More...
A New Era...
The era of just providing workouts is coming to an end.
The time when a client books an appointment –> they come in for their session –> you deliver a kickass service –> then there isn’t much to worry about until the client comes back for their next session –> is becoming obsolete.
Also, as 1 on 1 training is becoming more and more rare and we are seeing trainers moving to semi-private, small group, or even bootcamp numbers. The bigger the groups, the less time for small talk coaching during rest periods.
On top of this, the client is becoming much more sophisticated, and that’s a good thing.
Clients aren’t looking to just come in and get their butt kicked anymore. Don’t get me wrong, they still want a great workout, but they want the complete solution. They are hearing about corrective exercise and want to move better. They are getting interested in relaxation and recovery. They are seeking nutrition advice. Not just another meal plan, but a process to getting them eating healthier. And what I hear the most, they are seeking more accountability.
Are you prepared to be that for them, without killing yourself slowly in the process?
The vast majority of people that opt for hiring a coach are looking to lose some LBs, you know this.
If all we did was run someone through training sessions without any regard for nutrition or accountability chances are we are not going to be very successful.
It’s too hard to get the equation right. We can’t create a significant energy debt through exercise alone. Looking at the energy expense pie each day, exercise makes up such a small portion of our overall calorie burn that getting another 200-400 kcal out of exercise isn’t going to have a great effect.
Especially since exercise can increase hunger and cause us to eat more, negating the whole calories burned through exercise piece altogether.
If you want to go down this rabbit hole for a bit check out this article by Nick Tumminello, a guy we greatly respect.
“Is Cardio or Strength Training Better for Fat Loss”
And in case you need more convincing here is a good piece in Scientific American called “Can You Lose Weight With Exercise Alone.”
So, we might be with someone three hours per week. That gives them 165 other hours to reverse what we are trying to do.
Nowadays, the coaching doesn’t stop when the client leaves your sight if you are going to have successful clients. Herein lies the catch 22 and one reason why I think burnout is so high in the personal training world.
Being on call 24/7 and reacting to clients can get extremely overwhelming and lead to burn-out quick. I know exactly how this feels and can sympathize with anyone going through it.
It’s easy to do everything when you have 5 clients, but when that number gets to 10 or 20 or you start hiring others to help you, the little things you were able to do at one point you don’t have the man-hours or the mental capacity to keep doing.
This is where systems and technology can fill the gap of the other 165 hours. Our goal as coaches is not to CONTROL everything that our clients do but rather “nudge” them in the right direction.
Systems are critical here.
- Having an exercise system and templates so you don’t have to start with a blank sheet of paper each time.
- Have a nutrition system so that the client is getting information in a systemized way and not getting overwhelmed.
- Having an accountability system so you know exactly how your client is doing rather than having to wait till they come in for their next session.
- Having business systems so you business runs smoothly. This is a book in and of itself.
This is a long road we don’t need to go down right now but I think you get the picture.
The times are changing and the level of service is being taken to another level.
Are you developing your systems and using technology to ride this wave?
-Trevor
P.S.
This is one of the reasons we developed Habit Catalyst, to provide a system for nutrition and accountability. It was something we needed in our own gyms.
If you want a little help talking through your systems, I would love to help.
It’s free, there is no obligation to try Habit Catalyst. If you want to talk about it great, if not, no big deal and I can help you in other ways.
Let’s talk (click to set-up a free call).