Penny Dove

I’ve always had an interest in fitness. However, I was working at a local college as a teacher and accessor in childcare. I decided one day that it would be nice to do something different now that I am becoming a little older and that’s what led to a career change. The experience I gained as a teacher was invaluable and it gave me the confidence to complete a qualification in Pilates. A lot of work involved in my previous job had involved supporting students’ emotional needs and I think this is an important transferable skill to have when you work with a group of people with a wide range of needs.

I did a lot of research into training organisations and the main reason I chose Future Fit Training was that they offered local courses. There courses also had flexible learning, which was could be spread out over the weekends, meaning I had time in between to learn everything. I also read up on testimonials for Future Fit and they had good applause about the company which helped me form my decision.

I studied the Level 3 Mat Diploma in Pilates. The course was very interesting as it was split up into three sections: beginner, intermediate and advanced. It was nice to understand all the exercises starting from the basic level to advanced. The groups weren’t huge either, so it wasn’t daunting, especially as I had no experience in Pilates before the course.

I ran my teaching job alongside building a self-employed business and I have to say it was tough. I started with just 1 class a week on a Monday. I then gradually over time cut down my hours at work to just 2 days and a half days a week. This gave me more time to focus on teaching Pilates. In 2019, I finally left my other job.

I am currently a full-time Pilates Instructor now and I run around 9 classes a week. However, this has the potential to grow, depending on how many more I can take on. I have around 150 clients in total now! My classes are based in community centres and halls on the Isle of Wight.

I love meeting different people and working with individuals with a variety of needs. It’s also a very social job – you speak and interact with a diverse range of people every week.

I also like to put on regular social events for my clients. Each month we all get together and do something outside of Pilates.

I want to keep training and I’d also like to specialise in my main market of retired and semi-retired people. Being able to specialise would mean I would be able to help to support my clients more. It would also mean I could give my clients a better quality of life.

I would 100% recommend training with Future Fit. Their support is great and they have a wide range of courses which are local and flexible. The online e-learning meant I could learn at my own pace which was perfect as there was no pressure. You can complete the courses as quick or as long as you’d like.