Hong Kong personal trainers facing ‘unbearable pressure’, going freelance: sector veterans
Hard-sell practices of chains in spotlight after Physical gym closure, with commission-based pay blamed for turning coaches into salespeople
Veterans in the physical fitness industry have warned that personal trainers working at large gym chains in Hong Kong are suffering “unbearable pressure” and they are increasingly turning to freelance opportunities to earn more with less stress.
Personal trainers pointed to the strain of having to engage in hard-sell practices fuelled by a commission-based pay system at large chains such as the recently closed Physical gym. The high-profile closure has put its sales tactics in the spotlight, with one former employee accusing the chain of “scamming customers”.
Some coaches who previously worked at major chains said freelancing offered an escape from such high-pressure environments, and clients were better off too.
One personal trainer who decided to go solo recalled the stress of working for more than a decade at major chains Physical and Goji, which closed in 2021.
“Working at large fitness chains was incredibly stressful. Those who have worked at places like Physical or California were shouldering unbearable pressure,” said the 38-year-old, who asked to remain anonymous.
“Management would fire off expletives, and throw staplers or hole punchers at us if we didn’t fulfil the quota. Sometimes fights would ensue as a result.”
