By, Andrea Hughes, Discovery Learning  Sales Team

They say that people who live in the city walk 2 miles a day.  I don’t know who ‘they’ are, but judging by the amount of bus stops in this city, I’d say most people walk substantially less than that.  And with rain falling about 300 days a year, I know I don’t always feel motivated to ruin my hair by hoofing it.

Nevertheless, it’s spring! And the snow is melting and the sun is (sometimes) shining! So, being one of the lucky ones who lives close enough, I’ve decided to start walking to work.  In this endeavour, I have joined the cool club of wearing trainers with office clothes.  Not everyone can pull off this look; in fact, no-one can! But, hey, I’m being responsible to my feet by wearing proper shoes whilst walking.  So I switch on my iPod and go!

Despite having to dodge bin bags and certain dog-made obstacles, I really like the walk to work.  It’s relaxing to have those 32 minutes to myself without having to push onto a crowded bus or tube and smell someone else’s, um, odours.  It’s also great because walking at a brisk pace both to and from work gives me more than an hour of cardio a day—not to mention saving me £2.40 in bus fare!

I walk 32 minutes to work each way so, if I’m walking about 4 miles an hour (a 15-minute mile) then I’m burning about 350 calories a day just on my walk to work.  And according to the NHS, walking 10,000 steps a day (about five miles) can improve your heart’s health and reduce body fat.  I know 10,000 sounds like a lot, but I get about 9,000 just in my travels to work and that’s only an hour of walking; so think about how much more you walk around each day—in the office, around the house, etc.

If you’re lucky enough to live close enough to work then why not enjoy it by walking there? You’ll also be able to make your friends jealous by bragging about being so close to work that you can walk.

I highly recommend walking because it’s my favourite kind of exercise—the kind where it doesn’t feel like you’re working out! It’s great for you or your clients who might not be prone to going to the gym 5 days a week.

It might not be as intensive as a personal training course, but it works for me for now and it’s a great way to enjoy the weather while it lasts!

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By, Caroline Newton, Discovery Learning Tutor

The foundation qualifications are the personal trainer certificate (offered by CYQ or Active IQ awarding bodies). This is your basic license to become a Personal Trainer. However, if you wish to earn more money, then we recommend that you specialise in certain areas. This means that you will have to gain more specialist qualifications on top of your personal trainer certificate.

Specialist areas can include Weight Management and Nutrition, Posture Correction and Functional Training, Strength Conditioning, group exercise, etc. You will need to decide which route you would like to take (remember you can do more than one route, but it also means more training).

Many training companies, like ourselves, offer Personal Trainer Packages. These aim to get you to your desired level in the shortest time possible, and at an affordable price.

There are three levels of personal training (however, different companies will have different names):

• Personal Trainer (can charge £25-£35 per hour)
• Advanced Personal Trainer (can charge £35-£45 per hour)
• Master Personal Trainer (can charge £45-£65 per hour)

You can progress at your own time through these categories, depending on the amount of time you have available to study and how much you can afford. However, it is often cheaper to book onto one of the specially designed personal trainer packages, as they have been specifically designed to meet the employers’ needs and increase your earning potential.

Ideally you want to aim to become a Master Personal Trainer. This is when you can charge a higher rate and stand out from the rest of the Personal Trainers in your gym or area.

The most “in demand” specialist modules that employers and clients are looking for are:

• Posture correction/ functional training/injury prevention and treatment
• Weight management and nutrition
• Strength and conditioning
• Boot camp/circuits

At Discovery Learning we offer all of these in our Master Personal Trainer Course (apart from Strength and conditioning).

So if you would like more advice on choosing a personal trainer course, then please email info@discovery.uk.com or phone 0208 543 1017 and we will help you choose the correct courses for you.

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