lower trapezius work is important in this... View More
In a conversation last week with a fitness professional on the west coast, I realized that a critical mistake many entrepreneurs and fitness trainers make is throwing time and money at new technology without... View More
Becoming a top-tiered trainer is not something you're usually born into. My grandfather drove an MBTA train and my father owned an electrical business. Neither one of them worked out a day in their life.Why... View More
Begin in a seated position on the edge of a table (or bed) with the hands behind the back sitting tall. Next, slowly bend the head and trunk forward as you simultaneously extend the thigh. Pause at the... View More
I'll admit that I'm not the most technologically savvy individual, but I was on the cutting edge with a custom-built MS-DOS computer software system for my personal training business in 1988. It was one... View More
From time to time, big shifts take place in our industry that make the business of personal training more mainstream, more profitable, more systemized, and in this case, easier to market. In recent years... View More
