Shauna McGroarty works full-time as a personal trainer for St James's Gate Health and Fitness Club but diversifies into other areas of the industry, including as a strength and conditioning coach with the FAI Ladies Emerging Talent Programme
I could talk for days about all the things I love about my job but I suppose what I love most is that every day I go to work I get to help people change and improve their lives for the better.
Nearly 99 per cent of people seek out a personal trainer with the goal of losing weight and toning up but the beautiful reality is, if people stay consistent, not only will they see their goals become a reality but they will also start to see their sleep and energy levels improve, their overall ability to take on the challenges life throws at them increase, their confidence at work and in social situations soar and my favourite thing of all, unrivalled improvements in their mental health.
My own fitness is hugely important to me. I cycle to and from work every day to ensure I keep my heart and lungs strong and when I’m not on my bike, I walk everywhere. I lift weights four to five days per week to keep my body and mind strong. I also ensure that before every workout I complete a mobility-focused warm-up to ensure I maintain my movement and flexibility, avoid injury and fire up my nervous system. As a personal trainer, I would find it very contradictory to stand in front of clients and ask them to perform challenging workouts or have a disciplined outlook on their nutrition if I don’t have the same ethos myself. I have to be able to practise what I preach.
People inspire me every day. Watching people overcome adversity and break down barriers or achieve what was previously deemed or thought impossible never fails to inspire me and light a fire in my belly.
It’s very important for me to keep up to date with new types of fitness regimes/techniques. The day you think you know it all is the day you should quit or walk away from the industry. You have to be humble enough to always appreciate that there are people out there that know more than you and be even more grateful that they have created platforms and situations to share all their knowledge bombs with you.
The 5.30am starts can sometimes be hard in the winter and the long hours can be a little challenging but my love for my work by far outweighs any potential dislikes.