I have been personal training for over a year now. At my peak I managed three clients with three different training styles and workouts. Thanks to the government shutdown I train two clients now (no income means no disposable income). Nearly every night I review video's, look at my fitness textbooks, plan workouts, review previous workouts to plan a really good workout. My goal before I started this endeavor that it would be more about fitness then the money. I do my best to provide good workouts for my clients. Whenever we finish up and I hear, "I can't feel my arms" or "great workout" it makes me feel good as a trainer. One of my clients after the rest timer goes off, she says, "fuck.... here we go" that's when I know I planned something good. Now, there are sometimes where I'm tired and I'm not very engaging or the workout isn't planned that well. Those days I am determined to schedule a better one the next go round. Or when I explain a lift or why we are using different rep schemes and the light bulb goes off it is a really good feeling.
What they don't tell you is the relationships you build with your clients. When they get comfortable enough to engage in meaningful conversation then you start building relationships with them. You start to look forward to the workouts. It's like a platform to discuss your hobbies, kids, work in a very relaxed atmosphere.
This is what I separate me from other trainers. I don't view training as a job; I view it as an experiment. Can I help someone achieve their fitness goals? Can I prove that my training methods work? It is quite the experience to see someone start to get stronger and have confidence in what they are doing. One of my favorite lines is to tell them they are doing things in the gym that no one else is doing. I'll take a pause and have them look around. "Anyone else doing depth jumps? Anyone else doing complex training?" Installing that confidence is key.
Not only I'm I helping them get into better shape it's the other stuff that you see. The bounce in the step after completing a hard workout.
I started training on a limb and a method to study for the CSCS exam now its personal relationships that keep me training.