Consider your inner dialogue
during training and get your
client to become more aware
of theirs.
The benefit of this is that you can consciously factor in your
clients’ mental fitness in the training you deliver them. You know how
tough it is not only physically, but mentally, to push through fitness
barriers. Consider your inner dialogue during training and get your
client to become more aware of theirs.
Those who don’t live and breathe a healthy lifestyle often see
movement as a chore, something they have to do rather than want to
do. Offer ways to put a more constructive or positive spin on exercise
to help them find it enjoyable rather than a chore. You will be all too
familiar with the excuses for avoiding training – too sore, too tired,
don’t have time... Chances are, you used some of them as you battled
your way back to finding your fitness and love of movement. Use this
to your advantage, and if your clients are coming up with them, offer
practical solutions based on your own experience (without making it
all about you, of course).
BENEFIT 5: You up your skill set!
From learning how to deliver effective virtual training, or developing
a greater understanding of anatomy, stretching and nutrition, to
increasing your first-hand awareness of mobility movements and
recovery strategies, your time away from the gym or studio provides
the opportunity to add more strings to your bow. Sometimes this
is through choice, and sometimes through necessity: regardless, it
increases your skillset and the value you can provide clients. Your
unique experience won’t necessarily make you an expert, but it will
teach you lessons that you can transfer to your clients’ programming.
Australian psychologist Fred Emery said ‘Instead of constantly
adapting to change, why not change to be adaptive?’. By continually
learning new skills and experiencing new ways of training,
communicating and operating, we can do precisely that. The more
we do so, the more resilient we become – able to handle whatever
the world throws at us.
As trainers, it is our job to help others move to a mindset of
enjoying exercise and movement. Starting from scratch on a strength
or fitness journey is always challenging, but finding ourselves in this
position due to a significant period of de-training provides us with
valuable learnings that can help make us better, more empathetic
trainers.
Brooke Turner
Brooke is a nutritionist, exercise scientist, personal
trainer, writer, presenter and mother of two with over
ten years’ experience in the health and fitness industry.
Brooke’s programs include her six-week STRIVE program
and Happy, Healthy Pregnancy eGuides. Brooke is a
believer in striving for a balanced approach to health and
fitness and aims to inspire and empower others to see
that healthy active living need not be a hindrance,
but a habit.
40 | NETWORK WINTER 2020