News
Fitness trainer Sean McShane inspires local community to keep fit during the lockdown
Published: 12 June 2020
Sean Mc Shane from North Belfast has been able to focus on his love of sport and fitness during the lockdown: “Sport and fitness has played a massive part in my growing up. From my early teens my goal has been to have career in the fitness industry, currently works in a local gym SR Fitness which has been closed during lockdown, and so he has been taking live fitness classes for members and the wider community via Zoom.
Sean speaks passionately explaining that, “Gym sessions not only improve fitness levels and physique, but have a massive effect on mental health. Given the current situation, I believe now more than ever the importance of personal trainers delivering well rounded sessions to their clients.”
“When SR Fitness opened I began training there, and within a couple of months I started working on the desk and cleaning the gym. As I watched other personal trainers working with their clients, my desire to work in this industry deepened. When a placement became available on the Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training at Belfast Met, I believed I had to follow my dream and sign up for it.”
Sean McCafferty, the owner of SR Fitness became my mentor, and I started to help with fitness classes and boot camps which gave me a chance to apply the skills and knowledge that I was learning on the course. The support from my tutor and from Sean has not only helped me begin reaching my career goals, but has also greatly improved my confidence and self- esteem, and set my goals much higher than I’d originally intended. The extra time I have had during lockdown has given me more time to study coaching and personal training further.”
“The gym’s closure has had a massive impact on many people's lives, including my own. Gym sessions not only improve fitness levels and physique, but have a massive effect on mental health. Given the current situation, I believe now more than ever, in the importance of personal trainers delivering well rounded sessions to their clients.
“On the announcement of lockdown my initial feelings where of worry and stress. I had built a really good client base and each of my clients where making excellent progress. I was worried not only about losing my clients, but how this would affect the positive changes in lifestyles that they had formed.
“I have been very lucky to work for a gym where the owners have supported and encouraged me to deliver sessions not only my clients, but to the wider community through online platforms. I'm grateful that I still get to serve clients in a role that I love and am passionate about, and encourages me to keep my own training and health on track.”
Owner of SR Fitness, Sean McCafferty said, "Sean has been a great asset to our gym and community, both with his willingness to learn and the ability to adapt to different roles in the gym, he is setting himself up to be one of Belfast’s top coaches, and will no doubt have a massive role to play in our gyms in the future.”
Belfast Met Course Co-ordinator, Kim Murray stated, “Sean is a highly motivated student and all his tutors are delighted with the progress he has made this year. He adapted really well to the current pandemic and was very proactive in engaging fully with remote learning and face to face delivery which enabled him to continue his studies and develop the employability skills required for industry. Working with SR Fitness has been invaluable experience for Sean, helping to improve his confidence and instructing abilities in adapting various training methods to suit different client needs, which will benefit him in his future career as a Personal Trainer.”
Find out more about our Sport & Fitness courses here.