This week Christina Toimela meets personal trainer Emily Collins

This week Christina Toimela meets personal trainer Emily Collins and learns that if you have a very strong vision you can keep going forward

I consider myself somewhat addicted to sports. I love training hard and I’m very good at pushing myself towards and over my own limits. All my personal trainers have been ex-army, “no pain, no gain” style instructors. But when I started training in Brighton Marina I met my first female personal trainer. Despite her petite frame and kind attitude Emily made me train really hard. Her soft yet efficient approach was unique to me, and I wondered why she was working for someone else.

It turned out that Emily was about to make the jump into self-employment. For two months she worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week. She worked full time at the gym where we met and then in another gym, building up a good client base. Emily Collins now runs EmFitness in Brighton and specialises in weightloss and toning.

Emily learned that becoming a self-employed personal trainer involved much more than dealing with the competition, reaching customers and having a finger on the pulse of the relevant fitness concepts and techniques. It also brought many responsibilities, which included making sure you have all the relevant insurance, health and safety, as well as first aid qualifications.

“For two months she worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week”

Emily also experienced the seasonal nature of the market for personal trainers. Summer and Christmas holiday periods are low season times during which Emily keeps herself busy by doing more promotional work. She finds it important to understand that after the low season the peak will come and then you should be prepared. The busiest times for personal trainers are from February to May and then again from September to November, says Emily.

However, Emily is thrilled having her own company. Now she can put all her energy and focus into her clients. She feels that she can help more people with her bespoke programs and offers. She can offer freestyle, weights, cardio and full use of a gym. Some of the customers prefer training outdoors and an increasing number of Emily’s customers like training at their own homes.

Emily loves what she is doing: meeting new people and helping them to meet their goals. Far from being harsh and scary, Emily lets her clients know that there is hard work involved but she is there giving her support and advice. Emily feels that being self-employed has given her the opportunity to come across as herself, funky and fun. “Your style is the reason why people choose you,” says Emily. “If you have a very strong vision you can keep going and you should not let anything stop you.”

For more about fitness and Emily Collins watch Brighton Lights episode 46 at www.thelatest.tv
www.emfitness.co.uk

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Not ordinary, but extraordinary.
Contact Christina: christina.toimela@gmail.com