The Show Up Fitness Podcast

Life Time Fitness Sacramento How to Get Hired w/ SUF-CPT Ayanna

• Chris Hitchko, CEO Show Up Fitness • Season 3 • Episode 366

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Ever watched a dream job slip through your fingers because of nerves and tech chaos, then found a way to win it back? That’s the heart of our conversation with Ayanna, a determined trainer who went from CrossFit and PT settings to a full-time role at Lifetime Fitness—after a botched remote interview and a bold, make-good workout that changed everything.

We dig into the difference between reading a cert and becoming a coach. Live, interactive learning built her confidence: anatomy that matters, programming that works on the floor, and real-time feedback from a community of trainers at clubs like Lifetime and Equinox. You’ll hear how case studies, avatars, and practical assignments created a loop of learn, apply, and refine that paid off when she faced a high-stakes practical. Instead of overcomplicating things, she stuck to assessments, clean progressions, and clear cues—proof that fundamentals beat flash.

Once hired, the work shifted to member engagement. Ayanna shares how she walked the floor with purpose, offered quick wins without pressure, and used simple progressions to move people beyond stale routines. We compare the career math at different gyms, why Lifetime’s early support helps new trainers thrive, and how pricing confidence grows when clients invest in 12 to 36 sessions. We also outline a repeatable plan: mirror top performers’ activity, double your availability, script your first five minutes, and track client wins that turn into stories and referrals.

If you’re trying to break into a top club or rebuild momentum after a setback, this episode gives you a blueprint: apologize fast, add value immediately, ask for specific feedback, and keep going until you get a firm no. Subscribe for more real-world tactics, share this with a trainer who needs a push, and leave a review to tell us the bold move you’ll make this week.

Want to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

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Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Personal Trainer Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Personal-Trainer-Successful/dp/B08WS992F8
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com/collections/nasm

SPEAKER_01:

And Lifetime wants more SUF CPTs. I think there's five or six at that location. I guarantee you, if you had your NASA Mace or ISSA and you went in there, you wouldn't have had that second shot because they're not going to be reaching out to managers having a conversation. They're way too big. And that's the beauty of being smaller, we focus on being better and providing that customer service because you are one of our customers and we want you to succeed. But ultimately, you're the proof of our success as well because you are a good trainer. It's not like we're just going to get random people hired. The product speaks for itself. You're a great trainer. You know how to train. You're going to be able to welcome to the Show Up Fitness Podcast, where great personal trainers are made. We are changing the fitness industry one qualified trainer at a time with our in-person and online personal training certification. If you want to become an elite personal trainer, head on over to showupfitness.com. Also make sure to check out my book, How to Become a Successful Personal Trainer. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Have a great day and keep showing up. Hada everybody. Welcome back to the Show Up Fitness Podcast. Today we have a rock star in Northern California, Miss Ayana. How are we doing?

SPEAKER_00:

Hey Chris. Good morning. Good morning. Doing well. How are you?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm doing awesome. You got a really neat story from CrossFit physical therapy into Lifetime Fitness Roseville. And we will be there the 7th and 8th of November. We'll get to meet in person. We'll be at the Arden one. But we have a lot of cool success stories. And this one might be in the top five because I really like how you were able to go through that process. And now you get to turn your passion for fitness into a career. So let's start in the beginning. How did you come across Show Up? And let's talk about some of the early days, gaining some experience with CrossFit and physical therapy.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so I came across Show Up, you know, my dad, um, he's in the military, so he had a soldier actually go through the program. And so, you know, he was having a conversation with him. And basically he said, Hey, here's the link to the program that I went to, which was called Show Up Fitness. And so, you know, my dad likes to send me information and just kind of like, hey, check this out, or hey, you might be interested in this. And so he sent me the link to Show Up Fitness and I, you know, dug a little deeper. I was looking at your guys' website, you know, your Instagram and everything, kind of seeing what you guys were about. And I had been looking for something for a certification just to really hone in on what was necessary, right? So I was trying to do ISSA beforehand and it just I just could not do it because I'm not the type of person where I'm like, you know, let me just read all this textbook when I did it in college, right? Obviously it's beneficial, but I also wanted hands-on and I want to learn, you know, the different ways of programming and stuff like that. And so you guys were the perfect um, you know, opportunity for me to be able to invest in that. And so I I did it, and I say nothing but highlight things about you guys because it was really it was really cool.

SPEAKER_01:

So I think a lot of people have a misconception with online that it's just gonna be some old dude who's telling you about anatomy and it's not very engaging. But could you talk to us, maybe for some of the listeners, what it was like being in the calls? Because they're live. We haven't never met. You went through the program, but you are still able to gain a lot of experience by asking questions and having the community to be a part of.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so it's like being in person, right? So you don't know, or it's like being in the classroom, you don't you're not gonna know who who's right next to you and who's in front of you, right? So you're all in the same like classroom and you're asking, you're learning and you're asking certain questions. And it's just it gives you an opportunity to like really um hone down on your education on, you know. So if I had a question about anatomy, like the 17 muscles of the shoulder, um, you guys were really, you know, trying to teach us that and then you know, hey, memorize this and learn this. And that was really cool because some of us I think we get caught up on like trying to memorize everything when we only need to memori like really understand certain parts. I mean, understanding a lot of the body, but like the main ones that you typically would use and you know, um help a client um in personal training or whatnot. So it was just really cool. Um you get to ask questions and you're you're there um at your own speed. Um, and then you know, you're just you're doing the work on your own.

SPEAKER_01:

So and like you were saying, you don't know the person next to you, they could literally be on the Zoom call from New York or Miami or international. And so you get to hear about their experiences as well, where maybe you haven't taken someone through a specific workout. You know, we're doing an avatar for the month, pickleball Pete, right now. Last month we were doing some metabolic conditions with Mary. So you're able to hear other people program and then case examples from trainers at Lifetime in Equinox or wherever they may be, and they're asking questions to the instructor, and then they're giving their input. And then the cool thing is you go and do it, and you come back and you have the conversation. And so you have to learn the material first. That's the technical side, but then you have conversations and you ask, you see it, and then you do it. And that's really what's missing with a lot of the certifications that are out there. It's just you read a book and then you're thrown to the sharks. And I can only imagine the lens and the fear when you apply to places like Lifetime, because these are the best gyms in the world, and you were able to go through, and that's what we're gonna talk about next. And it wasn't a hundred percent a seamless process, but because of the connections that we have will show up, you're guaranteed an interview. And so talk to us about the interview process on the phone, and then the second one, the third one, and then how you got hired.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so interesting. So I was in the process of, you know, I connect reached out to you um because I I so badly wanted to get inside a gym and just get my foot in the door um back again um in the fitness industry. But I it was more because I really want to start my personal training career, right? So it was so important to me. Um, the first interview basically, you know, was uh in person. We did a practical and I was so nervous. If you meet me, I'm gonna be sweating. It doesn't matter the time of day. You know, it could be like early morning, late evenings, but I was so sweaty. I've never been so nervous for an interview like that. And it was just next level. Like I was shaking and everything, but I really honed in. I just was like, you know what? I'm just gonna show up and you know, do what I am comfortable in, what I know, and then things that I've learned through show out fitness, um, you know, with the assessments, with taking them, you know, and seeing how they move. Um, especially because they gave out um like a case study. So, you know, they were just saying, hey, if you have this person come in with this injury and, you know, X, Y, and Z. Um, and so I I got to do that. And then 20 minutes later, I was on the freeway and I was like, man, I could have did this, or you know, you you go and you get in your head and you're thinking about different things, like, oh, I know I could have improved on this, right? Um, and then I got a text and saying, Hey, I passed, come do the second interview. So the second interview was, you know, was with the PT manager, um, Nick, and he I met him in person and and in during that interview, you know, I was professional, I was, you know, answering the questions to the best of my ability. Um and it was just more of um, you know, there was something not there was something about me. I guess I had a guard up the whole entire time. Um, but I was just super nervous and you know, just wanting to just get in there so badly, like and no one else knew that. But uh yeah, so it that meeting went okay. It still wasn't, you know, he was like, okay, well, let me take you through a third meeting, um, and you're gonna get a third interview, and that was with Rob.

SPEAKER_01:

And so put a pin in that real quickly. I want to compare what the average trainer would do if you don't have the connections like we do. And I'm not to say like we got you the job by any means, you got the job because you're a great trainer, but the process is you would apply online, maybe a recruiter would call you back. Who knows how many they're getting per month? I just had a call with one of the lifetimes in the market of Texas, and they're getting two to three hundred per month. And so they're going through these at a pace, who knows, with other duties that they have. They got a lot on their plate, and then they come across someone, they think you're a good candidate, they reach out to you, a quick little phone interview, and then if you pass that, you go in with the manager. If the manager likes you, you could say something that offends them in a way that maybe you like bosu balls or whatever. There's so much that goes into it. But when you go through show up, we literally have we skip that first step. We get you in contact with the GM and you're able to have that conversation. I have a conversation with them afterwards. How'd it go? Literally talking through the whole process. And it's not me pushing, saying, Oh, you gotta hire, you gotta hire her. It's just like, what were your thoughts? How'd it go? And it was cool because the feedback was she did amazing, really awesome job. Seems like she's gonna be a great fit. Let's just get her through this last stage, which is you meet with the GM. And so what was that like? Because we had a little curveball.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, we did. So I thought, you know, I was so far out over in the Rothman area. And you know, at the time I was, you know, looking and searching for apartments, and I was like, okay, let me go to the Starbucks really quick because I know I'm out in boondocks, like there's hardly any noise out here, and um just everything I I got there 45 minutes early. And when I sat down, I was like, okay, Microsoft Teams, let me get that up and running on my laptop. And then you know how your computers, if you don't follow the updates of software, you know, and you don't update it all the time. So I don't tend to do that with my computer. So and just that day when I was trying to connect to my hotspot and trying to connect to the Starbucks um internet, it just was like loading and loading. So that just wasn't really connecting properly. And so when I got onto Teams, I had actually texted Nick and I was like, hey, I'm trying to get onto Teams, it's not allowing me to. Um, and then I finally was able to, and then when I did, there was just too much noise. Um, because I at the time I thought I was just in a there was hardly any people in there, but then I started noticing a lot of kids coming in, and I was like, Oh no, and so you know, Rob was like, I can really and so I was like, My apologies, let me you know, take it outside. So I was laptop outside, and you know, it was still kind of roughly loud because there was it's you know, outside, and then I my laptop shut down. I like I kid you not.

SPEAKER_01:

How ironic is that? It's literally happening again. Where are you? So it was like the perfect shit storm where technology wasn't aligned and the stars were not in your favor, and so you weren't able to do the complete interview, and ultimately those situations are kind of like, well, look at the other candidate pool, and you have to make that decision, the managers do. And so I reached out and wanted to have a quick little chat. They liked everything on the first two interviews, but that definitely sat in their stomach kind of in a bad way. And I said, Well, you have to do what you have to do. But knowing what the average trainer would do in that scenario, the average trainer would throw their tail between their leg and they're gonna go home and they're gonna cry and be a victim. What you did, and we had a conversation, is I said, okay, the average trainer is gonna do this. We can't be average. And so you reached out and you said, Hey, you know what? I apologize. Let me make it up to you. I'm gonna take you through a workout. Worst case scenario, I'll pay you your hourly rate. You brought them coffee, you took them through the workout, you crushed it, and now they gave you a second shot. And you now you're four days in, you're hired at lifetime. And why don't we talk a little bit about the first four days and how it's been so far, and then we'll uh open it up for any questions you have for me.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, the first four days have been great. Like I it's just what I expected, and you know, it's just the environment I I just always have just wanted to be in. Um and the first two days were all about member engagement. So you see me walking the first floor. I'm trying to crack jokes and you know, trying to introduce myself um to as many people as I can. And then I try to break it up. So there's different areas of you know, the lifetime gym. So you've got pickleball outside, then you've got the tennis courts. And so it was really just about me getting in front of people as much as I can so they understand who I am, what I'm doing at lifetime, and so forth. Um, and then like the last two days were really just, you know, okay, getting an understanding of the team, you know, under like, you know, meeting people, two other members who are showing fitness CPT certified, um, and just learning from them and just kind of taking in different informations from how this trainer has done really well here, how this trainer has, you know, has been here for a long time, giving, you know, some advice, some tips that they have for new trainers, and just really trying to get myself acquainted with the team and everybody. Um, so it's been really great. It's been nothing but positives.

SPEAKER_01:

And Lifetime wants more SUF CPTs. I think there's five or six at that location. And I guarantee you, if you had your NASA Mace or ISSA and you went in there, you wouldn't have had that second shot because they're not gonna be reaching out to managers having a conversation. They're way too big. And that's the beauty of being smaller, is that we focus on being better and providing that customer service because you are one of our customers and we want you to succeed, but ultimately you're the proof of our success as well because you are a good trainer. It's not like we're just gonna get random people hired. The product speaks for itself. You're a great trainer, you know how to train, you're gonna be able to turn your passion for fitness into a career and help a ton of people in that environment, which is really impressive too, because the difference between lifetime and equinox, which in my opinion, being a trainer for 20 plus years, lifetime is significantly better because of the beginning opportunities. They're paying you 40 hours per week. So you're getting at least a foundation where if you go to Equinox, you might get maybe 15, 20 hours minimum wage. You're not getting nearly as much. Your first paycheck, Megan said it was like 300 bucks for the for the month. It's not a lot. Lifetime gives you the tools to be successful. And now it's all on you because you got to build your book of business and you're gonna have highs, you're gonna have lows, and and obviously you're not gonna be showing them late to your clients, but you're gonna be able to provide that professionalism. But most importantly, help your clients get results and just really build on your career capital. And there's not a better gym in the world, in my opinion, than Lifetime. So you're set for success because your manager is freaking awesome, your teammates are amazing, and you just get to learn in an environment with the clientele who can afford you. Nothing against the lower end gyms, but if you were to go to an LA Fitness or a YMCA, you might be getting 20 bucks per session when they're charging sometimes 75 plus, but at least there's an opportunity to get 60, 70 because you're getting 50% of that roughly. And the clientele, it's something about your confidence that just goes through the roof when you pitch them 12, 36 sessions and they don't even blink an eye at$4,000,$5,000. And so then you start seeing the value in your product. And so whether if you want to be there for life or you want to take a step to the side and do your own thing, you know the value of your product, which is$100 plus per hour. And that's really where you're going to be able to make this into a career because you'd have to be working 60, 70 plus hours at these lower end gyms, barely scraping by. And that's why the industry has such a bad rep, is because when you do that, you burn out. We talk shit about the industry and you say, Oh my God, it's so hard to make a living. But when you get a great foundation and you understand movement, the people skills, the business skills, we're not afraid of sales. You go in there, and I love what you said about you allowed for your colors to really showcase themselves by smiling and talking to people, and you're gonna relate with a lot of people. There's probably 5,000 members there. You're gonna get your 1520 people, and they're gonna be training with you three, four, five times a week. And it's really neat to look at your paycheck and go, you know what? I I'm actually able to survive and I can move out and I can actually have money to do the things that I like. The first week, what would you say has been the highlight? Maybe any fears? What's been going through your mind?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so I mean, just the biggest highlight is just it's really the members. That was, you know, my highlight because I just enjoyed the conversations I had. I had some of the members tell me, like, oh, get connected, you know, with so and so because they've been here and they're really good trainers, and they just talk so highly of the team. Um, and so that's what I really admired about a lot of the the regulars there. Um, my biggest fear is, you know, for people not uh trusting me with, you know, taking them, you know, with personal training. So that's you know, I'm trying to just get myself out there and just having them really in trust, like, hey, you know, I can work with you. And I've actually talked to someone last night and he was doing some rehab exercises and he was sticking to some, you know, uh bosu ball exercises. And so I actually suggested, I was like, hey, I'd love to, you know, kind of showcase like an exercise that can actually progress you from this exercise and you know can be even more beneficial because I'm you I'm sure you've probably been doing this for a long time. And so he's he was like, okay, you know, he seemed interested. And so I was like, Yeah, it's just complimentary free. I'm not charging anything, or you know, and then he was like, Okay, well, you know, I'll have to come back to the PT desk. And so, um, yeah, so that's that's just been a work in progress. But I also fear that, you know, um just making sure, you know, I'm gonna fail, but you know, making sure that I'm doing things in in the proper way. Um and just I'm so hard on myself, so I just want to be excellent.

unknown:

I love that.

SPEAKER_01:

That's great though. Yeah. And that is gonna push you towards perfection. We're never gonna be perfect, but just constantly moving that needle. So my recommendation would be meet up with Tim and Nick and Roy and your managers, Desi, and and learn how they got to the number, whatever number that is per month, 100, 120, and then just double the workload and just really make yourself available in the mornings at night and and find the trainers who are maybe struggling there and and try to see where they're not succeeding and whether if it's just their disposition or they're not available. And if you just double, triple down the workload, you're gonna be able to beat those other trainers. Because if you're hard on yourself, that competitiveness can be very advantageous. Where it's like, okay, I want to see how long did it take Nick to reach full time. You know what? I want to do it faster and I want to be more efficient because you have this community where you can touch base and say, you know what? I got an assessment on Monday. Let's chat about it. Get into a call, we go through, okay, this is what they are probably gonna say, implement this exercise. Oh, you have a bro and he's been doing a bro program. Okay, this is probably what he was doing. Let's add a couple of these cool 28s in there or a shoulder exercise we know he's never done because that stuff is what's gonna be gonna shine. And then be like, wow, I really need to work with you. And then when you start getting those members to sign up, your confidence shoots to the roof. And next thing you know, you'll be like Joe opening up your own gym in Arden in Lifetime, and that's where we're gonna be the seventh and eighth of Sacramento. Excited to get a photo with you with your DPT shirt on and just help you continue to move the needle. So, do you have anything else that you want to add out there for people who are listening, or do you have any questions for me before we call her a day?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, yeah, for people who are listening, honestly, just believe in yourself. I it was, you know, for the first week of getting hired at Lifetime, it was a roller coaster, but I really was like, no, like there's no way, you know, and I wanted to keep pushing forward um until I got a definitive no. Um, because I truly believe, you know, I'm fully capable of, you know, being there. And you with my experience in the past, you know, I just I'm the type of person who just, you know, is just always putting the first foot forward, um, facing problems, you know, really trying to problem solve. I I really just try to figure out like, okay, how what's next? What else can I do? Reached out to Chris and try to reach out to Nick and everything. So just making sure that you're if you really want it, if you truly, truly, really want it, just keep going forward. Um, but even at reach out and ask someone like, hey, how do I go about this? Like, you know, this is what happened. You know, I don't want to quit until I get a for sure no. Love that. So just keep going forward.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm proud of your consistency, also being persistent in that situation. You were able to, you know, get on boarded. Now it's time to, you know, practice what you preach, put it into play and start building your book of business. I'm really proud of you and excited to see in a couple weeks already. I'm guaranteeing you're gonna have a couple clients and it's gonna be fun to talk about your success stories with your clients already.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, thank you so much, Chris.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you. All righty, have a great day. And remember, keep showing up.