Fitness guru Mickey Mehta speaks to Monarose Sheila Pereira about a career in fitness.
Mickey Mehta’s interest and foray into the world of wellness began three decades ago. His passion is to reach out to people to heal and improve their wellness quotient. He says, “I was born to heal the world.”
Even in his younger days, he was very passionate about physical activity and swimming.. He studied yoga, meditation, exercises like calisthenics, boot camp and natural nutrition. He began his chain of wellness centres in 2004 and has branches at different locations in the city.
Mehta says, “My goal is to offer complete wellbeing of the mind, body and spirit through nutrition, yoga and breathing exercises, and meditation and equipment free training. I evolve when I see people happy and healthy and when I make their life complete and full. It motivates me.
Mehta believes in functional workouts along with prop training. “We train our clients on their journey to fitness and wellness using their own body weight and not depend on a machine,” he says.
The fitness guru’s ambition today is to change people’s lives for the better and the reward for this, he says, is the goodwill he earns. “I want to reach out to people globally to spread the concept of wholesome wellness and the message of compassion and love,” reveals Mehta. The “Heal the world” campaign, his new initiative, aims at just that. Currently, he is working for wellness of Mumbai police force comprising approximately 45,000 personnel.
Mehta predicts a great future for trainers in the fitness and wellness industry. “It has become quite an exciting field for people from all walks of life,” he quips. “There is a great need for trained experts and therefore this has become a revered profession.” Passion for excellence, knowledge and good communicative skills are the key parameters one needs to excel in this field, he says. “If you have good communicative skills and good knowledge about the profession, your future is secure,” he adds.
A novice can start with an earning of Rs.5, 000/- or more per client, per month. With experience, this can go up to Rs.25, 000/- or more. Gyms and fitness studios are also always on the lookout for committed trainers and the demand for trained personnel has increased double-fold as people from various fields like sports, business houses, educational institutions, and of course individuals have turned wellness enthusiasts.
Financial constraints, lack of proper vision and planning can be the most daunting factors initially. If you are equipped with rock solid qualifications, commitment and vision in this field, it is just a matter of time before you establish yourselves, Mehta says. He advises professionals to study and understand the nuances of wellness, expose their mind to new ideas in order to take their belief and philosophy forward. “There must be fire in your belly and passion for excellence. Only then will you be able to make a difference to the wellbeing of the people you serve,” he signs off.
