just got qualified as a Personal Trainer. Your opinion?

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BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay so I have just become a Certified Personal Trainer and can't wait to start training people.
Only thing though is that I still have a bit more weight to lose..

I used to be an Aus size 24 am now an Aus size 12.. aiming for an 8.. should I wait til I reach my goal before applying for jobs or see how I go whilst still "bigger?"

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  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    It couldn't hurt to start trying now. If you've gotten your certification, you know what you're doing and you can practice what you preach. It'll be a good way to show your potential clients that what you're teaching works!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    I can't imagine it would hurt you to start applying now, but just don't get discouraged incase you don't get hired right away, because I imagine it could impact your likelihood of getting hired if there are other applicants who are more fit.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    First, congratulations on your certification!

    I have no idea how that industry works, so everything I say here is guesswork. I see nothing wrong with making inquiries, especially to find out if potential employers would consider you as you are now or would be more interested when you are fitter. I imagine it differs among the individual outfits.

    Research as much as you can about the places you want to apply to. That tells them you've done your homework.

    IMO, a major consideration would be your relationship with your clients. The fact that you are working toward your own goal might give you an advantage here because it makes you easier to identify with than someone who is at goal. You've been through the struggle. You "get it." Turn your short-of-goal body into a strength.

    Good luck!
  • hkry3250
    hkry3250 Posts: 140
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    Okay so I have just become a Certified Personal Trainer and can't wait to start training people.
    Only thing though is that I still have a bit more weight to lose..

    I used to be an Aus size 24 am now an Aus size 12.. aiming for an 8.. should I wait til I reach my goal before applying for jobs or see how I go whilst still "bigger?"
    Just curious, who did you get certified through?
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    Okay so I have just become a Certified Personal Trainer and can't wait to start training people.
    Only thing though is that I still have a bit more weight to lose..

    I used to be an Aus size 24 am now an Aus size 12.. aiming for an 8.. should I wait til I reach my goal before applying for jobs or see how I go whilst still "bigger?"
    Just curious, who did you get certified through?

    Canberra Institute of Technology (in Australia). The cert IV is a year long course - we have a Gym at school and we have been training our own clients under the supervision of teachers for the past 3 months. We have had on campus classes all year. 8 classes a week 2xhrs long each and 3 clients which we train for an hour 2x week.
    We also do Nutrition, Business, Anatomy, WHS - everything! We get taught heaps of stuff :)
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    bump
  • hkry3250
    hkry3250 Posts: 140
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    That sounds awesome. I wish the schools that tought personal training here in the US did that, but most are only online courses. I'm certified through ISSA.
  • Amber86queenbee
    Amber86queenbee Posts: 102
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    Congratulations on getting qualified!

    I say go for it - I used to train with someone who was I think more like a AUS 14 & it didn't bother me at all. I was more concerned with her training style, knowledge, fit with me and how hard she pushed me.

    Just don't get discouraged if it doesn't fall into place straight away and keep believing in yourself and working towards your goals.
  • anifani4
    anifani4 Posts: 457 Member
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    Definitely apply now. You have an awesome education and even if you feel you are not at goal you have made progress and it sounds to me like you are a reasonable size. Good luck and congrats on your certification.
  • soliddreams
    soliddreams Posts: 37
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    The thing is that a lot of personal trainers (at least at box gyms, these days) are way out of shape, so you would be much preferred. Especially since most of them have a weekend course! Go for it.
  • annie_bob
    annie_bob Posts: 7 Member
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    Apply - A size 12 can still look 'fit'.
    One consideration though;
    If you can perform the exercises that you are going to instruct, with decent form, (eg; full push up - abs tight, straight line from head to toe, no 'sagging' through upper or lower back on eccentric phase etc) there is no issues applying. If you cannot, work on performing at least a few reps of most exercises.
    I'm recently qualified too, but am a size 14 - I know that's a bit too big, even though I can perform majority of exercises with good enough form, and can cue my way through the rest. (I can't perform certain exercises due to an ACL injury, which will be operated on in a few months, so personally, i'm hanging out for that and to be a size 12 at most before applying.)
    Good luck!
    Please keep us informed as to how you go with applying as a 12 - i'd be very interested to know!
  • Zoeegirl
    Zoeegirl Posts: 100 Member
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    Congrats!! I hope to lose my weight (140ish lbs) and then one day be a personal trainer. I would love to help inspire people. If you are passionate about that- then start now!!:flowerforyou:
  • celebrity328
    celebrity328 Posts: 377 Member
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    My PT is very fit never had a weight issues in her life etc. with that being said there are also other PT at the gym I go to who have weight to lose. I've been going to the same gym over a year now and to see them struggle really has help me realize its not just me struggling. They understand how hard it is to carry around an extra 50+ pounds and can sometimes offer advise. One PT had a baby and now she's taking classes she once taught trying to get back into the swing of things :)
  • Smurfette1987
    Smurfette1987 Posts: 110 Member
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    I think in way you might have an advantage. I'm also training. I've kind of noticed that female PTs get mostly female clients, and most of those are more mature ladies. I worry that when I qualify I will find it reeeeally hard to find clients as a lot of (especially more mature) women seem to have a "you're young, wait til you get to my age/have kids" attitude towards me, like age and genetics keep me in shape. Yesterday, I stepped off a bioimpedence scale and laughed because (I'm guessing) my sweat/water level affected the reading and made me out to be 16% body fat, which is silly, I'm usually like 19, and a lady was like "I wish I could laugh when I go on the scale" and proceeeded to tell me about her past in the army and she's had kids since, and how much weight you put on as you get older (I look like 12, but I'm 26, not old but getting harder!) but now she's lost 2 stone, like I was somehow judging her. Actually I train really hard, and constantly pay attention to what I eat because all the women in my family are predisposed to being larger and I only have to slacken off a little and I gain like mad, I totally understand her struggle, I understand negative body image, I understand how hard it can be to bite the bullet even though you feel conscious and take a step to do something about it. But often people look at me and go; young, has it easy, naive, no credibility.
    In short, women PTs seem to get female clients, women are more easily intimidated and conscious when it comes to training and want somone they feel safe with and can relate to, and I think a mutual goal makes you more approachable.
    I would think you would initially get clients through that, and then more as people see and hear about your own results. It makes you easy to relate to for what is most likely the majority of your client base (I know that might be a gross assumption, you might end up training male body builders I don't know)
    For example I use a PT for a sports performance programme, I would choose my PT over one of the more "body beautiful" looking PTs because I would say his appearance shows his interests are more performance related if you get me? more athletic as opposed to vanity training. If I wanted to take up figure bodybuilding I might choose someone who looks buff. If I was trying to lose some weight, worried about joining the gym and conscious I would definitely choose someone like you, my friend is in that position and she even said the other day that she wished there was a PT that pretty much matches your description as she is intimidated by the ones that are available.
    I say go for it, sell what you have :) and I don't know AUS sizes, but as U.K ones go, you're def not big.
  • geeniusatwurk
    geeniusatwurk Posts: 68 Member
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    I think its a matter of perspective. I used to have a PT that weighed more than I did when I started around 280 pounds. I just couldn't take someone like that seriously.

    But if I had a PT at my current weight and they weighed 10% more than me, I don't think it'd be a big deal.

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