The group fitness sector is booming in popularity; it’s wide ranging and diverse, from yoga to cross training, and indoor cycling classes to HIIT, there should be something for everyone of all ages, strengths and fitness. The old clichés of the types of people who participate, such as ‘ladies in lycra’ have largely gone - you’re likely to find a balance of like-minded people who just want to get fit and have fun doing so.

There are a number of reasons to complete a fitness questionnaire, for both the client and the trainer, before the first session.

We’ve all seen it in the gym. People push themselves a little too far, and maybe try to pick up a weight that’s just too much. They run for slightly longer than they should, perhaps without water. A dumbbell is left unattended, ripe for someone to trip over. A hanging exercise is attempted without sufficient gloves, or with poor technique.

Marketing can be difficult for the newly-qualified personal trainer. There are so many ways of promoting yourself, online or in person, that it can be overwhelming.

A career in fitness is never a bad idea! If you’re thinking of becoming a personal trainer or are a newly-qualified PT just setting up in business, you’ll no doubt be wondering about your earning potential. How much do personal trainers make?

The answer is that it varies. While the National Careers Service cites an average salary of between £17,000 and £22,000 a year for an experienced personal trainer, that is just an average. What a personal trainer can earn as an annual salary, or charge by the hour, can be influenced significantly by experience, qualifications, location and client base.

You’ve decided that you want to change the way you look; maybe you want to lose weight, put on bulk, get fitter and stronger, complete a challenge - or all of these. And now you’re thinking: ‘Should I get a personal trainer?’

Sports therapy is an aspect of fitness/healthcare and nutrition concerned with prevention of injury and rehabilitation. They’re also sometimes known as athletics trainers. There are numerous ways into the industry, through leisure centres, sports clubs, schools and other routes. Here, we explore some of the more common ways to have a career in sports therapy.

Boxing is undoubtedly one of the toughest sports out there. Participants need every physical and mental ability to be successful; strength, stamina, fitness, desire, balance, willingness to learn…the list goes on. However, there are many boxing enthusiasts who will lace up the gloves but never actually get in the ring, and instead use the training and discipline to dramatically improve their overall fitness and health without taking punches.

What is indoor cycling?

Indoor cycling is typically taught in classes of perhaps up to 20 people. The classes are almost always set to music and are a proper cardio workout, while also strengthening the lower body and shoulders in particular. While neither rhythmical nor particularly complex in the movements, participants will be standing, sprinting, and sitting on the bike at various times, and altering their speed accordingly. For effective and continued weight loss, increasing resistance – weight in the pedals – will be needed. Classes typically last 30-60 minutes.

Sports massage is rapidly becoming a popular career choice for those interested in helping sporting participants avoid and recover from injuries and pain. It can be a very rewarding career, and one that will give relief and happiness to people for whom their bodies are tools of their trade, and must be maintained with the utmost care.