question about the beginning of your training careers

[Matthew]

No matter who you were working with (healthy athletes, injured athletes, teenagers, elderly, disabled, etc.) you probably have encountered many different types of people with many different needs. For each person you were expected to (among other things) write individualized programs that could deliver certain results in a safe and efficient way. My question is this.. did you pretty much already know what you were doing from the start (from a school education, being around it a lot, etc.) or did you have to "warm up" to it?

If you had to warm up to it, how long did it take? I don't expect an exact number of days but did it take a couple months to really figure out what you were doing? A couple years? A decade?
*I know part of the job is continuing to educate yourself and learn new techniques, I'm only wondering how long it took to really be comfortable with the decisions you make while creating programs for your clients

How did you go about improving yourself? Trial and error? Did you just read as much as you could about your field and put it to use? Work with other people in the industry and kind of 'follow' them, like a mentor?

Did you make [m]any mistakes along the way?


I get curious about the oddest things.
Thanks for any responses.

[kuri]

Are you doing privates? Working at a gym?

If at a gym they should have some templates to use, or at the very least ask other PTs or the PT manager for their thoughts.

As for how long it takes obviously everyone will have a different answer. Alwyn has written some about his early attempts at programming.

[Matthew]

I'm not working in the field yet, and I'm not trying to relate anything back to myself. I was just curious about everyone's experiences as they were starting their careers.

I didn't know Alwyn wrote about his early attempts, I'll go google it now. Thanks.

[umass]

I actually am just starting out and have found that the hardest part so far isn't training people because it turns out I'm pretty good at that, the hard part is approaching strangers and selling myself.
-Ned

[Keith S.]

Originally Posted by umass

I actually am just starting out and have found that the hardest part so far isn't training people because it turns out I'm pretty good at that, the hard part is approaching strangers and selling myself.
-Ned

Agreed.

[Matthew]

Thanks for your answers guys.

[John Izzo]

Honestly and don't take this the wrong way, but when you have difficulty in selling yourself, you are really lacking the confidence in your ability. However, experience takes time and when I started out, it took a few clients (maybe 2 years-worth), before I actually started understanding how to APPLY what I know to help someone else. It is harder than you think, because I am not talking about helping out your gym buddy get thru a new workout that was written in a book. Its understanding the theresholds people carry and inhibitions that have gotten them to the point they are at.
Once you recognize how to apply your skills and help others succeed, the confidence grows. Once the confidence grows, you need to draw attention to yourself, by establishing a "VIP-type" attitude. What that means--in the commercial gym setting--is you need to make your service exclusive to clients only. That makes members WANT to work with you, because you create that "Clients-only" persona. I don't mean not communicating and helping others, but helping others just enough that they want MORE.

Carry yourself around the gym in a way that draws attention to your services as exclusive offer to those willing to pay for them. Once you can do that (build that confidence first), the selling is easy. People want what they can't have. If they save the money and put it up, you will get your sales. The hard part--is making sure you get them the results.

If you see or talk to any GOOD trainer..they have a bit of cockiness or confidence about themselves. Its different in a commerical gym setting (as opposed to a YMCA--which I know also), because a comercial gym award you bonuses for your sales and that helps build confidence. When I worked at a Golds, we are a COCKY group of NASM trainers. Because we were a unit they KNEW we can help anyone and everyone. My monthly PT sales were in the $8000-10,000 range. We were making the club LOTS of money and with that, comes the hunger to make more money for yourself.

[Matthew]

That whole post was terrific John, very helpful. Thanks.

However, experience takes time and when I started out, it took a few clients (maybe 2 years-worth), before I actually started understanding how to APPLY what I know to help someone else. It is harder than you think, because I am not talking about helping out your gym buddy get thru a new workout that was written in a book. Its understanding the theresholds people carry and inhibitions that have gotten them to the point they are at.

That's exactly what I was looking for when I started this thread, thank you.

Do you have any stories/examples you can share regarding the last sentence of that quote?

[John Izzo]

Originally Posted by mAtThEw

That whole post was terrific John, very helpful. Thanks.



That's exactly what I was looking for when I started this thread, thank you.

Do you have any stories/examples you can share regarding the last sentence of that quote?

How much time do you have?

[Matthew]

That many, huh?


Pick your favourite


ps. Don't feel like you have to, I know I'm cutting into your work day and I understand if you don't have time.

[theleip]

In a sense what that applies to is you need to get into the psychology behind why that person has walked into your gym. You can memorize theories, routines and have the kinesiology book down like the back of your hand, but if you can't get inside your clients mind a little then it all become worthless.

Every client is different, this is people we are talking about here. When you meet a client ask yourself some of these questions and really think about the answers or find ways to know them.

-Why are they here?-Yeah this client in front of you wants to lose fat, that is the obvious answer, but WHY are they here? Do they have a problem with binge eating, did they just get to comfortable in their lives, do they think they just should do this because they are overweight and that isn't accepted but really they are fine with who they are. Is it health concerns, are they trying to set an example for their children. Divorce and need to be found more attractive.

I find 9/10 that the ID is in direct control of why people walk in those doors. Be it to get back at an ex, become more attractive to men/women, conduct their own "extreme makeover" that they can in their world. You have to be aware of these things, the more you are the more you can feed into it and get the the meat of how to work them out, how to talk to them, and where to help them.

-What Do they Want/Need From me?-Is it time for you to be the boot camp sergeant, or do you need to be the constant encourager? Do they need to hear that technical talk to feel more confident, or is it time to use the terms muffin top and bra fat. As a trainer you should be able to wear many attitudes to suit with each client but more importantly know which one to make them feel that they are getting what they need from you.

This is just an example but these kind of questions can change everything about how you and your client interact to achieve better results. Remember we are in the business of making people become better than they are expecting themselves to be, be it athlete or house mom. This is one of the most rewarding jobs you could have, you need to bring that level of happiness and confidence with you to each session. You offer hope, just make sure you can deliver it and make it come across.

[Isaac Wilkins]

As an aside the term "muffin top" never ceases to make me chuckle.


As John said there's a difference between a YMCA (or "community center") and a big, corporate gym.

I started training in a YMCA in Bangor, Maine (if you know where that is) in which I was by far the most educated trainer and had known everyone in this gym for the two years I'd been there as a fitness instructor (gym monkey) while getting my grad degree. Personal training is not particularly productive there, but I was the most successful trainer primarily because I was well known and liked.

Fast forward to moving to Charleston, SC and working in a huge profit-center gym. I was, and am, probably still the most educated trainer there but I realized it didn't mean anything. I had no idea how to be a successful trainer, either in sales or customer interaction. I'd only trained clients that were dedicated enough to approach me about training before. I now had to go and find clients, sell them, AND figure out how to help them.

It really took me about six months of struggle to get to the point where I was successful.

This is kind of an echo of what theleip said, but think of this every time you talk to a client or a prospect: "What's their problem?".

Everyone in the gym has a problem. The 40 year-old recent divorcee has a problem. They haven't been physical in 20 years, are way out of shape, and are about to enter the dating scene (scary enough) after being out for years (extra scary), and they have a horrible self-image (death). The 28 year-old pro bodybuilder has a problem. Maybe his quad sweep isn't as good as it could be. Perhaps he has high lats.

Whatever the issue is, find it. If you can find their problem, and fix it, you'll be successful. If I get termites in my house, you'd better believe that I'll pay a lot of money to the guy that I feel confident will solve my problem. If someone offers to paint my house, who f-ing cares? That doesn't help me with the real problem: The termites.

See what I mean?

I just posted a bit of a discussion another successful trainer and I had on another board with a young trainer-to-be on my blog. You might want to check it out.

www.gotstrengthblog.com

[Matthew]

Thank you theleip, that was a very helpful post. I apologize, I should have responded sooner.

Isaac, also a very helpful post, thank you. I read through the discussion you mentioned, there was definitely some good advice in there. Nice site, by the way.

Thanks again, both of you.

[kuri]

Matthew, like you I'm looking to learn more about the psychology of the job as well as how to approach the selling/marketing aspects.

Malcom Gladwell's book Blink is an interesting look into how we make quick decisions and judgements.

And if you already haven't, search for personal training books on book.google and you can read excerpts of dozens on the subject.

[John Izzo]

I agree with Isaac.

[Matthew]

Kuri - I love psychology. My original plan was to teach psychology at a highschool and be a strength coach to some of the teams. Doesn't matter what we're talking about, if psychology is brought into it my ears are perked and my tail's wagging.
Blink sounds like it could be good, I'll have to look into it.

John - I hope you got the humour in that "pick your favourite" line, I didn't mean it in a 'brushing you off' kind of way. I have time to hear as many stories as you're willing to share, I just didn't want to put you in a position where you felt you had to. Guess I used the wrong emoticon...

[Steve-O-68]

Pat Rigsby has some great info about the psychology and 'emotional buying' of people looking for trainers on his site and blog.


http://www.patrigsby.blogspot.com/