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Fitness centers, personal trainers big business in Central Texas

By Rebecca Rose

Killeen Daily Herald

Before dawn breaks in Killeen, the sound of pulsating music rises from a small storefront business on Elms Road.

Inside, a group of 20 men and women are dancing in unison, moving back and forth, as instructions reverberate from a loudspeaker: ?And left, and left and left ? and hold ? and two, three, four ? and right. Take it back!?

The rhythmic cheerleading comes from Jazzercise Killeen owner Michelle Fry as she leaps and glides on the riser in front of her regular 8 a.m. Thursday class.

Fry?s class isn?t the only one where clients are kicking up their heels to get fit. Physical fitness is a thriving business in the surrounding area, with large gyms and small-business owners competing for a share of the market.

Starting a gym or personal training business can be lucrative, but challenging, say top area fitness entrepreneurs. While options range from traditional group fitness classes to an array of new fads, ultimately for businesses to stay on top, it boils down to one factor ? getting results for clients.

It all starts with training the trainer.

Trainer certification

Simone Tucker is an adjunct professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor who teaches classes in kinesiology. She also runs a coaching business for runners and offers personal training and yoga to a select group of clients. Tucker said a spurt of weight loss after pregnancy helped introduce her to the world of physical fitness as an occupation.

?I joined a gym (to lose weight) and ended up teaching some step aerobics classes,? she said. ?It just snowballed from there.?

Tucker, who now holds a master?s degree in exercise and sports science, said one of the most important parts of the process of starting a business is education, and ultimately, accreditation.

Since the state of Texas does not require personal trainers to be licensed, it?s up to the individual trainer to seek out certification and other training.

?You can call yourself a personal trainer today and market yourself as one,? said Tucker. ?However, you do want to be certified, so you don?t end up causing injury to a client, or worse.?

The National Association for Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise are among the top organizations offering accreditation in fitness. Certification programs guide trainers through a wide range of topics, including anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and other exercise and wellness related topics.

?They make sure trainers understand how the human body works, to learn about proper exercise executions, and proper form,? said Tucker.

Certification from national organizations can cost $300 to $600, depending on the type of course, an investment that could pay off big for trainers in the long run.

Personal sessions

Nancy Machado, a former professional body builder and owner of Muscles Machado in Killeen, offers one-on-one personal training sessions, as well as a comprehensive boot camp for clients. Machado, who is ACE certified, said she spent a long time researching which organization would be best for accreditation.

?We?re a military family, we move all over the place,? she said. ?I wanted something that I can take with me wherever I go.?

Through ACE, Machado is a certified personal trainer.

In addition, she holds a second certification as a health and fitness specialist, trained to work with clients with special conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and others.

Her initial study course lasted more than six months.

?It was very challenging,? she said. ?It?s an intensive study of kinesiology, physiology, body mechanics ? everything involved in being a personal trainer.?

For Machado, the idea of marrying her love of physical fitness with a business came from a desire to help people, an important aspect of maintaining a successful business.

?I enjoy the opportunity to help people better themselves,? she explained. ?I started this because I wanted to help others achieve their goals.?

Fitness craze

And entrepreneurs are finding success with partnerships and franchisers of other national programs.

Richard Vincent has been a co-owner of CrossFit CenTex in Belton since its opening in December 2008. CrossFit CenTex is part of a partnership with the national fitness brand, which combines weightlifting, sprinting and gymnastics.

What started as an Internet phenomenon featuring extreme weightlifting videos on YouTube, CrossFit is now a bonafide national fitness craze.

Vincent said workout arenas like CrossFit CenTex are dubbed ?boxes? due to their lack of mirrors and machines. Workout philosophies focus on physical ability, not physical appearance.

?What we care about is not what you look like, but what you can do with that body,? he said. ?If we train you like an athlete ? you will look like an athlete.?

From a business standpoint, Vincent said boxes market to customers looking for more than a place for a quick workout.

?We don?t compete on price that way,? he explained. ?We?re personal training in a group setting.?

Vincent said the desire for workout enthusiasts to get the most out of their dollar is driving a switch to more community-based, intimate arenas.

At locally-owned Heritage Park Fitness in Harker Heights, trainer Sasha Brainerd agreed.

?The biggest advantage here is the intimacy,? said Brainerd.

?Most chains are bigger. They?re membership-driven, not so much person-driven,? she said. ?That?s what we can offer from being a small facility. We can tell people we?re never over-crowded.?

Word of mouth

Fry started Jazzercise Killeen in 2000, teaching classes out of a room at the Killeen Community Center. The aerobics dance studio now operates out of a studio on Elms Road, after what Fry called a long period of growth and expansion for the business.

As a franchisee of the national fitness chain, Fry and other instructors are certified through Jazzercise?s training programs. Additionally, the corporate wing offers marketing and advertising support, a valuable benefit to a growing business.

To grow her client base, Fry said she opts for a layered approach to marketing, with newspaper, radio and television advertising, which makes up the majority of her investment outlay for the business.

?But by far, for us the best method is word of mouth,? said Fry, who pointed to other clients? success inspiring friends and family to join as well.

Machado and other trainers echoed her sentiment. Machado said she is routinely approached by new customers, intrigued by her success with others.

?You just start by working with someone in the gym,? said Machado. ?People see you, if you?re there consistently. They watch you. They see the client changing.?

But word of mouth ultimately still relies on results, trainers say.

?If you get results, you?re going to continue to see people,? said Brainerd.

Contact Rebecca Rose at rebeccar@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7548.

Tips to pick a fitness program

For consumers, selecting the right type of program depends on individual tastes and goals. Programs are tailored to different personality types, and may not work for every person across the board.

Personal trainer Simone Tucker said consumers should be cautious when selecting a trainer or a particular program.

?If you are looking for a trainer, make sure they are certified with a reputable organization,? she said.

Most importantly, a trainer or fitness coach should be flexible, and understand the needs of his or her client. ?Make sure that the person is really listening to you, goals and needs,? she advised. ?Make sure they can work around your needs with your family and kids. We all have different challenges.?

Consumers should all start with setting a reasonable goal for themselves, whether its weight loss, completing a marathon, or gaining body strength, said Tucker.

?Set goals for yourself, making sure they are reasonable and achievable,? she said.

Tucker said the best advice is to avoid committing to a program that?s too ambitious, or out of one?s budget range.

?If you feel like you are being pushed into something you can?t afford, then you probably should just say no,? she said.

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