By Neeraj Mehta (Ph.D.), and team GFFI
There has been an increase in demand for personal trainers and instructors in recent years. It’s estimated that the industry will grow by 15% by the year 2029, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and GFFI Analysis Team ground study and googled searches.
According to industry studies like FICCI EY report, Redseer Consulting, Global Wellness Institute, IHRSA & GFFI’s grounds-up study of the Indian retail fitness services market, there are six million active users in India who are spending on an average $350 (250000/-INR) to $400 (300000/-INR) annually towards fitness services, amounting to $2.6 billion market size.
Checking the data from GFFI analysis team: The four major cities of India, has grown from Rs 7000 crore rupees in sales in 2016 to Rs 14450 (more than double) in 2019 starting, reflecting the high growth rate India is witnessing across all these major metros.
On the records of GFFI analysis, the personal training queries across the country has increased 3 times in 2022 (first quarter) in comparison to 2018.
While 2020 & 2021 saw a new wave of digital trends (online and virtual training both made the top 10 fitness trends, due to COVID-19), but 2022 trends reflect a return to previously popular activities. Wearable tech reclaimed the #1 spot, followed by home gyms, outdoor exercise, free weights and in person personal training. GFFI Fitness Academy is now getting queries from all over the country for personal training classes and requirements.
If you are considering entering this market as PERSONAL TRAINER, the statistics are in your favor.
What, then, is fueling this expansion? Moreover, can people rely on a long-term personal training job?
We’ll find out.
1. COVID-19 Impact on Health
Over the last two years, we have seen a massive increase in cognisance and consumption of preventive healthcare across all age groups and income levels due to COVID-19 and other issues. A great reflection of this is the 34 million unique monthly searches taking place on Google linked to ‘fitness near me’ and personal trainer near me. So the search foe in person or online personal training gone in high demand last year as well as current year also it is becoming the trend.
2. Raise in the prevalence of obesity-related health problems due to inactivity and unhealthy eating habits.
Global obesity rates have tripled since 1975, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Prevalence of obesity in India is 40.3% according to study done (SAGE Journal), and India is ranked third most obese country in the world – (INDIA TODAY). Given the high cost of obesity in term of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease making it more worse for the unhealthy population of India.
In pediatrics, the numbers are just as shocking. According to the Obesity Action Coalition, the epidemic of childhood obesity has reached a new level.
A more healthful way of life is required for everyone in this population, and health and fitness professionals can help. While some of these people are actively searching for gyms and personal trainers, other people do so because their doctors have urged them to do so. Regardless of the circumstances, most of them find themselves in the market for trainers. That create a very big demand for personal trainers.
3. Customized Training Sessions
Our bodies are completely different. Some people’s weight gain is caused by a sluggish metabolism or genetics, while for others, it’s a lack of exercise.
As a result, finding a fitness program that works for everyone is extremely difficult. In addition, most brick-and-mortar gyms don’t offer much in the way of weight-loss instruction. In some gyms, a single trainer would be responsible for more than 20 people at once. The trainer-to-student ratio isn’t even close to being adequate to meet the needs of every student.
As a result of these factors, many people choose to hire a personal trainer. This ensures that they have a training regimen that is tailored to their specific needs. In addition, they won’t have to compete with anyone else for the trainer’s attention.
In addition, some people prefer private training sessions because they are uncomfortable in a group setting like a gym. Many people, for example, are self-conscious about their bodies. Some people don’t like the idea that they aren’t working out as hard as everyone else in the gym. In order to avoid this, they hire a personal trainer to conduct training sessions in the privacy of their own home.
Increase in the Population’s Average Age
Personal trainers are in high demand as the elderly & special population grows. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, seniors and special population need to exercise, but they are also more prone to injury and other problems.
For this reason, they require an exercise program that cannot be found in traditional gyms. Personal trainers are a go-to solution for all of them.
The University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine has updated its curriculum to include lessons on the role of exercise in disease prevention and treatment.
A growing movement like Fit India & Swasth Bharat advocates and aware the nation for the importance of exercise and encourage the health & fitness professionals to prescribe it.
By Dr. Neeraj Mehta (Ph.D.)
With the exception of those over 50 years most people between the ages of 25 and 35 prefer working with a personal trainer to working out by themselves. Someone for motivation, some are for regularity some are to get their posture or movements correct, some are because of their previous injuries, some are due to suggestion by their doctors.
This means that if you want to work as a certified personal trainer, you should think about specializing or at the very least learning new skills that will help you work with older clients. There are a plethora of resources available to assist you in learning these skills step-by-step. In addition to the gym, this knowledge will open doors in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and senior living communities.
Access to Fitness Centers Paid for by the Employer
A growing number of companies offer their employees free gym memberships as part of a sponsored fitness program. For both employers and employees, this has resulted in a positive outcome. The average salary of a personal trainer in India according to pay scale.com is 297189/- INR and according to the GFFI analysis data a personal trainer can earn up to 700000/- on an yearly average with their PT and jobs. (But this is not the limit, more you work more you earn)
Sponsored gym memberships have also brought in large sums of money for fitness instructors. Because they don’t have to pay up front, more people are willing to use their services.
Home fitness programs and online personal training classes have become increasingly popular over the last few years
Home fitness programs are all the rage these days. In Canada, for example, Google reported that “home workout” videos saw a 130% increase in watch time in 2019. Due to Covid lockdowns, the figure is expected to rise by a factor of two in 2020.
The desire to exercise in the privacy and convenience of one’s own home is widespread. As a result, more personal trainers will be needed to design home-based exercise routines. In addition, they are expected to set aside time for online training. In many cases, people will pay for it.
Personal trainers are in high demand, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Sign up for an GFFI accredited program as soon as possible if you’re interested in the field.
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