Turning a passion like fitness into a career is a dream for many.
Why spend your days doing something you hate when you could be doing something you love?
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and roses when it comes to making money from something you enjoy.
For some people, turning a passion into work can suck the joy out of it.
However, many others find that it doesn’t affect their love at all.
In fact, it can make you love what you do even more.
Fitness is a common area of interest that many people want to turn into a career.
If you already have plenty of experience and knowledge, you can easily start applying it to a career in fitness.
There are plenty of options to explore too, depending on what you’re interested in and what’s in demand.
If you’re a Londoner who wants to begin a career in fitness, it might seem like things are going to be tough.
There’s bound to be a lot of competition and getting started takes time.
But if you’re willing to put in the work, you could soon find yourself doing what you love every day.
Find Your Niche
The first thing you’ll need to do is think about your niche.
What area of fitness do you want to work in?
This might seem immediately obvious to you, especially if you have a specific area of expertise.
But if you’re keeping your options open, there are a couple of things you might want to think about.
You should consider what’s in demand and what options are already out there.
For example, there are more than 4,700 yoga and pilates studios in the UK.
This could mean there’s plenty of opportunity for employment but you could be facing a lot of competition if you want to set up your own studio.
Take a Course
If you’re not sure how to get started and gain the right skills, taking a course is often the best way to begin.
You can find both in-person and online options, which means you can learn on your own terms.
Taking a London personal training course will get you set up with all of the crucial skills you need to coach others.
You might have experience with fitness yourself, but you also need to know how to advise your clients and help them achieve their goals.
Look for an accredited course that will give you a recognised qualification.
You might end up with an approved certification at the end of your course, which you can use to help you with your next steps.
Look for a Job
Many people get started in a new career by looking for work experience first.
While you could strike out on your own right away, it can be hard to get a foothold if you don’t yet have experience in your chosen field.
Finding employment gives you the opportunity to keep learning and to put your skills to practise in the world of work.
You might then decide to stay in employment if you like it or you could decide to be self-employed and start your own business.
When you’re looking for work, it’s a good idea to start networking. It can help you make the right connections and even hear about opportunities before others.
Set Out on Your Own
Another option is to start your own business.
It’s something you could do right away or you could wait until you have a bit more experience.
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, consider a course in business skills that will help you get started.
Many fitness courses also include some business advice to help you set yourself up for success.
Something you might have to think about is where and how you’re going to deliver your services.
Finding your own studio in London could be tricky and pretty expensive.
Alternatively, you might find an existing venue looking to contract out certain services.
As a personal trainer, you could be based out of a gym or health centre.
You could also consider providing your services in public, such as one of London’s many lovely parks.
However, it’s important to check any rules regarding this and make sure you’re insured too.
Delivering your services online is also a possibility that could work out for you.
Starting a new career can always be daunting, but London has a lot of opportunities for people who want to move into the fitness industry.
Start by exploring your options and making a plan for what you want to do.