The best personal trainers are genuinely invested in their clients’ progress. We care. Our clients entrust us with their money, their time, and their bodies. Fitness pros have to stop abusing the power they have over their clients. Here are better ways to serve those clients, and improve the industry in the process.
Here are our top terrible trainer traits that will isolate yourself from getting more clients and building your client base or business.
Creating an Overly Structured Atmosphere
Developing a training and nutrition regimen doesn’t mean that you need to make every decision. Instead, give your clients the freedom to have input and make various choices about their training program. They will be much more likely to maintain this healthy lifestyle in the future.
Having Unrealistic Expectations
We are in the health and wellness business. Our common denominator is serving a consumer desiring guidance on their journey. Regardless of how you structure your interaction and professional guidance, the first step is always about setting appropriate and realistic goals.
Eliminating Incentives
If you aren’t already, hold contests for your clients and offer rewards and prizes to increase motivation and progress. Remember that competitions are meant to be fun and beneficial to clients. Don’t take them too seriously and don’t pressure clients into joining your competitions. Some clients may have a hard time being competitive and would rather focus on reaching their goals individually with their own types of motivation.
Isolating your Clients
Group training gives your clients the extra encouragement and boost they need to get up and active, while keeping their health and fitness goals in check.
Implement One-Size-Fits-All Programming
Stop creating cookie-cutter, generic approaches to training your clients. Always take into consideration their age, gender, athletic ability, and personality, and preferences when creating their program.
Being as Unpleasant as Possible
Make sure you appear committed and rested. If you show signs of being tired, grumpy, snappy, overworked, and rather unpersonable you will not leave a good impression on your clients. Remember, you are their role-model. You must let them see how effective your approach is!
Stop Learning or Specializing
You can start by learning more. Not more of what you already know, but more of what you don’t know. Get out of your comfort zone and experience more of what the fitness industry has to offer, both physically and intellectually.
Being Consistently Late
If you think being late implies that you’re so busy and important, you’re wrong. Juggling things and not even knowing how to do it?! How unprofessional and amateurish. You’re telling your client that they’re not your priority.
Being Unprepared for Sessions
There is nothing worse than watching personal trainers bluff their way through sessions.
Spend time planning your clients’ session down to the last rep. A perfectly planned session is evident to everyone and helps establish trust in the client/trainer relationship. Remember, they have put their fitness goals in your hands!
Now What?
Check out what it takes to start a career in personal fitness training. This is your most affordable and fastest way to become a highly qualified personal trainer.
There is always something exciting about earning a new certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. This also helps you hit the reset button.
Our programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites.
That’s it for now.
Take action!
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