Don’t be discouraged?

I am often amazed, and dismayed, by how personal trainers are portrayed on television. They are usually the ‘Alpha’ male strutting around showing off their muscles, using intimidation and threats to coerce their clients into doing certain exercises. The clients comply sheepishly with looks of uncertainty and/or pain. Seriously? Is that how personal trainers are perceived?

It certainly isn’t how I operate, preferring my clients to be happy with what they are doing. Challenged yes, but happy with the exercise choices. That’s why two key questions any new client gets asked involves what exercises they like and which they dislike. They have input into what they will be doing.

But maybe I am different from the rest of the industry. As was pointed out to me by someone on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, when they replied to a simple tip I’d shared with them to get more exercise in their day:

“You know my thoughts on your approach though, you care about the individual and their circumstances then adapt the training to them. Many PTs don’t!” 

And that might be the issue. People are being put off and discouraged from being the best they can be, physically, and fitness in general by a very real perception of personal trainers created by very real personal trainers.

I know that many PTs often try to show off their knowledge and use fancy vocabulary and terminology with clients. Sure, my clients know that certain exercises and muscles have weird and wonderful names (Anterior leaning Bulgarian barbell split squat anyone? Or how about Gastrocnemius for your upper calf?). However, I love it when my clients christen exercises with what it means to them. Things like “Wristy Twisties” or “The Dancing Man” or “Cherry Blossoms”. The clients have input into the process, which is so important.

Sometimes, during initial consultations trainers will spend ages working out what is wrong with clients, and then tell people that they can’t do any real exercise yet because they now need to do all sorts of corrective exercises. How discouraging is that? My approach is to tell clients that the exercise testing session is to allow me to gauge where they are physically, which will allow me to programme effectively for them. But I also tell them that it will, hopefully, show them what they can actually do and serve as a positive driver for their fitness. 

Other trainers may have a certain way of training, and will use only one form of equipment with their clients because that is what they, as the trainer, prefer while looking down on the majority of people who just want to workout to get fitter, stronger, leaner and or healthier. There are so many different ways to approach client programming, and the training methodology should be adapted to suit the client. The training should be FOR the client and not done to the client.

This quote from Nick Tuminello sums up how I feel about being in the privileged position to be able to help people:

“To me, a trainer is a facilitator, not a dictator. Meaning, we facilitate the use of exercise in the safest, smartest and fastest way to help people achieve what’s important to them.”

I want to help EVERYONE to build a love for movement and exercise. So please don’t believe that all personal trainers are like the stereotypical ones you might see on TV or hear about through horror stories from friends and relatives. Some of us care, and want you to be the best you can be.

If you would like to have a chat with a personal trainer who believes in you, then please click that golden button below.