If you’ve been working as a PT for a while, it’s only natural to want to expand your skill set and diversify the range of services you offer. Thankfully, the fitness industry is rich in alternative jobs for a personal trainer to pursue.
Even better yet, your career as a personal trainer will set you up for future success in all of the roles listed in our article. With your employment experience comes transferable skills that you can utilise in different careers.
You may wish to become a Nutritionist by completing a Level 4 Nutrition Course. This would enable you to write meal plans as an additional service to retain your current client base and get new clients.
If this sounds interesting to you, why don’t you download our free course prospectus to learn more?
#1 – Teaching Group Workout Classes Are Great Alternative Jobs For a Personal Trainer
When looking into ‘alternative careers for a personal trainer’ many industry experts will suggest pursuing opportunities as a group workout instructor. These roles are very similar, but rather than creating bespoke workout programmes for 1-to-1 sessions, you’ll instead develop and lead exercise classes for varying numbers.
This is where your prior experience as a personal trainer will come in useful! You’ll already possess the strong communication and leadership skills required to design and lead workout sessions.
Your ability to adapt in the moment will also be incredibly beneficial, as you may need to assist struggling class members who need additional instructions or amendments to execute the routine.
Becoming a group fitness instructor offers plenty of other exciting benefits, for example, you can teach a wide range of classes such as kettlebell sessions, aerobics and indoor cycling to name just a few! This provides you with the unique opportunity to keep things fresh and engaging, for both your class attendees including yourself!
The good news is, you won’t have to undergo any additional training to pursue this position. Many job advertisements will also state their preference for candidates who hold a Level 3 Personal Training Qualification. Such as the following example:
However, keep in mind that you may need additional qualifications to teach branded fitness classes. For example, leading industry names such as Les Mills and Spin each require their instructors to undergo further training within their organisation.
According to Glassdoor, you can expect to earn a salary of £27,753 as a full-time group workout instructor. Additionally, PayScale reports hourly earnings of £15.07, meaning that you could even pursue this career as a side hustle and benefit financially.
Therefore, if you’re looking to pursue similar jobs to a personal trainer’s current responsibilities, a career as a group fitness instructor allows you to seamlessly transition into a new profession.
#2 – Use Your Existing Knowledge and Become a Sports Nutritionist
A sports nutritionist is a health professional who specialises in providing their clients with meal plans and general advice designed to help them improve their health and physical performance. This is a great opportunity to work in a variety of locations including health clinics, private practices, and with community groups.
To pursue this career, you’ll need to undergo training either through higher education or via a vocational training provider such as ourselves. Through completing a Level 4 Nutrition course you’ll develop vital skills and knowledge that will inform how to create meal plans to suit clients’ specific goals.
When looking at alternative jobs for a personal trainer, the role of a sports nutritionist is not too dissimilar to your current career. Instead of creating bespoke workout programmes, you’ll consider your clients’ current eating habits before offering them tailored advice and meal plans to help them meet specific goals.
Becoming a sports nutritionist full-time could see you earning up to £28,000 per year, according to Prospects. Alternatively, Payscale reports that you could earn up to £25.43 per hour, so even if you were to pursue this career alongside your Training, you could generate a healthy income!
For further guidance on pursuing this career, check out our article detailing how to become a sports nutritionist here.
#3 – Alternative Careers For A Personal Trainer Includes Becoming A Sports Massage Therapist
There is a growing demand for Sports Massage Therapists within the fitness industry, thanks in part to the needs of athletes and gym enthusiasts. In this role, you’ll be responsible for treating specific muscle groups within the body to aid in rehabilitation and performance optimisation.
Thanks to their existing knowledge relating to the anatomy and physiology of the human body, personal trainers will already know how certain muscles and joints operate. This will aid in the process of creating effective sports massage treatment plans which target and rehabilitate said areas.
What’s more, personal trainers will often work with clients who are recovering from injuries and will see first-hand how this setback affects them. As a sports massage therapist, you can draw from this experience and offer emotional support as well as physical,
To pursue this career you’ll first need to obtain a Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist qualification. This will be necessary for applying for jobs such as the example displayed below:
As one of the most lucrative alternative jobs for a personal trainer, becoming a sports massage therapist could see you earning an annual salary between £26,000 and £54,000, according to Glassdoor.
Working on a part-time basis can also be financially lucrative, with PayScale’s estimating that the average practice charges £20.38 per hour.
You could even combine both PT and SMT practices and cross-refer customers between each service. For example, if a PT client is injured and can no longer work you can recommend sports massage treatments to promote rehabilitation.
This tactic will ensure that the client remains paying for your services, rather than having to pause due to said injury, as a result, you won’t lose any money!
#4 – GP Exercise Referral Schemes Offer Similar Jobs to a Personal Trainer Position
Exercise Referral Specialists help train clients who have been referred to their practice by healthcare professionals such as GPs. Following this, they will create a bespoke workout programme for the patient that helps to treat and/or elevate their medical conditions.
When it comes to discussing similar jobs to a personal trainer you’ll immediately notice the similarities. Both positions require you to create bespoke workout programmes for clients looking to achieve specific goals, but keep in mind PTs are not qualified to jump straight into working alongside patients.
As the following job advertisement shows, whilst many employers consider a Level 3 Personal Training qualification to be a desirable quality, successful candidates must also hold Level 3 Exercise Referral Certification:
The Level 3 Exercise Referral qualification is essential for working alongside healthcare professionals and their patients. During this course, you’ll learn about various conditions in addition to invaluable skills such as how to perform risk assessments. Personal trainers can use their previous vocational experience to their advantage. From your line of work, you’ll have a deep understanding of how to structure training plans that help clients meet specific goals.
When it comes to what perks you can expect in this position, Glassdoor estimates that Exercise Referral Specialists earn an average of £26,628 per year. In addition to this, you will also experience the emotional benefits of aiding in the rehabilitation and management of your client’s medical conditions.
If this has piqued your interest head on over to our guide and learn ‘how to become an exercise referral specialist’.
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If you’re enjoying this exploration of alternative jobs for a personal trainer, be sure to check out these other OriGym articles:
- How to Make Money As A Personal Trainer
- Personal Trainer Business Goals
- OriGym Guide: Personal Trainer SWOT Analysis
#5 – Teaching Yoga is One Of The Most Exciting Alternative Careers For A Personal Trainer
If you’re looking for a change of pace in the fitness industry, you may wish to become a yoga teacher and help others reduce stress.
In this role, you’ll be responsible for guiding classes through different yoga poses, asanas, breathing techniques and guided meditation to improve physical and mental well-being.
Your previous experience as a personal trainer will be beneficial as a yoga teacher. For example, you’ll already have expertly trained communication skills and will be sufficient in guiding others through workout routines.
From your experience as a personal trainer, you’ll also have prior knowledge of working with clients on a 1-to-1 basis. This could help diversify the services you offer as a yoga teacher, as in addition to teaching group classes you could also offer bespoke private sessions tailored to your clients’ needs.
To pursue this career you’ll need to first earn a Level 3 Diploma in Yoga. This qualification will teach you the very basics, from learning how to structure your sequences to how the different variations of yoga differ from one another.
If you’re researching lucrative alternative jobs for a personal trainer, you’ll be happy to note that Glassdoor estimates the average instructor to earn an annual salary of £27,493. For more information on how you can expand on this salary, check out our article on making money as a Yoga Teacher.
#6 – Become A Gym Manager And Take On More Responsibilities!
Becoming a gym manager will see you taking on considerably more responsibilities, such as:
- Maintaining the equipment
- Conducting health and safety check
- Creating rotas for the other employees
This is arguably one of the best alternative careers for a personal trainer to pursue, as you can draw from your prior experience working in gyms. From this you’ll know what it takes to run a successful location, considering key factors such as employee and customer satisfaction.
Employers will even regard experienced personal trainers as their desired candidates. This is evident from the following example for Portsmouth FWC:
According to Glassdoor, you could earn a salary of £35,352 if you decided to become a gym manager, making it one of the most lucrative positions to appear on our list!
#7 – Start Your Own Business and Open a Gym
Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Well, if so then this entry on our list is for you, as becoming a business owner can prove to be a highly rewarding career change.
For clarity, we’re not recommending that you try to open your gym on the scale of PureGym or JD, that’s simply unrealistic. Instead, this aspiration can start small and simple, before expanding over time.
There are many things you would need to consider on starting your gym, such as:
- Securing capital to fund the business
- The best location to operate from
- Gaining the correct business insurance
Thanks to your PT experience working in the fitness industry you’ll have the best understanding of what will and won’t work in the gym you plan to open.
This will translate into you optimising your business plan to represent your future client’s needs best. For example, from your prior experience you’ll have a clear understanding of:
- Appropriate membership prices
- The best possible opening hours
- What equipment to invest in
When it comes to hiring staff you’ll also be somewhat of an expert, as you’ll know what makes a good personal trainer and can look out for those exact qualities.
#8 – Becoming A Fitness Sales Representative Is One of The Most Lucrative Alternative Jobs For A Personal Trainer
A fitness sales representative is responsible for selling packages, memberships and other related services or products.
They normally speak to potential new clients by email, social media or over the phone to get them to purchase one of these items. These conversations normally require in-depth knowledge of these products, to confidently make sales.
Personal trainers are great candidates to become fitness sales representatives as they already have experience selling their services and packages to clients. However, if you’d like more guidance on this matter, please check out our article discussing how to sell as a personal trainer.
This is an ideal option for personal trainers who want to retain their passion for health and fitness, but are perhaps interested in exploring an office-based career.
However, by far the most influential factor in drawing personal trainers to this job role is the prospective salary, as according to sites such as Glassdoor you could even earn an impressive annual salary of £38,662!
#9 – Share Your Knowledge With Others and Become a Fitness Blogger
A fitness blogger is responsible for writing content relating to health and wellbeing. Their articles can cover a wide scope of topics, from workout tips and recommendations to industry-specific guidance such as how to pursue specific job roles.
Personal trainers have a wealth of knowledge to draw from. Should you decide to pursue this career your writing can be heavily informed by your past experiences, allowing you to share your knowledge with readers.
Fitness blogging is an excellent example of an alternative job for a personal trainer who’s looking to earn an additional source of income. According to sites such as Talent freelance writers could earn up to £20 per hour for their work, so adding to your existing salary could prove particularly lucrative.
Becoming a fitness blogger allows you to take the knowledge you’ve acquired as a personal trainer, and instead of applying it practically with clients, you can discern this information and make it something informative for a reading audience.
For more information about this topic, check out our article on ‘How to Make Money From a Fitness Blog’.
#10 – Fitness Modelling and Influencing Offers Unique Career Opportunities
A fitness model embodies strong levels of fitness and is often used by companies to promote fitness products, services, and lifestyles.
Fitness models tend to have high muscle mass and low body fat to create content that is aesthetically pleasing to help companies sell products.
As a personal trainer, you’ll be best equipped for this role due to your understanding of what it takes to keep a body in good physical shape thanks to your experience in motivating others.
If you were looking for a side hustle to boost your income as a personal trainer, then becoming a fitness model is not a bad way to go.
According to Jooble, you can earn £19.72 per hour, in this role providing you with an opportunity to earn extra cash between your hours as a personal trainer.
#11 – Take Your Personal Training Practice Online and Reap the Rewards
Now we know what you’re thinking this is kind of a cheat entry, but hear us out! As an online personal trainer, you can still fulfil all your responsibilities but instead of meeting clients in person, you’ll work with them virtually.
But just because you won’t be at the gym doesn’t mean you can offer subpar service, you’ll still be expected to:
- Conduct consultations
- Create bespoke workout programmes for clients to follow
- Check in regularly to monitor clients’ progress
One of the best things about becoming an online personal trainer is that you aren’t limited to working with clients in your local area. Instead, you can communicate with potential customers from across the world, potentially doubling your current income.
On top of this, operating virtually allows you to work flexible hours! For example, when working with clients in-person you will need to allot an appropriate amount of time for each session, and even factor in things like travel time to and from each location.
This isn’t necessarily a problem for online personal trainers as you won’t need to travel or be there during each client’s workout. Therefore, your time can be optimised and you could even work with multiple people simultaneously.
The average salary of a personal trainer is estimated to be around £29,200, but this can vary depending on factors such as:
- How many clients do you have
- How many hours do you work
- How much prior experience do you have
- Where you’re located
Regardless, if you’re looking to explore similar jobs to your personal trainer role, this will prove to be the easiest transition by far and could see you earning an increasingly lucrative salary.
#12 – Looking for Similar Jobs to Personal Training? Become a PE Teacher!
If you’re passionate about helping and educating others, pursuing a career as a Physical Education teacher may be the perfect option for you.
In this role, you’ll typically work at schools and colleges, teaching students of different ages and abilities. Getting into the specifics, you’ll be expected to fulfil responsibilities such as:
- Designing lessons and coaching sessions
- Teaching a range of sports and physical activities
- Motivating students to enjoy the class and reach their full potential
- Set and mark homework/assignments
- Engage with parents and guardians regarding the child’s progress
From this list of responsibilities, it should be clear why becoming a PE teacher is a great example of an alternative job for a personal trainer. For example, you can draw from your previous experience in creating bespoke workout programmes and use this knowledge to plan effective classes.
On top of this, you’ll also be highly versed in motivating your clients to achieve their goals. Again, you can use these same communication skills to champion the success of your students, whilst also providing them with beneficial feedback. According to data collected by the UK Government, PE Teachers can earn anywhere between £30,000 – £45,000 every year.
But you can’t just jump into this role, you’ll first need to earn a higher education degree with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Following this, you’ll need to obtain your PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education).
Be sure to conduct thorough research into the degree of your choice, to ensure that you meet the requirements.
#13 – Consider Strength and Conditioning Coaching
A Strength and Conditioning coach is responsible for improving athletes’ performances by creating workout programmes that help to improve their strength, power and endurance.
As a personal trainer, you can seamlessly move into this job thanks to your previous experience creating bespoke workout programmes for your client’s needs and goals. On top of this, you’ll also have a wealth of knowledge in human anatomy and physiology, which will come in handy for targeting specific areas of the athlete’s body.
According to Indeed, you can earn a salary of £26,165 as a Strength and Conditioning coach. This highly lucrative income could increase depending on your employer, for example, this ad for Barnsley FC reports you could earn up to £31k.
When it comes to pursuing alternative careers for a personal trainer, to pursue this role you’ll first need to complete a Strength and Conditioning coach certification which is recognised by the (NSCA) and (UKSCA).
For more information on pursuing this alternative job role check out our article on becoming a strength and conditioning coach!
Before You Go!
Now that you’re aware of the different alternative jobs for a personal trainer, you can explore these career options either alongside your existing role or make an entirely different career change.
Regardless of what you decide, OriGym will be there to support you throughout your professional endeavour. We even offer additional qualifications such as a Level 4 Nutrition course that will provide you with additional skills and knowledge needed to succeed.
You can learn more about this and all our other qualifications by downloading our course prospectus for FREE!
