Magesh Vadivelu

After passing my NASM Certified Personal Trainer exam, I knew I was only getting started. I wanted real-world experience — a place where I could apply what I’d learned alongside experienced coaches.

Thanks to my mentor Jeremy, by the end of my internship I was confidently running entire classes — from welcoming members and demoing movements to setting up for the next class.

I was totally surprised to see a document outlining “Internship Syllabus” at the beginning of my internship. Many companies, even big tech, don't care much about your experience during an internship; you are left to figure it out on your own. But Strength Camp SF had my whole 3-month internship planned out in advance!

The internship was divided into 3 major phases:

In Phase 1, I learned how to open up the gym, shadowing a class, demonstrating exercises during group class, cleaning procedures of the gym, Jeremy made sure I was proficient in 4 basic movement patterns (Squat, Deadlift, Bench, Shoulder Press)

In Phase 2, I was actively explaining the exercises, projecting my voice to the whole class of 10-15 people. It's a strange feeling to hear my own voice echoing off the walls of the gym.

In Phase 3, I was getting sales training, helping brand new members, pretty much everything there is to learn about running the gym on my own.

During my internship, I’ll never forget the first time a client came up to me after class and said,“I had a great workout. Thank you.”

As a professional content creator, I was also hesitant to talk about fitness training on my YouTube channels. Even after passing my CPT exams, I didn’t want to share anything inaccurate.

My mentor broke all the self-doubt I had when I walked in at the beginning of the internship and transformed me into a confident coach.

If you’re a newly certified fitness coach looking to develop real coaching skills in a supportive environment, I highly recommend Strength Camp’s Internship Program.