Working in fitness management?

[Skinnyrunt]

Looking for some input please. I've been offered a management job working in a gym - the position's basically second in charge behind the general manager. The salary isn't so great, but I was told that there's a lot of opportunity for promotion within the company.

I'm looking to see if anyone works or has worked in a similar position, and wanted to hear others' experiences /advice. E.g. Is it enjoyable, can the money get better, is it worth it, are there really bigger and better paying positions to progress to within the industry etc

I've also been offered an office position in a software sales company, so I'm deciding between the two.

Thanks.

[Macho Man]

If it is anything like an LA Fitness, they will promote you quickly and give you all kinds of bonuses and incentives. Then they will ask you to work extra hours. Then, if you do even better, they will send you to some obscure club to try and boost the numbers there.

If your numbers ever start to drop, they will pull the rug out from under you and demote you faster than you can say "I'm a skinny runt!". I would NEVER work in management at a gym chain. Gym management=sales, cold calling, and hating your life.

[theroymccoy]

From my experience, the management at big box gyms are sharks; you gotta be hungry and willing to not care about hurting feelings, annoying people, pissing off people under you. If that's you, then go for it.

[steel1970]

I was a trainer at Retro Fitness, for EFT....loved it....then they wanted me to become the Training Manager...it was pretty good money with a real nice bonus/commission structure...hated it....like Macho said, cold calling, trying to pull sales off the floor, etc. It really sucked...Bad hours, didn't see my kids at all during the week....people wanting to schedule initial consults at 8pm, which is when I'm supposed to be leaving....lol....Not good, I'll tell you that. I lasted a week....lol

[Skinnyrunt]

Some interesting experiences and views guys, I appreciate it a lot.

The jobs are here in the UK in London. Both jobs pay about 16,500 GBP before tax. The fitness role is a management position in a Virgin Active club, dealing a lot with member enquiries and finances and admin, so not directly sales or cold calling or anything like that.The other job offer is working for the purchasing dept of a software provider company.

I guess I'm at a crossroads here.

[Macho Man]

Some interesting experiences and views guys, I appreciate it a lot.

The jobs are here in the UK in London. Both jobs pay about 16,500 GBP before tax. The fitness role is a management position in a Virgin Active club, dealing a lot with member enquiries and finances and admin, so not directly sales or cold calling or anything like that.The other job offer is working for the purchasing dept of a software provider company.

I guess I'm at a crossroads here.

Fuck, go with the club full of active virgins; talk about a no brainer!

Just make sure you don't wear white to work.

[mateus]

^ftw