The fact that someone has come to you for fitness coaching, consultation or classes is an excellent sign: it means they are seriously considering making exercise a part of their life. However, it takes some time and repetition for good intentions to become habit. That’s where you need strategies for helping your clients follow through on their commitment to their own health and fitness.
Here are five ways you can help your clients keep their fitness promises to themselves:
- Listen to what your clients are saying. Whether a person is new to the idea of exercise or has some experience, he or she may have reservations or misconceptions that you can easily address. Take the time to correct and reassure them as necessary. Let them know that you understand their concerns and made adjustments as needed to overcome any obstacles they have identified.
- Focus on the benefits. You know what the future can hold for someone who sticks with an exercise plan: more endurance, stronger muscles, improved balance and increased flexibility are all in the cards. Make sure to remind your clients often about what they stand to gain by following your exercise recommendations and point out their improvements as they occur.
- Start slow. Fitness is all about cumulative benefits, which is something that both hesitant and gung-ho clients need to understand. It’s far better to begin with a small amount of activity and work up to more over an extended period of time than to blast through a workout, get really sore and then give up.
- Be specific. When recommending an exercise program, spell out exactly what activities should be done, at what intensity and frequency, and for what length of time. Make sure the goals you set are realistic. Re-evaluate as often as necessary and adjust the goals and specifications as your client progresses.
- Make it social. Encourage your clients to share their exercise journey with others. This could mean participating in small-group classes, finding a friend to accompany them on walks or to a weekly class, or even making virtual friends who can see their progress via a fitness app and provide encouragement. Support from other people can make a big difference in how willing someone is to continue exercising.
As a fitness trainer, you are always on the lookout for new ways to motivate, encourage and inspire your clients. We hope these tips make your job a little easier.
