10 Things I have Learned as Personal Trainer

Posted on by

When I started
personal trainer, I’ll admit it, I thought I knew everything. Okay, not
everything, but a lot. I hold a BS in Exercise science, a PT certification from
the American College of Sports Medicine, I was passionate,
driven and I myself went through my own health and weight loss journey,
shedding over 30lbs and completely changing my body composition. I was ready to
tackle the next step in my professional career as a personal trainer. When I
began personal training, I quickly became humbled to realize that I was only
scratching the surface with some of the knowledge and information I had
previously known. This is not to say that everything I once knew is ‘wrong’ It
is not wrong at all! There was just so much
more to learn and discover.  I love
being challenged in my work and I love bringing on new clients. I see these
clients as a blank slate. I get to help them help themselves.


I often get
asked what I have learned as a trainer…have any of my
theories/thoughts/workouts changed? I thought I would share today some things I
have learned (and still learning!) as a Personal Trainer

People Can Be Stubborn:
Yes that includes me. We get stuck in our ways,
our ruts and we do not like change. I am very much victim of this as well. ALMOST
every person that walks into the gym—I can tell you their exact routine from
when they grab their towel to when they walk out of the door back to work. They
like their same treadmill on the left-hand side and if someone is on THEIR
treadmill…that person better watch out. Where am I going with this? Well, I
sometimes like to introduce clients to ‘new’ exercises…maybe ones they have not
tried before but that I think they will greatly benefit from. I get very
excited to introduce them, take them through a set and see what they think…When
I say we are going to do something new, some people just give me the stink eye.
“Something new?!” butttt…… Yes so what I have learned here is to not change too
much too soon. I always make sure to work my clients a bit out of their comfort
zone (after all this is part of my job) but never to the point where they feel
disorganized and all over the place. Slow and steady.

Muscular imbalances/improper warm up  can greatly impact ones strength gains.
Many people don’t realize that one of
the main reasons they may not be making the strength gains they want is due to
one of those influential factors in this equation:  They have preexisting muscular imbalances
and/or do not go through a thorough corrective warm up. I truly believe that everyone
needs to learn how to use the foam roller. If you don’t do it. Do it. You’ll
squat stronger, lift heavier and all around move better,  if you use a foam
roller before your workout. They break up scar tissue and
and adhesion’s which are the knots inside of your muscles. Foam rolling will not only allow for more efficient muscle contractions and instant
strength but it will also improve the tissue quality of your muscles which
will help to increase flexibility when preforming big lifts. I rarely
go a day without foam rolling and I have seen dramatic strength changes (not
just due to foam rolling, but I know it is a big factor)  To see my warm up routine click here
Corrective work is also something that
is neglected by most but really is the utmost important factor if you are
looking to gain strength and improve muscle definition. Like I mentioned
before, You wouldn’t build a house without a solid foundation so why force
the body to perform something that is shouldn’t?  Corrective work helps
you to MOVE better which is what you need to perform bigger movements more
efficiently and correctly.  If you do not know how to properly fire your
glutes, then you have no business performing a squat; its just a
 waste of time. 

Be Open Minded
When I first started training, I ‘thought’ I knew exactly what to do when to do it with my clients. I was always ‘against’ certain aspects of fitness mainly because I didn’t know enough about them or feel comfortable showing them to my clients. Then, I started learning. More and more each day. Kettle bells for instance was something I had never touched upon before I came here. I always thought they were a ‘waste of time’ But really, I said this because I had no idea what to do with them! I opened my mind to incorporating them not only into my own workout routines, but also on how to teach proper kettle bell training to others. I saw the amazing benefits right away and was a believer. This goes to show that I ALWAYS have to keep an open mind as a trainer and never ‘shut’ anything off. As many of you know, I think running for distance is for the birds; personally I find it boring and ineffective for my goals, however I have some clients who LOVE running for distance and train for multiple races at one time. I would never try to sway them away from that because it is something that they love and enjoy. If it gets them moving and motivated-I am all for it!
I am Providing a Service.
I am sure that each and every one of you has had a bad experience out in the world. Think about it–you have probably had a server at a restaurant who was having a bad day, thus taking it out on you, been ignored at the counter while trying to return clothing at the department store, or maybe you had a haircut appointment where the stylist just didn’t listen to anything you were saying and you left the salon in tears. Bad experiences happen each and everyday. I have learned that the interaction I have with my clients each session I meet with them is one that will greatly influence whether or not they stay with me. Confidence plays a big role in this. I always have to remember that they chose me as their trainer. They are paying money to meet one-on-one with me and it is my job to make sure that both their time and money is well spent.
The first few times I meet with a client, I have to remember that some of them have no IDEA what they are doing and they are literally relying on my skills and knowledge to help them reach their goals. It is my job to make them feel comfortable and not feel like a deer in the headlights. It took me a few months to gain complete confidence in myself and my skills.


Develop a “Brand”
I always figured all trainers were the same. Why I ever thought this was crazy now that I know this is not at all the case. When I first started people would often ask me “What is your niche when it comes to training…how do you differentiate yourself from other trainers” I had no idea how to answer this question. Sure, I knew how to train clients and what my specialities were…but when asked that question flat out like that…I had no idea what to say! 
I realized I had to truly find what set me apart from other trainers. Why were people coming to me. My brand is my identity as a trainer and this is what people will come to expect and know about me.  To figure this out, I asked myself a few questions
“Why are people coming to me to train?”
“When they work with me…what are they expecting from the workout”

When it became clear as to what my ‘niche’ was as a trainer,  It really gave me more of chance to focus on delivering the experience that my “brand” promises to my clients.

Not Everyone Loves to Workout like I Do:
When I had my very first ‘no show’ appointment I thought this was ludacris! “How could they skip on their training session? How could they just not show up? Don’t they want to exercise?” Training, Exercise Science, health/wellness and nutrition is a deep seeded passion for me. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be in this field. I find the human body so interesting and furthermore learning how exercise can change ones body, mind and soul is just astounding and incredible. I truly have a passion to encourage and motivate others to incorporate healthy habits and to get their bodies to move and feel better. I love working out. I love challenging my body, trying new exercises, programs, learning, staying up to date on the latest fitness trends. You could say I LOVE what I do. Now, I realize that I do not fall in the typical or ‘normal’ category when it comes to self discipline. I love each and everyday that I get to train. I love reaching new goals, gaining strength, pushing my body (with adequate rest) and of course visualizing whats to come. Shortly after I started meeting with clients, dealing with some no-shows and last minute cancellations, It occurred to me that not everyone has that intense inner motivation to wake up at 4:30am and workout or let alone workout in general and that is OKAY! 


I cannot have an expectation that all of my clients will be in 10 minutes early prior to their appointment having gone through their warm up and foam rolling with a smile on and ready to go. Sometimes they need a little extra push and encouragement which I have no problem helping them with.  I know that my love for this field is a bit out the ordinary and that sometimes getting clients to make it to their appointment with a big smile on can be a challenge; a challenge I am ready to tackle! In no way is my goal to get my clients to have that intense passion for fitness like I do; but it is my job to educate and help them find that inner motivation to make exercise an enjoyable part of their life. 


I am a Professional

My very first month, I started seeing the downside to this business: No shows. It happened, then it happened again and then it happened again. Sometimes I would get calls or emails 30 minutes or 10 minutes before a session with a cancellation. I get it-people are busy and sometimes get caught up in meetings; trust me I get that. What I don’t get is the fact that they may not realize that this is my business. I set aside 30 minutes or 1 hour of my day for them. It became frustrating and unprofessional on their part. I shortly realized that I had to  set the bar from the beginning. I technically have free range to make my own cancellation policy, so this is just what I adapted. My time is precious-just like anyone else’s and time after time, I realized I had to set the bar. I am a professional and this is my business. When I first meet with a client, I simply politely ask that if they need to cancel to try to tell me at least the day before. I realize will not always be the case, but the fact is, when I set the bar from the get-go, they are more likely to take our time together seriously 


BREATHE!

It wasn’t until I began working one on one with clients that I realized there was a common problem seen in almost each and everyone of them. They forget to breathe! (or do not know how to properly breathe during exercises) I know for some, they are thinking about so many other things while performing exercises such as keeping the core engaged, or relaxing the shoulders or pushing through the heels, so breathing gets put on the back burner, but it is one of the most important aspects of strength training. Proper breathing is integral to keep a steady flow of oxygen moving through your bloodstream. I really try to help my clients focus on proper breathing patterns so it becomes second nature-like brushing your teeth!


Simple and Effective Wins!

Whenever I walk into another gym, I am so much more aware of how other trainers interact with their clients and the exercises they are demonstrating to them. More often then not, I see trainers who just try to get to fancy and complicated with exercises. Why throw a client on a BOSU ball to perform a squat when they need to work on the basic squatting pattern? Fitness ‘gadgets’ are not magic. They are tools. The same basic movements that have been around for years are the ones that to this day are the most effective. Sure, I love using the BOSU ball and other gadgets with some of my clients and I use them myself, but when putting together a program for a client, I really try to keep it simple enough that they can do it on their own and furthermore see progressions with their strength. One of my clients is a 75 year old woman and I have her doing push ups (on an elevated bar) pull ups (assisted), rows, ball wall squats and some core work. She just told me last week that her ADL’s (activities of daily living) have gotten easier and she finally feels strong. No BOSU balls, no crazy tools, just her body and some basic equipment. I always perform some mobility and flexibility work with clients as well as some balance exercises. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with fancy fitness gadgets-I use them myself every now and then, but I am simply stating that the basics work-there is no need to mess with the truth. 

Educate
Simply training clients is only half of the business when it comes to making long lasting connections. I do not want to be anyone’s ‘quick fix’ By this, I do not mean that I want them to buy a big PT package and train with me forever; what I mean is that I need them to have confidence in my abilities as a trainer. If a trainer cannot make a connection with a client, that client will quickly  not only stop training with you, but may get discouraged by exercise all together. My goal with ANY client is to make them feel 100% comfortable in the gym and with exercise in general. I want all of my clients (females especially)  to be able to walk into the weight room, knowing exactly what to do and feel empowered and strong. I do not even pay attention to money when it comes to working with clients. Each and everyday that I meet with people, I see the progress they make and the barriers they overcome and that right there is way more rewarding. When I have a client look at me in the eyes after a session and say “Thank you” it makes everything worth while.  When I walk into the gym and I see my client doing their program on their own, proper form, breathing, execution, I feel like a proud mother! I am constantly trying to expand my knowledge with training and have a goal of never being ‘regular’ I always want to bring something unique to my clients.  There is nothing more powerful than knowledge