My 1st paid personal training session

Honestly, and I'm not a personal trainer here ( I do have fitness instructor certs) but this is my 0.02 cents...(and I don't claim to know everything about any subject!)

You say you know personally the clients you are taking on, but it just takes one injury to have them sue you. My cousin and his wife sued his sister because his sisters friends dog bit their daughter after she harassed it (confusing no?). Family suing family!!!! If families can sue each other your clients can sue you, and then thats the end of your dream.

I know a lot of the posters are coming off harsh, they're (and I) aren't attacking you, but trying to look out for you.

I think you're letting your desire to help people get in the way of common sense (which I know you have, being a military officer!) and good judgement (as far as not taking the internship, and waiting until you're certified). In the long run I'm going to agree with the other ladies here.

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Originally Posted by mountainchick

Honestly, and I'm not a personal trainer here ( I do have fitness instructor certs) but this is my 0.02 cents...(and I don't claim to know everything about any subject!)

You say you know personally the clients you are taking on, but it just takes one injury to have them sue you. My cousin and his wife sued his sister because his sisters friends dog bit their daughter after she harassed it (confusing no?). Family suing family!!!! If families can sue each other your clients can sue you, and then thats the end of your dream.

I know a lot of the posters are coming off harsh, they're (and I) aren't attacking you, but trying to look out for you.

I think you're letting your desire to help people get in the way of common sense (which I know you have, being a military officer!) and good judgement (as far as not taking the internship, and waiting until you're certified). In the long run I'm going to agree with the other ladies here.

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I am stuck, I know. I can't, for my own financial happiness continue to help these people for free. A junior officers' pay, while suffcient, must be budgeted wisely. Gym fees, child care fees during workout, gas and such add up. I have to take the money or not help them. I am not willing to take the internships, because it is under there terms, times, fees, so on. I have family and other obligations that come before all of my desires to become a fitness trainer.
I will not give up hope. It takes only the faith of a mustard seed and a dream.
legally, we take risks every day. My S.O. repairs cars for people at home, which is a risk. I repair bikes for people in my garage, sell repaired bikes to people. Any of these people could injure themselves and consider us liable. But we have to take some calculated risks. If I had not taken many risks, I would not have dug my way up from the bottom.
It seems like the exams are in may and june. But location is a problem. I will be moving about the country this summer on business, I will have plenty of time to study, not having the children with me, but catching up with the ACE testers is going to be tough.

Family sueing family. To me that is not family. Just my opinion. My family has a patriarch and if Big Daddy said it, that is the way it is done, or you can exclude yourself from the family. Most decisions of disputes are handled by the senior uncles, they usually decide on who owes who. Who should be let off the hook and such. They would not tolerate the dog biting sueing thing. Once my Boxer bit my Aunt's lap dog. It was kind of funny. Her lap dog, kept yapping and bitting my Boxer. Finally my boxer had the lap dog's head in his mouth. We had to pry it loose. It was drama of course. My Uncle (the P/T personal trainer/ FT cop) decided I had to pay the vet bill and remove the dog from the house. We were staying there in my grandmothers[deceased] house during the visit of which my Aunt lives in entirely free. I did not have the money so he paid, and I had to pay him back in installments. Had to put my dog in a care center more money, he also lost 8 lbs, from separation anxiety. I was not happy. But that is the way it is done. She lives there on her very nice income for free, but Big Daddy said she could and will, so every one else pays the taxes repairs and such, it sucks but that is family, in or out. We are not always in agreement but we don't have lawsuits or drawn out estate battles, and so on. just wanted to share that.

Signed,
Not giving up yet...

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Originally Posted by logdiva32

I am stuck, I know. I can't, for my own financial happiness continue to help these people for free. A junior officers' pay, while suffcient, must be budgeted wisely. Gym fees, child care fees during workout, gas and such add up. I have to take the money or not help them. I am not willing to take the internships, because it is under there terms, times, fees, so on. I have family and other obligations that come before all of my desires to become a fitness trainer.
I will not give up hope. It takes only the faith of a mustard seed and a dream.
legally, we take risks every day. My S.O. repairs cars for people at home, which is a risk. I repair bikes for people in my garage, sell repaired bikes to people. Any of these people could injure themselves and consider us liable. But we have to take some calculated risks. If I had not taken many risks, I would not have dug my way up from the bottom.
It seems like the exams are in may and june. But location is a problem. I will be moving about the country this summer on business, I will have plenty of time to study, not having the children with me, but catching up with the ACE testers is going to be tough.

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I got my certs on base here, at the military rate and the classes were held on the weekend. And I know how you feel, my husband is an O-2 in the Navy...but O-3 is coming up soon (hurray for pay raise!)

Here is the link to AFAA's military calender, etc. I don't know where you are, but they've got personal training option...

http://www.afaa.com/103.afa?SID=0002...ect+a+Language

You can take the ACE exam on line, anytime, anywhere. The exam review classes may be in certain cities on certain days, but, not the exam.

If you did an internship at a gym, you could look for alternate ways for your clients to get assistance paying the gym fees. Does the gym have babysitting while people are working out? Are any of your clients good prospects for doing that job in order to pay their gym fees? I was also wondering if you could barter childcare for training, but that doesn't address the legal aspects.

If your church is willing to assist you in your program, they might also be willing to help pay gym fees for worthy clients?

The only issue I see that might be problematical is if people sign up for the program only to drop out quickly (as so many people often do) leaving them saddled with gym fees they can't afford to pay, or a church obligated for such fees. So I'm not sure this is a perfect solution but it seems to me that if you give it some thought you might be able to figure out how to put together a program that works within the bounds of legal responsibility.

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Originally Posted by mountainchick

I got my certs on base here, at the military rate and the classes were held on the weekend. And I know how you feel, my husband is an O-2 in the Navy...but O-3 is coming up soon (hurray for pay raise!)

Here is the link to AFAA's military calender, etc. I don't know where you are, but they've got personal training option...

http://www.afaa.com/103.afa?SID=0002...ect+a+Language

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that is great info, good website. I can even get VA reimbursement for the fees. Takes VA months to pay you back... That is the best tip yet. Yoo, Hoo..

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Originally Posted by pooks

If you did an internship at a gym, you could look for alternate ways for your clients to get assistance paying the gym fees. Does the gym have babysitting while people are working out? Are any of your clients good prospects for doing that job in order to pay their gym fees? I was also wondering if you could barter childcare for training, but that doesn't address the legal aspects.

If your church is willing to assist you in your program, they might also be willing to help pay gym fees for worthy clients?

The only issue I see that might be problematical is if people sign up for the program only to drop out quickly (as so many people often do) leaving them saddled with gym fees they can't afford to pay, or a church obligated for such fees. So I'm not sure this is a perfect solution but it seems to me that if you give it some thought you might be able to figure out how to put together a program that works within the bounds of legal responsibility.

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yea, got some stuff in the works, to cover some clients gym fees.

Hmmm, I was asked today if I could work with a person, who is very obese. I cannot take her really, even if I was already certified. I feel terrible but she is too far "gone" for me. She needs a Dr.. The med people have approved her for a gastric bypass. But she needs a knee replacment, so she is in a catch 22. Sorry but I could not help if I had 10 years experience, I just thin it is a med issue, now. How can I let her down lightly, I am sure she already feels very depressed.