As you swagger around the gym, chest puffed, guns primed and vest bursting, it’s tempting to let out a derisory laugh and judgemental headshake at those puffing, panting and sweating from every pore of their seemingly unsalvageable bodies.
Whilst you wouldn’t be seen dead without a dumbbell in one hand and a protein shake in the other, it’s important to remember that you, too, were once a graceless newbie stumbling aimlessly from treadmill to cross trainer.
But so what?
To get to where you are today, it’s extremely likely you had someone you could count on to dish out fitness tips, impart dietary advice and make sure you didn’t crush your head with an overloaded Olympic bar.
Whether that was a dedicated personal trainer or that hulking bloke you initially avoided eye contact with, you can repay that debt AND earn a living doing something you love by taking your own personal training courses.
Here’s what you need to know …
Adopt a Holistic Approach
What works for you won’t necessarily work for the next guy, so it’s important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the different body types and workouts you’ll need in your locker to achieve the best results for your clients.
During your personal training course, you’ll learn all this and more, giving you the knowledge and confidence to communicate with your clients, offering expert advice not only on technique, but on what they should be fuelling their bodies with.
But that’s not all.
As you might expect, the role of a personal trainer is a combination of friend, enemy and life coach, which means you must be armed with the kind of people skills that would put Oprah Winfrey and Ricki Lake to shame.
Get to Grips with Your Industry
Once you’ve gained the requisite qualifications, it’s vital you go where the clients are.
It sounds obvious, but there are a number of avenues available for qualified fitness professionals – from private gyms and local councils to running your own business – keen to get the best out of their recruits and earn top dollar.
At the end of the day, the way you decide to operate depends on how autonomous you wish to be. If you’d prefer the security of a salaried position or the freedom of your own business, or even to supplement another job, the options are endless.
So, are personal training courses worth it?
Well, if your days of sauntering around the gym like a cut-price Arnold Schwarzenegger are over and you have a real urge to save folk from the often bewildering array of machines and weights synonymous with a gym, there’s no telling how far you can go.