It’s finally here. After perhaps years of deciding you were going to pursue your passion for fitness, then maybe a couple more years getting qualified, then finding a gym to take you on, it is Day One and you are about to have a real, live person put money in your hand. And do you know what you’re going to think? “Thank goodness I took my time, learned my stuff and trained at PTA”, because somewhere amidst all the fear/fog/anxiety you are probably also feeling at this point, you will know that you actually do know your stuff, and it will make all the difference.
My first tertiary training was for a double law degree, and I joke to this day that it was really an advanced librarian degree, because of course no one can possibly remember every single law, let alone every case and precedent. And it is the same in a way with your PT qualification – you won’t remember every detail of the Ischial Tuberosity or in which plane the Superficial Front Line functionally balances the Superficial Back Line – but you will know where to look for this information as you need it. And knowing that you know that, will make all the difference. Because, you will be able to focus on your client, be able to see what is happening with them as they engage in this strange new activity you’ve got them doing.
You will be able to focus on your client, and within a few minutes you will be off and into this new life realising you’re not a fraud, but a well-trained, highly skilled specialist that can and will make a real difference to the people who are lucky enough to come your way. Maybe in the “old” days people learnt the job in their jobs, but not today – no matter how brilliant the organisation is you work for (or especially if you end up working for yourself), there simply isn’t time for you to learn it all when you’ve started work. So again, you’ll be saying “Thank goodness” I learnt my stuff at PTA.
If you are doing your course right now, or about to start, don’t just do the least to get through – take advantage of every expert, every opportunity. Trust me when I say there will come a day when it will make a difference that you listened, tuned in, researched and got as much out of the Cert III and Cert IV courses as you could. It’s not just the knowledge, though that is reason enough. It’s the confidence – instead of your mind having to process rapidly in the background because you don’t really know what is going on while you try and keep a positive face on – you will be “present” giving your client the best possible experience you can give them. And this presence will make you a great trainer because you will not only bring general knowledge and expertise to your client, but specific, tailored expertise gained from your observation and interaction with them. And you know what, Day Two is going to be even better!
I’ve been thinking about becoming a trainer. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I just never knew how to get started.
I’ve been reading the blogs and articles at http://www.TheSixFigureTrainer.com and it’s been really helpful. I decided on which certification to get, and I’ve also learned how to find the best gym in my area to train at. I’m looking forward to building my business.
If you are a new trainer, I would recommend http://www.TheSixFigureTrainer.com with Stu. I found the site extremely helpful.
I actually took the e-class Stu does and it really helped me get started. One cool thing I learned was how to use 2 different maps to find high-end gyms in my area to work at and how to get an interview and get hired. Stu was really helpful and super nice. If you have a question, just email him and he’ll get back to you pretty fast.