Larisa Oprea, who will be 45 in March, has been crowned as the YOUR Personal Trainer of the month for January 2022.
Larisa has been a personal trainer for the last 15 years, and joined the YOUR PT team in October 2021. The mother of two grown up children runs her successful PT business out of Better’s (GLL) Clapham Leisure Centre in London.
Larisa says: “I’m really proud of myself! It’s an honour to have been acknowledged by the team at YOUR PT. What a great way to start the year!”
Since launching with YOUR PT in October last year, Larisa has already gained 13 clients from Clapham Leisure Centre, with even more due to start in the coming weeks. Larisa also has additional longstanding private clients that she works with at their own homes and online, as well as ‘running’ clients too.
Larisa says: “The YOUR PT regional managers has been very welcoming, and has given me guidance and advice on how to reach clients and how to promote myself better. They’ve been fantastic mentors and I feel very supported. My PT business hadn’t previously been based in a gym, as I’d mainly worked in people’s private accommodation, but it’s great to be back in this setting, with fab equipment, being able to meet new clients from the leisure centre.
“I’m usually up at 5am to meet my first client at 6am. It’s a long day. Being a PT is not just about the ‘training’ there is a lot of planning, managing, scheduling and designing programmes, as well as invoicing, tax returns and speaking with my accountant.”
Explaining where her love of activity comes from, Larisa goes on to say: “I have always been fascinated in fitness and wellbeing, and sport has always been part of my life; I won many medals representing Romania in their national Judo team. My love of physical activity led me to study for a degree in Physical Education, but I’m always learning and have continuously completed further training and qualifications for self-improvement.
“I really like functional and high intensity training, and I enjoy challenging my clients to work as hard as they can. Being a PT is ultimately an exchange of energy; I work hard and I expect my clients to give back. Clients want to see results and these results come from working hard. A lot of my new business comes from client recommendations – so my clients’ successes ultimately help me to me gain more clients.”
Larisa has also built an online model to her business. She explains: “Some clients like the best of both worlds and so I support them in their fitness goals both in person and virtually. Once you have a relationship with a client, you understand how their body works, which means supporting them online is much easier and avoids them picking up unnecessary injuries.
“I love my job. I love being busy and I love growing my PT business. However, I always make time to take a break. Being a PT can be exhausting at times, not just from the physical activity, but because emotionally your clients can need a lot from you too. My clients often seek guidance and mentorship in other aspects of their lives. Ultimately, I train both their bodies and their minds.
“Personal training is a good job; I have lovely clients and I laugh a lot with them. I enjoy seeing the results and the progress in their physical and mental health. It’s an extremely rewarding career.”