You're listening to fit processions with parallel coaching episode 4. Hi. I'm Jill Bergman and in today's podcast. I'm talking to David Lopez be from kick fit coaching about how he went from a boring mundane nine till five long commute to work and creating a career change and changing his passion into his profession and making Fitness full-time for years on David lows be is fully thriving with kick fit coaching. So stay tuned. Hi, I'm Neil Bergman and I'm Haley Bergman over the last 10 years. We've helped thousands of Fitness professionals to get qualified. Let me Simplicity and Coach clients with confidence. We were first to say that learning and being a fit probe doesn't have to be hard work and that with the right structure support and resources. You can become a confident and knowledgeable Fitness professional that is dedicated for more. How do you learn qualify and kick start as a fifth row? This is the fit procession podcast with parallel coaching. So Safe warm, welcome to your day from kick coaching. I want to give a 20 seconds or so of a speech before I pass you over to Dave and you can tell us a bit more about who you are. But I first met Dave I spoke to Dave 2015 2016 time a point where you wanted to jump into fitness and take a full career change and what I love about Dave story is not only did he take a full career. Change he did a little bit of what we call Fitness Moonlighting in the early stages, whereby he kept his full-time job and did Fitness alongside and now two years on his full-time in Fitness and goes against against the grain of so many Fitness professionals who start who qualify, but don't follow through and make it their full-time career. So a massive warm welcome to you. Mr. Dave lows be it's great to have you on forfeit processions. This is episode number. For for you and over to tell us more about who David is and where your base and give us an overview of why you're here. Hi guys. Thank you for everyone for start as me. It's a pleasure to be here. So yeah, I as you said I was looking to get into the fitness industry way back when it was a big decision to make but I'm super proud that I've done it. I'm based in North Hampton at pumpkin the gym itself. Now is driving with a big number of Jim's we're currently have six in total where a 24 hour gym which again is similar to a lot of the models around Northampton. I I want to say yeah, it's just it's been it's been nuts. I'm so proud of how I've got here. It's been a struggle. I'm not gonna lie go in from full-time work to doing this part time. So I doing it part-time as well. It was long hours days were long, but it was just a matter of this is what I want to do. I can do this. I will do this and I'll do whatever it takes to make it work amazing. I can do this. I will do this. This and I do whatever it takes. I mean that's something that we've maybe help drummer into you as well of kind of dedicated to more do the work daily. And what do whatever it takes. So we've mentioned you've been in you've been in Fitness you've been in pump Jim's based in Northampton, the gym has grown as a 24 hour gym for two years full-time and you did a year before that where you were juggling a full-time job as well as part-time hours. So let's jump into a bit more of a back story. What what have you been? Doing pray your Fitness career days. What was your main job or career? So I was a benefits assessment officer for eight years. I was based in Northampton and I was coming to the end of my career there when I first looked to parallel to start my fitness journey once I completed I was about to complete my level 3 when I moved to Bedford doing the same job. But as a temp, so it was same hours more money, which was great. But obviously the hours were the same I had to travel a little bit more. So yeah, the job was mundane. It was sad s called a nine pretty much a total 495. I really didn't have any kind of enjoyment of it at all. It literally paid the bills. It's just a matter of every day was effort getting up going to work doing the same old things in the same old faces being in like a negative. Sheriff you like that I think the fact that I had the Fitness career in the background to build certainly made. I don't know work life a little bit easier knowing that there's going to be like at the end of the tournament that makes sense. So when you when you doing the remind me again benefits, it was a benefits assessment officer make so basically helping us an officer. You've got this kind of typical nine till five grind. You've got the commute before work the commute after work, you know, you mentioned the fear wasn't all that Pleasant. Did you use Fitness your own Fitness as kind of a way of going to use the word saving you from that day what totally absolutely make so knowing that I was going to be working at that day. I was going to be going to the gym that day. I was going to be out interacting with people that are hopefully going to be interacting on a daily basis and building a career round was yet very much to saving grace in that sense that I knew once I got out. Work. I knew I was going to be going to work again in the evening whether it was to see clients or do my gym ship that I didn't see that as work. I just saw it as like a an escape escapism of what my day-to-day was like at work. So it was like right fresh start this evening. I get out of work today. Then I get to spend 5 hours at the gym build build on what I'm doing and yeah just have a whole new like level of enthusiasm at the end of the day after a long shift is uh, I suppose made for polarity of You're the 9 to 5 grind even worse maybe because you've got this nine till five with the mundane atmosphere. Nothing really happening and all of a sudden have an evening. You might be in a studio with one or two or small group or a large group. That's absolutely buzzing. The music's on its really loud. And now the polarity of Davis's evening is even greater. Was that a was that even a bigger pool to kind of go? I've this is definitely what I want to do and I want to jump ship exactly, you know, the more that went on and obviously the more I didn't the more confidence again from teaching classes personal training meeting clients. Just interacting with people was just yeah, it was huge. It was like this is what I want to do. I'm very good at this. I love it. I enjoy it and there's no you know, if I could do this full time and get paid for what I love. It's a no-brainer superb. Let's segue back to that that that point in your old career. What was it about Fitness for changed for the game for you personally? It's not about getting into it as a career. Why did you choose to get into fitness yourself? It was of a particular mode of Fitness for you. Love more that that helped you save your own sanity. I suppose a mindset from former career. Absolutely. Do you know what it was? It was very selfish. Actually. I felt I'd been training in the gym for a good few years before I became a fitness professional but I felt I was I wasn't getting anywhere with my own sort of Fitness. I wasn't Any sort of major changes and I think one of the reasons I wanted to become a personal trainer a was obviously I loved what I did but but mostly it's about me and my own Fitness and where I could take my body what I could do with myself and how I progressed my own Trend and I think once I've got a handle on that it became easier to sort of pass on that sort of wisdom that information and what I actually remember your course and the fewer number of the other Learners, it's quite a big group here in wasn't it as like searing 16 people. All 14 to 16 people and I remember from weekend one, which was Friday Saturday Sunday, and then everybody came back in and it's still the same now on our latest courses you come back in on weekend to because we've given you the consultation the basics behind programming periodization be understanding of training systems cardiovascular resistance training systems. And that remain homework is still the same really it's about going away and and applying that to to you and I remember you coming back in and And pulling me to one side, um of a balcony at V at the venue and we were upstairs classroom. And I remember it was yourself and and Steve drummer Steve on your clothes. Yeah. Yeah mostly to one side and just say what if I did this or could I do that? And can I do that and and it was that I knew then I was like this guy understands systems. He's gone away implemented it he's trained it is had a go at it. He's failed at it and and you could see the changes you have made. Made and how we that's impacted your training yourself and the impact that had on your own mindset, but physically as well huge hands. Yes the in that amazing. So so your envy your in this old career, you're making this this this this leak to go into fitness. What was for time frame from and it's it's probably quite hard. I know you've had these questions for for a few days and to it might be hard to think back. What was the timeframe from? Initial for of I am sick and tired of my day my commute my Monday nine till five. I don't really want to be doing this to take an action of reaching out to inquire about a personal training course or inquiring about becoming a fitness professional. Was there a time frame there or or was it? Yeah, Wick Jill if know they'll it was a long time coming. I mean before I got before I apply to you guys. I am I was teaching kickboxing. So I had a certain aspect of my life, which I really enjoyed. I was always interacting with people teaching people and fitness was always pretty good with kickboxing which was great. But again, I knew there was more so I think that was a big that's what spurred me on a little bit. I knew I would again. I really enjoy teaching so I thought what better way to incorporate, you know, martial art Fitness with personal training but to answer your question it was I remember it was so well liked me and my pal. We're talking literally just on a Sunday walk and she was like well what you want to do and I was like I want to be a personal trainer. I think that's that's what that's that's my calling and literally finished our walk and I never forget we do she went back to her place. We sat down and got the telephone parallel was the first one to come up and remember calling and never forget the conversation with Haley. She was amazing. She made me feel completely comfortable. She doesn't it was almost like it was the perfect time to call if that makes sense. I was like, yeah, this was perfect. She left me feeling like that was the best thing I did that conversation will never I'll never forget. It just made me feel like yeah, this is it right. I'm going to do it got me booked on and that was it. I don't remember even looking back then I play What I Love About That initial conversation and what Hailey does very well is well, let's give some context majority of our Learners are very similar to you there in your in a career there. Element of dislike and you've been in Fitness and you want to move into that foot full time. It's a major career shift. You're literally taking where you are now and putting life on a whole new trajectory. So that first initial phone call is just about making sure that this is a decision you want to pursue it's not really about enrolling on a course. It's just about airing out your ideas and your thoughts of where you are now with somebody that has the knowledge of how to do that. So, You know, you can talk to you know, you know your partner or you know, friend or family. But of course they're going to be slightly biased or tell you what they think you want to hear what you're thinking, you know, you reach out and you talk to Haley. She asked you a different set of questions for you to make sure this is an ideal. That is it's right for you. And you did you did you sit on how long did you sit on that that conversation for before you kind of went no time, and this is the Forwards now I'm all n did you have to go back to family and whatnot and talk about it more or what was the process? You know, what might know I didn't I think literally after speaking to Haley that that was kind of like my That was the point. That was that switch. It was like yeah, you know what she's made me feel like this is what I want to do. And that was it it I knew it was there make but I think it was just speaking to Haley was that final sort of click it was like, yeah, I'm ready for this. I can do this and this this just get on with it. I don't think I've waited very long. I think the shock had to book onto the course, but I think it's only a matter of weeks. And you know, what make the cool thing was was me and my partner had a holiday in Cape Verde in the October when I was two Stop and remember being out of taking the shield my content out there. So I think the that we spent out there whenever we were some baby knows pretty much just looking at the content being the content and I don't feel and it sounds crazy but I don't think I've ever been so excited to sit down and read like three or four hours by back to that. It was it was crazy. But when you into saying you love something you just absorb it so easy and again up in that was another sort of reinforcement as I knew I was doing the right thing and that's a really cool point to make isn't it the When you really want to do something and you're really excited to do it suddenly the learning behind it becomes ten times easier and yet so many Learners worry or fear that their perhaps too old or they won't be able to absorb the information or is a whole new language. I've got to learn around A&P but you know, you're living proof, but if you're deep down excited and enthusiastic, this is this is my calling. This is what I want to do suddenly. It doesn't matter how hard it is. You want to be doing more of it? And as we know for more we do it and if we enjoy that we're going to absorb that information exactly. That's exactly what it was like that. Yeah. It was just it was fun to learn. It was really good and like the more you learn about it you like it just it was like, oh I get it and I can apply that to this and I can do that and it was just like I want to learn more. So it was really I want to just focus on you know, you mentioned about your partner became a key cog I suppose in this decision. I'm making you mentioned you went out on a on a long Sunday walk and then you've been able to Cape Verde and she's supported you along the way what was life like with a because you you got kids as well. They were quite young at the time weren't they? That's right. Yeah, what was life like with with a young family and Anna partner? Whereby you're now making this key life-changing decision where by was some uncertainty coming in mainly around I suppose Finance because you're talking about giving up a job to go. Job that has no certainty of money coming in. What was that? Was there any key decisions or any fears around that what was for conversation like fit for you and your partner at the time to be fair mate? I mean she made it a lot easier for me. She knew I was really upset like really starting my job. Like every day was a grind like as we've said and she knew that by doing this I think she could just see let's see how enthusiastic I was through learning and but it was what I wanted to do. She knew I could make it work and me that was that was huge. I think sometimes having having the feeling that you can do something yourself is good. But having the support of someone that you love feeling the same way just gives you that extra push knowing that you can do it. I'm not going to like that. Yeah. I was very scared in terms of Finance, you know the finance you knew the bill, you know, the end of month, you're going to be paid cover the mortgage you can take the kids out, but that was a very scary thought of crikey. I might not be able to do that. A couple of months or maybe six months while I'm establishing establishing myself as a as a PT, but again, like she was supportive. We have money saved so not massive out but enough for me to sort of take the plunge in build on where I needed to go. So that was kind of a bit of a cushion if you like that again, it was a matter of like if I don't make this work, where am I going to be in six months? Yeah. I could be in a world of trouble. How do you learn qualify and kick start a tab? It broke. This is the fit processions podcast with parallel coaching. But also on the flip side because you had some consequence of like you say, you know, if this doesn't work, I'm gonna be in a world of trouble that could be one of the causes for why you approached and attacked the course invert the Ferocious way that you did because you there were consequences not just for you, but for your partner for your kids and and the quality of life and so that the level of action you were you were willing I supposed to take more But it was a wet much more calculated risk and you had lined up like you say little bit of savings to to make that whole transition easier. Would you say absolutely made us write the the the extra sort of Sting in the tail was as well make when I was with Bedford the company so the counselors working with just before I started because I was a temp the money was even better and I was obviously saving for a house with my partner as well. Well, so we're literally I was going to work lychee purely for that aspect saving saving saving and obviously building the PT personal training at the gym on the side. So any extra clients I was getting all the money was just going towards the house. So for me make it was extra panic because I was like, we just buying a house. I'm about to lose. I could lose my job in the end of January my contract ends and then I'm going to be a full-time PT with like minimal clients. Holy shit. Yeah. I've got to pay the mortgage at the end of every month, but Again, like you said, maybe it was it was literally that driving is like right if I don't do something about it. I've only got myself to blame. So get in there spend as much time in the gym make it work for you. And that's exactly what I did cool. So we when we first met was it was roughly what 2015 or 2016 I was trying to go everywhere. Yeah. It was right. Yeah, it's closed end of 2015. I think September October to May and then and then you graduated it. Was it literally just after the Christmas wasn't it - right that I did my level 2 just before Christmas. Yes. I had a I had a gap and then I came back from a little free just after I think it was April May of the following year. I passed one of my great. Remember I remember so tell us more about what life was like during getting qualified like tell our listeners more about your you actual journey of mention. Obviously, like did it before Christmas and then vpt in the spring, you know from from your perspective as a previous learner of us what was life like whilst getting qualified. I suppose go back to what I was saying before like once I took that initial step past My Level 2 obviously was at a level where I could talk do certain things, but obviously I couldn't be a personal trainer until past My Level 3, but to be fair it was just more than knowledge that I was taking on from Level 2 and being an applied into my everyday exercise and that helped me give me like a clear outline of where I wanted to be with myself. I think that's pretty much. What I did in between Once I pass my little too I knew obviously I was going to Brooklyn to my level 3 at some point in the next couple of months. So it gave me time to sort of think about what I could do differently to other pts. Yeah. I spent a lot of time obviously looking what personal trainers do what kind of service they provide and how I could be different and obviously I knew at the back of my mind obviously I kick box and I could mesh that into in together and I think that's probably what I spent most of my time. I was like look, Up. So soon as I like past My Level 3 and I get the green light and I'm a qualified personal trainer. I can hit the ground running. So I think I probably spent four or five months just developing that an online presence what my name was going to be. How elsewhere kick kick kick fit coating came in which is just fantastic. So you've taken your your background of of martial arts and and kicking yes into fitness and that kind of forged the way for Dave I supposed And it it did make that was it. Yeah, exactly. Once I've got the brand up how I wanted to assert myself how I wanted to be known as like, oh, there's a personal trainer and a kickboxing instructor. He's bit of this bit of that. Yeah. That's that's kind of where I wanted to be. I wanted to be looking all around. Yeah personal trainer, but again have something that not all personal trainers have so yeah you were capable of being with all around personal trainer, but that that unique approach of Kickboxing was your touch on sessions and you know, I remember back to some of your Instagram stories and updates of you know, a lot of a lot of it was very much for the clients punching and kicking pads, even though majority of a session was still personal training based but that their brand was was showing but it was kicking pads, which was just yeah. Yeah tell the sea went on and you qualified in you did kettlebells and suspension training as part of that course as well. Didn't you have used have used that as a part of your research, you know how you've operated as a personal trainer as well or absolutely maybe it's you know, it's again those sort of areas are areas that I really like to really push with a lot of my clients again a lot of the guys that lot of personal trainers in my gym. They obviously tend to use a lot of the resistance kit. Whereas I like to be a little bit more sort of outside the box especially in evenings when the gym is really busy and a lot of kids waiting around. I don't like the idea of having to my clients. Wait around so I'd rather work it around them. So how about always a massive option? We've got a huge rig at the gym. So I like to keep it functional for them movement paddle. You movement patterns a lot of unilateral work scale. Those have been massive. That's one of the best takeaways. I think I had was the level 2 level level one and level two courses I did for the cobras superb. So let's stay on that the biggest takeaway from a course. Obviously. You got the the cpd's you ultimately you got the qualification, but is there one and what's your biggest takeaway outside of getting qualified itself and having that certificate to give you the license to go and practice. Is there one big takeaway for impacted you or your welder your clients more than just for qualification itself. But yeah, I think definitely for me. It's it's it was the confidence to be able to give and support people in what they wanted to do. I think it when people say I have a goal I want to do this. It's that confidence to go to say, you know what I can help you do that. I can literally help you do that that for me. I think that's the biggest thing. It's always scary like whatever you feel like right I've got to do this. How am I going to do it, but when you've got the knowledge and the confidence to be able to say someone yet. You know, what if we can stick to these rules these guidelines, there's no reason why we can't get you where you want to be and and I think that, you know, all of a podcast we've recorded so far. If we have guest speakers on the word confidence has come out as confidence and belief and intention and it's just this running theme on every podcast so farther if I have a confidence I can go and help somebody achieve the very thing that they want most. Yeah without a damn it. I love the fact like if I get a new client and literally within a matter of weeks, they start seeing a difference in themselves that for me is like that's what it's all about. They've actually more comfortable in the gym. There are Off doing their own work out in the gym, but a massive example for Me Maybe especially a lot of ladies when they see the free weight area in the see all the guys in there. It's like almost like I don't belong here, but I go against that unlike know you've got no reason why you shouldn't be in here and the second you see them training on their own on a day with a knot with you in my gym in the free weight area. It's like that's that's that's the exactly job done superb many people believe that changing career is challenging and you know, it's those probably we've already spoken about it. Of challenges that you faced from that initial conversation in your own head of like I'm not happy through to getting qualified. Why do you think so many people believe that changing career is overwhelming and too much to handle and don't do anything about it. I think it's just the fact that people get so used to their daily life and they all idea of the concept of having to do something different is so scary. That is probably what the biggest hurdle that anyone will face. It's like no I'm doing this. I know what I'm doing. Yeah, I don't like it. But I know what it's what I'm doing. So therefore I might as well stick to it. It's comfortable. It's comfortable exactly but it's that risk and that reward if you are willing to put in a Time the energy the effort and against have confidence in yourself to make that step. There's no reason why you can't take your Take It Forward life doesn't have to be a Daily Grind. Be what you want it to be but you've got to be willing to put in the effort to make it completely but for every action has a reaction you got to be at be able to you'd be willing to put in the hard work and I think you've summarized it a treat. So you've qualified in Fitness now, it's now spring late spring 2016. You spend some time. You already mentioned kind of thinking about your brand what you can be called what you what's going to be unique about you and you set up kick fit coaching tell. Us what life has been like from 2016 to we're now recording this October 2019. So just a little over three years. What's life been like as a as a qualified Fitness Pro? It's been tough mate. I'm not gonna lie. It's been it's been hard in the sense of probably hours. Obviously working a full-time job and then going straight to the gym to carry on clients a year. Danu was at a year you did that for that's what they are. Just over a year. That would that was tough again saving money working pretty much 60 65 hours to 70 hours a week. It was tough. But again, like I said earlier is you know, there was light at the end of the tunnel. It was worth. Of course. It was worth the grind having a really good support network behind me. The kids were great. I think they saw a big change in me because I was doing saying I really enjoyed always made sure I had time for, you know, Mike my family commitments see my children. That was never sacrifice. I always make sure that I could see them. So even though you were tired, maybe somewhat burnout. You've got the commute before and after you've got your classic nine till five mundane part then overall. It's a 60 70 hours a week. It's finding that balance still and figuring out well, what a my priorities what's important to me? And of course it's family and that's what you end up focusing your attention to so what even though you're you're kind of maybe screaming inside of that. I just need a break. Yeah, you've got light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah, exactly. It's you know, nothing but good is going to come from it. It's going to it's tough. It's going to be tough again. It anything worth having is tough. You've got to you've got to work for it. And I don't know I kind of I'm really proud of myself for that. I think I look back and I think you know, I worked for a solid year doing those hours and look where I am now and think yeah, you know it was worth it. And if I had to do it again, I would if it meant being back where I am now, I'm amazing and Like you say your partner and your kids face saw a different Dave come through as opposed to being you know board apathetic this mundane day-to-day and all of a sudden even though you're you're doing huge hours and you're still got your commute in there X y&z, you're you're suddenly Full of Life full of beans energetic and you know, you had all the right to turn in at the end of the day God. I'm knackered but you turned in going. I've loved it. Exactly. That's it has to become going to bed knowing you're on to something new and doing st. Better or going to bed thinking. I've got through all that again tomorrow. That's that's the Difference Maker amazing. So you you set up you as kick coaching and you went over to pump Jim tell us more about the setup with with pump Fitness it pump gym or pump Fitness. It's a pumpkin mix from Jim. You know, how many hours did you have to do? Do you have to pay a ground? Rent? Tell us more about the ER for for you as actual setup as a personal trainer. It was its really good but its remember I remember it really well then I before I started with pumpkin obviously I was looking into where I could become a personal trainer. So I applied it a number of Jim's virgin pure Jim. So I've got my little reference for quite a few of them. I remember us so I hear was you certainly was so as I mean look at some of the models and how it was going to work and I got to admit I was a little bit apprehensive in terms of the hours. Can be working the money. I was going to be given to pay towards the gym rent based on the fact that I didn't have, you know, any clientele, but I'll never forget. I got a call from Jamie the manager at the time from punch. Jim never even heard of that. You didn't even realize it was opened in the counter and said hi. Dave Wilson, you see the online document for a chat and I was like, yeah, that'd be great. So literally went in a couple of days later. I'd look around the gym sat down with the management team. They explain what I was going to be doing so Ten hours a week three hours for the Jim talks in maintaining the gym standards, but I was free to come and go use the gym and pick up clients and train them 24 hours around the clock to me met again. That was probably the biggest appeal. It was 10 hours a week extra on top of my full-time hours, which wasn't too bad. You know, it's I was doing a fairytale week so for tal week, but it got me where I needed to be. So is that that was my first initial big step into the In this game, the gym had just opened so it's like one big unit if you like really nice kit brand-new again. That was something that was my biggest fear was was a brand new gym new members only been open a couple of months. They somewhere I could I thought I could really establish myself and how long did it take before to take before you picked up your first paying one to one client? It wasn't long. I think literally after maybe about three or four weeks in after I got my classes going. Film comfortable with what I was doing being on the gym floor as much as I could. I never forgot the timer. I've got an email through saying hi Dave. It's not only from your hit class. I picked up one of your cards last night from your profile. I was looking for some personal training. It was just like, oh my God sure. It's working. Someone contacted me and it was good because I kind of wanted to be like, I didn't want to Hard Sell personal training. I didn't want to be that person that was like going up to everyone in the gym. I'm a personal trainer blah blah blah. I wanted kind of a kind of wanted people to sell themselves to me like yeah, I want to be able to say you want a personal training. Okay. I want to make sure that you get the best results because you want this as opposed to its personal training. It's got to work. So I think yeah that get that initial email was like right I remember this is it how do you learn qualify and Kickstart as a Pit Row? It processions podcast with parallel coaching. I remember we just started parallel and it was early 2012. We've probably done close to maybe six months of setting up and you know, right in some of the courses getting the content together an underpinning ourselves and we have launched our first kettlebell course and I never forget what as a little bit gloomy because it was still this belief of like, I know it's going to work but we just there was no evidence of it working yet and me and Haley and we've gone out for Walk around one of the lakes in Milton Keynes and we got back and I was a voicemail from a lady called Beverly mind to date now. We've had almost 7,000 learners, but I can remember the lady's name. Her name was Karen and we press play on the the answer machine said hi. My name's Karen. I'm interested in your kettlebell course and I just remembered dancing around this around the living room and I'm an animal and in in our in our small little house of excitement of like it works. It's it's crazy my nose, so I know that exactly and it's at that point you realize that this is what I want to do and I want to do more of it. So you find ways to progress and move yourself forward and that's what you've done with your no excuses program. We had a discussion. I think 2017. I think it was just a journey via Facebook messenger and it was about setting up your no excuses program. Tell us more about about that. Yeah, man, I'm not going to line my it was literally a straight-up poach from your are five am clubmate. It was it was it was I was living the content you're putting out for that and to be fair. Our gym wasn't offering any early morning classes at the time and I kind of thought let's let's sort of close that Gap. You know, I could be the one PDT that's in the gym first thing in the morning people see me on the daily that sort of time let's get people in and that's kind of where I went from. So I saw how Well you were doing and I advertised it as guys only start off with it was free guys. I started in May to back yet May 2017 took three guys on for eight week course at first I was a little bit nervous like croaky free guys. That's all I've got that. Yeah, literally the more content I put out from it and II I opened up two males and females it literally just it went it ballooned up. I now run it every foot ironic for weeks. I have a two-week Gap and then the For another four weeks and I've been doing that for year-round and that's been going. Yes, it's May 2017 call it when when does the next one start? It started meet with literally the second weekend of this one. So we've got another two weeks then we've got a two-week Gap and then I'm going to run the number 41 just before Christmas just before Christmas how many of you got enrolled on this coming and no excuses program. I try and have a maximum of 15. I've been hitting 12 to 13 consistently over the last ones now, so I'm doing my part to the size of the studio that I use. I can't have a massive amount. But obviously on the two-week Gap, I advertise it again across the gym to drum up more room more sales and get more people involved and then obviously you've got this kind of your one too many you've got, you know, 12 to 15 people and then obviously you can cherry pick off the top of that with PT because there's always going to be some people that want more proximity with you one to one or small group on top of that. Absolutely. He likes For in front of my classes where I think I picked up an awful lot of my clientele and no excuses has been no exception. I've had probably at the moment. I probably got half the class that Petey Petey with me one on one as well. So they getting the free sessions a week and the next recession of like an hour with me throughout the week. So they've got that accountability to turn up on the group stuff. Then the one-to-one, you know, they're hitting three four sessions a week. You've now it you're now impacting them for out. Of the seven days. If not more which means the likelihood of a result goes up which means you've got great before-and-afters. You got great testimonials because no doubt they're walking away going, of course, it works and one of obviously the keys as you know is frequency to actually doing the exercise. That's right me ever having a group chat having me to obviously there for them as a group is wicked and obviously the guys work really well as a unit everyone that sort of comes in and joins the working into the Reach out that we have. And yeah again, like you said the weekly accountability at the one-to-one sessions as well when we can really dial in to where they want to be out with their goals. We can just build them thrive on that and then I've seen the results of no excuses. It's early morning, but it's hard work. But again the hard work pays off completely completely what you mentioned a minute ago. I got foot for 5 more questions to before we wrap up today's podcast. You mentioned a minute ago. You you do a lot more classes and you pick up clients at the end of that. So for example is that we talked about like spin classes. Suck it cost is you're doing for the gym and you've got maybe 15 20 people in and then you're you're picking clients out. How does that work? How you picking clients up from your classes? What's the strategy? What do you do? What the hell? I did. I get it. I just try and be as much of me in the class as possible. So I wish try another lab make the guys feel as comfortable as possible. I'm not like a drill instructor that if I can see you can go a little bit harder a little bit faster. I'll try and get the best. Best out of you every single time, but just at the end of the class, it's just it that's the key point is when everyone's having a stretch in you've got full attention on you. That's the best time to Showcase who you are what you do what the endorphins are high exactly the reason, you know, you're feeling the way you are now because I've just put you through 45 minutes of of help basically in the nicest possible way, you know, you've seen what you can do. I've helped bring that out of you and yeah just try and get people to capitalize on that. Just getting introduced yourself not be afraid. Tell people the results showed what exactly tell people the results that you can give them if they want to sort of go down that extra step of 1 to 1 again, but not hard sale. Just I don't know I suppose it is almost like dangling it on the carrot in front of me like yeah, this is what you can do in a session with me for 45 seconds. Imagine. If you have me full time as a personal trainer basis of what could we do and you mentioned things like, you know, you've got your name tag on you've got your uniform on which clearly advertisers what you do who you are. So you're constantly sending that. Message two of them subliminally I suppose of this is what I can do with one to 20 people in a circuit class. Imagine what it would be like with me one to one for 30 minutes to an hour. Exactly. That's right. Yeah, encouraging people just take a card if they're rare one make that first step towards just drop me a message on Instagram. If you'd like some more information. Keep it free. Keep it simple. Just just make myself as accessible to everyone as possible. Cool Final few questions then what do you wish you had? Known when you started out. So if you could rewind what do you wish you would have known now, you know everything or know what you know now if I make sense, yeah, and I totally right I think. just knowing that the the initial step wasn't going to be as tough as it was. I think once I took the plunge knowing that I wasn't gonna be there for we're working full time anymore that you know, I think it's more so that having the confidence in myself, but like so I knew who I was position where I had to do it, but I wish I had just a little bit more faith to say they'd be fine. You're going to do this. I think that's my probably one biggest takeaway. So a little bit more confidence. Basically, it's nicely on I got free learn a question. So I am But an email out to our parallel coaching community and I got an email from James Emma and Tony so I've got three learner questions and I got two final questions for you Dave. What what we do on these learner questions if we kind of almost like set a timer not literally going to set a timer but if we said like a 60 second blast to answer each each question from James Emma and Tony and then that kind of puts you on your toes a little bit as well. So James says looking back. Would you have done anything different? No, it's the short and sweet answer James. I literally had a clear goal. I knew what I wanted to do. Once I had that push from work. It was just a matter of grind get in get it done. And like I said, I'm really proud of myself for that. I think that's probably one of my biggest achievements is I have faith in myself and do what I wanted to do and it's went out and got it civil work was the external push for you, but I suppose for maybe for James. He might not have that external. Us from work where you were being made redundant, so maybe the message is various to force that your own push. So it forces you down that route to make a decision quicker. That's right. Yeah, totally it was a matter of right. Let's do this there have confidence in yourself go out there and get it done. That's that's exactly right superb over to Emma. She said was tons, of course is out there Believe It or Not Dave was over almost a thousand training providers. So parallel coaching are one of us. Thousand you how did youhow do you choose? And that's really what Emma's question is. How did you choose your course to qualify in again to answer that? It's a tough one because like I said, hey was literally my first call there was no one else who I spoke to our looked at online. It was a no-brainer for me. So I was very lucky in that respect. But I suppose looking back if that wasn't the case and I haven't found parallel first. I think I'll probably just looked at as many as I possibly could give them a call get a feel from sometimes. It's nice to To someone and again using Haley has a reference. She made me feel completely comfortable. She knew exactly how to answer my questions and like suppose finding holes right for that business right for the fitness fitpro industry as well. So I think it's just a matter of research find out who feel comfortable who's feels comfortable if they're accessible for you and they're going to be able to deliver the goods superb final questions from Tony and I know Tony quite well, it's recently qualified. He asked how did you go about getting your first gym job. How did you first go about about getting into pump gym. And what was it like during the interview and was there anything they asked specifically? Yeah. So like I said go back to earlier em, they obviously saw my CB online got in contact with me. I said do I want to come in for a chat? So it wasn't even like an interview time. So remember going in very casually I sat down with Nathan and Jamie the system energy. General manager I told him that I was literally just passed within literally that that month at the time I said, this is what I want to do. I was very enthusiastic and I think they can see that straight away our enthusiastic. He's yesterday. I was a belt starting out what I could bring to the table obviously with martial arts background as well. But sorry no through a kind of digress a little bit the that it was fine. You can be on it's great. It's not it was again. They made it clear of obviously what I was going to do. So there was certain things about the job that you know is going to be cleaning. There's going to be maintaining the gym floor. There's going to be stuff that you know, you might not necessarily think is going to be part of day-to-day life. But again, you're in the gym you rip the place where you're going to be still in yourself. That's like a byproduct of it again. It wasn't an issue. But again just being confident if that's what you want to do. You know just it will it will show but in terms of questions that they ask me I don't think there's anything that they any sort of curve balls. They perhaps ask me what I could bring to the team and I think I was just very clear to with my enthusiasm at the time. I think that's what Shawn 400 was very new but I was happy to have did happy to do the the extra bits of perhaps you didn't want to do so being an exam. Yeah stick my I can do for Jim maintenance. I'm cool with that. It's part of the hospital. It it's not going to be forever. Exactly. That's I think one of the one of the extra questions Tony asked again was did you what did you wear to the interview? Did you wear you know gym kit or did you wear a full suit or is it very casual was? It was very casual. I remember it was it was hot. It was in the middle of August. So it showed a pair of flip-flops choice and and I just literally like a very smart sort of short sleeve shirt on remember are the interviews and I went dressed like that was because they ask can I come in for a If it was interview, of course, we're going to look at more REM a little bit better dressed myself, but to be fair, I wasn't scruffy. I always like to make a an impression you did your hair that day. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. That's right. That's what sold it at sounds perfect. Now that wasn't it. Yes, it was just casual and I think that that certainly helps situations right between a casual chat and an interview and then dressed inappropriately from there. Exactly. That's right. Also, two final questions. I mean we could We could talk forever. We've been gone almost an hour. And obviously we chatted before the podcast when live as well so we can probably chat for ages two final questions based on life today or your experiences in your growing up previous career qualifying all the way through the last three years as a fitpro what three things or tips or advice would you give someone but wants to start out in Fitness or coaching? Okay, so tip number one, make sure it's 100% what you want to do number to be be a little bit different try and bring something different to the table. Whatever that's personality what you can provide. And free yet just be confident in yourself. If you've got faith in yourself and confidence that you can do it. You will do it superb so final question Dave and I'm going to I've asked everybody on the podcast myself as well and Hailey all the guests receive these last two questions. And first of all, I just want to acknowledge your time today your energy your effort your approach to coaching the time you spent with us face-to-face on course and you'll kind of first for Learning and approach that you've taken since qualifying as It's just been phenomenal to see your development. So I just want to acknowledge that so the final question is what's your definition of an outstanding coach dedicating yourself to the people that come to you knowing what their end result wants is and just basically doing whatever it takes to get in there. But put in there.put in ther go first is I think that's a coach it's going to listen who will do what he says says what? He does if he says he's going to do something backed up if he doesn't know the answer you make sure that he gets the answer and handle I think so when you could just go above and beyond in this is an outstanding corporate amazing Again David. Just want to thank you for your for your time today and and all the answers. You've given how can people go ahead now and and contact you further. So I'm on Facebook and on Instagram this kick the coaching. You can't you can't miss the logo big white logo. We keep it. On it and based upon gyms in Northampton. Yes, Instagram or Facebook. Probably be the best way to contact me. I'm happy to answer any questions or following on from today. If there's nothing more I can say or do then Fantastical to let me know what we do Dave is where put all of the links in the show notes to your various social handles and whatnot, and I just want to say one more time a big. Thank you, and we hope to have you on again soon. Thanks, man. I really appreciate. Thanks for your time. And thanks for letting me be a part of it. when brilliant superb take a bus you to make say so Hi, I'm Neil Bergman and I'm Haley Bergman over the last 10 years. We've helped thousands of Fitness professionals to get qualified. And then we Simplicity and Coach clients with confidence with the first to say that learning and being a fitpro doesn't have to be hard work and that with the right structure support and resources. You can become a confident and knowledgeable Fitness professional that is dedicated for more. How do you learn qualify and Kickstart as a Pit Row? This is the fit procession what car? still parallel coaching
FitPro Sessions Podcast Episode 004 – Taking The Leap With David Loasby from Kick Fit Coaching Today’s podcast episode is a real game-changer if you’re feeling hesitant about taking the career change leap to become a personal trainer; or if you are currently taking the leap to a new fitness career and looking for tips to help you over this tricky time Here’s what we talked about on today’s FitPro Sessions Podcast Taking the leap from a 9-5 job to a full-time career as a Personal Trainer, working in club, and what it is like throughout the qualifying journey Grab the FitPro Sessions Podcast show notes: Timestamps: 1:00 Dave’s Story of Taking The Leap 3:10 “I can do this, I will do this” 3:45 Dave’s Backstory 4:30 “My job was mundane, I was sat at my desk 9-5” 7:05 Why did you choose to get into Fitness? 10:00 The decision to become a FitPro 11:00 The initial phone call to clarify the decision 14:15 “You’re living proof that if you’re deep down excited and enthusiastic… absorb more info 15:15 Taking the leap with young kids and a partner 16:00 “having the feeling you can do something yourself is good – but having the support of someone you love gives you that extra push” 18:00 Building a financial cushion before taking the leap 19:20 What was life like whilst getting qualified? 20:00 Standing out from other PTs and working out how to be different 22:00 Incorporating functional training to benefit the client 25:00 Why do you think so many people think changing career is overwhelming? 26:30 What has life been like in the first 3 years of being a PT? 27:30 “Tired, somewhat burned out and working a 90 hour week… but still with time for Family” 30:00 Choosing the right gym to start out as a PT 33:00 Kickfits No Excuses Programme 37:00 How to hook PT clients from teaching classes in club 39:00 What do you wish you had known when starting out? 44:30 What to wear on an Interview at a gym? 45:40 3 tips or advice for someone starting out in coaching and fitness 46:50 what is your definition of an outstanding coach? 47:20 How to contact Dave at Kick Fit Coaching Learn more from Dave at Kick Fit Coaching: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICKfitCoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickfitcoaching/ Start your Journey to become a PT here: https://revision.parallelcoaching.co.uk/become-a-personal-trainer Download Free Mock questions here: https://revision.parallelcoaching.co.uk/fitness-exam-mock-questions • Check out what learners are saying: HERE • Like us on Facebook: HERE • Follow us on Instagram: HERE • Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: HERE   ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/fitpro-sessions/message 