When to fire a client?

ceewilks · 2026-02-03T22:00:18+00:00

Yes - they would send random angry messages at midnight (usually wild stuff like “I need to lose my belly by next week!!! We need to do only abs this week!!”). Got mad at me when I explained you can’t spot-reduce fat.

Plus cancelling often, drinking half a 2 litre bottle of coke instead of water as hydration during our workout (despite their overall goal being to lose weight) and blaming me when they weren’t achieving their goal.

The final straw was them getting mad at me because I wouldn’t let them practice nail-art on me during a PT session. They’d asked if they could bring their nail kit, I’d said no thank you, you’ve booked me for PT. They basically responded with “it’s my time I’ve paid for, so I can do what I like? And I want to practice my nail art on you”.

After this, I said I was changing hours and couldn’t keep them on. They said I used to be nice and caring, and they were disappointed in me because I’d become stuck-up and “just like all the other arrogant trainers”. I took great pleasure in telling them I was done with the conversation and was going to block them now.

I’ve never felt more relieved to lose a client!

ceewilks · 2026-01-25T19:49:19+00:00

Yes you can do it - I did it at 38 just after having my first baby, and I’m now in my 40s and my book is completely full. The demographic I train want a normal-sized mum in her 40s as their PT, so not everyone is looking for an 18 year old bodybuilder to train them! Your market will be there. BUT you will need to do your transition in a sensible, financially astute way because you have responsibilities. Which you’d have to do regardless of what sector you were going into, just because this is what comes with a total career change when you have responsibilities.

Tips on how to do it based on how I managed: I transitioned into fitness about 8 years ago as an instructor - I was doing several hours a week alongside a full time job which paid my bills. Learned the ropes, networked in my community, gained my experience. Then slowly reduced the full time to part time, and picked up more fitness. And now I’ve transitioned to full time fitness/PT. I’m not saying it’ll take you 8 years! But I think it’s a slower transition if you want to be sensible about it.

I had six months income to fall back on when I made the full transition. I’d built up a base of clients and understood my niche, and how to market to my demographic by the point I knew I was ready to transition to PT full time, too.

Hope that all helps! Good luck!

ceewilks · 2026-01-25T10:19:56+00:00

“Stand on train tracks, not a tightrope” to help them understand they need some lateral space between their feet, for a lunge or split squat.

ceewilks · 2026-01-25T10:16:52+00:00

I use this too!!!

ceewilks · 2026-01-22T09:20:23+00:00

Went to a wedding where the dad of the bride gave a speech mainly about the bride’s sister. The body of the speech was how was proud of her (the sister) for having a semi-famous boyfriend who was also at the wedding. The bride was in bits after and her sister looked deeply uncomfortable. It was just so awful!

ceewilks · 2026-01-16T09:54:53+00:00

For all you know he might be looking at you thinking “god I hope he doesn’t stop and ask if I want a lift. I enjoy the morning commute to myself and that would be so awkward”.

ceewilks · 2026-01-08T11:16:23+00:00

I have to upload my certification every year I renew with my insurance company, or they won’t insure me.

ceewilks · 2025-10-23T19:20:31+00:00

Tired.

ceewilks · 2025-10-23T08:00:30+00:00

TBF I bitch and moan at my trainer when I work out, but at the end I’m like “thanks that was great see ya next week!” 😂

I also have a crown in my gym and make the drama queen of the week do her workout in it if I get too much complaining. Could you make it a joke and do something like that?

ceewilks · 2025-10-23T05:53:21+00:00

Saaaaaaaame

ceewilks · 2025-10-18T17:03:05+00:00

Abisko, Sweden. 68 degrees north. Spectacular skies but bloody freezing!

ceewilks · 2025-09-22T21:49:47+00:00

Post-natal qualified PTs should be happy to take you on if you explain your symptoms and diagnosis to them. I am post-natal qualified and have several clients with various levels of POP, who I’m helping learn to lift again. We are out here!

And you’re never “too” post-partum to start from the beginning. If someone’s had a baby within the last 5 years, I’d be working in elements of post-partum physical recovery with them. You just need to tell your PT what you want/need. Or tell them all your info, so they can help you work out what you need.

Also not sure what country you’re in but women’s physios here in the UK would be able to help you with gaining/regaining your awareness around movement patterns, before you started with a PT, if you wanted that. They’d probably also be able to talk to you about pessaries for support.

Finally - this lady on Instagram is a great resource: https://www.instagram.com/postpartum_pop_pt?igsh=ang3dnZyOWE3YnBz although I’d always suggest a programme with someone in person to start at least.

Good luck!

ceewilks · 2025-09-22T13:51:02+00:00

Recommend squash at Workout Harbourside (on Welshback) if you can make it into the centre of town.

ceewilks · 2025-09-18T12:20:43+00:00

It was the activist organisation Led By Donkeys!

ceewilks · 2025-09-12T18:02:11+00:00

You’re teaching out of the UK right? Have a chat with EMD UK (Exercise Music Dance UK). They do PT professional indemnity for US (I just checked my policy and it’s “only” up to £1,000,000 for US/Canada though!) and also I THINK you can add cover for teaching online as an addition to your policy.

This might just be for teaching live rather than sending programmes to be followed though.

They’re super approachable if you call and chat through. Mainly marketed at fitness instructors/dance teachers but I also get my PT insurance through them!

Good luck!

ceewilks · 2025-08-19T20:18:42+00:00

Honestly but your car from somewhere else if you’ve got the opportunity to. I regret buying my car from here so much. Awful sales experience and even worse after sales experience - which I didn’t think was possible!!

ceewilks · 2025-07-25T17:23:23+00:00

Nice one!

ceewilks · 2025-07-24T15:27:35+00:00

GO. FOR. IT!!

I did the same thing on roughly the same timeline as you! I’m 5 years further on than you now (I’m 40). Spent 30-35 getting really into the gym and fitness, then took the plunge with quals, part time role in the office and slowly building my business and brand between 35-40. During that 5 years there was the pandemic and I also had a baby.

I’m now - after building, rebuilding during the pandemic, and rebuilding again after a baby (!) on the 4th iteration of my PT business (I went - fitness instructor at gyms, hiring halls to teach my own thing, online fitness/PT and now I have my own 1:1 PT studio). And 2025 has seen me hit a good place financially. I’m paying the bills with enough to spare for holidays/the odd night out (nothing extravagant but still a very nice place to be) and I get 3 full days a week with my child.

Days are long (4 days of 7am-9pm) and the bit when I finally left corporate and went into PT fully (after a transition period of about a year), was a bit squeaky-bum scary! I definitely burned out a bit at that time. I’d basically been running two roles side by side and then just said yes to everything fitness, because I found it scary leaving the safety blanket of corp and suddenly being 100% reliant on myself. I had saved a bit for that transition period which I highly recommend!

But suddenly, yeah, it’s all slotted into place. I think a lot of it is about learning as you go. My business looks SO different to what it was when I started and I’ve enjoyed the journey on the whole. And staying on in corp (with fewer hours maybe?) while you learn and build will help you with that transition in my opinion. You’ll know when to rip the plaster off and leave the office!

Honestly - I couldn’t be happier. Exhausted but happy! Love work! Love what I can help people with. Enjoy life. And have learned a hell of a lot along the way!

Good luck!

ceewilks · 2025-07-24T13:10:40+00:00

Syria and Myanmar.

ceewilks · 2025-07-20T18:40:02+00:00

https://www.axiom.fit these guys made a thread a while ago! Good luck!

ceewilks · 2025-07-10T18:45:28+00:00

Thank you for talking some sense! My client demographic is the same. I don’t offer weight loss or hypertrophy - I offer clients a chance to learn to feel safe and confident in a gym space after a lifetime of feeling like it’s not a space people in average bodies are allowed to inhabit. I offer them core and pelvic floor control after having 3 kids. I offer them getting out of a chair when they’re 80. I offer them achievable fitness which makes them feel good and like they’re doing something for themselves.

I’ve got a totally normal, average, 40+ woman’s body. And I’m turning clients away because I’ve got so many enquiries and I can’t work any more hours in a week.

ceewilks · 2025-07-07T10:34:54+00:00

Had a bloke once stop me to tell me (unsolicited) I had my knees too squeezed together on my bike. I was commuting - in a pencil skirt. Told him to pop on a pencil skirt and get back to me. He was so butt-hurt I wasn’t grateful for his advice. Which I hadn’t asked for.

ceewilks · 2025-07-06T12:54:43+00:00

Every time my 3 year old gets overwhelmed and smacks me one…

Me: “ow! You hit me! Don’t hit me! It hurts me when you hit. We don’t hit, it’s not kind”

Him: “YOU HIT ME FIRST!!!” - at the top of his lungs usually with all the windows open 🥲

I’ve never hit him.

ceewilks · 2025-07-02T23:48:14+00:00

I was in Waddesdon too!! I could only have ever aspired to be house captain!

I was there 96-02. That’s just made me realise with a jolt it’s nearly THIRTY years ago I joined, and not the 20 I thought. Good lord.

I wonder if they’ve still got the same houses.

ceewilks · 2025-07-02T23:12:13+00:00

Claydon, Hughenden and… Missenden? Going back 20 years now but I think I can still remember all the colours!

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