Becoming a personal trainer can be a very exciting time! The enthusiasm and passion that new PTs bring to the fitness industry are contagious. Most new personal trainers can’t wait to start working with clients so they can share their newfound knowledge. Unfortunately, the reality of working with some clients with low levels of motivation can leave them feeling deflated! And to add to the frustration, their clients might even rebel against their advice.
Unfortunately, there can be a disconnection between what clients expect from their personal trainers and what is delivered. Clients imagine themselves being whipped into shape by a motivating guy or gal with all the tricks, tips and shortcuts to getting results. They sometimes see trainers as THE solution.
On the other hand, trainers make assumptions about their clients, assuming that they will take all their advice and guidance and voila, they get results! However, this is rarely the case. There is often quite a bit more to it than “don’t eat sugar, do more cardio and drink more water”
Clients may have long-held beliefs like “I’m destined to be fat, diets and exercise don’t work for me.” New information from trainers on what they need to change can cause a degree of emotional STRESS, making them less likely to change rather than more!
They may even be BENEFITING from being out of shape, overweight and unhealthy. I know – this sounds crazy, but on a subconscious level, they may get more attention, feel more valued or even LOVED from being in their current state. They could have subconscious FEARS that could change if they got into shape.
Personal Trainers are up against more than just eating better and exercising more, they’re dealing with deep-seated, emotional, habitual behaviour!
So how can PTs address the real challenge of achieving results, changing behaviour? In the industry most fitness certifications focus on bones, muscle, cardio and exercises, which are all essential components of being a personal trainer but they don’t address the real issue.
If you are thinking of becoming a Personal Trainer, the PT Academy certification is unique in the industry in that it hinges on understanding behaviour change. No two people enjoy the same types of exercises and workouts and if we train all clients like we train ourselves we are missing who they really are and what it really takes to help them achieve their goals.
If you were considering becoming a qualified personal trainer, I’d recommend looking for a provider the addresses behaviour change within the curriculum. This is a must for today’s clients and will allow you to work with a broader range of individuals.
If you are already a qualified personal trainer, then why not check out the online certification of Behaviour Change In Exercise. The program was designed with 25 years of neuroscience to empower real change.
I’ve been thinking about becoming a trainer. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I just never knew how to get started.
I’ve been reading the blogs and articles at http://www.TheSixFigureTrainer.com and it’s been really helpful. I decided on which certification to get, and I’ve also learned how to find the best gym in my area to train at. I’m looking forward to building my business.
If you want to learn how to build your business… hands down, I recommend Stu at http://www.TheSixFigureTrainer.com. I took his e-class and he is the real deal. It’s some of the best information I’ve gotten on marketing, lead generating, how to approach new clients and how to keep clients so you don’t have a lot of turnover. He talks about getting started as a trainer at ground zero too and it would have been really helpful if I was just starting out.
Stu also has a lot of free articles that are extremely (like extremely extremely) helpful… but I would do his e-class if he still offers it.