By, Victoria Clout, Discovery Learning Tutor

On a daily basis, myself and the student support interact with many of the students on Discovery Learning courses; we are always on hand to answer any questions about the courses, assessments, etc.

The main questions I get asked are:

• Will I be judged on my physical fitness?
• Will I be the only one there over 25?
• Will I be the only female for the PT course?
• Will I be the only man on the Exercise to Music (ETM) course?

The answer to all the above questions is no! Your level of physical fitness is not important; we are not expecting all our students to be elite athletes! But it does come down to your own preferences and where you see yourself working in the future. Shape and size doesn’t matter but remember Gym Instructing and Personal Training are physical jobs and you must be able to cope with the demands.

My personal example is my level of flexibility.  I can’t squat/deadlift due to tight gastrocnemius, the result of many years of swim training. The squat is incorporated into many other moves and is an excellent toning exercise. If I can’t do something, then I need to know how to explain and teach to a high standard. Although my demonstrations of a squat are not great, I do understand why clients find it hard. I have developed ways to overcome my weakness and maintain a professional demeanour.

The age range of students on our courses range from 16 to 65 years old; the range of courses are open to everyone. At Discovery Learning, we pride ourselves in being inclusive and having the relevant support systems in place for a wide demographic.

There are an equal number of males and females on all of the courses we offer at Discovery Learning.  The Exercise to Music Instructor Level 2 course is the basis of so many choreographed courses that you get a wide range of students. As with Personal Training courses, the male to female ratio is equal.

Have other questions that need answering? We can help!

Our Student Support is open from 9 to 5 pm Monday to Friday, and on Monday and Wednesday we are available 9 to 7.30 pm to cater for all students who work or have other commitments.

Hope this helped! Check this space for more answers to your questions.

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By, Victoria Clout, Discovery Learning Tutor

As a tutor at Discovery Learning I have come across a wide range of learning abilities and competencies.

My learning style is individual to myself and you will also find this as you move through your learning experience at Discovery Learning. I talk to students every day and the most commonly asked question asked is ‘how do I study?’. If you have been out of education for a while, new to studying or this is a new subject area for you I have complied some top study tips.

My top tips for studying are –

• Read and make notes, this may seem repetitive but it will help you to remember words and how they are spelt
• Ask questions; if you don’t understand a topic please contact the Student Support team.
• Talk out loud; you are training to work in a practical environment where communication is essential. You may have understood the subject but putting it into words is harder than you think.

Stay Motivated! When I was 16 years old I was told I would never make it to university and that maybe I should research other job options. I was determined to get to uni and study Sport and Exercise Science. I didn’t do that well in my A Levels in school so I went back to college to re-sit them. The college environment suited my learning style better and I got the grades to go to uni! My family was proud that I didn’t give up on my dream. I graduated with a Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) and decided I loved uni so much I went back to study for a masters. I graduated with Merit in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation MSc.

The moral of my story is never give up and that you can reach your goals with hard work and finding the way of learning that suits you.

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