What is your background with exercise and fitness training?
I am an exercise to music instructor and have been teaching classes since November 2012. I have also been a regular gym goer since my early teens.
Why did you choose the course you did?
Since becoming a fitness instructor I have found a huge passion for the industry and I wanted to learn more. I also wanted to take my qualifications to the next level and be able to train people one to one.
Why did you choose HFE to deliver your training?
I used HFE for my Level 2 Fitness Instructor course, and found them to be incredibly helpful and effective. They had been recommended to me via a friend who had studied with them and she gave them a glowing review. She wasn’t wrong.
What did you enjoy most about your course?
I enjoyed mostly the classroom environment of the course. The ability to sit with other pupils and learn the facts with the tutors there to answer and explain things. I found the tutors to be incredibly knowledgeable and patient at dealing with concerns of confusions. I also really enjoyed the hands-on practical sessions.
What did you find most challenging about your course?
I found the exams the most challenging. The course was quite condensed over a short period of time which is great for those wanting to learn quickly and those short for time, however it meant there was limited time to really revise. Then the exams are quite small and broad they didn’t seem to cover a fair range of the material learnt. I found this incredibly frustrating and challenging.
How would you rate the quality of teaching provided by your course tutors?
I would rate each instructor differently. Some were better than others at communicating effectively to a group. However, all in all delivered very well and very effectively.
To what extent did you feel supported during the home-study phase of your course?
I felt incredibly supported. My tutor Dan Birkett was there for me every day. And if he wasn’t I would receive a phone call back within the hour. Very supportive and informative. Patient when I didn’t understand. Offered lots of extra learning materials to help me understand. Very good.
How would you rate the teaching and learning materials provided to you?
Detailed and useful. However quite often I would read a section, and it mentions things that aren’t explained until later in the manual. There is no reference to the later sections either, so when reading the first section you can become lost or confused due to a detail you have no understanding of, until you come across it four sections later in detail.
What is your current role?
I am a group exercise instructor, a now qualified personal trainer, and a studio coordinator for Total Fitness Altrincham.
What are your future training and career plans?
I plan to specialise in metabolic effect and weight loss, so I hope to continue study with HFE focusing more specifically on nutrition and weight management. I will broaden my client base to suit this niche.