The Show Up Fitness Podcast

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

How to become a successful personal trainer vol 2 has an entire chapter on getting clients - 10 R's of getting clients. If you want to become a successful personal trainer, start by reading the book, not an 800 page textbook.

You can be an amazing trainer and still struggle to get clients if your marketing is built on hope instead of systems. I’m sharing a simple referral strategy that consistently brings in high-quality leads: build real partnerships with chiropractors (and other allied pros), then make it easy and profitable for them to send people your way. It’s not about begging for referrals. It’s about showing up like a business professional and creating a clean, repeatable process that benefits the client, the chiropractor, and your coaching. 

We get tactical with what to say, how to say it, and where most trainers lose the deal. I walk through two approaches: paying for an initial chiropractic assessment to build trust fast, or starting lean with Instagram DMs and multiple follow-ups. You’ll hear why directness matters, how to offer a complimentary workout without sounding passive, and how to set the precedent that your relationship is long-term and collaborative. 

Then we do the numbers. If you spend a few hundred dollars on an assessment and a lunch but land one 72-session package, the ROI can dwarf what you’d ever see from random ads. I also explain a smart package structure where the chiropractor keeps a premium for referring, why “go for no” follow-up wins, and how to position yourself as more than the stereotype of a trainer with selfies and weak anatomy knowledge. 

If you want more personal training clients, better client referrals, and a stronger network in your local fitness market, listen through and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a trainer friend who needs leads, and leave a review with the outreach step you’re committing to this week.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

If you want to become a nutrition coach and make over 30k EXTRA dollars as a personal trainer, SUF-NC teaches you the fundamentals of nutritional science, teaches you how to scale a new stream of revenue and you get to work alongside of a registered dietitian. showupfitness.com

Two tacos should be an easy entry in a food tracker, right? We start with a simple photo test that exposes a brutal truth about weight loss: most of us are not “bad at dieting,” we are bad at estimating what we eat, especially when food is made for us. That one skill gap can turn an intended deficit into a hidden surplus, and it is why clients can feel stuck, inflamed, and defeated while their log still looks “pretty good.” 

From there, we take a hard turn into the internet’s favorite fuel: fear. We break down the viral strawberry scare, the language of “toxins” and “detox,” and why confident influencers with shaky credentials can out-share careful scientific explanations. We are not here to dunk on people; we are here to show how to evaluate claims, follow incentives, and keep nutrition education grounded in dose, context, and real-world behavior, especially for families trying to shop on a budget. 

Then we rebuild the fundamentals of nutrition coaching: the six essential nutrients, macros vs micros, and the fuel factors that make macro math simple (4 calories per gram for carbs and protein, 9 for fat, 7 for alcohol). We connect that math to digestion and metabolism, including how carbs relate to glycogen and water weight, why protein has a higher thermic effect of food, and how “all calories are equal” can be both true and incomplete. The deeper point is sustainability: vegan, carnivore, keto, or mixed diets can all work if they fit the person and produce a consistent, livable calorie deficit. 

If you want a smarter way to think about calories, macros, and misinformation without losing your mind, listen through and share it with someone who is tired of nutrition fearmongering. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what food do you most often underestimate?

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

You can spot the difference between a trainer who memorized a manual and a coach who can change someone’s life, and it usually shows up in the messy middle: the first gym job, the first hard “no,” the first client who trusts you with a real goal. We’re joined by Caleb Kinney Woods (PTL1 at Lifetime Westminster) to talk about what it takes to grow from frontline trainer to leading a team of 30+ coaches, without losing the craft of training on the floor.

We get into the hiring signals that actually matter in the fitness industry: resilience, professionalism, and a track record of learning. Caleb shares why multiple personal training certifications across different systems can be a green flag, not just letters on a resume. We also talk about why trainer turnover is so brutal at many gyms, how that churn affects client trust, and what a development-focused culture does differently to improve client retention and trainer retention.

If sales makes you cringe, you’ll like the framework here. We break down “value prop” selling, program prescription, and the skill of painting a clear vision from point A to point Z so clients understand what they’re paying for and why it works. Along the way we touch on continuing education, nutrition coaching, referring out when needed, and the practical reality of being present, engaged, and dynamic instead of hiding behind a screen.

Subscribe for more conversations that make you better at coaching, share this with a trainer who needs momentum, and leave a quick rating and review so more coaches can find the show.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

SUF STM is the BEST corrective exercise certification because it helps personal trainers build a better team, assess clients in pain and charge more per hour. The avg suf-stm charges between 100-150/ hr whereas a NASM CES charges on avg $61. With purchase of the SUF-STM, you also get 1 year access to the Prehab Guys Exercise Library which provides more value for clients.

Textbook certifications are everywhere, but the moment a client mentions shoulder pain, low back pain, or a post-ACL history, a multiple-choice test does not tell you what to do next. We talk candidly about the best specializations for personal trainers who want more skill, more income, and fewer “I hope this works” moments. The thread that ties it all together is simple: hands-on learning beats passive learning, especially when the goal is coaching performance around pain and keeping clients training safely. 

We compare big-name corrective exercise certifications with a mentorship-first model that emphasizes soft tissue mobilization within scope, barbell rehab basics, and a real assessment process you can repeat. We also get into what trainers actually need to level up: live feedback, video submissions, and the ability to lean on a physical therapist team when a case gets complex. Along the way, we challenge outdated cross-syndrome thinking, explain why the biopsychosocial model changes how clients experience pain, and share how better communication can improve retention during slow seasons. 

Finally, we make the case that anatomy mastery is the career shortcut nobody wants to do, but everyone benefits from. Knowing the actions of key muscles, understanding shoulder function, and being able to explain what you see is how you earn trust and charge $100 to $150 per session without feeling “salesy.” If you want a personal training specialization that builds real competence, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a trainer friend, and leave a review with the skill you want to master next.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

A personal training certification can get you hired, but it will not automatically make you feel like a coach, and Lily says the quiet part out loud. She joins us from Phoenix, Arizona to share what it’s really like starting out at a busy commercial gym: the fast hiring process, the pressure to deliver results, and the moment you realize the textbook did not prepare you for “my back hurts” on the training floor. 

We dig into the numbers behind trainer pay, including base hourly wages, commission, one-on-one sessions, semi-private training, and small group training. We also talk about the part nobody wants to admit: when the gym keeps most of the session revenue, “just add more hours” becomes the default advice, and that is how talented trainers burn out while still living paycheck to paycheck. If you’ve searched personal trainer salary, Anytime Fitness trainer pay, or how to make a career in fitness, this conversation gives you a clear-eyed look at the trade-offs. 

Lily also explains why hands-on continuing education changed everything. After a weekend seminar focused on coaching, assessments, and real-world problem solving, she starts using tools that help clients feel better fast and helps her stay within scope of practice. We close with a mindset check for new and experienced trainers alike: ask for help, keep leveling up, and choose an environment that rewards skill, not just session volume. 

If you get value from this, subscribe, share the episode with a trainer friend, and leave a rating and review so more coaches can find it.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Shoulder pain? Become a SUF-STM soft tissue mobilization with access to the Prehab Guys Exercise Library to charge more as a personal trainer.

Shoulder pain during overhead training isn’t just a “tight muscle” problem, and it definitely isn’t fixed by tossing random stretches at it. We break down scapular upward rotation in plain coaching terms, starting with a simple client screen: hands overhead, cross-body scapula touch, behind-the-back position, and quick strength checks that tell you when to refer out to a DPT. If you’re a personal trainer or lifter who keeps feeling that annoying pinch or shrugging every rep, this gives you a safer, smarter starting point.

From there, we get specific about the upward rotators of the scapula: upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior. We explain what each muscle contributes, why the upper traps tend to “turn on” first, and how that timing issue can create compensation during pressing and pulling. Instead of trying to eliminate upper traps, we coach synchronization so serratus and lower traps share the load and your overhead mechanics stop falling apart.

We also show how we organize shoulder pain training with a repeatable sequence: soft tissue mobilization, mobility, one to two stability drills, then real strength work. We talk through warm-ups like foam roller push-ups for protraction, pressing choices like the landmine press for cleaner upward rotation, and how to pair pushes and pulls without gassing the exact muscles you need to keep the first press honest. We even cover using a prehab exercise library to assign homework that clients will actually follow.

If you want better shoulder health, better overhead pressing, and a plan you can run today, listen now, share this with a training partner, and subscribe and leave a review with your biggest shoulder pain question.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Become a nutrition coach w/ SUF-NC to work alongside of RD's and drive in streams of revenue. SUF-NC on average make an additional 30k per month

Why is fat loss so confusing? Because trainers are taught shortcuts instead of systems.

In episode 1 of the How to Become a Nutrition Coach series, we break down the 1st law of thermodynamics, calories in vs calories out, and why energy balance still matters 100% of the time. We also discuss why humans aren’t robots and how sleep, stress, hunger, environment, hydration, hormones, and habits all influence fat loss adherence.

Better understand the law of thermodynamics and what a calorie is. Why does calories in vs calories out always work, but there are other factors that influence this such as hunger, hormones, sleep, stress, genetics, metabolic disease, environmental factors, and habits. 

If you want to become a successful personal trainer and better nutrition coach, you need to understand behavior modification, not just meal plans.

KEEP SHOWING UP!

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

SUF NASM Guide: How to pass the NASM CPT exam in 2026 without reading 800 pages. In this Show Up Fitness podcast, we break down the 7 most important NASM CPT topics including the OPT model, overhead squat assessment, planes of motion, muscle imbalances, behavior change, programming, and nutrition. Show Up Fitness has helped 10,000+ trainers pass NASM, ACE, and ISSA faster with quizzes, study guides, weekly calls, and real coaching. KEEP SHOWING UP!

[Most NASM CPT prep advice pushes you toward the same mistake: read the whole textbook, take random quizzes, and hope your anxiety does not spike on test day. We take the opposite approach. We narrow your attention to the high-impact concepts the NASM personal trainer exam leans on again and again, then show you how to recognize the patterns behind the questions so you can answer faster with more confidence.

We start with the basics that buy you easy points: anatomy direction terms and planes of motion, plus simple exercise examples you can recall under pressure. From there we hit behavior change coaching and the stages of change, along with key terms like open kinetic chain versus closed kinetic chain and the roles of agonist, synergist, stabilizer, and antagonist. If you have ever felt like you “knew the material” but still missed questions, this is where the test language starts to make sense.

Then we get into the meat: assessments, subjective versus objective information, and how NASM loves to test compensations through overactive and underactive muscle groups, especially with the overhead squat assessment. We also break down the NASM OPT model and acute variables, including the numbers that matter for tempo, reps, rest, and intensity, so you can stop guessing which phase a movement belongs to and start selecting the best answer consistently.

If you want to pass the NASM CPT exam without wasting months on low-value studying, press play. Subscribe for more no-fluff coaching talk, share this with a friend who is cramming, and leave a review so more trainers can find it.]

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Shoulder Pain? SHOWUP20 for 20% off Prehab Guys exercise library for training clients in pain w/ the CCA program. 

Shoulder pain is everywhere in fitness, and the fastest way to lose trust is to improvise “rehab” when you should be screening, referring, and coordinating care. We walk through what it looks like to stay in your lane as a personal trainer while still delivering real value for clients dealing with shoulder pain, past shoulder surgery, or limited overhead range of motion. If you want a practical playbook for training around pain without pretending to be a clinician, this conversation is built for you.

We share how we think about shoulder screens, what movement checks help us decide whether training is appropriate, and why a strong relationship with a physical therapist changes everything. You’ll hear a real-world handoff example of an older client with a complicated shoulder history, plus how we communicate so the client is supported instead of bounced between opinions. We also talk candidly about professionalism, pricing, and why skilled training paired with PT collaboration is worth more than generic workouts.

Then we get tactical: how we use a prehab exercise library to choose smart correctives, how we assign simple homework, and how we build a shoulder-friendly circuit template that progresses from easier to harder work. We cover push-up regressions, rowing choices like bands and TRX, a more shoulder-friendly split stance overhead press, and how to swap movements quickly when something flares up. You’ll leave with clearer programming principles for shoulder health, rotator cuff tolerance, scapular control, and strength training that respects pain signals.

If this helped, subscribe, share it with a trainer friend, and leave a quick review so more coaches learn how to train shoulders safely. What shoulder movement gives you the most trouble right now?

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

You can rest an injury until it “feels fine” and still end up stuck at 80%. That’s the trap that keeps athletes and active adults cycling through flare-ups, compensations, and reinjuries and it’s exactly what we dig into with Dr. David Waltman, DPT.

We talk about what most people never get from the traditional physical therapy clinic model: clear expectations. David breaks down why rushed visits and insurance-driven schedules can leave patients without the education that actually drives recovery. We get specific about what good rehab coaching looks like: knowing your phase of healing, understanding realistic timelines, and progressing with intent instead of chasing a random “quick fix” from Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.

Then we pivot to the solution David built after the pandemic pushed him into mobile concierge PT: KESI, an AI-assisted physical therapy and rehab programming app designed to stay evidence-based, affordable, and scalable. We cover who it’s for, when you should still see a provider in person (especially acute injuries with swelling, limping, or trauma), and how KESI helps you through the messy middle after pain starts to fade. We also get into load management fundamentals, including tracking volume, pain, and RPE, plus the safeguards that keep a real clinician supervising progress.

If you’re a personal trainer, coach, or lifter who wants smarter injury rehab, better return-to-sport decisions, and a clearer roadmap from pain to performance, this one will sharpen how you think and how you program. Subscribe, share this with a trainer friend, and leave a review with your biggest rehab question so we can tackle it next.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question?  Email [email protected] with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com