Army career to elite Personal Trainer
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 04/04/2022
Chris Sangster loved the military way of life and the challenges it threw at him.
He had dedicated his life to the Armed Forces from the age of 16, serving as a Logistics Specialist in the Royal Logistics Corps and the Commando Logistics Regiment.
From the Falklands to Germany, he served around the world; working alongside the Royal Marines and becoming a ski instructor and fitness coach to his regiment. All of which shaped him into a disciplined and detail-orientated professional.
After 11 years of service, he was looking for a fresh challenge and a new career where he could use the skills he had honed in the military to make a real difference in people's lives.
He found this in his new career working one-to-one with personal training clients at Ultimate Performance – the world's only global personal trainer business.
Working in a collaborative, results-driven environment with a world-class team has given him a platform to excel as a trainer and build a genuine career.
Chris talks about making the transition to personal training, and how his transferrable skillset has equipped him to become a leading trainer at U.P. who helps drive the company’s global expansion.
How did you make the switch from a career in the Armed Forces to working as a personal trainer?
"I originally planned on becoming a teacher. I wanted to attend a university, gain a degree and transition into teaching. However, I signed onto a Personal Training (PT) qualification to provide some income whilst I was studying. I went on a full-time course for two months to become a Level 4 PT and was instantly taken back in time to my days of being a Physical Training Instructor in the Army, helping others reach their fitness goals. When I returned to the regiment for the last three months of my service, they asked me to train the boxing team to get stronger and fitter, and from there I knew I wanted to be a personal trainer."
How has your career developed and how has your role as a trainer changed since starting as a junior?
"I started at Ultimate Performance in Mayfair in January 2020, and it was plain to see that my background as a soldier, relying heavily on routine, attention to detail and caring for others, helped to console my clients and inspire them to achieve things that they never thought possible.
"In February 2021, I was named the Newcomer of the Year 2020, which lead to a double promotion. It’s an accolade that I’m hugely proud of, and which has motivated me to work harder and longer than ever before. Although transitioning to civilian employment may seem scary at first, I’ve never felt so appreciative of what I’m doing; helping people change their lives forever."
Which skills from forces life have transferred to your career at U.P.?
"Being a committed and routine-focused individual are exactly what’s needed to become a top-performing trainer. On top of this, the camaraderie and teamwork that I learned from my time in the military have been priceless in starting a career with U.P."
What are the biggest benefits or things you enjoy most about working at U.P.?
"I have the pleasure of working with like-mind individuals that come together as a team to support and develop each other in our role of delivering life-changing transformations; helping people achieve the best possible physique in the shortest amount of time.
"Seeing people take ownership of their bodies and lives has been fantastic. I cannot understate how truly rewarding it is to see your hard work and dedication pay off when someone achieves their result. U.P. has created an environment that makes this possible, and has given me a pursuit of happiness in helping others better themselves."
What would your advice be to anyone else transitioning out of the forces and wanting a career path as a trainer?
"My transition may sound seamless at first, but has been laced with failure along the way. This is something I had to accept as time went by, and it was the resilience that I acquired from my time in the military that helped me through it.
So, if you find yourself wanting a career as a personal trainer, all I can suggest is committing to achieving your PT qualifications and not looking back. Try your hand at training others and show people how passionate you are about making a difference in their lives. Personal Trainer is my new job title, but inspiring people to achieve their true and ultimate potential is my new life."
Explore exciting new career opportunities across the globe with Ultimate Performance today and be part of a world-class team.
Additional Information
Ultimate Performance (U.P.) are the world’s only truly global personal training business. We operate our own world-class private personal training gyms across Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East, with headquarters in the United Kingdom.
U.P. is built on a proven ‘maximum results, minimum time’ model that has helped over 20,000 clients achieve life-changing results. We’re powered by a transformative business model, cutting-edge technology and some of the world’s leading fitness brains; offering the highest possible level of qualified, rigorously tested personal training.
Each one of our trainers is distinguished by their ability to practice what they preach, and our global team pride themselves on living the healthy lifestyle we advocate for our clients.
Information about current/future job vacancies:
- Work alongside some of the world’s leading personal trainers as part of a team.
- Work in a culture where results – not numbers – are the name of the game. We take care of the sales and marketing so you have the time to focus on what matters as a Personal Trainer: training clients and delivering results.
- Benefit from a continuous education programme and working alongside your own Mentor.
- Have the support and guidance to build a genuine career within the fitness industry so that you can grow into the right long-term role for you.
- Deliver personal training through our own company app, while we continue to work behind the scenes to revolutionise the technology available to you as a Trainer.
- Be pushed to never accept anything less than your very best while enjoying the ability to travel around the world.
If you’d like to find out more about the opportunities available with Ultimate Performance, head over to the Career Transition Partnership’s online job portal, RightJob to view our latest vacancies:
Personal Trainer - Leeds N437670
Personal Trainer - Liverpool N437672
Personal Trainer - London N437674
Personal Trainer - Cheshire N437675
Personal Trainer - Manchester N437677
U.P. does not provide Personal Trainer qualifications and so requires all applicants to have already attained their Level 3 qualification in Personal Training.
Please note that all U.P. Trainers are required to have a valid right to work.