No matter what job, career or walk of life, people want to strive to be better. Being in this industry should be no different. You should want to become a better trainer. You should want to excel in your career and in your life. These are not groundbreaking tips, but I think they can help you be a better personal trainer. Not just for yourself, but for your clients as well.
You are there for them, not the other way around. It can be difficult to put yourself into this mindset. It is easy to see clients as a means to an end. That end being a paycheck. But you need to remember that you are there for them. Your entire job is a service-based position. Do just that: serve them. Stop thinking of them as just another step in the process of getting paid.
Along those same lines is developing relationships with your clients. You don’t have to be their best friend, but get to know them. Connect with them. These are the people who are going to trust you more and stay with you longer. It is a balancing act of having a relationship and still maintaining your professionalism.
Educating your clients is a key way to be a better trainer. In order to educate your clients, you must first educate yourself. Taking more CEC’s won’t kill you. Yes you may not “need” them if you’ve already met your quota for the year, but pushing yourself beyond your limits makes you better. You will learn more and have more to offer your clients.
It is easy to get a big head in this industry. We are always told to take pride in the things we do. But taking pride in something and being prideful are two different things. This industry is already full of big egos. Humble yourself and go against the crowd. You will stick out and people will be attracted to that. You can be confident in yourself and in your services without having a big head about yourself.
Another great practice to get in the habit of is saying “No”. This applies to a lot of areas of your job and life, but I’m talking specifically about taking on clients. If you already have a full schedule, don’t take on more clients. You will not be giving each client your full attention or energy it takes to produce great results. Know your limits.
Have fun! Not everything has to be straight-faced and serious. Have a good time with your clients. Make sure they have a good time too. No one wants their workout to be a total drag.
Ron Clark is the Founder of National Federation of Professional Trainers, NFPT. From U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant to Competitive BodyBuilder, then Firefighter and Certified Personal Trainer – he founded NFPT in 1988 with a mission to make fitness training careers accessible to every day fitness enthusiasts who want to turn their passion into their livelihood. Ron has always led with a heart of service, and, in that spirit, he helps people to achieve real and practical career goals that serve a greater good in changing people’s lives. He lives and leads by example, being a personal trainer himself for more than 10 years before setting out to develop a certification program that is real-world and foundational to the goals of personal trainers and their clients. Click Here to learn more about Ron’s story and NFPT’s inception.
