Personal trainers committed to shaping bodies

With fitness being a major priority for many South Africans, personal trainers have gained popularity in recent years. They use their knowledge and skills to guide goal-orientated gym members and athletes to reach their fitness dreams.

Richard Mopedi Machogo and Tsietsi Lebona are well-known professional personal trainers from Supersport Health and Adventure Club in Bloemfontein. They have mastered the art of sculpting their clients’ bodies into their desired shape.

Lebona has been working at Adventure Club for the past eight years as a duty manager and personal trainer. He works up to 18 hours a day. He jogs with his clients outside the gym as part of their fitness training routine on Saturdays.

Lebona said being a personal trainer is an exciting job that challenges you to get results, whatever the cost.

“As personal trainers you must always look the part. You are a walking advertisement for your company. You cannot promise someone a six pack if you have a belly. We are required to produce results for our clients. You need a number of skills such as being analytical, patient, persistent, organised, an effective motivator, and most importantly, a good listener.

“Clients usually have different needs they want to achieve, from losing weight to maintaining their physique, as well as building muscle. We also get athletes who want to increase their sporting performance. As personal trainers, we must make sure that all their goals are achieved.”

Lebona added that his physically demanding job requires consistency. Clients usually undergo a strenuous training regime and it is the job of a personal trainer to assist and motivate them in a similar way as a
coach would.

According to Lebona, there are a number of requirements for a person to become a personal trainer. The candidate needs to have knowledge of human anatomy, understand nutrition and sports science, as well as exercises targeted for various parts of the body.

Training institutions offer physical fitness related courses for those interested in personal training. They include physiotherapy, bio-kinetics, sports management, life coaching, and nutrition.

Machogo has been with Supersport Health for the past nine years. He started as a floor instructor and was promoted to personal trainer. He studied Sports Management at Boston City Campus and received further training at Apex Fitness.

He also holds a National Diploma in Sports Management from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Being an avid sportsman, Machogo was part of the Free State Sports Academy where he received provincial colours in cricket.

“We accommodate people with special needs such as senior citizens, pregnant women, as well as disabled members who want to improve their level of fitness. We offer them tools and assistance through individualised training programmes for specific results.”

He said the biggest problem he usually experiences with clients is that he only spends an hour with them at the gym.

“For the rest of the 23 hours in the day they are on their own. Seventy percent of your food intake can either make or break you fitness programme.”

Machogo added that their training programmes remain the same, irrespective of the season. He said he focuses on educating clients about nutrition, balancing calorie intake, and general health issues.

“Getting back your ideal shape is always possible with the right commitment and attitude. The only obstacle for many who join a gym and work out with a personal trainer is compliance with the programme, but those that follow it achieve the results they wanted.”