Jobs in fitness

bazfitness · July 2012

Any of you guys gone from being unfit to working in fitness. The reason I ask this is I know at some point I'm going to have to move from what I currently 'work at' to something more worthwhile and although I realise there is a dark side to the fitness industry - there's also a lot of good people in it helping people to live more worthwhile lives so got me thinking that maybe it could be an option for me to pursue, combined with the fact it'll help me continue on with the healthier lifestyle I've adopted for the last 4 months.

I realise such a change is fraught with difficulties
1. Is 41 too old to be thinking of such a move?
2. My other worry is relocating. Don't think it would be likely that I could find something near where I currently live. I'm a foreigner here (Portugal) and my language skills are at best advanced intermediate level. It's a rural area so not much demand for this sort of thing. Economy is terrible here so would be difficult to find any work never mind work with even half decent pay. So basically a big upheaval would be required. FWIW I would be prepared to do that though!

Anyway it's just a thought but want to see if others have made such a move in career or what thoughts people have.
Thanks for any replies.

SouthernSkylark · July 2012

Hey Baz!
41 is definitely not too old, in fact I think it can be much of a bonus to have all that life experience behind you, as well as any qualifications you may have achieved.
I am 40 in February and in 2 weeks I have an interview at the local college to start training for my CYQ level 2 fitness instructing cert leading to level 3 personal training diploma (including level 2 gym instructing)
The support from the course leader has been really positive.

If you want to do it, go for it! This will be a career change that you could be doing for the next 20 years + .do you think you want to move back to the UK? It could be just for a few years until you have qualified and gained some experience

X

bazfitness · July 2012

Thanks Scary. Don't really have any fitness qualifications, unless you count a tennis coaching qualification from 18 years ago! I think a move to the UK would probably be very likely. If I were to pursue that avenue. I'd have very mixed feelings about that. I defo don't fancy the weather :laugh:

What also has me a bit anxious is that I'd want to be pretty sure I'd have full time work after getting a qualification. Do you have any idea what the demand is for fitness professionals is like?

pietomb00 · July 2012

Hi Baz,

Yes 41 definitely isn't too old, when I did my training to be a fitness instructor there was a guy who was about your age, and he did far better than most of the others on the course! And it doesn't matter that you don't have any fitness qualifications, just need to be relatively confident, and able to learn.

I worked as a fitness instructor in 3 different gyms (all at the same time) over the course of a year, so there is definitely demand out there, just depends where you look. I'd suggest you get your personal training as soon as possible, there are plenty of courses that let you get it without even noticing you're becoming a level 2 gym instructor at the same time (as Scary is doing). I say that just because it gives you a lot more knowledge and opportunities.

Depending on the size of the gym a lot of my colleagues had to have several "jobs", so working as a PT with their clients but then doing sports massage or a bit of gym instructing as well. But they all seem to manage fine

(And yes the weather sucks! What I really wanted to do was get trained up here, and then get a job in Turkey or another holiday destination with nicer weather! They all want/need English speaking instructors)

bazfitness · July 2012

Thanks very much for the info and the negating of my worries regarding my age.

When you say

get your personal training as soon as possible

i'm guessing you mean the personal training diploma?

What I really wanted to do was get trained up here, and then get a job in Turkey or another holiday destination with nicer weather! They all want/need English speaking instructors

Ah so that's good news then so possibly I might be able to get qualified in UK but come back to Portugal to work after all.

graysmom2005 · July 2012

Absolutely not too old. I was an over weight stay at home mom 3 years ago. Started going to the gym, became obsessed with group ex and I now teach 5 different formats 6 days a week. It is NOT a full time job...being an instructor that is. It's pocket money. 25-30 bucks a class, and you can only teach a couple times a day or you burn out/get hurt.

I love it though! It could probably help with English too. You would need to be understandable so people could hear your cues, if you went into THIS particular line of fitness work...but you could look into being a PT etc. Go for it!!!!

pietomb00 · July 2012

Thanks very much for the info and the negating of my worries regarding my age.

When you say

get your personal training as soon as possible

i'm guessing you mean the personal training diploma?

Sorry, yes that's the one, there are a couple ways to do it, and it's called a few different things, but it all ends you up in the same place

Oo yes and classes (group exercise) are great fun if that's something you like, again something a lot of people do alongside training clients.

bazfitness · July 2012

@pietomb00 Thanks once again!

@graysmom2005 thank you, encouraging stuff. But have to lol in that it would help with my English.... II'm from Ireland - so my first language is English, albeit with an accent that I have to slow down for British people

It was with the Portuguese language that I need to improve in as I'm living the ex-pat life in Portugal. Anyway easy mistake to make on your part... though did bring a smile to my face.

IronSmasher · July 2012

I'm training to be a pt in England, with plans to work in Scotland. This was also after me losing weight and becoming obsessed with fitness and health. I too was concerned about my age at 32, but when you look at it properly, a lot of potential clients come to fitness at our age range. We bring life experience and having come from being out of shape ourselves, a wealth of knowledge and empathy.

Some people are put off by being instructed by an early twenties that's always been fit.

jaz050465 · July 2012

Not sure if it answers your question, but as a 46 year old, I feel a bit odd being instructed by someone young. May be that as a secondary school teacher I feel that I should be teaching them, but would definitely feel more at ease with an older instructor.

bazfitness · July 2012

@IronSmasher. Thank you. Very good points. As you said having been (still am to a lesser degree in my case) out of shape ourselves we can empathise and have some knowledge on how to tackle being unfit. Also can see your point regarding people actually been put off by going to a 20-something who has always been fit.

@jaz050465 Thanks that's defo a very helpful answer. thanks very much for the reply.

jenhowse1 · July 2012

Interesting topic - also thinking of making a change and looking at PT training. Also gone from being fat and was told i was useless at sport at school. Now just got a good for age place for London marathon so can't be that unfit now!
What training courses in the UK does anyone recommend

IronSmasher · July 2012

Anyone in the UK I recommend checking out the register of exercise professionals. REPS.

sherrylhoward · July 2012

41 is NOT too old! I was a stay at home mom (QUITE overweight) and once my children were school age I needed to find part-time work. At 39 years old I became a group fitness instructor, starting with Spinning then eventually adding my Group Exercise certification and teaching free-style classes such as High Intensity Training, Sculpt, Abs, Metabolic Effect and even Aqua Aerobics. It is not only a way to for me to stay in the gym, but also helping others meet their fitness goals, and setting a good example for my kids.

Good Luck! You'll make the right decision!

bazfitness · July 2012

@Ironsmasher Thanks for the info on REPS.

@sherryl. Thanks a lot for your encouraging words. At least you guys make me feel that the decision to go that route is available if I choose.

Thanks all for the overwhelming positivity. Don't know quite what I was expecting after my OP but wasn't expecting such positive comments. That's great thanks and very encouraging.

Guess I had been feeling like some doors were possibly going to close for me in life now, but see that it's really perhaps more to do with my uncertainty about which path to take rather than to do with my age. Thank you all for helping me to see through this. Much appreciated :happy:

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