The Successful PT: Singapore Edition
Welcome to the Successful PT Podcast: Singapore Edition! In this podcast we interview successful Personal Trainers based in Singapore's! Podcast sponsored by Fitness Education Online.
The Successful PT: Singapore Edition
How to be a Successful Online Personal Trainer with Aly Ang
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Aly is a NCSF Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritionist, Natural KL Bikini Champion and a successful 1 on 1 online fitness coach.
In this episode we share Aly’s tips on how to be a successful online personal trainer.
Connect with Aly
Connect with Fitness Education Online
Website: https://fitnesseducationonline.sg
Instagram: @fitnesseducationonline.sg
Facebook Group: Fitness Education Online - Singapore
All right. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the podcast. I'm your host, Jono, and I am super excited because we have an awesome guest on the line this week. A little bit about this person. She's an NCSF certified personal trainer. She's a nutritionist. She's a natural bikini champion. I believe she's won multiple awards in that. She's an online fitness coach, an in-person fitness coach, and a posing coach. So without further ado, we've got Ali from Singapore. Ali, how are you?
SPEAKER_00Hi, how are you doing all? Thanks for having me on the podcast. I'm so great. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02No, glad to be on. I've been following you on social media for a while and love what you're doing there. Let's give everyone a little bit of context, Ali. You're obviously doing some really cool things at the moment, but wind it back a bit. Where did you start in the industry? How did you start? Tell us a little bit of story about how you started and how you got to where you are today.
SPEAKER_01So on and off, I've been in the gym. Then I used to used to do canopolo way before. And then I left the spot. So I decided like what else should I do? Then I came across like bodybuilding, like oozing bikini girls like on stage with sparkly like bikinis. And then I thought, you know what? I'm just gonna give you a try. It's like such an impossible task, right? Because like I look at myself and then I'd be like, me versus them on stage, that's totally impossible. But let's just do it. And then after which, um, hired a coach, hired my coach, Nicole, and then she taught me everything I needed to know, guided me, and then I went into competing. After competing, I realized, wow, there's like so much things people don't know about the fitness industry. And then I want to be able to share that with the community, especially in Singapore, because there's so many mis uh commun uh misinformation out there. People think you are on a diet, you can't eat carbs, that sort of things, you know. And yeah, I just wanted to spread like that information out there, especially on the nutrition side. Yeah. So I was so that's how I kind of got started into it. Yeah, sharing information and then being into like a personal trainer as well.
SPEAKER_02Couple questions about that. Tell us maybe just a little bit about even that bodybuilding journey. How long were you preparing for it? And then tell us maybe at that first show. How did it go?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I started prepping since 2024. I took a one year off season, like just uh really being consistent in the gym, eating the gym like five times a week, and then finally started around February in 2025, like full-on prep mode, into my first show. So I was aiming for the natural NPC show in KL. That was my ultimate goal. And then in between, I also did a local show, which is a dream aesthetic show. Yeah, so as as like my Walmart before hitting the KL show. It was really great. Like I I was honestly, everybody felt like I was very confident on stage, but I was shaking, like my legs were shaking. Like I felt every like being on stage, you feel the beat of the music on the floor. Yeah, I was trembling, but we have to exude that that confidence. So uh it was it was such a journey because everybody that I've met in Singapore uh was telling me, like, oh that is exhausting, you know, they look horrible, they're suffering. And then for me it's like I feel fine, you know. I I do I do feel a little bit of the suffering, like the cardio, daily cardio, but I don't feel like I was at any point regretting my decision because it is something that I chose to do, and I had fun also doing it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, did you win? Did you win in KL?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I won uh dream aesthetics, so I took home uh the champion and then in KL I swept uh five out of six medals. Woo! Yeah, so basically, true true novice, uh true novice overall, novice, novice overall, and class A opens.
SPEAKER_02Awesome, love it. Congratulations. So then then tell me Ali. So you had this amazing result in the bodybuilding world. How did you start as a personal trainer? We we're gonna speak a lot about online stuff today. Did you start online? Did you start in person? Tell us about that very first client. How'd you get your first client or your first job?
SPEAKER_01So my first client, I actually went around like sourcing on social media. So basically, on like lemonade, uh, TikTok, uh, Instagram, basically I was reaching out to them when I feel they've also just started their journey. They probably need some guidance. So uh as someone who's starting out, usually, I I mean, I feel like I don't have the ability to charge them with my expertise. So what I did was I went out um giving them free, like maybe free eight weeks, you know. Like, and then just all I need is your before and after. I need your yeah, I just need them to like give me feedback on how I can be better. And then I just went with it. So with one of like my uh kind of prospect and then client and friend, right? So she was the one that I guided through about five months. So it was an amazing journey because it gave her so much confidence back in the gym, and then I felt okay, this is what I wanted to do, you know, moving online. I also did a little bit of offline because I wanted to see how I was in person. You know, sometimes clients feel like, oh, you know, this is your online personality, but offline you're not um bubbly as we thought you are. So I want to kind of improve that. It's also like sales, right? You need to be out there talking to clients and then improving yourself as well.
SPEAKER_02Couple questions with that. When you say you would reach out to people on social media initially, were they people you already knew that were your friends? Who did you reach out to initially?
SPEAKER_01So no, I reached out to strangers, like people I didn't know, but I I kind of like saw them on social media, like, oh, they're just starting their fitness journey, and then I just reached out to them, like, like, oh my god, hi, like I saw I see you starting out your fitness journey. Like, please let me know if you have any questions, like I'd be willing to help you, things like this. And then this that just kicks off like the whole conversation, you know, because like with the portfolio that I had, uh felt that it was substantial for them to kind of like, okay, sure. Like, what do you think of this, this, this? Am I doing this correctly? Is this exercise good for this growth? So, yeah, that's that just started everything. That's how I reached out to people.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha. And then you would give them a complimentary eight-week program that was online. Are you saying you give them an eight-week program? Was it an exercise program? Was it like checking in with them as well? What what were you kind of offering in that eight weeks?
SPEAKER_01So that eight weeks was more focused on like how they want to feel, and then uh also like it because eight weeks is such a short time, right? It's kind of like you only by the probably by the fourth week, you roughly understand how their body works, and then the next four weeks it's like, oh, there's not much I can do also. Yeah. But it's more like an introductory on teaching them like how do you track your foods, what should you be taking note of, your recovery, uh, what exercises like I would suggest you to do if you feel if you want to grow your goods, for example. Uh okay, we'll target like a four-day exercise, four-day plan, and then maybe two days will be very good, like lower body focus, then the upper body as well. So definitely more tailored to them and kind of like a start of eight-week program for them.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha. Awesome. All right, let's fast forward to today now. That's a great tip for people starting off watching this. Okay, right. Here's how you can get your first few clients. Find people on social media that need your help, reach out to them, offer them something complimentary, use that as an opportunity to learn and upskill as a trainer, uh, and ideally also get testimonials and before and afters as well. So that way it's it's a win-win all round. What about now, Ali? Is that still the same now that you've you've got more of a profile online? Is that still your best marketing strategy, or do you have other strategies that you use now?
SPEAKER_01For me, right now, it's small word of mouth. So like friends or friends would just come to me, and then that's how my clientele base grows at this moment. You know, I don't really reach out to people as I did in the past. Yeah. So I think that has been really that that was like the starting point. So right now, with like the friends like spreading around the community, I think it's substantial for me in like enough to go into this whole industry as an online coach.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I agree. All right. What about sales? Tell me about your sales process, Ali. Let's say someone is interested in hiring you as a coach. What does the sales process look like? Is it just via DMs? Do you ask for their email, send over info? Is it a phone call? Is it via Zoom? Is it all of the above? Whatever works. Tell us, tell us a little bit about that, both what works for yourself initially and now, and even tips for new trainers as well.
SPEAKER_01So for me, I always do like a free kind of like 30-minute video call because I think it helps to put like a face to like my voice as well, you know, and then I get to see them in person online, and I feel that forms like a much better bond rather than just a voice call. And then I always start off with like asking them how is their day, what have they been doing, and then knowing that kind of connecting to them, relating to them, and then just getting to know them as a person, that's very, very important, you know, and then seeing what has their fitness journey been like, you know, what are their struggles, and then seeing how I can help them. So it once they form that connection, like, okay, I have this issue, like my I've injured my lower back before, or like I've been trying to diet for like the past six months, it's not working, I don't know what's going on. So we nail down into like, oh, are you getting enough sleep? Are you getting uh are you eating enough? Are you resting properly, recovering? And then after that, then they realize, oh, there's so much things I need to to learn, you know, or like is your gut health alright? And then once that emotional connection is born, like is is there, then that's where you start to go like okay, uh promoting like your rates, and then they go like okay. Usually most of the time, once I say, like, once I mention the rates, they'll be like, if the rates are alright with you, I would love for you to join my team. Usually that kind of hits the spot, and then they go like, yeah, sure. And then we get started. So very easy with like all of my clients. I get them set up on like my app. They have access to the app or the training app as well. Everything is inside, so it makes it like a one-stop thing for them. So they don't have to worry.
SPEAKER_02What's what software or whatever? Can I ask?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so like I'm using Kahunas.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so it's really easy because everything is loaded right there, and they get to see everything, telling them, hey, the access to the app is also free, included in your plan. I guess that makes it more of like a benefit as well.
SPEAKER_02I think a good message there for the listeners is that that process, because a lot of the time now there's AI, there's automation. I think a lot of people could think, right, I'm just gonna automate a message and send someone to a link and they're gonna sign up, but doesn't necessarily work like that. You know, in in your experience, it's like let's book a time, not even phone call, right? Let's book a time and get on Zoom or whatever your platform is of choice. So I think that's a good method. Question here, what what length of time do people usually sign up for, Allie?
SPEAKER_00So honestly.
SPEAKER_02Initially, you know, they might they obviously might continue, but say what's the initial kind of star duration?
SPEAKER_01So, like for me, I always tell them at least 12 weeks because it takes me at least the first month, like first four weeks to understand how your body works. The next four weeks for me to make any other changes, and then the last four weeks, we will basically that's where like it's the peak already. Yeah, that's when you're literally starting to like reach the peak of your progress, and then that's when you will continue, you know, rather than then going like, oh no, I just want like an eight weeks, uh, but there is no foundation, like you have no foundation as a beginner yet, you know. With eight weeks, yes, you maybe think like I want to do a short-term cut for my holiday. That's not really practical. You're gonna gain all the weight back after your holiday anyways, you know, and then you're gonna feel like terrible about it. So I'd rather you keep it long term, something that is sustainable.
SPEAKER_02What about? So that's great. Most people sign up for the initial 12 weeks. Is that usually it for most people? Or do they sign up for another 12 weeks or do they stay with you for years? What's the I guess lifetime duration that a client will stay with you for?
SPEAKER_01So, like for me, I just started online. So it's probab like probably for a year so far. Uh I've seen people like uh leave and then they don't come back. I would say estimately about half a year. Usually for me, I I would tell my clients if within half a year you feel like you've learned everything you need to know, then yeah, sure, you can do this on your own. But some people just need the accountability and like the consistency to be like to have someone there just checking on them. So they just they just let it roll.
SPEAKER_02Gotcha. All right. Now some tips for up-and-coming personal trainers who want to get online. Let's let's start with mistakes. What do you think is the biggest mistake personal trainers who want to get online are doing at the moment? Either biggest mistake or thing that they're making more complicated than it needs to be.
SPEAKER_01I feel that it could be because there's so many like research papers online, right, about um different training methods and all, but and then they are sharing like oh, eat this much of creatine, blah blah blah, uh, do this for ultimate shoulder growth, you know, all this science-based, this, this, you know. And then I think one mistake as someone who's starting out as a trainer, also whether be online or offline, is that they don't have their training philosophy set in stone yet. Yeah. They don't know what what they want their clients to have. Basically, I think what you believe in as a personal trainer, you attract that similar clients with that mindset. You know, you cannot be able to attract all clients. Like, if I have never done high rogs, I would probably never have high rocks clients. Yeah. So I think one mistake is definitely uh not getting their training philosophy dealed down, and then they are not sure of how to promote themselves, sell themselves with that training philosophy. Yeah, then they get stuck and they get confused. You know, then they want to do like multiple things at once. Like I want to do high rocks and I want to, I want to drop climb, I want to do this, and then you're gonna have like a whole huge base of client B, uh clientels, and then they're gonna feel like uh I'm not getting enough attention from you, you know. Like if I want to compete, you're not you you don't know how to uh put me in that that peak season, and then you mess up my body. But then you are so focused on another client that's doing other things, you neglect them also. So I think with the new PTs, they should just find their niche. Like they I think it's a very basic thing first. Find your niche, what do you want to do, what you want to showcase yourself about, and then your clients will come naturally.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, love it. I'll share my philosophy on that, very similar to yours. I think the best is when you start off face to face, you can kind of train everybody, all right? Yes, you're not gonna be a specialist, you're not gonna be an expert, but you get to have a taste of different things, right? Then from there, you can see what you like better. Hey, I really like group stuff. Hey, I really like resistance training, I like bodybuilding, I like high rocks, I like interval training, whatever it is. And then you can focus on that there. I would then only move online once you've got that kind of thing focused there. Because the other advantage online is probably two things. There's leverage and community. If you're writing programs for every, it's so hard. Now I need to put my high rocks hat on and write a program here. Now I need to put my bodybuilding hat on and write a program here. It's so much easier if you've just got that one hat there. And then the other win is also community. If you have that one niche, then you can build communities: Facebook group, social media, Instagram, WhatsApp group, everyone on the same goal. It's very hard to do if one of your clients wants to lose weight, the other's doing high rocks, the other's bodybuilding. So I think that's a a very important tip there. Um let's now flip the script, Ali, and let's go the other way. Let's say someone is successful in-person personal trainer and they want to move online. What are the top three things they should do in the next 30 days to move online?
SPEAKER_01Build your social media presence. You know, it takes time. It um I would say 30 days is also not enough. It took me so long to build my social media presence as well. You know, posting regularly and just getting people who are like, hey, I'm interested in your stuff, I want to see your whole journey. So social media first, I think. Secondly, is knowing all your all your different like standard issues. Like if okay, if you're gonna train lifestyle clients, you know, what are the issues that they're gonna typically face, you know, and it's always like standard things like oh, shoulder pain, back pain because they've been sitting for so long. Yeah, and then how do you do recovery for that? You know, people want to see a lot of a lot of recovery things, especially even like on social media or off social media, it's the number one thing that I always tell people. I was just sharing it yesterday with another new PT. Like recovery and mobility. These two things need to be taught to a lot of people. A lot of people think that stretching is just uh, yeah, I do stretch every day, I feel good, but I mean, even me just putting my hands out like this, I am stretching, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm targeting the pain that's in my shoulders. Yeah, I think the last thing is also getting like talk to your other other trainers that you know, you know, getting feedback from them, like, or just asking them like how have your journey grown as a personal trainer over the years. They probably have years of experience, you know. And just understanding their coaching style, understanding what they're their methods also, and then kind of just pick and pluck what you feel that is important or like what resonates with you more, and then that forms your whole personality as a coach.
SPEAKER_02Love it. All right. My next question, Ali, is around mentors. So you're obviously a mentor for plenty of people now that that want to get in better shape. I'd love to hear who your biggest mentors have been in the fitness industry, whether it's fitness specific or business specific. And if you could give it to us in three different ways, if you could give us a paid mentor, to someone that you paid money to to do their they coached you or you did their program, whatever, an unpaid mentor, so you haven't paid them, but you follow them on social media, you listen to their podcast, whatever it is, uh, and a book that you recommend every personal trainer should read. So mentors, paid, unpaid, and book.
SPEAKER_01Okay, paid will be a big shout out to my coach, Nicole Tan. So she is such a huge inspiration for me because uh I never thought I would be a I thought coaches, I I would have that fear of not being able to tell her things. But she has been there for me like whenever I needed her. And even like when I was reversing out of prep, I struggled so much. I was crying, and then she she just took some time. I think she sent me like a probably like a 15-minute audio note. Yeah, just saying like we've told like we totally understand, like we've been there, you know, you just basically just pep talk that I needed for someone like the people that I follow. Yeah, the umpa one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So I a couple of podcasts that I listen to, especially um I listened to Julia Renee. So I know she doesn't really talk about bikini, she's a more wellness like IFBB pro, but the way the her the way that she thinks, like her philosophy, I just love it. She's so positive about it, you know. Even I think there was one episode or multiple episodes where she talked about binge eating. So with reversing out of my competition, that was a huge struggle because it's like how do I get over the fact that yes, I binge eat as well, and then I fall into like the loophole of binge eating. The next day I restrict myself, and then uh I feel good, and then I do it all over. Again, which people don't realize that I do it, yeah, because I don't share about that side. And I'm so embarrassed because it's like I am a PT, I I tell people like uh I don't uh you should eat properly, you shouldn't do that, and then I'm behind the scenes I do that, right? So it's like an like an imposter syndrome. So she got me through that with all of her podcasts, and then uh I learned so much from her as well. So before and before the podcast was banned in Singapore, I was listening to uh Phoebe Hagan and Laura Lee as well. Yeah. So now I think I don't have access to it anymore, especially in Singapore. But they've also talked about the struggles during prep and what basically sharing tips and tricks of them being coaches as well. I think then on to the third thing was the the book. I think one book people should read is Relentless. Yeah. Yeah, probably I I think it's been in the market for years already for that book, but it brought me back to that mindset where I have to be better. And mentally it taught me uh a lot about resilience and then basically leaders on how being a leader is as well. So uh I think it's such a good read, you know. I don't want to spoil the whole context. There's so much learning points in that book, like every single page, like I wrote like a whole notes, like whole notes about it. Yeah, like every time I read like a single line about it, I'll just write it down. But it's such a good book, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Great book. It's one I've read. You've motivated me to read it again. I might get it out tonight. Um, Michael Jordan's coach, right? That's who wrote it. Is that the guy? Yeah, yeah. So for the listeners, if you haven't um heard about the book, you've probably heard about Michael Jordan. He's Michael Jordan's coach that ran it. And he yeah, he spoke about those kind of things. And Kobe, maybe even Kobe Bryant's. I don't know anyway. Michael Jordan's coach.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he did, he did. Kobe Bryant's. So I think that was once, like the yeah, yeah, Kobe Bryant as well. I think that was one thing was like uh they mentioned something like uh I forgot who. I think he came, yeah, he came in with like his leg was injured, you know, and then the first thing like they talked about was you he didn't even ask like about the injuries more of like his mindset, you know, to pushing it through the pain and then just competing it, you know, whether he's ready or not. So a lot about mindset in that book, which I really, really love.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I'm definitely taking it at again.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Um awesome. All right, Allie. Well, I'm sure a lot of people are gonna be listening to this and like, all right, this woman is cool. I want to follow her journey, may even want to work with her. Where do we go to follow you on social media? What's your best platform, best handle?
SPEAKER_01Follow me on Instagram, so it'll be A underscore Allie. So A L Y Y Y. So tree Y's.
SPEAKER_02I'll um put that link in the show notes too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um awesome. All right. Well, Ellie, that's all I wanted to get through. Is there anything I should have asked you but forgot to, or anything you'd like to finish us off with?
SPEAKER_01I think just for all like the new PTs out there, you know, think about what you really, really want. Think about your clients and then how you can empower them. You are making a difference in their lives and they look up to you so, so much. You know, don't be afraid to share your struggles, don't be afraid to tell them like, hey, I've been through that as well. If it's something that they can relate all the more, they're gonna be so so grateful that you've helped them in their journey. And then one last thing is never forget like the people who have helped you. You know, they've made they've taught you so much, you know, be grateful and just always know your roots. Yeah. That's all I want to do.
SPEAKER_02Love it. Awesome. All right, Ellie, thank you very much for your time.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. Thank you, Jonah.