A 6 month journey in Personal Training…
January 3rd 2017, Christmas break was over. Time to work. Don’t think I've had a winter holiday as short as this before but I needed to be back in Newcastle upon Tyne where I study as a new opportunity was awaiting me.
I was about to begin working as a Personal Trainer in a commercial gym. My first job in the fitness industry. It was a big milestone for me and a pretty intimidating step if I’m totally honest. It had been just under a year since I had sat my PT exam and whilst I hadn’t forgotten how to train people, I felt like I had no real idea how to go about this.
The first few days were nerve wrecking but my colleagues helped me settle in well. I was doing everything I was told: cleaning equipment, smiling at members, absorbing knowledge from other PT’s like a sponge. I quickly honed in on the successful ones and wanted to know what made them tick. What were they doing that made them so successful? How could I do the same and get my business off the ground?
Clients came and went and I learned a lot about consumer relations in the first few months. One of the biggest pearls of wisdom that I learned is that you can have all the fancy business cards and slick websites and you can invest in your company all you want, but the key is putting in the ground work.
Whether on the gym floor or talking face to face with people, this is where you make your money. Most people are accustomed to minimal human contact in gym environments or are simply to shy to come up and ask for help. Talk to people. Ask them questions. Ultimately you have something in common in the simple fact that you go to the same gym.
Having a vested interest in your clients is key. You cannot see them as customers. Former Crossfit Games champion Ben Smith said ‘’treat every single person who walks in that door as your best friend’’ and that’s something I firmly believe in.
Never did I think I would form relationships like I have with my clients like I have. In school I didn’t care for the jobs that were ‘’rewarding’’ or ‘’you get a lot out of’’ but the past 6 months have really opened my eyes to what I want out of life.
It sounds weird to say but once I started putting the work in, clients were drawn in. Right now things are good. My intra- personal skills have improved to the point of understanding how the process works of meeting someone, talking through their training goals and beginning the work.
It takes rejection. It takes missed opportunities. It takes going through a period of having nothing to show for yourself in terms of client numbers. I’ve been through it all in the past 3 months, and I think most good Personal Trainers will tell you the same.
Put in the work. Care about people and the universe just serves you back.
So I guess the reason I am publishing this article (other than personal reflection and a secret passion for writing) is on the off chance that someone who is the same place I was 6 months ago, reads this and finds hope or inspiration.
It can be a long, dark, uncertain road for someone, especially at 19 years of age. But at the 6 month mark I saw just over £1,000 of my own hard earned money in my bank account for the first time and already began the transition into bootcamp/ group training ventures. They might seem like small landmarks but they are important for me.
So if you’re on a similar path, please don’t worry. Things never go strictly according to plan, but here is what I know: if you work hard and are nice to people, things just happen. I cant explain it but they just do.
Find whatever sets you on fire, then go do that.
Have fun and good luck!
Thanks for reading. Hit the like button if you enjoyed this. It would mean a lot!
