100 Seconds with 100 Personal Trainers – It takes a reader approximately 100 seconds to read each Personal Trainer’s story below : )
We spoke to a few Certified Personal Trainers, who are Fitness Innovations Malaysia (FITM)’s previous students. They shared how they rock the fitness industry.
Ishita Agrawal – ACE CPT. Personal Trainer, Bootcamp instructor.
Hazli Bojili – ACE CPT. Entrepreneur, Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Fitness fx programme leader
Amir Omar – ACE CPT. 2010 Mr. KL winner, Personal Trainer, Bootcamp instructor.
Ishita Agrawal
Why did you get a certification in Personal Training and when?
Fitness was something I was always passionate about and when I moved to KL, I realized there was a huge opportunity to convert my passion into a profession. With the help of FIT Malaysia, I enrolled into the Personal Trainer Course ( American Council on Exercise – Certified Personal Trainer (ACE CPT) and got certified in August 2011.
What were you doing before taking the PT course?
I hold an MBA in Marketing and before moving to KL, I was working as a Marketing Manager in an MNC in Jakarta. Even then, despite having a busy schedule, I always made sure to eat right and incorporate exercise in my daily routine. I think that discipline has helped me a lot in my profession today.
What was your pathway after you have completed the course?
As part of a case study required for the program, I trained my neighbor. The change in her was extremely encouraging and that was the moment I knew this is what I want to do.
To be successful in the fitness industry, one needs to be entrepreneurial. To attain that, I started to go out and explore multiple options. First, I worked towards developing a strong PT client base. Clients are your biggest strength and their success is ultimately your victory. Second, I joined a local bootcamp company, first as a trainee and then as an instructor. Today I lead one of the location ‘platoon’. Third, I worked towards specializing in training ‘pregnant and post partum clients’ and launched the weekly “Mum and Baby full body workout” at Fit For 2. I also had opportunity to be featured in Shape magazine.
Recently, I have started a running club for beginners. This is my effort towards bringing more people to a brighter, healthier and fitter tomorrow. It is extremely satisfying for me to see what a little bit of motivation can do! In the end, I think being a coach is about helping raise someone’s confidence and driving them to achieve their goals slowly but steadily.
How do you juggle between training and taking care of your home?
Work-life balance is very important to me. Even though, I have a very busy routine, I work only 5 days. On Saturdays and Sundays, my husband and I like to hike, catch up with friends and explore KL’s great food hangouts. Weekends are exclusively for us!
What type of clients do you train? What is your training principle?
I train young athletes and adults who are seeking to improve general fitness, lose weight and build strength. My motto is “Push your limits, challenge yourself”. I focus on easing clients into a regular workout routine while giving them tips on healthy eating. I think it is a shame for people to grow old without knowing what their body is capable of.
Words of advice for someone who wants to become a personal trainer.
If you are just starting, talk to as many people as you can, listen, try to learn from their experience and don’t shy away from putting yourself out there.
For me, it comes down only to one word – passion! If you have been thinking about quitting your regular job to do something you love, go for it! There’s no better feeling at the end of the day when you know you’ve done something worthwhile, and made a difference in someone’s life.
Amir Omar
Why did you get a certification in Personal Training and when?
Certified Personal Trainer (ACE) course was one of the sponsored prize when I won the 2010 Kuala Lumpur Bodybuilding Championship (Junior below 70kg category). During the training for the bodybuilding competition, I have always wanted to be a personal trainer. I continue training for Mr. Malaysia 2010 and I got second placed in the same category for two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) It was a good opportunity for me to get proper personal training knowledge and the know-how to train client by joining the course. After since certified, I have never look back.
What were you doing before taking the PT course?
I was working with my father while training for bodybuilding competition.
Do you have any difficulty during the ACE PT course?
Since English is not my first language, it was challenging to understand the science terms in English. Luckily I have exercise experience from being track athlete during school days and bodybuilding training; I managed to pass the ACE exam.
What was your pathway after you have completed the course?
I joined an international chained commercial gym center as a personal trainer for several months. Then I quit and became a mobile personal trainer for FITM, and at the same time I was really keen to be a bootcamp instructor. Early 2012 I started working for Original Bootcamp Malaysia until now. I have involved in Viper Challenge – biggest obstacle running event in Malaysia in 2 consecutive years.
What type of clients do you train?
Most of my clients are healthy adults, whom their fitness goals are fat loss and improve their fitness level.
How do you feel now looking at what you are doing now (as a freelance Certified Personal Trainer) compare to what you were doing (before you became a PT)
I am happier now! It is so fun doing these compare to my previous work (helping my father). It was a little bit difficult but I keep reading and asking around from more experience people from the fitness industry. Eventually I found the way.
Words of advice for someone who wants to become a personal trainer.
My advices are if you really want to be a personal trainer, remember this: no matter how hard it is going to be just stick to it. Be patient, be strong and give your best! Cheers.
Hazli Bojili
Why did you get a certification in Personal Training and when?
Hazli – Well, after one day of being mugged and beaten up in broad day light in a well known shopping mall I decided “I need to start working out so that I don’t get targeted so easily” thus came my first gym membership. From then on the journey in self-discovery began and I fell in love with the fitness world, before I knew it, I was already looking for ways to be professionally certified and a dear friend of mine; Joanna Soh, just got certified with ACE CPT, so that’s when I took up ACE CPT course as well.
What were you doing before taking the PT course?
Hazli – Prior to taking ACE PT, I was stil a second year student in Monash University doing my Bachelors in Business and Commerce while running my own pre-school and Tuition Centre back in Sabah as well as a formally registered community based theatre NGO; “The Green Leaf Theatre House” back in Sabah.
What was your pathway after you have completed the course?
I immediately started training my friends! Helped out several friends to achieve their goals and started my momentum going, after graduation I joined CORE Fitness Sabah as Personal Trainer and that was when it (fitness career) started becoming crazier (in a good way of course) Currently I run quite a number of grop fitness classes in a week too.
You seems to involve in quite a lot of things at the same time. What are your next plan?
Well…there are lots of plans…hahahaha! Just hope I can keep up with them! Phew! Anyway, aside from my other involvements, my main plan now is setting up a community fitness based NGO here in Sabah known as “The Fitness Movement”, we are currently running as a protem committee waiting for approval from ROS. With this NGO, we hope to play the role as motivators and guides for the general public in providing useful information and direction in fitness; not everyone can afford that gym membership but still everyone has the right to a healthy life, if they know what they are doing 😉
Words of advice for someone who wants to become a personal trainer.
Love your job! Love the industry! And start changing lives! It’s addictive, believe me! haha
Thank you for your time for this interview. FITM wishes you all the best in your future!
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)
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