Defining a Personal Trainer
Simply put, a personal trainer is a coach and an educator. A trainer teaches people how to set their fitness goals, and then coaches them toward achieving those goals. This is an extensive process during which a trainer wears many hats.
Motivator
The majority of your clients will see you between one and eight times per month. They are usually motivated enough to work out on their own, but they need a guide to encourage them. Your job is to help the client set goals, and then monitor her progress.
Throughout this process, you need to give positive feedback and constructive criticism. There will be ups, downs, and plateaus, so you must teach your client what to do and coach her through the tough times when she needs a little extra inspiration and encouragement.
Essential
Being able to keep your clients motivated is one of the most important factors in retaining them as clients. People are not likely to pay $50 an hour for your services if they don't feel like they're accomplishing something.
At the other end of the spectrum are clients who will hire you three or more times per week because they lack the motivation to exercise on their own. Knowing they have an appointment with you forces them to work out.
For these people, you are the primary motivation. Goal setting and testing is just as important for this group as it is for your other clients, but you personally play a bigger role in helping them achieve their goals. If these clients want you to hold their hands, do it. At least they are being active. Not everyone has the same motivational drive, and as a trainer you need to accept that fact and work with it.
Nutritional Consultant
Obviously, most trainers are not registered dieticians (RDs). However, proper nutrition is vital to the success of any program, whether it be for weight loss, weight gain, athletic performance, or just general wellness. Therefore, it's important for trainers to be comfortable discussing at least the basics of nutrition.
Ideally, a trainer has the knowledge to safely and effectively develop nutritional programs. This knowledge may be obtained through college courses and workshops. If you don't have this ability, you should at least have a referral system in place so you can send your clients to an RD who shares your health and wellness philosophies.
Essential
It is called personal training for a reason. As a trainer, you can become very close with your clients. You need to know where the line is between being professional and being a friend. The line can become fuzzy, especially as you work with someone over a long period of time.
Friend/Confidant
It is important for your clients to like and trust you, not only so they continue to hire you, but so that you can more effectively help them reach their goals. In order to overcome your clients' fitness obstacles, you must know what the obstacles are, and you will only obtain that knowledge by getting to know your clients well.
Many of your clients will train with you for months or even years. You'll see them through all kinds of life changes: marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, divorce, job changes, etc. These circumstances are both positive and negative stressors.
Peoples' exercise routines and habits are affected by stress, as are their eating habits. The more aware you are of what is going on at any given time in their lives, the easier it will be to avoid or overcome pitfalls.
Business Person/Entrepreneur
As a personal trainer, you're running a business. Whether you're actually self-employed or working in a health club, you must have good business practices or you won't reach your full potential. If you have experience in business, you have a tremendous advantage. If you do not, it would be wise to take a course or two in this area. Taking a class in marketing or basic business administration will help you learn the fundamentals. Talking to established personal trainers who can act as mentors in this area is also helpful.
