Becoming a personal trainer is no mean feat. It can be difficult enough to motivate yourself to go that extra mile and aim for a PB at the gym, but when this becomes your job – to coach and encourage other people to constantly push themselves to get better results, it can be tough, and a whole different story. So how can you stay motivated to help motivate your clients?
Learn your client’s personality
Keep your eyes peeled for character attributes your client shows - is he/she shy? Out going? Competitive? These are all signs which can factor into what workout they will perform best at – if your client is overly competitive, then weight training alone won’t satisfy their need for competition. Try pairing them with someone of a similar demeanour. An introverted client may not want to participate in a Zumba class, for example.
Focus your positivity
Don’t let your clients focus on their defeats, explain to them that each day is a new day, and keep them focused on the task at hand. If you hear him / her making negative remarks, teach them how to turn these into positive comments which can help them build on their regime.
Fitness Reviews
Fitness reviews are a really great way to keep things fresh and interesting for your clients. It’s a great way to keep them motivated too, as they have a goal to work towards – try setting them a mini fitness test (nothing to worry about, assure them!) every two weeks.
Visual aids
Visual aids, such as before and after photos, are a great tip to get your clients focused and really wanting to smash their goals. Role models also fall under this category: sharing success stories with your clients– be it a previous client of yours, a story you’ve read in a fitness magazine or even a celebrity, will help them see that their goals are achievable.
Finally, remember that you’re helping them improve fitness
Now, we don’t want to make assumptions, but there’s a pretty good chance that if you’re a personal trainer you started your career because you’ve got passion and belief in fitness, which means you know what you’re talking about. And you’re good at it. If a client is really de-motivated, take a minute to remember that it’s your knowledge of the fitness world that can make such a positive difference to their lives; you might just have to be a bit patient about it!