I Became A Trainer...Now What?
Congrats! Maybe you just passed your nationally recognized personal training certification. Maybe you were just hired as a personal trainer at a well recognized commercial fitness facility. Maybe you just decided to start your own online business. Undoubtedly your passion for fitness has driven you to seek out a career where you can directly impact the lives of your clients. This is an exciting time, full of possibilities. It is also a time to hustle. Your success is inextricably linked to the effort you are ready to devote. But before you jump headfirst, there are a few new trainer traps to avoid.
Even with the best intentions, new trainers can get caught up in unnecessary details, devote too much time to minutia, or struggle to see beyond themselves. And it is understandable. Despite even the best onboarding and orientation processes in the health club environment, and if we are honest they can vary widely, the leap from passing a certification exam to training clients day in and day out is a big one. While trying to build a client base, learn how to most effectively communicate cues, and develop an eye for observing movement compensations, it can be easy to fall into habits that hold you back from success. These common traps that fitness professionals find themselves shackled by all start with good intentions but left unchecked keep the best and brightest future coaches from achieving career longevity and success.
Being able to spot these potential pitfalls early can help you avoid the mistakes of so many that have come before you. But it isn’t all about what you shouldn’t do. Each of these traps below include some tips for flipping the script and elevating your skills.
Trap 1: Trying to learn everything about training in your first week
It can be tempting. If you were to learn everything that your coworker who has been training for 15 years knows, you’d be unstoppable. While you are busy reading every textbook you can get your hands on, asking your colleagues about the painstaking details of a statistically rare injury, and regurgitating joint actions to every potential client in the gym, you miss the opportunity to hone the fundamentals and make genuine connections. Clients seek out a trainer for many reasons and while knowledge is certainly one of them, a narrow focus on immediate continuing education can distance you from the job you were hired to do. Continuing education is just that; once you become confident and comfortable with the foundational knowledge required to train general population clients, you can then expand your horizons and look to learn new, more niche things.
Your new trainer must do: Focus on the basics. Whether it be exercises, coaching cues, or programming, spend your time becoming fluent in the necessities of the job. Accumulating time training clients will also provide so much of the experiential education you need. Some of the best trainers started where you are and developed because of the sheer number of hours they stood in front of different clients and coached movement. This applied learning environment alongside the foundational materials of your certification will serve you well as you begin to build your client base.
Trap 2: Talking above your clients’ heads
We get it. You know a lot about training. You know a lot about anatomy. You know a lot about BCAAs. And great, you should be proud. You have worked hard to acquire that knowledge. But think of a scenario when you were seeking professional guidance and the person working with you spoke down to you in terms you couldn’t understand. Many clients have trouble relating to the highly technical terms associated with muscle origins and insertions or the physiological processes of glucose metabolism. As a coach, your goal is to help your clients reach their goals and in turn you are aiming to train movements with as little exposition or unnecessary narration as possible. According to current motor performance research, the best exercise cues are short, direct, and descriptive[1]. They shouldn’t require a degree in exercise science to understand you. There is some real helpful truth to the notion that if you can’t explain something simply enough that everyone can understand it, you may not know it well enough yourself.
Your new trainer must do: Talk with your client rather than at them. Determine the terms they will best understand. Rather than use words they don’t know, relate training concepts to their own areas of interest. Use cues that don’t overcomplicate. This is really the case where less is more. Use one or two words, then let them move. If you are interested in teaching them about certain exercises or training protocols, be sure to gauge their level of understanding and change up your communication strategy accordingly. Your passion for fitness can be a real motivator as long as you are able to keep it from becoming something that alienates your client.
Trap 3: Droning on about your own workouts
While Sammy might be nodding and saying uh-huh, it is unlikely she is truly hanging on your every word about the three different grips you used for your bicep curls yesterday. While working out might be the highlight of your day and it may feel like a topic that feels really relatable within a training session, it is important to remember that the client’s session is about them. About their goals, their program, their workout, and what they want to talk about. It may be very plausible that your client is interested in your workout and asks you about it regularly so it can be appropriate to share, just know when to pull back.
Your new trainer must do: Ask more questions. While you are a very important part of this training relationship, it is ultimately about your client. Notice yourself talking for long stretches at a time? Pause. Think of ways to shift the conversation. Ask questions to learn more about what the client likes. While you are in a workout you can talk about things other than working out. Take cues from your clients and alter conversations to meet their needs. This is one of the most unique aspects of a 1-on-1 training relationship and it can be essential to providing the support and service they need to reach their goals.
Trap 4: Being afraid to get clients
It’s easy to feel intimidated, scared, nervous. Starting a new career or a new job can be a huge undertaking but if you portray that uncertainty, it is unlikely potential clients will feel encouraged to train with you. Being timid or deferential as you mill about the gym floor looking to meet people sends the signal that you feel as intimidated in the gym as other members. That isn’t to say you need to know everything and you certainly don’t need to be cocky. Think self-assured. Making yourself small keeps you from being able to impact the lives of others.
Your new trainer must do: Be yourself. When it comes down to it, you are the reason someone is going to make training a part of their life. It might not be their initial reason for coming in but it will be the reason they stay. Show that personality from the very beginning. Get out of your comfort zone and mix and mingle in a way that is authentic to you. You know all that you need to keep someone safe during a training session and any of the extras you don’t know are a textbook or a mentor away. Remember that most people seeking out a trainer feel uncomfortable or lost when it comes to health and fitness and they will put their trust in you. Show them from the first time you meet them that you deserve that trust.
Trap 5: Not asking for help
You are not an island. Whether you are working in a gym alongside other trainers or you are working independently or online, there are people to ask for help. Training can feel isolating at times and it can feel like you have to figure everything out for yourself and complete every task for yourself. But when we work alone exclusively we miss the opportunity to collaborate and expand our horizons. Remember that every trainer started from scratch in one way or another. We all had to learn how to program, how to cue, even how to communicate. Everyone gets help in one way or another as they develop.
Your new trainer must do: Build your community and look for guidance when the going gets tough. Take a good look at those you admire. Do they have the type of steady business you want? Do they relate to their clients in a way that you want to emulate? Do they bring a level of professionalism day in and day out that makes you proud to work with them? These are your people. Be weary of unsolicited advice from those who have not earned your respect or trust. You have the power to curate your mentorship experience. Remember too that these individuals can exist outside of your immediate circle. Social media and the internet have gifted us access to some of the best professionals in our field. Seek them out and learn from them. Remember that you are asking a professional for help who makes their living helping others. Be considerate of their time, their resources, and their energy. Sometimes you have to pay to learn. Individuals rising to the top of their field and providing stellar educational content need to be compensated.
You’ve got this!
In a nutshell, you’ve got this. Relax and enjoy your foray into a new career. Keep in mind these lessons that so many have learned before you but don’t doubt yourself. Ask for feedback when you can and consistently push to get better. You have a unique opportunity to provide a life changing experience for so many people. Don’t squander it!
[1] Winkelman, N. (2018). Attentional cueing and focus for speed development. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 40(1):13-25.
