Why do we offer a personal training course?

1. To set the standards of coaching

With so many available avenues to become a qualified PT these days, we brought it upon ourselves as active coaches to teach the next generation of trainers, our experiences in the industry, more than just handing over course material. We are far from perfect and are ever humble to learning more about the human body, however, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail, personal care and standard of coaching. It is our duty of care to ensure people see the value of being a personal trainer and how their product and service can impact the lives of others.

2. Give back to the community

Our community is what makes SweatIT the success it is today, there’s no doubt about it. And, we are protective of what we have developed over the years - it’s our responsibility to ensure we hand over our morals, values and missions to trainers who want to make a difference just as much as we do.

3. Generate professionals & influence careers

Six years of practice as a coach has not been an easy ride to success. Mistakes have been made and lots learnt. We are now in a privileged position where we can offer valuable guidance to the next coaches. It is our intention to provide them with the wealth of knowledge that online material failed to cover. We share our experiences with the hope they can make better progress as fitness professionals. Loving what you do is the key ingredient to a successful and long-lasting career.

What’s the difference?

Much like any line of work, there are many pinocle moments in my PT career that caused setbacks, financial stresses, time-costly errors and misdirection. For me, I put them down to three key oversights that I believe are imperative to any new personal trainer’s education.

• Theory-focus over practical delivery

Death by PowerPoint, classroom-based lessons have been proven to be the least effective method for children’s learning so why should this be any different to adults? It may seem civilised and an option to pack in a ton of information in a short space of time but unless you are Rainman, it’s unlikely that we retain much of it at all. Online courses provide resources on pretty much everything, from training cycles to nutrition but with no one to ask there and then and nothing to relate it to, it becomes all too confusing and it’s likely you’ve read it, ticked the box and confirmed you’ve learned and understood it.

We have designed a syllabus that is interactive, practical based and refers directly to the course material. 40 hours of in-person, valuable learning. We don’t expect our clients to learn exercises from the verbal description alone, we demonstrate and provide opportunities for them to perform and feedback. This is exactly the same environment we wanted to offer to our students through our Level 3 course.

• Transferable skills to start

Body mechanics, anatomy and physiology are all important areas of knowledge to have but it’s not the sole focus of what makes you a good trainer - I can’t think of a single client that has come to me and quizzed me on planes of motion and structure of a muscle. Of course, part of the job is to ensure you have a good understanding of the body but you also need interpersonal skills, clear communication and confidence in coaching effective and safe exercises that are specific to the client’s needs.

A coaching role is very much developed over time and you learn more and more along the way, however, if you’re looking for a good reputation, and client retention then those first interactions should be positive and memorable.

• A reliable & flexible system

Movement standards along with an effective regression and progression system are the most useful tools in the business toolbox. Exposure to a varied exercise library is great but knowing how, when and to whom to apply it is a different skill in itself. Is the exercise safe and relevant to the client? Does it drive them toward their personal goal? Is the intensity & stimulus appropriate? These are questions that I hadn’t asked myself and at times be at a sticking point due to unavailable equipment or injury restrictions.

Being able to break things down and start from the beginning is extremely important and something that every new PT should start with.

So how does SweatIT make an impact?

• Build confident, industry-leading professionals

We believe that we can make a difference by providing more than just a qualification certificate. It’s our mission to provide the next generation of personal trainers with the tools to deliver excellent training, client retention and career longevity.

• Share career insight through personal experiences

Informed decisions, foresight and options are all best learnt from others. Do your research, ask questions and devise a roadmap. As active coaches in the fitness industry, you’ll learn the dos and don’ts and experiences applicable to you - saving you time and money in the long run.

• Provide opportunity

The candidates of the course are also considered for our own employment pathway, with the potential to become a SweatIT coach. We’ve had great success over the years in bringing newcomers into the industry from various professional backgrounds. Our recruitment process is based on personal attributes - we search for those all-important characteristics that fit with the TEAM.

Want to know more about our Level 3 Personal Training Course?

Considering a career change or starting one then look no further than SweatIT Academy.