The Exit Strategy
There is a specific kind of anxiety reserved for personal trainers who have decided to go independent. It usually hits you in the break room, right after you’ve realized you’re generating $8,000 a month in revenue for the gym but taking home $2,400 of it.
You know you can do better. You know your clients would follow you. But then you remember the employment contract you signed three years ago without reading. You remember the ominous warnings from your fitness manager about “non-competes” and “solicitation lawsuits.”
So you stay put, paralyzed by the fear of a legal letter.
Here is the reality: You can leave. You can take your career independent. But you have to do it with surgical precision.
Disclaimer: I am an article, not a lawyer. This is industry insight based on how things actually work in Arizona, but if you receive a cease-and-desist letter, call an actual attorney.
The “Non-Compete” vs. “Non-Solicit” Reality
First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Back in 2024, the FTC made headlines by proposing a ban on non-compete agreements. A lot of trainers thought this was their “Get Out of Jail Free” card.
It wasn’t. As of early 2026, that federal ban faced massive legal hurdles and is effectively dead in the water as a blanket rule. In Arizona, we are back to state-level common law.
Here is the distinction that saves your career:
1. The Non-Compete (The Bark)
This clause says you can’t work at another gym within X miles for Y months.
The Reality: Arizona courts generally hate these. They view them as a “restraint of trade.” Unless you are a high-level executive with trade secrets, a judge is unlikely to stop you from earning a living just because you moved to a gym three miles away. Most big gyms know this and rarely sue solely over this.
2. The Non-Solicitation (The Bite)
This clause says you cannot ask the gym’s members to leave with you.
The Reality: This is enforceable. If you are caught handing out business cards on the gym floor or emailing clients from the company database, you are in trouble. That is “theft of trade secrets” (the client list).
Your goal is to navigate the gap between working elsewhere (allowed) and poaching (not allowed).
The Strategy: Announcement vs. Solicitation
The legal line is thin, but it exists. Solicitation is trying to persuade a client to leave. Announcement is simply stating a fact about your employment status.
- You CANNOT say: “Hey, I’m moving to Fitness 48 next month, you should come with me. It’s cheaper and better.” (This is solicitation).
- You CAN say: “I want to let you know that my last day here will be January 31st. It’s been a privilege training you.” (This is a professional announcement).
When the client asks, “Where are you going?” (and they will ask), you can truthfully answer: “I’m going to be running my own business out of a studio in Paradise Valley. I can’t discuss the details here on the floor, but you’re welcome to Google me or check my Instagram.”
The 30-Day Exit Protocol
If you want to leave cleanly, do not just quit one day and hope for the best. Play the long game.
Days 1-15: The Information Phase
Stop using the gym’s app to message clients. If you don’t already have their personal phone numbers or emails in your personal phone, get them.
- Don’t: “Give me your number so I can recruit you later.”
- Do: “Hey, the gym’s app crashes a lot, let me get your cell just in case I need to reschedule a session last minute.”
Days 15-28: Service Over Sales
Train your clients harder and better than ever. Remind them of the value you provide, not the gym. You want them to realize that the relationship is with the coach, not the building.
Day 29: The Resignation
Resign in writing. Keep it short. Do not give two weeks’ notice if you plan on taking clients—most gyms will walk you out the door immediately to prevent “poaching.” Be prepared to pack your bag that day.
Day 30: The Announcement
Once you are officially no longer an employee, you update your LinkedIn and Instagram. You send a personal email (from your personal account) to the contacts you know.
Subject: Career Update
“Hi [Name], I’m writing to let you know I’ve moved on from [Big Box Gym]. I’m now operating independently at Fitness 48 in Ahwatukee. I’d love to stay in touch—you can find my new scheduling link here.”
You didn’t ask them to quit the other gym. You simply told them where you are. If they choose to cancel their membership and follow you, that is their right as a consumer.
The Economics of Courage
Why go through this stress? Because the math at a commercial gym is broken.
For the full financial breakdown, see The Math Hammer. The short version: at a 60% split, you’re donating ~$60,000 a year to walk into your gym. At Fitness 48, your rent is capped at $800/month. The rest is yours.
The Landing Zone
The hardest part of leaving isn’t the legal threat; it’s the fear of having nowhere to go. You can’t train clients in your living room, and you can’t train them at another commercial gym that bans outside coaches.
You need a home base that looks professional, has elite equipment, and—crucially—doesn’t employ its own trainers to compete with you.
At Fitness 48, we don’t employ trainers. We provide the facility for independent pros to run their businesses. We don’t take a cut of your sessions. We don’t tell you how to program. We just give you the keys to a facility in Ahwatukee or Paradise Valley that will impress your clients from day one.
You’ve done the work to build the relationship. You should keep the revenue.
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