Chapter 5: Your Varied Clients &
Programming
Before training a client, you will have a small assessment with them. During this time
you will have the opportunity to go over their fitness goals, their current exercise routine
(or lack thereof), their eating habits and other similar information. It is also just a great
time to set the tone for the relationship. They should feel comfortable and relaxed with
you.
During this time you might have them fill out a PARQ form (Physical Activity Readiness
Questionnaire) and other paperwork that pertains to training. You should have a packet
of forms for each new client and keep them in a special place where they are easily
accessible. The more information you keep, the safe you will be in case of a lawsuit.
Again, this happens rarely, but it is in your best interest to protect yourself and stay
safe.
Find out the exercise background of your client. Find out what kind of activities the client
enjoys participating in or what types of sports they did in high school or college. Discuss
what kind of activities your client tries to avoid and what their experiences have been
with exercise in the past. This will give you a basic idea of why they are at the stage of
fitness in their life they are at now. It will explain failed diets and unrealistic goals they
may have. This initial assessment is a time to help them set SMART (Simple,
Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals. By knowing their past behavior
you can be aware of what to look for if they start to back off from their goals. As a
professional Personal Trainer, it is your job to catch your clients’ negative tendencies
early so you can factor that in to their program.
This is also a great time to discuss client expectations. Be aware of what they need
from you as their trainer. No two clients are the same and neither are their expectations.
You will need to listen to their needs, but also intervene and tell them what you can and
can’t do. Many people have unrealistic goals and have extremely high expectations
from their trainers. While the Personal Trainer is the one creating the programs, the
client needs to do the work and that includes eating well when they are not with you.
Go over your rules and policies (or the gym’s rules and policies) for missed
appointments and cancellations. This will set the precedence for all sessions going
forward. You may even have them sign a form stating that they understand the
cancellation policies so there is no confusion later.
Goals and Expectations
No matter how much you would like to see your clients reach their maximum potential,