Cheng Bo looked at Jiang Hao and suddenly said, "You're in great shape. Since you like working out, why not get a fitness trainer certificate? With your qualifications, once you have the certificate, staying on at Oubao Lai shouldn't be a problem. After you start working here, you can train clients when you have classes and work out by yourself when you don't. You can work out for free and make money too. Sounds great, doesn't it?"
Jiang Hao had honestly never considered becoming a fitness trainer before.
"Is it hard to get a fitness trainer certificate?" Jiang Hao asked.
"It can be hard, but it shouldn't be too difficult for you. There are dedicated training institutions. You train for seven days, then the exam has two parts: theory and practical operations. The theory portion is divided into general theory and professional theory. You just need to study and memorize the material yourself."
"The practical portion includes several items: pull-ups, push-ups, seated forward bends, bodyweight squats, resistance exercises with equipment, active and passive muscle stretching, aerobic equipment, and so on. You practice all of those regularly, so they shouldn't be a problem for you.
"Of course, that's only the beginner's certificate. The intermediate certificate is much harder. I still haven't passed the intermediate exam myself. It's easy to get started but hard to advance."
Jiang Hao thought about it, then asked, "How much does a fitness trainer make a month?"
Cheng Bo had just finished a set. He stopped, stood up, and loosened his muscles as he said, "The base salary isn't high. Oubao Lai is considered the biggest fitness club in Binhai, and it's only three thousand yuan. Other fitness clubs are about the same. Some are even worse than Oubao Lai."
"Only three thousand?"
"Hehe, how much a fitness trainer earns depends on their individual ability. Most of the money comes from commissions. The more VIP clients you bring in, the more students you train, and the more private sessions you have, the more you earn. For example, when I train you, I get thirty percent of your private training fee. Hehe."
"Oubao Lai has more high-end clients, so our trainers earn more than trainers at other fitness clubs. That's why competition among Oubao Lai trainers is fierce. Trainers from other gyms all want to come here." Cheng Bo sounded faintly proud as he said that.
"With competition this fierce, even if I get certified, I might not be able to get in," Jiang Hao said.
"Hehe, you still have a great chance, because you're handsome. Those housewives love your type the most," Cheng Bo said with a smile.
Damn, did he think Jiang Hao was selling his face or his body?
Still, Jiang Hao was genuinely tempted. Setting aside how much he could earn, he had bought a three-month membership for over ten thousand yuan. It would expire in another half month, and if he wanted to keep coming, he would have to renew it. To Jiang Hao, that was no small sum.
He had bought it in a rush to complete a mission back then. Now that he had to spend that money himself, it hurt to think about. He really couldn't bear to do it.
If he became a trainer himself, he could save that money and earn some too. It really wasn't a bad idea.
Maybe he should become a fitness trainer and play around with the housewives!
After Jiang Hao finished his physical training, he rested for a while before heading to the combat training hall. After warming up, he put on his gloves and began punching a heavy bag. More and more people gradually filled the hall. Jiang Hao had been coming for over two months, and many people knew him by now, greeting him with nods from time to time.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
His fists struck the heavy bag again and again, producing dull thuds. Jiang Hao found the sensation incredibly grounding.
Yes, grounding.
He did not know why he felt that way.
Cheng Bo walked over to Jiang Hao and said, "A few people are doing sparring matches. Want to join one?"
When students sparred, sometimes a trainer would accompany them, while other times students sparred against each other. It depended on the arrangement, and everything was voluntary. The trainers would also arrange opponents according to each student's ability, because the gap between students could be huge.
Some had trained for two or three years, while others had only just started. Putting opponents like that together would be nothing but bullying.
"There's sparring? I'm in," Jiang Hao said.
He wanted a good fight too.
Several students were divided into groups, then the punches started flying. Honestly, beginner sparring had no beauty to it at all. There were plenty of mistakes, but the other side was also a beginner and could not capitalize on them, so it remained fairly even.
In the end, both fighters were exhausted and simply stepped off the platform.
The second match was Jiang Hao against a student who had trained for half a year. The other man was about the same height as Jiang Hao, but even more heavily built. As they faced each other, Jiang Hao's gaze slowly turned fierce.
"Begin."
At the command, the other man charged in and swung a hard punch at Jiang Hao.
Jiang Hao widened his eyes and threw a punch right back.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There was no defense. The moment they engaged, the two traded vicious blows. As fists struck his body, Jiang Hao did not feel pain—only excitement. His punches became even more ferocious.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Jiang Hao unleashed a combination. His opponent dodged slightly, and Jiang Hao seized the chance, driving a vicious uppercut into the man's chin. His opponent's body tilted, and he fell to the ground.
"Stop! Stop!"
The trainer hurried over to stop Jiang Hao, then went to check on the student on the ground. "How are you? Are you okay?"
The student shook his head, still dazed.
The trainer waved to signal the end of the sparring match. He did not want anyone getting hurt. The fight had been intense, but it had lasted only a little over ten seconds before Jiang Hao knocked his opponent out.
He had taken several punches too, but he felt exhilarated. The faint frustration lingering in his heart had dissipated amid those impacts and collisions.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The students around them applauded for Jiang Hao.
Someone even shouted, "Great fight!"
As the next match began, Cheng Bo sidled up to Jiang Hao and said, "Your boxing has improved fast. You're vicious enough, too. That look in your eyes just now even scared me. You looked like you wanted to kill someone. With your ability, you could probably reach amateur level."
Jiang Hao had really killed people before, and more than one. That killing intent naturally clung to him.
"I didn't get enough of it just now. Is anyone else sparring?" Jiang Hao asked.
Cheng Bo froze, then said, "Only Yuan Hong is left. He's a professional. What, do you want to be a punching bag?"
"It's fine. I just want a good fight today."
"Alright, I'll tell him. He'll be happy to have someone to practice with, but be careful yourself. Don't get hurt," Cheng Bo said.
Jiang Hao nodded.
Yuan Hong was not tall, only around 1.73 or 1.74 meters, but he was solidly built. His shoulders were broad and thick, and his arms, neck, waist, abdomen, and thighs were all extremely muscular. This guy trained professionally and had been boxing for two years. He had even competed professionally. Of course, his rankings were average, but even so, he was still a professional. Amateurs were simply no match for him.
Jiang Hao put on his protective gear and stood across from him. The trainer looked at Jiang Hao and said, "Protect yourself. Keep your hands up. Don't get hurt. Use more jabs and fewer kicks. Control your distance while fighting. Remember, don't throw high kicks. Flashy moves get you killed fast."
As for Yuan Hong, the trainer only said one thing: "This is training. Don't go too hard."
He was clearly looking down on Jiang Hao.
"Begin!"
At the trainer's command, Yuan Hong threw a punch. Jiang Hao blocked with both hands. Bang! It felt as though he had been hit by a car, and Jiang Hao staggered backward involuntarily.
What was combat sports? It really came down to a few things: strength, speed, stamina, pressure, durability, and fighting technique.
Wasn't that basically like game stats?
In truth, it was.
Before you continue