personal trainer

exercise coach

health coach

fitness instructor

health and fitness manager

The Exercise Coach

Pros: 
Pretty good pay

My manager was excellent and understanding, they showed nothing but excellent leadership qualities and was always trying to accommodate the trainers with anything such as schedule, benefits, helping out with overbooked schedules, etc.

Clients were a joy to work with, and it was a great opportunity to teach you how to interact with so many different personalities

Decent work life balance


Cons:
Everything you learned and your experience in fitness…throw it out the window.

The Exercise Coach uses its own certification for its trainers, and you are expected to only use the information they give you.
Way too much emphasis on selling their specific machines, which make up ~80% of a client’s program. The machines are great and marketed for older clients, but not so great for the younger to middle aged gym goers.
No room for implementing other fitness concepts or anything within exercise science, as this will go against a majority of the company’s policy, as they are very strict on following their own ‘evidence based’ exercises, which means you are stuck with performing the same authorized exercises.

No room for real program creation and progression as the programs are literally written out for the trainers. There is a point where you will write out the entire program, but it will be a cookie cutter program
and near identical to previous workouts due to limitations of exercises you can do in 20 minutes.

20 minutes only with a client. You can spend a little time with clients who need extra time due to existing conditions/injuries, or if you’re not booked back to back for teaching purposes, but most times it’s in and out within 20 minutes. If you’re booked and by yourself, you’ll have to start pushing back your admin duties.

Admin duties such as calling and scheduling, adding and deleting accounts, updating accounts, etc. can get overwhelming when by yourself in the facility. You’ll be able to get efficient at it, but it will always feel like a race against the clock to get a majority of it done before you start training your clients. If you don’t get it done the day before, the next day will just get more busy for you and will interfere with your prep time that you need for clients. Thankfully though, if you are on top of this task the first day of the week, it’s easily manageable throughout the rest of the week.



I have worked at two different locations from opposite ends of the country for this company, and both were operated in the same manner:

1. Typically owners are business men micromanaging every detail of the company from afar without hardly being involved in person

2. Because owners are usually business men they don't participate in the training of clients

3. Because owners are typically reluctant to train clients they end up paying for an extra coach to train clients and keeping the pay small

4. There are no benefits offered and the pay is subpar to money one could make training as a contractor

5. The isokinetic equipment and a few other select items are the only machines allowed to be used to train with, limiting a good personal trainer's arsenal of exercises and expertise and making you feel like you cannot help the clients as well as you want to. Very restricted. 

6. There is a library of exercises that one has access to and can utilize, and anything else is off limits unless you get special permission from the territory lead coach, which is often denied.

7. Because of the lack of variety in equipment and exercises that are allowed, it can become very monotonous, creating a lot of turnover among clients and staff.

8. The contract one signs for this company is absolutely ridiculous, making it next to impossible for anyone wanting to venture out on their own successfully in this profession.

9. Because owners are typically involved from afar, there may be questions asked of the business that, when answered, could easily be understood if they were working closely with staff and clients. Because of this type of relationship between owners and staff there are often misunderstandings (Imagine being a manager and not being allowed to manage or coach)

If you are ambitious and truly enjoy training people, I recommend going the route where you can create your own prices and your arsenal is not limited.


(*Keep in mind that all franchise locations will be run differently depending on the owner and the manager(s).)

This company, like most franchises, does not care about employee growth within the company.  There are only entry-level positions aside from the manager role or lead coach position (if there is even a lead coach position at your studio).  Employees/Coaches have many roles -- coach/babysitter, sales person, front desk/membership management, cleaning crew, etc.  You can have 3 to 12 clients in the span of ONE HOUR, which is mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting on 4+ hour shift. 

The online training before you can start working is about 40-60 hours for a few hundred bucks. Then, there is about 1-4 months of ADDITIONAL training.  And don't forget the constant updates and videos and paperwork you have to review on a monthly, sometimes WEEKLY basis (and sometimes you have to complete it when you're not in the studio).

 It is a lot for little pay. (Only two or three dollars above minimum wage.)  

The bright side is that if your manager and/or owner care about you, they will do their best to keep you happy and help you grow. It can be a good entry position (especially if you have NO prior fitness experience), but is not a place for many people to make their career.

I had worked for this company for nearly 5 years before leaving, and saw poor management from 3+ Owners. Typically, ownership did not display a strong knowledge of personal training, and had little experience in the health field. Most times, they were focused on the business aspect, wishing to do as little as work as possible while somehow keeping staff numbers low and typically underpaying. At first, it felt like there were many growth opportunities, and that is why I stayed for as long as I did. But, after being burned one too many time, and seeing a substantial pay cut from new ownership that did not appreciate any of the current staff, I saw these individual franchises for what they were. The company itself seems to want to make a difference in lives of individuals but not ensure that the proper ownership to do so is in place. 

This position was a lot of work for little to no pay off, especially with the “training” they provide. I worked for months before the store even opened, and as a certified PT they did not respect what I had to say or listen to the facts, which could potentially be hazardous for clients. The management was catty, and I was told I was wrong without patience or an empathetic ear showing me how to improve. The intense pressure or focus on sales is ridiculous for how small the gym is and the programs are extremely overpriced for what the client is getting (HUNDREDS for a 20 minute full workout 2x a week?). There were barely any hours, LOTS of phone calls to people who don’t want to be bothered, and I was so disappointed because I really had looked forward to this kind of opportunity as a starting out, ACTUALLY certified trainer. Don’t put yourself through the trouble of applying if you’re a CPT, because the position is based on THEIR training and you’ll be considered an outsider unless you go with their status quo. It’s just not worth it. 

The Exercise Coach provides robust training and a low pressure environment to build skill and confidence as a trainer. The isokinetic, computerized machinery is unique, adaptive and a draw for new and experienced trainers alike. 

You will train clients in 20 minute sessions throughout the day, punctuated by workout writing, sanitizing the studio, completing administrative tasks during downtime. Rarely, in my experience, will you ever go two hours without a 20 minute break. Shifts usually span 4-10 hours.

Management is agreeable, approachable, accommodating, and intellectually curious. 

The culture is upbeat and fun. You have control of the music. Coworkers and the friends I made here were the best part. You'll be immersed in a group of individuals who value wellness. High industry turnover means leadership opportunities (lead trainer positions) become available often.

Cons:
Little room for compensation increases.
Lead trainers take on an intense workload.

I truly enjoy working here, it's nice working with the same clients and establishing a relationship with them. It's also really nice that we don't have the stress of "closing" a certain amount of sales in a month.  But split shift are the worst. Abolish them! Two hours in the middle of the day is enough time to accomplish nothing before you have to be back at work.

Management will do what they can to help you succeed. The new Exercise Coach podcast is a nice way to refresh knowledge and continue educating clients. 

Calling out sick is an absolute nightmare. There's never enough staffing to fully cover, so if a trainer goes on vacation or is out sick it overloads all other coaches.

There's almost no room for growth in the company, unless you want the manager position or open your own franchise, both being  a LOT of work.  Typically, a $1 raise is giver per year of working. 2 sick days, 5 PTO, for full time.

The Exercise Coach is a great place to work, especially for those who are passionate about fitness, helping others, and personal growth. One of the standout benefits is the flexible hours, which make it easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Whether you’re a student, athlete, or simply looking for a job that fits your lifestyle, the scheduling allows you to thrive both personally and professionally. The team environment is supportive and encouraging, with a strong emphasis on client success and continuous learning. You get hands-on experience helping people reach their fitness goals, and the training you receive prepares you to grow both as a coach and as a communicator. The leadership is approachable, and the mission is meaningful—you’re truly making a difference in people’s lives. If you’re driven, coachable, and enjoy motivating others, The Exercise Coach is an ideal place to build your skills and be part of something impactful.

Work-life balance
If you clarify what hours you work they are very flexible with your schedule. I was able to work here and go to school at the same time

Pay & benefits
Paid time off and sick days only accrue after a year of working at the company.

Job security and advancement
Advancement can be difficult but if you make it clear you want to do more with the company there are opportunities

Management
Management can vary between each franchise.

Culture
It really depends on the management to set the tone of the work culture in each studio.

Overall
I worked at TEC for two years while I was in school and it was a great job as a student. Once I graduated it was hard to advance in the company if you aren’t already a manager. My manager was great but the owners can be a little scattered sometimes.

First let me say i Love the machines, the concept of getting older clients active, and helping groups of people that didn't know that all you need was 20 minutes to feel your best or better than what you were before. But, what makes this program difficult is the lack freedom to change up a exercises for clients that lack ROM in certain areas, stretching is discouraged, and the freedom to help clients after workouts is less than never because you have another client scheduled right after. Management was not the greatest support at this franchise, and showed no empathy only seen clients as dollars funneled into there pockets.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Personal trainer 65 salaries reported	$19.47 per hour
Exercise coach 42 salaries reported	$19.68 per hour
Health coach 5 salaries reported	$39,000 per year
Fitness instructor 7 salaries reported	$18.29 per hour
Health and fitness manager 9 salaries reported	$52,500 per year

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