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Originally Posted by gx3
I know a lot of trainers use the following 2 strategies:
1. Make them feel it - this means either make the client somewhat sore or make them sweat or both.
2. Use wild/stupid exercises (bosu ball squats etc).
I spend the training time teaching a client to squat and do push-ups. Maybe I should reconsider just to sell more effectively and then I can do the right thing for the client.
Thoughts please.
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Well I'm new here and taking a break from being a trainer but I'd like to comment if thats cool.
I see the dilemma here with what to actually do in the session. You seem to know that just making them sweat/sore or showing them exercises they've never seen can really help close the deal, but really isn't the most conscientious thing to do (when I bought into the bosu ball/stability stuff it helped me close deals, but in the long run the clients never progressed optimally). I think sticking to that integrity will help you lot. I worked in a commercial facility where the demos were booked for me and often the prospects were in no shape to do anything too taxing, and yet were promised a 'free session'. But I think one of the paradigm shifts for me was differentiating between a 'free session' and a 'first session'. Most of these clients have no idea what a session consists of so don’t worry so much about trying to do everything as you would in a normal session.
As JP mentioned the client wants to have the focus on them, in that regard I have found that simple posture analyses goes a long way. Find out which muscles are tight and which are weak (Gray Cook's movement screens are great for trainers in this regard, quick and simple) consult them on how these muscles create an individual training need for them that you can cater to. Do some mobility work for the tight muscles and then exercises for the weak ones. This usually makes them physically feel really good and shows them they've got muscles in places they never even thought of. Afterwards if the situation advises run them through half a tabata with an easy movement, so they get the strain and exhaustion they want from a safe exercise (that they immediately see the need of a trainer to push them through). By the end of these sessions they usually feel aligned, well worked and your insights into their muscle imbalances makes them think that you really understand their individual needs.
Anyhoo, this is really more just my own experience with constructing effective demos that you will hopefully be able to glean at least something helpful from. Commercial gym demos have always seemed to me to be a bit of a different animal than what is described in some PT strategy literature.