Those Who Disgrace Their Profession - Gym Personal Trainers

I've been doing some research on thermogenics/ fat burning/ fat blocker supplements, so I headed to the gym today and asked a Personal Trainer over there about a certain thermogenic product.

Anyway, he recommended a 'personally-guaranteed' product... a mixture of Ma Huang* and something called ******? He hesitated in spelling it for me.. and kept pushing me to buy it.. which kinda turned me off.. 2-4 pills a day he said, up to 2 weeks, followed by a one month off period.

I am searching online for the latter ingredient.. but can't seem to get the spelling right. Ma Huang is also called Ephedrine which accelerates heart rate (the PT said).

He mentioned that 80% of his clients are taking these tablets and all of them absolutely love it.. so I did ask him: why do i need to buy a hundred tablets? can't i just take 50 tabs first? his reply to me was: oh but u can keep u see... so i said: if 80% of your clients are taking it, im sure u can help me find someone who wants to buy the other half since it's so popular anyways.. he had nothing to say.

Previously on another occasion some months ago when I felt as if my workout wasn't quite going anywhere, I asked him how to get rid of the last couple of layers of blubber.. he straightaway launched into this ONE-week programme thing that he designed.. 6 days of workout, high-protein high fibre diet, some pill-popping, then on the 7th day, only SIPS of water allowed to get rid of water in your body.. he guaranteed me 6 packs.. i was like WHAT?!

I thought I'd share my experience with you.

Cheers! Fitchick

This is like giving a kid a can of beer when all he needed was a glass of milk. It's just MEAN. This is just SO WRONG is SO MANY ways I just don't know where to start.

It is extremely disappointing to hear such recommendations come from the mouth of a Personal Trainer (PT). It is people like these who tarnish an awesome life-changing and inspiring job of being a Personal Trainer. What I find disappointing is that he suggested an easy way out (which also happens to be a very UNSAFE one) to someone who was keen on doing things right. What he suggested very much sounds like a recipe for a heart attack... jokes aside.

Also, the diet he suggested sounds very much like a pre-contest diet where bodybuilders strip their last bits of bodyfat to look good just in time for a contest and appearing on stage. You should ask the PT.. what happens after the 1 week of madness?

If I were you.. I would NOT go down that path of drug abuse to achieve weight loss. This entire topic is very, very controversial, and surprisingly - very widespread wherever you go. It's just that it is rarely discussed, for obvious reasons - it's illegal, and has the potential to do you harm if you're not careful.

As for Ma Huang - it's pretty common and can be found in most thermogenic supplements - but in controlled doses so that you won't run the risk of screwing yourself.

Here's a description of Ma Huang I got off the net:

*Ma Huang is an evergreen plant derivative. It acts as a stimulant by supposedly boosting energy and helping with weight control, and is chemically similar to ephedrine. Ephedrine accomplishes weight control partly by reducing appetite and by boosting your heart rate, etc.

Any products containing ephedra were made illegal for over-the-counter sales by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 12, 2004. Prior to this date, ephedra was available legally in nutritional supplements, energizers, and dietary teas, as well as in herbal "ecstasy," which was the impetus for its controversy. The US FDA banned ephedrine after it "...received an increasing number of reports of adverse reactions associated with ephedra use. These reported reactions vary from the milder adverse effects known to be associated with sympathomimetic stimulants (e.g., nervousness, dizziness, tremor, alterations in blood pressure, headache, gastrointestinal distress) to chest pain, myocardial infarction, hepatitis, stroke, seizures, psychosis, and death." Some 32 deaths were also attributed to this drug. 

However, the whole ephedrine abuse drama too, is controversial, and there's always been two sides of the story, just like everything else. I'd rather not go there.

And a note to everyone - I do not condone the usage of Ephedrine, or any other drug for the enhancement of sport performance, no matter what your excuse is. Nothing beats proper nutrition, diet, and exercise.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us Fitchick. I appreciate it.

Athlete's Succeed With The Help Of A Personal Trainer

Sports are big business - profitable for athletes and individuals who prepare athletes for competition. Professional and amateur athletes at all levels - from grade school teams to the National Football League - need assistance of expert personal trainers who can make them excel at their sports. Until recently, most people believed that power athletes were born not made. That's changed. Modern training techniques can make anyone faster, stronger and more powerful. A Certified Specialist in Sports Conditioning through International Sports Science Association can provide powerful tools needed to prepare athletes for professional, college, school, or recreational sports.

Through this internationally recognized certification the Sports Specialist has mastered the basic science and exercise programming techniques behind training athletes for competition. This detailed certification course covers the major bones and muscle of the skeletal and muscular anatomy and how this relates to sport performance. This information is of vital importance in determining the muscles involved in specific sports and exercises to develop them. For example, a baseball pitcher must have strong arms, shoulders & back muscles to throw the ball but he must also possess balance and strong legs and lower body as well as core strength in order to pitch at peak performance.

Having knowledge about the basic methods of measuring speed, endurance, power, strength, and flexibility is essential for this certification. This includes popular tests used by the NFL and other professional teams for measuring sports specific physical fitness. Improving skill is the best way to develop power for sport. They show proven techniques for using video to build skill systematically.

Via this certification one learns scientifically proven methods for building endurance, strength, flexibility, speed, power and agility. These techniques are incredibly effective techniques to help athletes perform to their full potentials. These methods can make even people with modest talents far better than they ever thought possible.

To pass this certification one has to design programs for major athletes involved in such sports as football, basketball, soccer, track and field, baseball and softball, bodybuilding, weight lifting, and golf. The program designs were very specific and included periodized training according to season and needed performance. In other words it is very specific, right down to seasonal training per sport.

An army runs on its stomach and so do athletes. No personal trainer's knowledge is complete without thorough knowledge of sports nutrition, supplements, and drugs. The material studied is unbiased as well as scientifically accurate information about these vital topics. Please note that personal trainers are not equipped with the knowledge and certification to provide true nutritional advice. Only registered, licensed dietitians are credible sources of this information. However a Certified Personal Trainer has a wide array of resources that we rely on for this aspect of training.

Motivating athletes is a difficult and complex task for trainers and coaches. This is my specialty because I possess a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. I am always studying some sort of psychological aspect of sports, fitness and lifestyle. Understanding psychological characteristics of champions and basic psychological techniques to help athletes keep training and withstand the pressures of competitive athletics is imperative as a trainer of athletes. Imaging is tool used by successful athletes. Imaging will help the athlete practice and focus on their sport when they are not on the field. You often see young athletes practice imaging when they play the sport on a pretend level. True athletes never stop this pretending (aka imaging)!

Pain and injury are, unfortunately, part of playing competitive sports. As a personal trainer of athletes we often design programs that help rehabilitate injuries while building or re-building fitness. We help athletes develop fitness systematically without injury. And our work can even help prevent injury! This is extremely important in working with youth athletes as I have to come to know by working with my young sons. Hiring a trainer for your young athlete can be one of the best things you can do because the work the trainer does with the athlete helps them improve performance on the field and strengthens the child so he/she is less likely to injure them self in the sport. Who would not want injury prevention for their child? And as an added bonus the child is guaranteed* to be more powerful athlete which can lead to significant gains later in life and a stronger athlete - period!

I now have a wonderful opportunity to significantly impact the lives and careers of the people I work with because I am a Certified Specialist in Sports Conditioning. I treasure this opportunity and do my best to provide meaningful service and impart important knowledge about exercise, fitness and training. With my help and guidance, combined with a passion for excellence, I hope to inspire those I guide to higher levels of achievement. Thanks to my certification with International Sports Science Association, I hope to help my clients, family and friends to aspire athletic dreams every day! It is a Win-Win situation!!!

God Bless!

Kathie Ingram Owen 

Richmond, TX 

Athlete's Succeed with the Help of a Personal Trainer

*Results on a consistent program with Kathie are guaranteed!

Kathie Ingram Owen is a Certified Fitness Trainer with Certified Expertise in Athlete & Older Adult Fitness. She enjoys helping others achieve a well-rounded self through fitness: mind, body and spirit. Kathie provides online fitness training to clients all over the world. She also trains clients in person and is a Certified Fitness Instructor teaching a variety of aerobic classes. Check out her website to find out more.

a personal trainers - holidaze

Rules of day to day no longer apply as you surrender to the hearts and minds of those closest. Conversation, food and wine are intoxicating. You can't leave the table the conversation is too good. The holiday food keeps coming. I fall back into the silken warmth of family stories and recollections of past years.

I generally eat until I am sated but now... its quest for space, I must keep up, I can't be that... "I don't eat that wimp". I can't spoil this mood and bring everyone down to reality! Somehow I manage to find space for that piece of dark nutty chocolate beckoning me to come home to my pallette, where it would receive all the comfort love and warmth I need to express in this state of holiday bliss. I have now surrendered..... The conversation wonders back to a particular chocolate that sister in law is passionate about and as she unfolds its mysteries you must taste and discover. This is no time for excuses.

Feeling good. Eyes wonder out to the blanket of snow and everything feels safe and warm. The last place I would want to go is out into the cold ('reality' I think). All is swell; until that transition day when you walk back into the doors of your own home.... if you can fit.

All the good times, and intoxication are fading into never ever land. I look at myself in the mirror and think "I did my duty". Then dreamily go into a fond reverie....until I try on those tight jeans!!!

It's time to take action, I feel passionate again, my workouts are inspired. I'm like Rocky Balboa. Underdog to champion. As long as I try my best I am guaranteed results, I can only get better from here. It's back to clean living and motorvation.

More than anything I think it's the transitions that are harder than anything. Resisting the surrendering to the holidaze, then resisting leaving them. And it's exactly this change that fuels the fire within. Change, is like a breath of fresh air. The air causes a conflagration, of fire for inspiration.

DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success. Her credentials include...

Currently licensed Registered Nurse specializing in Rehabilitative Nursing Medical Exercise Therapist: certified by AAHFRP, an internationally recognized physical rehabilitation certification

Maternity Specialist Pre & Post Natal certified by Maternal Fitness Personal Fitness Specialist: certified by NASM, an internationally recognized certification

Yoga Teacher Professional Health Member, National Organization of Fitness Instructors (IDEA), a leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals.

personal trainers with real people

TO DO OR NOT TO DO? ... ABS

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO WRITING ARTICLE:

Jeanne is a client I have worked with for a number of years, and through a couple of births with very quick recoveries. She is naturally tall and thin with wide hips and very flat abs. She has that perfect body for wearing couture as you can see from her Vogue magazine write up in October of 2003. She is the type that doesn't want muscle showing at all, just long sleek 'feminine' lines. We have stepped up her workouts of late because she is getting stronger and we do need to keep up the challenge to maintain that high metabolic burn rate for caloric expenditure, without creating muscle definition. Jeanne doesn't like doing cardio so that's not a solution.

Recently when beginning our workout Jeanne stops, pulls up her t-shirt and shows me her abs. Iam very pleased with what I see, which is the definition of where the lower obliques end and the rectus abdominus (your quadrants, also known as '6 packs') begin. There was strong deliniation indicating the muscles beneath. Jeanne points to it and says " I don't want this." In my shock the only thing I can think to say is "If there were a group of women in hear watching us, they'd all groan at you."

Everyone is different and has different goals. So Jeanne now thinks that she should just not do abdominal exercises and asks "Why do I need to do them, my abs are fine the way they are? Can you write about this in your next newsletter so I better understand why I need to do abs."

I then launch into an explanation of the importance of core work(abs). About how your abs stabilize you and help prevent injury by bracing and tightening. The brain sends a message to the transverse abdominus (remember that girdle muscle we all spent time on, with the breathing exercises) before it tells any other muscle to move. For example, the mind tells the knee to lift but before the quadricep muscles initiates the lifting response the transverse abdominus recieves the message to react by tightening for balance, control and strength. So essentially you brace yourself from your abs and then you initiate the movement, braced and centered. Which is why I constantly repeat "pull your navel in and wrap it around your spine." The more this response is practiced, the more proficient, balanced, coordinated, centered and strong you are plus the flatter your abs are.

There is a highly credentialed school of thought that advocates: "Every exercise, every movement and every activity you do is an abdominal exercise if you draw your belly button in and brace your abdominal muscles. Sit-ups and crunches waste your time and do not produce results." I personally believe that there is not one formula for all bodies. For those that have no lower back problems, ever, plus perfect balance, coordination and that conditioned response to pull the navel in to the spine, I say yes, you don't need to do abs. But for us mere mortals who at times twist, bend and pull things (or children!)and forget to brace...well you still need to do your abs. Remember practice makes perfect and that bracing response at varying resistances and degrees is not innate but practiced. So based on this article I will let Jeanne be her own judge and in an informed way let her decide whether she needs to do her abs or not.

PS. If she decides to not do them I will monitor carefully her balance, strength , coordination and lower back response and if I do see any signs of weakness I will discuss with her the need to suffuse an ab workout intermittently.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Jeanne has since clarified that she doesn't want the muscle definition but most of all she doesn't want any roundness of the belly. So, we entirely ommitted crunches. By eliminating the crunches and working the abs through whole body movements and engaging the twisting and bending movements her abs have flattened out entirely again. She has not lost balance, strength or coordination and her conditioned response is now to pull navel in and brace her abs. She will not have that 6 pack definition that is so sought after, but that is her personal choice. For myself personally and all clients who choose to do so I will continue to do crunches, coming up and working only to the point where the navel can stay in towards the center of gravity(spine). If the abdominals pop out at all the belly will develop roundness, and that conditioned response to pulling in may be weakened. But isn't it great to know that you can be working your abs all day long, in whatever you are doing, just brace them and pull in! Voila! Flat abs.

DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success. Her credentials include...

Currently licensed Registered Nurse specializing in Rehabilitative Nursing

Medical Exercise Therapist: certified by AAHFRP, an internationally recognized physical rehabilitation certification

Maternity Specialist Pre & Post Natal certified by Maternal Fitness

Personal Fitness Specialist: certified by NASM, an internationally recognized certification

Yoga Teacher

Professional Health Member, National Organization of Fitness Instructors (IDEA), a leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals Deborah Caruana RN, AAHRFP, NASM, ACE.

How to Get the Most from Personal Fitness Training

Have you ever considered using the services of a personal trainer to help you get fit? Well, I've been in the training business for several years and have made some important observations. Because my mission is provide you with the most valuable information I can, I'd like to suggest you read this before you spend your first dollar. You won't be sorry.

Millions of dollars are poured every year into private sessions with personal fitness trainers and results are often limited. Sometimes women aren't even sure what results they can expect. And they are never asked what results they want.

Often when women are asked why they want to work with a trainer, they will look somewhat puzzled. Then they will stammer, "I need someone to make sure I exercise" or "I want to get in shape". Go one step further and ask them what results they are really after and again they are stopped dead in their tracks. It is very important that you know what you expect so that your exercise prescription can be designed with very your specific goals in mind.

Hiring a personal trainer is one of the best investments you can make if you want to get into shape.

Time and again I've watched women come into the gym day in and day out exercising on their own and getting absolutely no results. They are certainly committed. They are willing to spend their time and effort. But designing a fitness program is a science with countless variables and one needs knowledge to have exercise sessions be most effective--and safe.

Most women won't ask the questions they need to ask. They simply muddle through on their own. And many do a pretty good job of muddling through. But there comes that moment when, in order to really break through and get impressive results, they need to consult a professional. After all, how many people can learn to play the piano or ski well without at some point getting expert guidance?

However, once they take the step to hire a personal fitness trainer to guide them, many clients don't demand enough of their trainers and many trainers don't get results for their clients. They have a nice time together chatting and catching up but it ends up being more social than sweat.

Securing the right personal fitness trainer is not always simple to do. Most women have no way of knowing who is and who isn't a good trainer. Although the fitness industry is working hard to upgrade the image of fitness professionals, there are still plenty of practitioners around who believe that just because they know how to get themselves into shape or because they care, they are qualified to train other people.

Here are some of the potential pitfalls:

On the part of the client:

The client...

. Isn't clear about what he/she wants to accomplish.

. Doesn't demand the best from trainer.

. Accepts unacceptable behavior on part of trainer;

i.e.,lateness, lack of attention, no charting of sessions 

to track progress, talking while client is exercising, use 

of cell phones during training session, or not 

planning sessions with an eye to results.

On the part of the trainer:

The trainer...

. Doesn't ask client what they really want.

. Doesn't customize the sessions, using boilerplate workouts.

. Doesn't set goals with the client.

. Doesn't dress appropriately.

. Doesn't hold the client accountable, accepting unacceptable client behavior; i.e., cancellations, lateness, no-shows.

. Doesn't keep his/her eye on the client during the session.

. Accepts less than perfect form.

. Doesn't continually instruct client.

. Doesn't educate client.

Getting the Client/Trainer Relationship You Want

There are several ways in which you can assure yourself that you are selecting the trainer who suits your needs. Here are some guidelines:

Chemistry

Not every trainer and client are suited to one another.

The first thing you need to do is make a few decisions before you interview even the first trainer. Do you want someone who is "tough" like a drill sergeant or does a gentler type of coaching appeal to you? Do you want someone young or someone more mature? Do you feel more comfortable working with a man or a woman? If you have a preference, for goodness sake, don't waste your time talking to anyone else. You need to feel comfortable with the person you select. You end up spending a great deal of time together. You need to find someone you can trust. After all, you are going to have to be willing to surrender to their coaching so you need to feel that whatever they are suggesting is in your best interest.

Philosophy

What is their training philosophy? How do they work with clients? How do they feel about what they do? Do they take their work seriously? Are they committed to fitness as a career? Are they ongoingly engaging in educating themselves about the most current developments and techniques in fitness? As in any discipline, research is always being done that produces new insights into the most effective ways to get results and, if they are truly committed to their chosen profession, they will want to find the most valuable information.

Specialty

There are trainers who are most effective with athletes; some work well with seniors, some with disabilities, some with pregnant women.

You need to know what you are looking for. What kind of trainer do you want? If you are a 50-year-old woman and hire a trainer who is interested in working with youthful body builders, you will surely be disappointed with your training sessions.

Credentials

You want to find out what degrees and/or certifications they have. I don't mean to suggest that there aren't terrific trainers who don't have the best credentials, but the quality of the education is a pretty good indicator of their dedication to stretching themselves. They aren't willing to slip by with the most minimum of training. And are they continuing to educate themselves and keep up with the latest training techniques?

Referrals

Ask for referrals. How do their current and past clients feel about them?

A few other important items

Do they have hours flexible enough to accommodate your schedule? They need to accommodate you; you don't need to accommodate them.

Notice their personal appearance. Are they neat, clean, well groomed? Do they take pride in their appearance? A word of warning here. If you notice that the trainer is more interested in looking at him/herself in the mirror than watching you, you need to find someone else. His/her attention should be on you at all times.

Are they reliable and prompt? Were they on time for the interview? After all, you are going to be paying them for their time so they need to be there when they scheduled you.

And you're not off the hook. Once you have made the commitment to personal training and have a found a trainer with whom you want to work, there are a few rules to which you need to adhere . . .. if you want to get the most out of your personal training.

You need to be on time for your training sessions.

You need to make your fitness a priority. Canceling sessions frequently displays a lack of commitment to the program. Consistency is important.

If canceling is unavoidable, you need to give your trainer sufficient notice. After all, it is their business and what they sell is their time.

You need to follow the trainer's instructions given without whining. After all, you've put your trust in them.

You need to let your trainer know if you are having a physical problem. That will allow them to make intelligent decisions about your workout session. Don't assume it doesn't matter.

How To Find The Right Personal Trainer

This article will spell out for your the most important questions and points needed to guarantee that you will find the best/most qualified personal trainer available to you.

The first and most important question a personal trainer should ask you is "What are your goals?" or "What are you trying to accomplish"?

You are employing him or her to teach you the proper techniques needed to utilize the equipment effectively and safely, yet providing you the results that YOU desire. You want a personal trainer who will listen to you and be sensitive to your limitations at your present fitness level.

He or she needs to assess your level of endurance, strength, and coordination to actually provide you an exercise program designed specifically for you. A perfect way of doing this is by describing past workouts, prior activities, former experiences with personal trainers, and daily activities.

The chemistry between trainer and client is very important. You are entrusting your body to a stranger, be sure you are on the same page when it comes to fitness goals. Your physical well-being is at stake.

All goals are discussed and agreed upon before action is to begin. A trainer should know the fine line between pushing the client and when to ask for input. Asking if the weight being used is too heavy or are you getting enough out of the exercise is paramount. This is extremely important since you deserve to get the most efficient and safest workout possible in the time you spend with the trainer. There needs to be a high level of communication between client and trainer during training sessions to promote safety and professionalism.

He or she needs to know if a certain motion irritates a body part or joint. This will allow you to feel comfortable with the trainer and permit you to have a positive outlook on your workout.

The second, and equally important, question you need to discuss is that of physical limitations. This is what you can and can not do to permit a safe and productive exercise program. Physical limitations can be anything that prohibits any kind of activity. Limitations may include cardiovascular risk factors such as: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a sedentary lifestyle, tobacco use or a family history of heart disease. Others may include joint, ligament, or tendon weaknesses. These involve knee pain, lower back pain, or range of motion limitations in your shoulder. You should advise the trainer of all these items or problems.

You should also see a physician before starting an exercise program if any question remains with any kind of physical restrictions. The potential personal trainer should take into consideration all your limitations with each and every exercise that is presented to you. This will prevent any new injuries from developing and stop old injuries from reoccurring.

With all this physical history about yourself, the trainer can design a workout regiment for you. He or she should also tailor your workout to your goals, your time frame, your fitness level, and give you a realistic perspective on what to expect. You have every right to expect this kind of service since you are paying 

money to look and feel the way you want.

You should also ask as many questions as needed to allow yourself to feel comfortable and put to rest any concerns you may have prior to commencing your workouts.

Inquiring about liability insurance is another criteria needed to use in selecting a personal trainer. All personal trainers need professional liability insurance to protect themselves in case of unforeseen accidents. It's the law. Professionals should not be offended by such questions, which are a necessary formality. Just 

like an uninsured motorist, an uninsured trainer is not ready for the unexpected and occasional accident. A free weight dumbbell, which is handed to the client from the trainer, may fall and hit and break a toe. This could end up costing thousands of dollars after all medical bills are paid.

Does your prospective trainer know cardiopulmonary resuscitation? Also known as CPR. All certified trainers must pass this before they can teach someone fitness. They must be prepared to perform CPR at any time. Make sure that there is an emergency plan in place. This planning can mean the difference between minor injury and tragedy. This is a very important criterion you need to check and feel comfortable with when choosing a personal trainer.

In conjunction with your new trainer, you can now set realistic goals. You will also set a realistic time period for when you want to see results. Ask your trainer for the most efficient and safest way to achieve your goals. Frequency, duration, and methods of training will be discussed at this time. For example, to get rid of 

those love handles: the most effective way to do this is to increase the level and intensity of your cardiovascular workouts. A time span of two to three months is ideal, since it is long enough to get your body exposed to a new workout and produce results.

As a client of your trainer, you should always demand professionalism. Your trainer should always dress appropriately, be on time, speak to you respectfully and courteously, and encourage you constantly while supervising you during your workout. A trainer who wears skin tight clothes or yells at you during agreed 

upon sessions is probably more interested in his outward appearance and showing off to others surrounding him than helping you attain the look and health you desire.

After your new workout is custom designed and goals are agreed upon. It is time to set a time frame to achieve your goals. This will provide urgency to start working out and sticking to it. Above all, do not gauge your results by the number on the scale. A better measure of goal attainment is how you look and feel in your clothes in targeted areas. With your specific goals in mind, and 

the properly chosen trainer, you then can start an effective training regiment.

6 secrets of award winning customer service

Would you believe that your ability to provide quality customer service to your clients is at least as important as your ability to get them results from their training program? Did you even know that customer service was going to be part of your business model? After all, what does personal training have to with customer service?

The answer: everything. Remember that your clients are people first, and their status as one of your clients comes second. Knowing how to tend to the needs of your customers will literally make the difference between a long and prosperous career in the fitness industry, or a short-lived stint that leaves you wondering what career path you should try next!

In order to assist you in walking down the success path, here are six methods that you can use to "WOW" your clients on a regular basis, keeping them happy, loyal to you, and engaging in long-term prosperous business relationships. In no particular order they are: contact, date and event recognition, listening, flexibility, forward thinking, and over-delivering.

Contact

When you get a new personal training client, many people will still second-guess their decision to hire you. After all, a personal trainer can be an expensive asset, and your clients need to believe that they made the right decision. One of the easiest ways for you to ease their mind in the beginning as well as during the course of their training program is by simply staying in contact with them.

Most clients will see you at most 3 times each week, and some clients even less than that. With at least 4 days in each week when your clients don't see you, you are influencing them less than 50% of the time! Many clients hire a personal trainer because they need constant guidance and support, and less than 50% could hardly be considered constant.

An easy solution to this is to send your clients a few emails a week, or mail them an actual snail mail letter once in awhile. Clip an appropriate article from a magazine and make copies of it to mail to your clients, or email them the URL of a great motivational story about weight loss that you found on the Internet. Forward them funny anecdotes about health and fitness, or drop them a postcard congratulating them on their latest progress.

For that matter, pick up the phone! Call Suzie Client on Saturday to let her know that you just got done updating her client record and had reason to again marvel at how great she is doing with her program. You just can't pay for the type of customer feedback you will get from something like that!

Stay in contact with your clients in between training sessions, and the increased attention will remind them on a regular basis that in the beginning you committed to a one on one training program for them, not just to stand there 3 times a week while they exercise.

Date and Event Recognition

Recognizing special dates in your client's lives is another great way to show them that you are thinking about them in between training sessions.

- Send your clients a birthday card, or even a small but thoughtful gift. - Congratulate them on their wedding anniversary, or even send flowers or a card to their house. - Ask them how excited they are about the upcoming graduation of their child from high school or college. - Have a special token of your appreciation sent to their home or office after a set amount of time that they have been training with you - maybe annually or semi-annually. - Give them a special award every time they lose 5 pounds, or drop a percentage of body fat. - Attend the race or other fitness event that you have been training them for.

As you can see, the possibilities are limitless. The lesson that you want to take away from this section is that you went above and beyond the call of duty to recognize a date or an event that was important to your client. They won't forget that when it comes time to decide whether or not to keep working with you!

Listening

The fact that you should listen to your clients should go without saying. If your title is "Personal Trainer", please take a moment at this time to re-read the first word! Too many trainers fall into the familiar trap of just taking their clients through workouts. Your clients aren't paying you to workout with them. They are paying you to give them dedicated one on one service, and the actual workout is only one part of that.

In addition to the exercise programming, you must again think about the fact that your clients are humans before they are clients. As humans, they have as many outside considerations as you do. If you are only seeing them 3 hours per week, that leaves 165 hours each week when you are not around, and the lifestyle events that happen during that time will spill over into the training sessions.

Your clients will talk about their jobs, their spouses, their relatives and in-laws, their children and their neighbors, their gardener and their mailman, etc. Any good personal trainer realizes that although we have no business actually dispensing professional advice on personal or spiritual matters, we are a 3 time per week sounding board for our clients, and that is just part of the job. Listen to what your clients have to say, help out without leaving your professional boundaries, and let your clients know that you care about what happens to them, not just about what happens during the training session.

Flexibility

Although a trainer's day is usually dictated by a preset schedule, if you paint yourself into a corner with your calendar, you will quickly find that some of your clients can't stick with their program because their schedule is just not that black and white. In today's world of the ever-changing landscape of professional as well as personal lifestyle factors, many people have trouble doing the same thing day after day, and week after week. In order to keep your clients happy and on track with their programs, you must "roll with the punches" and exhibit some flexibility when it comes to scheduling and training issues.

It is a very good idea to have a running cancellation policy for your business, and it is an equally good idea to educate your clients on the need for regularity in their training program. However, being so inflexible that you charge a client $50 every time they get a flat tire, have to work late, or have a family emergency will quickly eliminate any professional bonding that your clients may have previously felt was a part of your working relationship. Enforce your policies, but be realistic about the fact that life is just not as black and white as it may have been 20 years ago.

Forward Thinking

This is as much of a sales technique as it is a great customer service tool. In a nutshell, it means that you should always be planning for the future when it comes to your clients. Talk to them about how you are going to start running with them once they get their weight down enough for their knees to handle the stress. Explain to them how much fun it will be when you can start taking them through the new training protocol that you put together. Get them excited about how good they are going to look on the beach this summer after several more months of working out with you, or about how their cousin Sally is going to be so envious at Christmas time this year when she sees how much weight your client has lost.

All of these things plant the seed for your clients that you are thinking about their future, and not just taking them through a workout. Let them know that you have great plans for them in the future, and that you can't wait to see their results when they get to a certain point in the program that you have them on. Again, your clients are people, and they want to be made to feel important, needed, and respected.

Over-delivering

Over-delivering value to your clients is probably the most important technique out of any that have been listed so far. It is last in our list of customer service secrets so that it is the one that you remember the most!

Over-delivering is just what it sounds like - giving your clients more value for their money than they originally expected to get. In fact, all of the items listed above are great examples of over-delivery. Do you think that when your clients hired you they expected to be getting gifts on their birthday, expected you to be excited about the graduation of their children, or that they could vent to you about their mother-in-law during training sessions? These are all examples of the infinite number of ways that you can over-deliver value to your clients.

In addition to what has already been listed, you can get much more specific with your over-delivery efforts. Each of your clients has a very well defined fitness goal that they are diligently working towards. As a fitness professional, you should be regularly keeping up with the latest news stories about health and fitness, as well as getting Continuing Education Credits.

Put that information directly to use for your clients! How impressed do you think your client would be if their fitness goal is to be a competitive swimmer, and you take a course on training competitive swimmers? What about if you have picked up some clients who are over the age of 55 and you start reading books and clipping articles on Senior Fitness? How about a bonus training session that you give your client when they reach a goal? What about if you have a client who is on the high school wrestling team, and after working with him for 2 months, you offer to do a free class for his entire team? The teenager becomes a hero because his personal trainer gave up some winning tips before the big meet, and you get a boat load of free publicity!

Conclusion

The pattern developing here is clear, and the above examples are only sketches of things that you might consider. Remember that every successful personal trainer runs a business, he or she doesn't just workout with their clients. Get under the hood of your business, tinker around with the wiring, and find ways to "WOW" your clients everyday!

3 Keys to Training Clients in Their Homes

When considering your options as a personal trainer, one of the very first things to decide is WHERE you are going to train your clients. The most obvious answer for most trainers is to get a job at a local fitness facility and train clients there. This is certainly an option, and one that is recommended especially in the beginning of your career. The structure and experience that you will get by working at a successful gym or fitness center is invaluable for a new personal trainer. However, there are drawbacks to working with your clients at a gym, and some clients will be unwilling or unable to workout at a local facility. Don't lose those clients by not having other options!

Working out with your clients in their homes is an option for any trainer, and by offering this option to your clients you can increase your potential client base by a dramatic number, and you may even decide to exclusively offer home personal training. In order to decide if this type of business model is for you, there are several points to consider, and they include time management, exercise modalities to be used, and business resources that are available.

Time Management

Managing your time and your schedule is a critical consideration when deciding whether or not to work with clients in their homes. Unlike working at a facility, the amount of time that you need to dedicate to each client is increased, sometimes to the point of even doubling the time spent for each client session.

For example, let's use a standard one-hour training session as our business model for this discussion. Although many trainers are utilizing different training times with their clients these days, one hour is still a good time frame to use for your scheduling reference. You want to remember that as a home personal trainer, you can be on a tight deadline to get from one place to the next, so you don't want to schedule your sessions back-to-back like you can when you are working at a fitness facility.

You must also factor in your travel time to get to your client's home, as well as to get to the home of the following client, the client after that, and so on. If you live in an even reasonably populated area, you will have to allow at least 15 minutes of driving time to and from every client's home, and sometimes as much as 30 minutes per client, depending on the size of the geographic area that you train in. Using our one-hour training session as an example, just one training session can cost you as much as 2 hours of your time.

A standard 8-hour workday will now only allow you to train between 4 and 6 clients, depending on where they live in relation to your starting point, as well as in relation to each other. Your best bet whenever possible is to set up your clients in a roughly straight line, or possibly a circle that brings you back to your starting point at the end of the day. The last thing that you want to do is set up a client who lives 30 minutes north of your starting point followed immediately by a client who lives 30 minutes south of your starting point. Not only will you eat up massive amounts of time driving to and from your client's homes, but you will put serious mileage on both your car as well as your wallet at the gas station! More on that in the Business Resources section below.

Exercise Modalities

The next thing to consider is the type of training that you will be doing with your clients in their homes. Unless they have a full fitness facility set up - which is rare - it is very likely that you will have to come up with ways to put them through a vigorous workout without the massive amount of equipment that is available at a full-size fitness facility. In order to put together these home workouts, you need to address the two different energy pathways that your clients will need to use during their workouts: aerobic and anaerobic.

Anaerobic Workouts

Although many trainers are used to the massive resources available at a local gym, getting your clients a variety-filled and intense anaerobic workout in their home is actually easier than most would think. With nothing more than an exercise ball and a portable set of dumbbells, you can take your clients through the full range of motion and exertion on almost the same scale that is afforded those clients training at a gym.

If you are just starting out in the industry, or are simply used to working your clients out at a fitness facility, you should do some research on the Internet for dumbbell workouts, bodyweight workouts, functional training, and sport-specific training. Those 4 keyword combinations alone will net you hundreds of websites with free or low-cost resources that will teach you thousands of exercises that can be done with little or no equipment.

The key to getting your clients a good anaerobic workout at home is not the type of equipment that is used, or the actual amount of weight that is moved, but rather the INTENSITY of the workout. A bit of trial and error will teach you how to take a client through their paces in a safe but intense manner that will leave most people ready to call it quits in 30 minutes or less!

Aerobic Workouts

Taking your clients through appropriate and effective aerobic workouts can happen on many levels. The 2 obvious differences are going to be whether they get their aerobic activity during their session, or if you assign them activities to do after you leave. You could also do a combination of both, depending on the needs and the fitness level of the client.

If you are going to take your clients through an aerobic workout during their session, you can either incorporate "heart rate maintenance" exercises into the workout itself, or you can get the anaerobic exercises out of the way, and then move into an aerobic workout for the second half of the session. Just remember that if your goal is to keep your clients inside their target heart rate zone, there will be very little rest time in between exercises.

However, before you blindly go forcing all of your clients to stay inside their target heart rate zone for the entire session, consider the fitness goal of the client, and the metabolically intense benefits of structured strength training compared to a session when you just make sure they are sweating the whole time!

Another option for your client's cardio is to have them do it on their own after the end of the training session. Obviously they still need your guidance on what to do, how to track their heart rate, and how long they should perform the activity, but not all clients will actually need you to stay there and guide them during the activity.

Also, it is not uncommon for people to own a piece of cardiovascular training equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair-stepper, etc. Nonetheless, most clients will still need some specific guidance on how to maximize the benefits from the type of equipment that they have access to. Things like interval training, cross training, and training at different heart rate levels are all things that you should educate your clients on, especially if they are going to be doing cardio on their own.

Business Resources

You must also consider the business resources that you will need access to when training clients in their homes. The time factor has already been discussed, and you should also consider the daily expenses involved in this type of training model. These include equipment expenses, "on the road" expenses, and auto expenses.

Equipment expenses should be minimal. You may have an initial cost, but after your initial purchases, all of those assets are reusable. Basic items for home training include an adjustable set of dumbbells and an exercise ball at a bare minimum. It would also be a good idea to have a roll-up exercise mat, a jump rope, and any other items needed for the type of activities that your clients will be engaging in. A great cardio idea for clients training at home is boxing drills. If you were to utilize that type of training, then a decent set of protective gloves for the clients would be in order, as well as target mats that you hold for them to strike during their drills.

In all cases, the items that you own stay with you, and they are simply taken from one client's house to the next. It is a great idea to have your clients eventually buy their own gear, however, which keeps you from having to tote arm loads of equipment into and out of their houses day after day. Also, depending on the type of program you put them on, they may use some of their own equipment in between training sessions.

"On the Road" expenses include food and drinks while you are traveling. Depending on your schedule, you will be on the road anywhere from 2 to 12 hours at a time! In those cases, you will obviously need to plan healthy places to eat along the way, or keep portable meals in your vehicle each day. In any event, make sure that you consider the cost of eating away from home as part of your business expenses.

Auto expenses are potentially the biggest expense that you will have to face in order to train people at home. The wear and tear on your vehicle - although accountable on your taxes - can still be a drain on your financial resources. You have to keep your vehicle insured, fueled up, and in good working order at all times. The last thing that you want to do is be late for a client session because your car broke down, or you ran out of gas! Also, at anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 per gallon, gas can get expensive if you put in a lot of miles every day.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many considerations when deciding whether or not to train clients in their homes, and you must weigh those considerations against the benefit of being "free" from the gym trainer's normal boundaries, and instead being in charge of your own day to day business. In return, you can command higher per session fees for home training. Since you are saving your clients a lot of driving time and gym expenses, as well as giving them an opportunity to get healthy in the privacy of their own homes, it is not unheard of for a home trainer to charge $75 to $100 or more per session. Figure in scheduling issues, the exercise program that you will have your clients on, and the resources needed, and decide for yourself if this type of training program will work for your business!