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Sunshine Coast Personal Trainer Calls for Industry Reform on National Television

By Bianca Aiono

“The fitness industry in Australia is booming with boot camps and personal trainers filling our parks and beaches. It is now estimated to be worth over 800 million dollars per year but how qualified are the people who are pushing us to our limits and potentially causing us serious injury? The minimum qualification for a personal trainer can be attained in eight weeks and many veteran trainers and allied health professions feel it is nowhere near long enough. Should we be looking to personal trainers to help us move the extra kilos? Or are they simply ripping us off and endangering our health?”

Sunshine Coast Personal Trainer, Bianca Aiono of SculptLife was featured this week on SBS Insight’s program to discuss industry reform. Bianca says “They invited me down to help shed light on the problem at hand, but they were more interested in one bad experience I had with a Sunshine Coast Personal Trainer I had years ago. It’s easy to try to make a name for yourself by criticising something that is essentially very positive and I definitely didn’t make a trip all the way to Sydney just for that!”

Bianca believes the problematic issues lie in the “Fly By Night” nature of the Personal Training Industry, a lack of communication between client and trainer, and the “No Pain No Gain” mentality typical of “The Biggest Loser”. Being a PT and “getting paid to have fun” is an enviable lifestyle, and Training Providers know many people hate their job. But in eight weeks time, a taxi driver can become a SunShine Coast Personal Trainer and for the unsuspecting consumer, this can spell disaster.

Sunshine Coast Personal Trainer, Bianca, says though it’s not the length of education that is to blame, a willingness to learn and life experience can make a world class trainer. Conversely, trainers with a 4 year degrees have been turned away by employers for not having the “people skills” necessary to give good service to their members. A lack of experienced trainers is compounded by the fact that a PT’s expected career life is just 18 months, as quoted by Fitness First’s Personal Training manager, Dominic dos Remidios. Bianca believes this is due to new graduates often having unrealistic expectations as to how hard you need to make it work before getting the big bucks and not being equipped with the skills to run their own business.

“There are cold early mornings, late nights, unreliable pay and high rental commitments from the money grabbing corporate giants such as Fitness First.” Bianca says “Safe effective and permanent weight loss does not require a trainer screaming orders, injuries are just waiting to happen.”

At SculptLife Personal Training on the Sunshine Coast we offer potential clients a free fitness consultation on our website www.sculptlife.com.au valued at $80 to assess exactly what they want to achieve, a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and plenty of client testimonials. Don’t sign up without a complimentary consultation, know your limits and if you have a special condition, make sure you hire a trainer who can cater to your needs. Group Training can be very rewarding and positive, but remember in a group environment a trainer cannot give you their undivided attention. Bianca believes that over regulation is not the solution, rather a commitment going forward to mentor new graduates with experienced PT’s and to provide avenues for Trainers to be recognised for their experience on a national level.

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Remember, your nutrition is your foundation to your health and fitness, without it, no matter how hard you exercise you won’t get your ideal healthy body. If you would like a free nutritional consultation valued at $80 to find out how we can help you with your nutrition just email us on or phone 5493 8269.