Parallel Coaching

06/10/2026

You can know HOW to perform an exercise without really understanding how to COACH it.

And there’s a big difference.

Take the kettlebell swing.

You might know what it looks like.

You might have performed hundreds of them.

You might even know all the usual coaching cues.

But can you explain:

→ What joint actions are happening?
→ Which muscles are creating the movement?
→ What adaptation are you trying to achieve?
→ Why would you choose it for THIS client?
→ How would you progress or regress it?

That’s where anatomy becomes practical.

With a kettlebell swing, the powerful hip drive comes predominantly from hip extension, with the glutes and hamstrings playing a major role.

Once you understand that, suddenly your coaching cues, exercise selection and progressions have a reason behind them.

And that’s the shift we want our PT learners to make.

Don’t just collect exercises.

Understand them.

Because the goal isn’t to know hundreds of exercises.

It’s to look at the person in front of you and confidently decide:

THIS exercise.
For THIS client.
For THIS reason.

That’s programme design.

And if you want a simple structure to help you make those decisions…

Comment PLAN and we’ll send you our FREE Balanced Programme Design Guide, covering planes of movement, push/pull balance, joint actions and whole-body programme structure.

05/10/2026

Could you get 10/10 on this Gym Instructor quiz?

Let’s find out…

We’ve put together 10 Level 2 Gym Instructor questions covering:

Anatomy
Training principles
Exercise technique
Programming
Client consultations
Practical coaching

There’s only one rule…

No Googling.

If you’re thinking about becoming a Gym Instructor, don’t worry if you don’t know all the answers.

You’re not supposed to know everything before you start. That’s what the training is for.

But if you’re already a qualified Gym Instructor or PT…

Surely you’re getting 10/10?

Grab a piece of paper, click below and see how you get on.

Take the 10-question quiz:
https://parallelcoaching.co.uk/level-2-gym-instructor-questions

Then come back and tell us your score in the comments.

0–3
4–7
8–9
10/10

And if you know someone thinking about becoming a Gym Instructor, send this their way and see how they get on.

https://parallelcoaching.co.uk/level-2-gym-instructor-questions

03/10/2026

Next time you’re training, turn one of your exercises into an anatomy revision question.

Take the chest press.

Before your next set, see if you can work through this:

What are the main joint actions?

→ Shoulder horizontal flexion
→ Elbow extension

Which muscles are doing the work?

The pectoralis major is a prime mover at the shoulder, with the anterior deltoid assisting.

At the elbow, the triceps brachii produces extension.

Then think one step further…

What needs to stay stable while all of that movement happens?

The rotator cuff and muscles controlling the shoulder blade help provide the stability needed to press effectively.

And suddenly you’re not trying to remember isolated facts from a textbook.

You’re connecting:

Exercise → Joint action → Muscles → Roles

That’s where anatomy starts becoming useful.

Pick exercises you already know and ask yourself what’s happening at each joint, which muscles are responsible and why.

Your workout has just become a revision session.

Want to test how much of your Anatomy & Physiology knowledge is actually sticking?

Comment MOCKS and we’ll send you hundreds of FREE mock questions to help with your Level 2 and Level 3 revision.

30/09/2026

“I’d love to become a Gym Instructor… but I don’t know enough about fitness yet.”

Sound familiar?

Maybe you enjoy training.

Maybe friends already ask you questions about exercise.

Maybe you’ve even started looking at Gym Instructor qualifications…

But there’s a little voice telling you everyone else will know more than you.

Here’s the thing:

You don’t need to be a fitness expert before you start learning to become one.

You don’t need to know every muscle.

You don’t need years of gym experience.

And you definitely don’t need to walk into your first day already knowing how to coach someone.

That’s what the training is for.

In our latest blog, we’re answering some of those questions and worries that can stop people taking that first step.

Including what you actually need before starting, whether you need to be super-fit yourself, what happens if others know more than you, and why confidence usually comes AFTER you start practising.

If becoming a Gym Instructor is something you’ve been thinking about, give this a read

👉 https://parallelcoaching.co.uk/fitness-expert-becoming-a-gym-instructor

And if you’re already a qualified Gym Instructor or PT…

What questions or worries did YOU have before starting your first course?

Comment below .... Your answer might help someone who’s currently wondering whether they’re ready.

Worried you don’t know enough to start a career in fitness? Discover what you really need before becoming a Gym Instructor.

25/09/2026

You follow a few Personal Trainers on Instagram.

They look confident. They know their anatomy. They write programmes, coach clients and seem to know exactly what they’re doing.

And you start thinking…

“I’d love to do that, but I don’t think I’d be as good as them.”

Sound familiar?

Here’s something worth remembering.

That PT who makes coaching look effortless once had to teach their very first exercise.

The coach who writes brilliant programmes once stared at a blank page, wondering where to begin.

And the person who confidently walks onto the gym floor today once wondered whether they had what it takes.

You’re seeing where they are now, not where they started.

And that’s an important distinction.

Because nobody begins their fitness career with five years of coaching experience.

They build it.

One client. One session. One new skill at a time.

We’ve seen it happen countless times in our classrooms.

People arrive wondering whether they could ever become the kind of PT they admire.

Then they start learning, practising, asking questions and getting feedback.

And suddenly, they’re coaching their very first client session.

The confidence they thought they needed before starting begins to develop through doing.

So as you swipe through this carousel, remember…

You’re looking at the same opportunity from different points along the journey.

Those experienced PTs you’re comparing yourself to were once beginners too.

And one day, someone might be looking at you, wondering whether they could ever become the coach you’ve become.

You don’t have to be as experienced as them to get started.

You just have to be willing to begin.

Comment START and we’ll send you everything you need to explore a career in fitness.