Blog » Irene McCaffrey

Irene McCaffrey

8th July 2014

Role: Personal Trainer And Owner

Company: Impact Fitness Boot Camp

Track Record:

What does your job entail?

I am a personal trainer and run my own series of boot camps across Belfast, Lisburn, Lurgan, Banbridge and Moira. My job is to help clients achieve their fitness and health goals through motivating and educating them. It’s much more than giving out exercise orders; personal trainers save lives.

I like to get some sense of client’s exercise goals, which can be specific or general. A person may simply want motivation and a designed exercise plan to lose weight and get back in shape, or he or she may have a couple of ‘problem areas’ upon which he/she wants specific focus.

I also provide clients with comprehensive eating plans and nutritional advice, to ensure that what they are eating does not counteract their hard work at the gym.

Is it 9-5?

Every morning I wake up at 5.15am and start training my bootcampers at 6.15am! It is pretty early but I have been doing this for over six years now.

I have a number of bootcamps that start at 6.15am and you would be surprised how this time suits so many people. Coming home I have breakfast then sit at the computer and answer emails, etc. I work on the business most mornings and then in the afternoon I teach piano.

How did you get into this line of work?

I have always been interested in exercise and sport. At school I was good at field events, long jumping, high jumping, vaulting, running, gymnastics, hockey, netball etc.

But it was not until my own parents died of cancer at quite an early age that I seriously decided to pay attention to my own health. What better way than to train as an aerobics teacher. I could make some money while getting fit and healthy myself.

In 1997 a year after my daddy’s death from stomach cancer, I signed up with Fitness NI for their RSA Exercise to Music course and eventually qualified as an aerobics coach. And the rest is history!

Outline your career to date?

After I left Queen’s University, I joined Earnst & Whinney, chartered accountants, where I worked as an articled clerk and accountant for five years.

I stopped work when I had my first child and then decided to train with Fitness NI as an aerobics teacher with a view to running my own fitness classes.

In 1997, I became involved with Rosemary Conley franchises and this lead me down the road of obtaining additional qualifications, but this time in nutrition and diet. I eventually trained as a certified personal trainer with premier fitness.

Whilst living in Canada for a short period of time in the early ’90s, I attended some boot camps taking place in Toronto and thoroughly enjoyed them. The variety of workouts and the support and motivation provided by working out with a group of people was very rewarding.

When I returned to Northern Ireland, I tried to hunt out some similar boot camps to attend, but could not find any. So, I decided to start one up myself and then set up IMPACT Fitness Boot Camps six years ago and it has gone from strength to strength.

Tell us about your qualifications/training?

Not only did I achieve a degree in business administration when I attended Queen’s University in 1979, but once I took the decision to move into the fitness arena I became a certified personal trainer with Premier Fitness.

I also achieved accreditation in sport nutrition with Premier Fitness and weight loss nutrition with Rosemary Conley.

What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?

You need to enjoy exercise for a start. There is plenty of that every day. You have to like people, understand where they are coming from fitness-wise and be able to motivate them to set fitness goals and see it through.

And then running a business needs a whole different set of skills. You literally do every job going in a business – sales, marketing… so you need to be prepare to be adaptable and wear many different hats.

What are the biggest challenges of your work?

Not having enough time. Owning your own business means you have to be on top of things — like IT, using Facebook, twitter, iphones and having your own website. So, being up to date with new technology is a challenge! I’m showing my age here!

But the reward of seeing people moving forward and pushing themselves outside their comfort zone to achieve their fitness goals is fantastic. My clients really inspire me.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I get some spare time, I love to spend it trekking up Slieve Donard. Not only does it get the heart pumping but the views from the top are well worthwhile.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I performed with two other singers the trio ‘Three Little Maids’ from the Mikado, on stage in the Waterfront dressed up as witches! It was a Christmas concert with the Belfast Chorale directed by the Belfast School of Music.

What has given you the most satisfaction over the last year?

The greatest satisfaction has been hearing from children, young people, and adults, and their parents and carers, that The Rowan team has helped them on their road to recovery.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

Mary Peters. Firstly because she is a woman. Secondly a woman who is athletic! Thirdly because she is from Northern Ireland. And lastly she is a very inspiring woman.

I can still remember watching Mary Peters in Munich 1972, many years ago and still recalling the feeling of elation when she won all her five events — a positive role model for both men and women.

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