Instilling Confidence In Personal Training Clients

In a recent article about raising children, I couldn't help but recognize that self-esteem and confidence-building techniques for children are not that different from adults.

For example, one of the best things we can do for our children is to let them know how special they are. Smile and hug them in the morning; snuggle with them at night, etc..

Okay, you're not going to be snuggling with your clients. (That's a professional no-no.) But the point?

Appreciate your clients for who they are--a person. Greet them with enthusiasm. Stop and quiet your mind, before you ask them how they're doing. Really listen. Make them feel that they're somebody important in your life, not just "another client."

Why worry about these things? After all, they hired you!

The way a person handles challenge and change all goes back to their self-esteem. If a person needs to lose 100 pounds, they need to feel they can--and not that they've been dropped in the middle of the Atlantic. Even if they have one person to help them swim, it's just one person and them and thousands of obstacles.

The big-goal client also needs to feel that, while they're bobbing in the waves, they have a life worth changing. People need to feel valuable in every aspect.

Let's take a look at some ways the personal trainer can help...

1. Look for their strengths--unrelated to fitness--and celebrate it.
Let's say your client has the natural ability to laugh. Let them know you admire their ability to see humor. (And then remind them of how healthy that is!)

2. Challenge the client.
I like to use the push-up challenge. They say, oh I can't do push-ups! Then I grin and say, oh, yes you can. Just try to do 3.

What happens? They do 1--sometimes even 3, and they're ecstatic! They accomplished something they didn't think they could do! They move on to the next task with a brand new attitude.

3. Acknowledge genuine effort.
Sometimes in a push-up challenge, they can't do one. What do you do? You applaud their effort for getting down on their knees and trying. Effort is half the battle.

4. Recognize change & accomplishment.
Let's say your client--the one who couldn't do one push-up--has been diligently working on the lying-to-standing exercise. You think she's ready to move on to the knee-assisted push-up. She does one. Make a big deal out of it. How? Send her a card to remind her of her success, one small step to a grander goal.

5. Look for their special area of athleticism & grow it!
Your client may initially sign up for one thing. Let's say weight loss. But you find your client is incredibly flexible. Look for ways to include exercises that allows them to see how flexible they are and how quick they improve. This develops a pride in their physical self.

6. Determine the best to show your client's progress.
Some people are visual--they enjoy seeing a chart with milestones passed. Some may appreciate a quick e-mail saying, hey look, this week you held your plank the longest ever. Some may look forward to receiving a physical test every few weeks--a test that shows them how they've improved, whether it's strength, endurance or speed. Positive feedback is essential!

7. Be a role model.
In a 2010 study from the University of Georgia, people who thought about a friend who had good self-control were more likely to show better self-control while eating, smoking, drinking--whatever the social situation.

So, inspire! Share with your client some of the choices you make everyday--without sounding like a know-it-all; you just might be the person they think of as they decline "seconds" at their next potluck.

8. Positive conversation.
No matter the topic. Try to keep positive talk flowing from your mouth. Moods and emotions are contagious. You need your client to be thinking as positively as possible. They'll perform better and when you leave, they'll feel better.

9. Teach personal responsibility.
Although we love the clients who stay with us for years, our job is teach them take personal responsibility for their health. Slowly teach them to make small changes outside of the one-on-one. Be diligent in tracking their progress and when you trust that a new healthy habit has been ingrained, move on to another healthy habit.

For example, make a goal for the client to take the stairs at work every morning, then every lunch break, etc.--until they take the stairs all the time.

When you see progress and that your client is making changes, add more goals. Each goal should get a little bigger than the last. You're not just teaching them healthy habits and self-care but really building their confidence in themselves!

10. Know when to refer.
If you're really struggling with helping a client. Maybe they need help outside of personal training. Don't be afraid to make references. Your client's well-being is at stake and the physical part is just a small part. By providing emotional support along with your fitness and possible nutrition knowledge, your clients are on their way to success. And what better way to advertise than testimony???