Vehicle Question - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Aurelian]

Just want to thank Christina and Joe for the responses. Shooting web copy and layout to the webmaster this week, finish logo (Thanks for the input Meg!), business cards printed and a craigslist ad posted. Making progress.......

[ptjustinbowers]

My business is going to provide on site training to clients. I am filling out my list of equipment that I want to carry with me (tubing, adjustable weight dumbbells, mats, etc.). I would like to carry a fairly extensive amount of equipment just to give me some options when training clients and just to keep things interesting. My question is for those that do on-site how much do you carry? Right now I just have a sedan style car so the amount of equipment I can carry would be somewhat limited but I am going to get an SUV in the near future. Maybe a trailer? Any and all responses are welcome!

I've been using a small gas efficient Chevy Cobalt and have had no problems. Like Christina said, it's about making use of the essentials. Here's a list of my equipment, all able to fit inside the trunk of my Cobalt:

-Stability ball
-BOSU
-Shift Weights

^^^^ This is the stuff I started out with and was able to provide great sessions with for a year or so. Then as I went along, I started to add the following:

-Small Cones
-Stability bar
-Boxing Gloves/Pads
-Medicine Ball
-(5) Workout Mats
-Pushup Bars
-Aerobic Stepper
-Jump Ropes

Starting out with a duffel back to carry your ESSENTIALS in will be great. The equipment you use sparingly, you can pull out at your discretion depending on what you plan on doing that session. The essentials are up to you and your training style.

After a while, I would invest in a duffle bag on wheels. You can carry more and it's less burden on your shoulders!

Also, make sure to use a disinfectant spray and wipe down all mats, boxing gloves, weights, etc. that your client uses during that session. I make it a point to tell each client that I clean each piece of equipment after another person has used them (and sweated all over it!). It will go a long way toward your credibility as a trainer that truly looks out for your clients!

Also, make sure the vehicle you use is at least a newer-model or a very well taken care of older model. It's somewhat shallow but it's true. Especially if you advertise your business ON your vehicle. Make sure you keep the outside clean. Also, you'd better keep those fast-food bags out of the inside of your car if you decide to treat yourself every now and then! If your car is parked somewhere and someone decides to walk up to it to get the # for personal training and they see a McDonald's bag in the passenger floor-board...well, there goes a potential client!

Remember, your vehicle is a representation of your business. If you have a junky looking vehicle that you advertise on, people won't think too highly of your business. Once again, not prejudice, just truth!

-Justin

[Christina]

Justin, I was just sitting here catching up on old threads and I wanted to publicly thank you for all the great information you bring to this forum. Your posts are always full of great stuff. Thank you on behalf of our community.

Christina

[ptjustinbowers]

Christina,

It's an honor! I love sharing information with like-minded professionals. I didn't have this kind of information readily available to me when I first started out. Well, let me reiterate. The information was there-- but I didn't have the money to invest in someone's "personal trainer marketing secrets" for $499 or anything of that nature. I learned everything by collecting information from every fitness professional I meet, sharing my information, and taking what I've learned and applying it where it needed to be applied. I just want to be able to help anyone who's just starting out and hasn't a clue on what to do-- and hopefully learn a bunch myself in the process!

I've already learned a heck of a lot not only from you, Christina, but from Kaiser (Read almost every post on his super-trainer website!), and the other helpful posts around this forum.