(edit title) Personal Training Job Avg. Salary Options

[Cubanotte]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone knows about personal training in Sweden. I've heard from a Swedish friend, that he know an American guys who barely spoke any Swedish and was still able to work over there. My question is, if it is similar to here in the States, as far as going on your own and getting your own clients and paying rent to the gym owner.

I know it's not like that in the big gyms over there, and in those you probably do need the Swedish more, but I refer more to the smaller, private studios.

On that note, I should be in Stockholm before the end of the year so make it a new years resolution to get in shape and hire me lol. Dale

[Darwinder]

Let me tell you what I know.

1) There is a lot fewer "chain gyms" here that allow any freckly faced kid with a basic online cert to train people. Saying that, there a few "chain" gyms here but from what I have seen they tend to offer there own courses which the trainers need to get certified through.

2) There are a lot less small "private" gyms. The thing is, is that there are many many many athletic clubs here and most of them tend to have there own gyms and most members are usually trained by someone belonging to the club.

3) The average Swede tends to know a lot more about basic training then the average North American from what I have seen. There isnt a crazy amount of marketing here or anything trying to confuse the masses to create the "personal training" mystique of needing to pay someone huge money to help you get through the maze of fitness. Most Swedes tend to be quite active already.

4) I do think there is opportunity here though, and I think being American will help you more than hurt you, but I think you need to find the right clientale and the right niche and be prepared to market yourself 24/7. I wouldnt worry about not speaking Swedish, if someone is coming to you for a service they will have no problem speaking English with you, especially in Stockholm, so that is actually the least of your problems. If you have other certification besides just a general PT cert such as a CSCS you can probably find a Strength & Conditioning position with an athletic team. I know of a Canadian guy that landed a S&C position with a 1st Division womens basketball team and he managed to scrape by. Which certification do you currently hold?

5) Don't just listen to what I say though obviously because all of what I just have written is based on what I have seen/heard being a guy that is quite into powerlifting/strongman and spends a fair amount of time in the gym and has lived in Sweden for a few years. Send out some mails to various gyms and see what they say, ask them what you need and what you don't. Google translate is your new best friend.

Best of luck.

[Cubanotte]

Thanks for the advice man. I always knew that it wasn't going to be the same of course. Here is great for personal training, lots of non-athletic people. I do know that the Swedish are more into fitness than the Americans are, however they lack the knowledge of weight training as I'm sure you've figured out if you live there. At least that's what I noticed from the 5 months I spent there. This is not to say there aren't big guys over there, it's just not like here on average, that's what I want to bring to the table.

What gym do you train at over there?

[Cubanotte]

Right now I have the ISSA cert. Which really isn't much, but I've paid my dues. I was in the military here and started training since I was 18, I'm 24 now, so I know my way around the gym.

[Cubanotte]

Anyone has any info on SATS, how it works as far as personal training goes ?