Hi Fareed. Thanks for agreeing to be featured by us in this edition of 100 Seconds with 100 Personal Trainers. How has life been with you having graduated from our Personal Trainer Development Program (“PTDP”) in 2014?
Fareed: You are welcome. It’s my honour to be featured by FITM. Thanks so much for having me and I am really grateful for that. Life has been good to me. I passed the exam last November and I am now an ACE certified personal trainer!
Congratulations, Fareed! You have a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science. With that qualification, your career options are wide. Why did you choose personal training?
Fareed: Yes, that’s true. I chose to be a personal trainer because it provides me with career satisfaction; satisfaction which is derived from being able to assist my clients in achieving the fitness goals that they have set for themselves and changing their lives to become a healthier and fitter them. That, to me is priceless. I wouldn’t be able to get it elsewhere.
Brilliant! How long have you been a personal trainer?
Fareed: Well, I started my personal training career with Fitness First based at Setia City Mall in the month of July, 2014. I was an Advance Personal Trainer when I resigned from Fitness First. I left them to start up my own fitness enterprise with a fellow trainer just over 2 months ago. We named our enterprise ChocBerry Fitness and we provide services such as personal training, group personal training and also corporate wellness programs.
What does it feel like to be on your own? Perhaps you could share with us the challenges that you face?
Fareed: I didn’t have to worry much when I worked for a commercial fitness centre. My income was pretty much stable as I had a basic salary and I was spoilt for choice in respect of equipment that I could use for my personal training sessions with clients. As opposed to being on my own, I have to personally look/ source for clients and my income fluctuates based on the availability of my clients to train with me. I have to make do with whatever equipment that is available to me at my clients’ places and a lot of time is also spent on traveling as my clients are located all over the Klang Valley. I need to constantly find ways to market myself so that I could survive in this industry. Thankfully, I am also certified in sports massage and I have my fair share of active clients who engage my sports massage service on a twice per month basis.
That sure is challenging. How about achievements? Name us two achievements that you are proud of from the work that you have done in this industry.
Fareed: One would be I managed to get the first runner-up position in the Top Personal Trainer category in the country when I was still at Fitness First. The other would be when I successfully trained the Lions Rugby team to emerge as second runner-up in the Malaysian Rugby Super League.
Awesome! What do you have to say to your peers who have similar academic qualification and want to be personal trainers?
Fareed: Just go for it! But before that, you need to have sound knowledge of what personal training is all about. The education aspect is important, so as your communication skills and personality. Not everyone is suited to be a personal trainer. I believe that an excellent attitude coupled with the ability to discipline yourself first would make you go far in this industry.
Last but not least, would you recommend our PTDP to your peers? Why?
Fareed: My lecturer once asked me why I signed up for this program when I would graduate with a higher qualification i.e. my Bachelor’s degree. I told him that I do not want to just depend on one qualification alone. I would like to gain as much knowledge as possible from various sources so that I could be well equipped the moment I step into the real world. I am glad that I enrolled for this program because it exposed me to the practical aspect of personal training and get that much needed hands-on experience to be on my own upon graduation. So yes, I will definitely recommend this (PTDP) to my friends!
Related Course Information
Personal Trainer Development Programme (PTDP)
This is the perfect blend of all that are essential to make you a competent personal trainer. Leave this 54-hour course feeling confident and ready to bring the best out of your client(s)
Upcoming: Price:
