From Hating Sales to Thriving as a PT, Matt Estilo

I offer experience with body re-alignment, yoga, Pilates. I also have experience with helping women know how to train at peaks in the menstrual cycle, experience with a wide range of injuries along with the usual experience with muscle gain, losing excess weight, functional mobility but with a holistic and mindfulness approach which also focuses on mental health. 

Throughout the 10 years of working as a self employed Personal Trainer I have had the experience of working with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, cultures and nationalities of different abilities all around the world in three different languages. 

What were you doing before you became a PT?

I was in sales beforehand. Working for a mobile network as a contracted Sales Training Manager among some of the jobs. I hated sales but it was the only work I could find without much experience and a university graduation. It did, however, help me to learn how to market and promote. The experience ultimately helped my go from hating my job in sales to thriving as a PT and online coach.

How did your interest in fitness develop? 

When I was younger (too young to go to a gym) I would have a passion for playing football and basketball along with outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking/fell running and cycling. And then once I was old enough to train in the gym I would love seeing how heavy I could lift but as sport related injuries caught up with me I would then transition to where I am now. No longer concerned with the way I look and how much I can lift, I now only train for functional strength, fitness and mobility with no goals except to enjoy training for those endorphins giving me that release my mental health needs.

What’s your favourite exercise? 

This is one of the hardest questions I get asked. It’s similar to asking a mother who her favourite child is. I’ve never been able to answer this with one exercise so the best I can do is to expand my answer. 

Being one who is passionate about using exercise to help with mental health yoga is among my favourite disciplines along with spinning where you can zone out and lose yourself to the rhythm and the music. But then I get equal amount of pleasure from olympic ring training, parallette training and floor calisthenics.

When did you decide to pursue your career as a Person Trainer?

This idea started when I was training at what used to be Fitness First in Swindon. People would ask me to train them. So I did. I would either give them tips, demonstrations or just get them to jump in on workouts with me. It was then I realised I could make money from it. And was inspired and motivated to do so by a well known PT and my best mate Valerii who had qualified a couple of years before me. 

Why did you choose T2 Fitness Education?

I went around a few gyms in Swindon asking how I could become qualified and who they would recommend. The unanimous advise I got was to go with T2 Fitness Education. I wouldn’t be so confident that I’d be where I am today if I went with anyone else. 

What have you found most helpful about the course(s)

Ironically, the most helpful thing about the courses weren’t actually the courses themselves. Although, they are incredibly helpful. But the most helpful aspect was founder and Managing Director, Stu Gatherum. It’s almost impossible for Stu to get frustrated or impatient with anyone. It didn’t matter if you needed something explained for the tenth time he will still answer you as calmly as he did the first time. Although, that being said, he does explain things really well anyway but just has the patience in case something just wasn’t clicking. And studying can be very boring, monotonous and tedious. Unless, Stu was teaching you. He has the ability to turn the most boring thing into something fun which was great for the theory side. 

What advice do you have for others who want to train to become a PT or instructor?

With the cost of living being so high, I would highly recommend going into the profession with a part time job that’s flexible. Or have a bit of savings set aside because clients don’t just fall into your lap. The last thing you want to worry about is money.

Stu told me once I qualified to focus on my clients, not on the money. As money will come once your clients see the value in YOU. 

Also, too many PTs and Online Coaches these days post Instagram photos and videos with the aim of making themselves look good. In a ‘look at me’ way. This will not help attract clients or help their self-esteem.

You don’t want to come across as a fitness professional who’s in the profession to boost your ego and because it’s a fashionable industry. You want to come across (and you should be in the industry for this reason) as a fitness professional who wants to help and enrich people’s lives. T2 Fitness have been able to help me understand what makes a good personal trainer. 

So post content that will help your followers as opposed to just trying to make yourself look good. And while posting topless (for men) and booty pics (for women) may attract some clientele, be mindful that this can have negative affects on mental health when your followers compare themselves to you. If you can help people and gain a good following without posting this type of content then you’ll know they’re probably following you because of your expertise and not because you have your top off or look good in gym shark hot pants. 

Would you recommend T2?

Not only would I say yes I would but I have recommended T2 Fitness many times and a few I have recommended to T2 Fitness have now become qualified and some are still thriving as Personal Trainers today.