Be a Fitness Expert

What is the compensation?

One of the six passions of the founder of Discover Strength is to create a company where exercise physiologists can be financially successful. Discover Strength is unique in that the exercise physiologists work a “normal” 40 hour work week (see below) and are able to maximize their income. The exercise physiologist position is not a sales position. The exercise physiologist’s role is to focus on delivering world-class workouts and exceptional client experiences.

On average, a Discover Strength exercise physiologist will make $45,000 in the first year; $58,000 in the second and third year; $67,000 in the fourth and fifth year, and $80,000 after year five. Each exercise physiologist has the opportunity to make more based on taking on additional responsibilities, training more clients, etc., but these are averages that we expect a trainer to make when working a forty-hour workweek here at Discover Strength. In addition to the compensation, Discover Strength offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off, health insurance, 401k, and extensive internal and external education/development opportunities.

What does the exercise physiologist’s hours and schedule look like?

Discover Strength’s exercise physiologists work a “normal” 40-hour workweek. Here are the key elements:

8-hour workdays. Trainers work a balance of these three “shifts”:

• 5:30am to 1:30pm
• 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• A split shift of 5:30am-9:30am and 4:00pm to 8:00pm (generally 1-2 times per week for newer exercise physiologists)
• After an exercise physiologist has been with Discover Strength for 3 years, they have the autonomy to create their own schedule.

• 5 working days per week; this might include a rotation of weekends but the exercise physiologist always has two days off per week.
• Exercise physiologists are not limited to 40 hours per week.  If they want to see more clients and increase earning potential, they are always welcome to work longer shifts or additional shifts.
• Why? Discover Strength avoids the industry norm of exercise physiologists seeing a smattering of clients from early AM into the late PM which contributes to very little work-life balance and burn-out for the exercise physiologist.

Does the exercise physiologist acquire and sell their own clients??

No. Exercise physiologists at Discover Strength are not responsible for acquiring or “selling” their own clients.

They actually do not have their own clients at all. When a new client starts, they become a client of Discover Strength, not of one specific exercise physiologist.  This allows the client to have scheduling freedom and it allows the exercise physiologist to not have to bend over backward to make their schedule align with a particular client.  This is the ultimate win-win for both exercise physiologist and client.

What qualifications are required?

• Must possess a 4-year degree in Exercise Science or related field.
• Alignment and commitment to the Discover Strength Core Values of Learning, Servant Leadership, Creating our Own Future, and Science Based.
• A passion for strength training and the desire to help build the best customer service company in the world.

How does Discover Strength make a exercise physiologist career sustainable?

Discover Strength wants the strength training professional’s career to be sustainable and lucrative but realize for so many, this is hard to come by.  A few elements that contribute to a sustainable exercise physiologist career at Discover Strength:

• A 40-hour workweek.
• Constant learning and professional development.
• Internal “Core Growth Plan” that provides the framework for how a trainer moves toward mastery and continually increases compensation.
• Working with colleagues who are like-minded, team-first, and are aligned around the same goal.  We constantly inspire excellence from one another.

What type of training methodology does Discover Strength utilize?

Strength training is the only modality of exercise that is administered in Discover Strength studios. Discover Strength employs an evidence-based approach to strength training, which examines the preponderance of peer-reviewed literature and applies these findings to clients’ workouts. An extensive onboarding and continual education process ensure that all exercise physiologists understand and adhere to this evidence-based approach.  Discover Strength does not do fads or hype.