How do you stand out as a personal trainer? Wouter Middelbos shares his vision on positioning, effectuation and building a sustainable career in the fitness industry.
Wouter Middelbos
The fitness industry is growing. The number of (/en/opleidingen/personal-trainer) is growing with it. And so is the number of trainers who say after a year: "This is not what I expected." Not because the profession disappoints, but because they never really thought about where they stand in the industry.
In this article, I share my view on positioning. Not from a marketing textbook, but from ten years of experience educating trainers who actually make it.
Imagine the fitness industry as a landscape. On one side you have the large gym chains with their fixed memberships. On the other side, small boutique studios targeting a specific audience. In between: online coaching, group training, rehabilitation, performance, corporate wellness.
Most starting trainers don't think about where they want to stand in that landscape. They get their certificate and hope clients will come. But the trainers who truly make it have an answer to the question: "Why would someone come to you instead of the hundreds of others?"
In science there is a concept called "effectuation." It was developed by Saras Sarasvathy, a researcher who studied how successful entrepreneurs think. The difference from the traditional approach? Instead of setting a goal and figuring out what you need, you start with three questions:
Who am I? What is your background, your story, your unique combination of experience?
What do I know? What knowledge do you already have? What fascinates you? Where does your curiosity lead?
Who do I know? Which people in your network can open doors you cannot open yourself?
This sounds simple, but it changes everything. Instead of thinking "I want to become a successful personal trainer" (which says nothing), you think: "I am a former elite athlete with knowledge of periodisation and a network in track and field. What can I do with that?"
That shift from "what do I want to achieve?" to "what can I deliver right now?" is the difference between a trainer who waits for the perfect moment and one who starts today.
There is another scientific model directly applicable to your career as a trainer: the self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan. The core is simple. People have three basic needs to stay motivated and fulfilled:
Autonomy. The feeling that you make your own choices. That you determine your own path. As a trainer this means: don't choose a job because it is easy, but because it fits who you are.
Competence. The feeling that you are good at something and keep getting better. This is exactly why a good education matters. Not for the certificate, but for the confidence that you know what you are doing when a client stands in front of you.
Relatedness. The feeling that you belong somewhere. That you have colleagues who keep you sharp. A community that challenges you. This is one of the most underestimated factors in a trainer's success.
Trainers who fulfil all three needs stay. Trainers who miss one drop out. It is that simple and that complex at the same time.
I hear it often: "I need to position myself better." Followed by a new Instagram theme, a new bio, a new series of Canva posts. But positioning is not about how you look online. It is about who you are as a trainer and how you translate that to the people you can help best.
Ask yourself:
With which type of client do I get the best results? Not "who do I want to work with", but "where do I actually make a difference?"
Which setting suits me? Are you at your best in a large gym with lots of energy, or in a quiet studio working one-on-one?
What makes my approach different? Not better, different. Maybe it is your background in physiotherapy. Maybe it is your own experience with injuries. Maybe it is simply that you are a very good listener.
Positioning is the honest answer to these questions. Not the answer you think the market wants to hear.
I became a personal trainer when I was 16. Not because I had a grand plan, but because I was fascinated by how the human body works. That fascination is still there. But somewhere along the way it became more than a fascination. It became a profession.
That difference matters. A passion is something that gives you energy. A profession is something you take responsibility for. Something you invest in. Something you keep developing, even when it gets difficult.
The trainers I have educated over the past years who are truly doing well all had that tipping point. The moment they decided: this is not something I do on the side. This is what I do.
If you have reached that point, or are close to it, the question is not whether you can do it. The question is how. And that starts with honestly looking at who you are, what you know and who you know.
Not just a certificate, but proof of real expertise!
