Congratulations, you’ve decided what kind of personal training you want to specialize in and hopefully you’ve completed the certification process! Now you can move on to the fun part… shopping!
Depending on what you’re going to train your clients in, there’s a variety of tools and essentials you’ll need to provide a great experience. As a mobile business, you’ll need to ensure you’re fully equipped for any occasion.
Get your shopping list ready and let’s begin!
Where Will You Be Conducting Business?
Whether it’s in a park or at a client’s home, where you conduct your business will be a defining factor for what you need to be successful.
Nowadays, clients want to work out outside and leave the days of lifting weights in a congested warehouse. Fresh air, sunshine, and space to operate is at the top of wish lists in 2020. Clients also want to work in an environment that’s comfortable and familiar to them, where they can go about their business without judgment. These wants and needs leave you with a few choices for your set up.
Outdoors - Summer and even the early part of fall are ideal for outdoor activities, but with winter around the corner, your outdoor classes might be in hibernation. If you’re interested in braving the elements, you can set up a traveling tent to combat rain. For the brave souls, winter workouts could serve as a form of cryotherapy and you could host events such as the polar plunge.
Indoors - Personal trainers are getting creative by repurposing old cargo containers into workout spaces, which can be transported via truck or trailer.
Client’s Home - This is likely where a lot of your workouts will take place. It’s most convenient for your client and easy to build a weekly routine. There’s also the possibility your client will have workout equipment of their own, which means you’ll just need to bring yourself and your experience.
Your Home - Provided you have the means, and you feel comfortable opening your home, clients can come to you for workouts. Everything stays in one spot and eliminates the hassle of lugging your equipment around town.
Identifying the Equipment You’ll Need
The equipment you’ll need depends on what your specialty is — sensing a theme yet? Not only will your field of expertise be your guide to purchasing equipment, but it will predetermine how much you should allocate in your budget. More physical and intense workouts will need free weights, resistance bands, and more.
As a mobile business, you won’t need to worry about facility costs, but you should be cognizant of your client’s limitations.
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Do they have equipment of their own?
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How much will you need to provide?
Bright idea: Consider creating a form using Vagaro Forms to have your at-home clients check off what equipment they already own. If you’re a Vagaro user, you’re free of the headache that comes with finding a software or way to market yourself. Through Vagaro, you can take advantage of the Outcall feature, as well as email and text marketing.
Starting out, you should set aside anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 for equipment and materials. The quality and amount of functions will play a role in the price, so do your homework on which features are a must.
Here’s a list of things you may need before you can start training:
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Kettlebells - Average cost $25 to $125
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Portable Free Weights - Average cost $400 to $600
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Yoga Mat - Average cost $40 to $120
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Resistance Bands - Average cost $40 to $100
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Jump Rope - Average cost $20 to $70
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Stopwatch - Average cost $10 to $30
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Medicine Ball - Average cost $65 to $165
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Stability Ball - Average cost $20 to $30
For those living in warm weather climates year-round, check out this awesome mobile fitness trailer, loaded with machines and equipment. Request a quote to find out how much this versatile and portable gym is.
Where to Buy Your Tools and Equipment
Fitness equipment is sold at various department stores and retailers, but with so many options you might be wondering what’s the best brand to go with. Lots of great equipment can be purchased online at low cost from Amazon and other wholesale sites. However, for specific equipment, it’s better to go to the manufacturer to get the best warranties.
Pro Tip: If you’re a self-employed personal trainer, equipment is a tax-deductible business expense – so save those receipts!
Once you’re fully equipped and are ready to start training, let your customers know with Vagaro’s email and text marketing! Your clients will be excited to hear from you and you’ll be training them in no time!
Header Image: Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Body Image: Photo by Dom J from Pexels
Icons: Mia Montemayor via Vagaro
P.S. If you own or manage a business that charges rent and fees, learn more about how you can do that with Vagaro's new Automatic Rent & Fees feature.
