The Fitness Zone

Online Studying Benefits Of Personal Training Courses

Oct 31, 2017 | by Lahnee Castro

Author: Lahnee Castro, Lead Online Coach

When studying the Master Trainer Program online you will not only finish with a qualification, you will have successfully acquired an extra set of skills that will give you a career head-start!

Before you make this commitment, it is important to firstly consider if online study is the right option for you.

Many students choose to study online because it’s more flexible than having to attend frequent, structured sessions.  For that reason, it is a popular choice for people with families or irregular work schedules. It is important to recognise that excellent time management is an integral part of studying online. Are you someone who is disciplined enough with your time to ensure you have enough spare for study?

If you are not the best at time management but are keen to improve so you can study online, here are some recommended strategies to the challenges you may face! 

Challenge– I have no time to study!
Strategy– Pick a place and a time and stick to it.

Everyone has their own idea about the best place and time to study. Whether it’s in your bedroom at night or the local library, find a study space and a regular study time that works for you and stick with it. 

Your study space should be quiet, comfortable and distraction-free. It should make you feel happy and inspired. Decorate it with your favourite pictures or objects. If you want to listen to music or burn incense, pick a space that lets you do that.

Some people work better in the morning, others work better at night. Work out which time suits you and put it in a weekly planner as your designated study time. 

Challenge– I’m not sure how frequently I should study? 
Strategy– Create study chunks.

If you study a little bit every day you’ll be continually reviewing things in your mind. This helps you understand and retain more. It also helps avoid the stress of last-minute cramming.

If you’re finding it hard to find time to study, cut back on some (but not all!) of your other activities. Prioritising study and putting together a study plan might mean spending less time on social media, or it might mean sacrificing social engagements every now and then. 

Challenge– I can’t seem to stay motivated to manage my time.
Strategy– Set reminders, set goals and reward yourself once you achieve them.

Remind yourself why you chose to become a Master Trainer and make sure that you always keep in mind what you hope to accomplish in the end. Evaluate your current schedule to see where this will fit in with your lifestyle and if there is any activity you could swap study for.

Set alarms to remind you about your study plans. A reminder will keep you honest and your plans on track.

Stick a calendar or wall planner up so you can see it whenever you’re studying. Mark it up with important dates coinciding with the course outline.

Lists break down certain tasks into manageable chunks. At the start of the week, make a list of the things that you need to have done by the end of the week. Make a to-do list at the start of each study session too, so that you’re clear about what you need to be doing with your time.

Before you start your study session, have a look at your to-do list and give yourself a set time to spend on each task. If you don’t get something done in the set time, consider whether it’s the best use of your time to keep going with it, or to start working on something else.

When you have achieved certain milestones in your course, reward yourself! 

Challenge– I learn best doing things practically.
Strategy– Adapt to your learning style.

Everybody has a preferred way of learning. Get to know you’re learning style and study in the ways you learn best.

Auditory learners learn by listening. If you’re an auditory learner you could try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back.

Visual learners learn by seeing. If you’re a visual learner you could use colours in your notes and draw diagrams to help represent key points. You could try to remember some ideas as images.

Kinaesthetic learners learn by doing. If you’re a tactile/kinaesthetic learner you could use methods like role-playing or building models to revise key points.

Challenge– I’m worried I will need someone to explain to me things I don’t understand. 
Strategy– Ask your amazing Online Coaches.

Have you ever thought you will seem silly if you ask for clarification? Chances are that there has been somebody else that feels the exact same way before so don’t let that hold you back.

If you’re stuck on something, or something just doesn’t seem to make sense, you can always ask for help. Email the course Online Coach with the points you don’t understand or talk to your other Tribe Friends (aka classmates) too. Your Online Coach will make sure you can connect with them during your Welcome Webinar!

The greatest advantage to choosing online study is that simply by graduating you will have demonstrated to a potential employer that you can work independently and are disciplined and self-motivated! 

It’s never too early, or too late, to develop good study habits so planning will be the way to get motivated and get the most out of study! And if you are ready to fully commit yourself to online learning, call one of our Career Gurus on 1300 669 669 to get started today. 

Lahnee Castro

Lahnee Castro

After graduating from the AIF over 10 years ago, Lahnee began her fitness industry career conducting membership consulting in a gym. Setting her sights on personal training, she started training clients and instructing classes with Fernwood Health Clubs. Moving into management gave Lahnee a great insight into the daily operations of clubs, and she has applied this experience to her work in a number of facilities, including Healthworks and Fitness First locations. With boundless energy and enthusiasm, Lahnee has been helping online students complete their studies in fitness, business and nutrition for the past 5 years.

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Disclaimer: Where Certificate III in Fitness, Cert III/Cert 3, or Fitness Coach is mentioned, it refers to SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness. Where Certificate IV in Fitness, Cert IV/Cert 4, or Personal Trainer is mentioned, it refers to SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness. Where Master Trainer Program™ is mentioned, it refers to Fitness Essentials and SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness. Where Master Trainer Plus+ Program™ is mentioned, it refers to SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness and SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness. Where Certificate IV in Massage or Cert IV/Cert 4 is mentioned, it refers to HLT42021 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy. Where Diploma of Remedial Massage is mentioned, it refers to HLT52021 Diploma of Remedial Massage.

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