It was a sweet coincidence. After interviewing the featured ‘100 Seconds with 100 Personal Trainers’ candidates, we found out both of the certified personal trainers have Engineering academic background…
Adly Almanzo Adnan – ACE CPT, Freelance Personal Trainer
Low Kang Sheng – ACE CPT, ACE Health Coach, NASM Women Fitness Specialist, Fitness Development Coach
Adly Almanzo Adnan
When did you get certified and why did you go for fitness certification course?
I got myself certified back in February 2013, but I’ve always been very passionate about fitness and health for some time. I had always some knowledge about fitness and health back when I started reading up online and via magazines, but I wanted to learn the REAL DEAL. I wanted to know all the concrete information when it came to training and helping someone through fitness.
We heard you are a double degree holder…
I majored in biomedical engineering in UK, and then subsequently a business admin degree when i came back to KL. However my first job strangely had nothing to do with either, I worked for an education company (Kumon) at their HQ as a trainer where I trained the Kumon instructors as well as the staff. I was there for about 2 years, and then I left to help my mum run the family business for a while due to my father’s sudden passing.
It was during this time I started to do part-time PT, and then went on to obtain the ACE-PT and go full time!
You began your fitness career right after certified. How did you start?
I actually started training 1-2 clients even before becoming certified, but this was part-time when I was still working a normal day job. In terms of starting, there’s no exact moment, but it was after being certified that i started to introduce myself as a personal trainer and things basically proceeded from there with word of mouth and referrals! I did not do any active marketing per se.
Adly is renewing his ACE this year.
What type of clients are you training? What are your training principles?
I don’t typically restrict myself in terms of my clients but usually their goals align with what i can do and what my niche is. I specialize in bodyweight training, because i believe that before anyone even touches a dumbbell or barbell, they should be able to handle their own bodyweight first. With bodyweight training, there’s also really no excuse or issue with needing to have a gym, or equipment or even a large space You can train anywhere, everywhere, whether it’s outdoors, your own room or a hotel room.
I think my view on fitness and training is that you should not revolve your life around fitness, but rather have fitness as being part of your life. It’s definitely not easy and not something ‘natural’, but when you realize the benefits of fitness and health, you’ll just do it.
Is there any struggle when you first started as freelance Personal Trainer? How do you overcome it?
Thankfully there wasn’t much of a struggle per se. However, I think the main issue most PT’s will face when wanting to become free-lance, is the uncertainty of a steady paycheck! Make no mistake, a PT’s mission is to be out there helping people getting fit and healthy, but end of the day, we are earning our living. So this idea of not having a steady monthly salary can be daunting. However, if you build up your client base and more importantly your relationships, then the stream of clients will be steady.
For me, it was essentially always looking for more clients initially, because you never knew how long a client would stay with you. But after a while, you build up your experience, communication and clients start to trust you and look to train with you long-term long after they have achieves their goals. The ACE IFT model is not wrong at all, because honestly from my own experience, RAPPORT is the most important aspect throughout your entire time with the client.
Adly attended ‘Training Clients with Lower Back Pain’ workshop recently.
Words of advice for someone should they want to become a personal trainer?
I believe that first and foremost, you have to love what you do, truly! You also have to be genuinely caring and interested in the client. Remember that they are coming to you for help. Rather than just viewing a client as a means for a salary, you need to view them as a real person with real struggles and real issues, just like anyone else. Once you build trust between them, this is when everything comes together. Some of my best long-term clients right now who are also good friends now, are those who had been referred to me. Doing a good job and being on someone’s good books is always a plus point.
On the more practical side of things, continuously keep up to date with the fitness world without being sucked into the fitness trends. Always remember that just like a doctor’s Hippocratic oath, we as personal trainer’s must first ‘Do No Harm’.Stay away from the current trend of ‘No pain No gain’ mentality and working out till you drop dead-tired on the floor. This is a recipe for disaster and will no doubt cause your client (and yourself) injuries eventually.
And I like a quote by known strength coach, Martin Rooney who said “ Any ‘trainer’ can make you tired and sore. Not every ‘coach’ can make you a better athlete and person”.
Last but not least, is to always remember than being ‘certified’ doesn’t mean you are ‘qualified’. These days anyone can easily become certified over 3-day course during the weekend and call themselves a ‘coach’. It hardly means they’re qualified, it only means they have a little slip of paper which which means close to nothing to the client. You become qualified by gaining experience in training and learning, so put time into training all kinds of clients and keep reading. Try to help anyone you encounter. Each client will pose a different challenge which will increase your experience and knowledge. Then will you be both certified and qualified.
Low Kang Sheng
When did you get ACE certified and WHY?
I got myself certified in 2012 when I decided to take the plunge and start a new career in fitness. I felt jaded working in the corporate world and was looking for not just a career change but a vocation which I can see myself doing for life. Fitness has always been a passion of mine since my days in school and by the time I decided to switch, I was already a seasoned “fitness junkie” and freelance trainer to some friends.
What were you doing before the PT course? How did you find out about FITM?
I graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and started working as an engineer before moving on to business consulting. I was last working overseas on a contract as a project manager for a Chinese company when a quick google search for “Personal trainer certification Malaysia” led me to FITM’s website. I made a short visit during one of my trips back home and decided to sign up as a student.
Sheng with Fabio Comana (2014)
What was your fitness career pathway after you got certified?
In the beginning, I tried extending my PT services to my personal network even during the duration of the course. However it will be a safer bet to say I “officially” started as a freelance personal trainer in a private PT studio in Bangsar. It wasn’t long before I started that I got interested in group classes and started adding some classes to my schedule to expand my skills set and experience a different aspect of the fitness industry.
Outdoor bootcamp was the next addition when I joined one of the bootcamp companies and led one of the site. Lastly, I was lucky enough to work as a contract PE coach for an international school. It was a crazy but fun and enriching 2 years where I had to balance all these activities simultaneously.
Today, I work for Malaysia’s biggest commercial gym as a fitness development coach where my role is primarily an education and management one. I conduct trainings for personal trainers and look into fitness related projects and initiatives to further develop the quality our fitness services. Occasionally, I still train a small number of clients and teach some classes to stay in the thick of the action.
Do you think fitness continuing education is important and applicable to Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor’s job?
Absolutely! Gone are the days that personal trainers are the biggest dudes in the gym. A recent survey by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) even ranks educated and certified fitness professionals as the number 3 fitness trend for 2015.
Furthermore, the fitness industry is ever changing, so continuing education is not only important but necessary just to keep up with the latest training methods. I am still constantly amazed by the level of scientific research that goes into exercise science and training every time I attend a fitness related course or conference.
Words of advice for someone who want to a career change to become a Personal Trainer?
There’s a quote which says: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. I believe that anybody interested in a career change to the fitness industry should dream big and plan for their goals instead of just “testing the waters”. Talk to experienced industry experts to get some insights. Then plan a good approach on how you can find a niche and grow your career in the industry.
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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