The main reason for me interviewing Gunnar was study related (specifically for a class in Sports Coaching & Leadership) where the assignment was to talk with a coach in my related field of work.
Now you might wonder how I managed to get a hold of one of the most famous Personal Trainers in the world? Well, that's a whole different story (and perhaps something to bring up in a later post).
Gunnar Peterson
Gunnar called me up, just on time like suggested. Before the interview, I was hoping to maybe have time to ask at least half of my questions, knowing how busy schedules can be. I certainly didn't expect Gunnar to have the time nor the patience to answer all my questions, and then some. Well, he did - and that was only one of the things that struck a cord with me after our conversation. It made the respect I had for Gunnar on a professional level grow even more and expand to a more personal level.
Here's a recap of my interview with Gunnar Peterson:
What made you get into Personal Training?
I was a fat kid when I was young. Once I started to workout regularly, I realized I had the ability to transform my own body. This was a very powerful sensation and it inspired me wanting to do this to others too.
Have you ever worked for someone else (as a PT) and where did you start your career?
I've spent my entire career in LA and I've never been employed by someone else in the industry.
Are you currently working on more DVD's and books to follow up “Core Secrets” and “The Workout”?
I have 4 new DVD's that are being released by In Shape magazine as we speak. Other than that I'm working with several TV shows and have plans on a new book release (but no dates yet).
Please give an example of a challenge that you face in your job?
Let's see...the whole balancing act; to work with people and around my clients schedules can sometimes be challenging.
What do you see being the next big fitness trend?
Fitness trends come and go and the industry is constantly changing. There are many new things out there. I'm good friends with Randy Hetrick (founder of the TRX suspension trainer) and I'm a big fan of that workout device. I don't know about midwest but on the coasts (of US), “green training” (e.g. manual, non-electrical treadmills) is pretty big. Perhaps that will be a trend we'll see more of in the future.
If you had to choose one country in the world to work as a Personal Trainer (besides USA) what country would it be and why?
I would have to stick with US. It's hands down the country where you find most opportunities and it's where everything new in the industry starts. If you are doing a good job here you can create yourself a name and then get out to other places in the world later if that's your goal. For example, I'm doing a lot of traveling myself and will be going to Russia in 10 days to train a professional boxer.
Starting your career in US also makes it easier than going the other way around, beginning somewhere else and then try to make it here.
What has been your greatest accomplishments in your career so far?
It's kinda hard to point out specific accomplishments that stand out. I would say being able to keep doing what I do with the people I do it with is amazing and something I never take for granted. That makes it hard – if not impossible, to have a bad day at work.
Do you think the Personal Trainer market in LA is saturated?
I believe there's always room for quality trainers, no matter location.
Do you have any advice to give to individuals wanting to become a Personal Trainer?
Practice what you preach (stick to your philosophy but review it and don't be afraid to modify it if necessary) and be willing to put in the hours. Being a Personal Trainer is a lot of hard work so therefore you've got to be in it for the right reasons. In LA for example, you can't train an actor with hopes to be a famous celebrity trainer or try to appear in movies yourself. That will never work in the long run.
Besides certificates and degrees, what personal qualities do you feel are the most important when it comes to being a successful Personal Trainer? In other words, what are the main qualities you think sets the best Personal Trainers apart from the average?
First of all, social skills, knowing how to adapt, treat and speak to different individuals is very important. Once you have established yourself and have a client base you have to be willing to work hard and long hours. You also need to have an open mind about health and exercise fitness and open ears to your clients since you'll be doing more listening than talking. I'm not saying you should pretend to be a republican one day and a democrat the next, you need to stay true to yourself and your philosophy. But again, be open minded and understand that people always are going to have different views and opinions so you can get along and work well with others. I think those personal qualities gives potential for being a successful Personal Trainer.
Finally, my last question. After over 20 years in the industry, what keeps you involved in Personal training - what do you like about it and what motivates you to stay with it?
I will have to say it's the interaction with my clients that I like the most with my profession.
To sum it all up: It was a cool experince to have the opportunity to chat with a living legend and I learned a lot from my conversation with Gunnar. I strongly agree with his answer on the last question, how he enjoys the interaction with his clients, and I think that is crucial to stay passionate, work hard and truly enjoy being a Personal Trainer.
By the way, I'll be getting back my interview assignment later today, and thanks to Gunnar, I'm pretty sure it will rock!
/Henrik
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