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Sometimes I like to break the mold and change the goal of my articles. Sometimes I seem to sound condescending when I’m striving for an informative punchline. I try to curb that as much as possible while I also try to educate and entertain. This is a part of daily life, and I try to also incorporate it into my personal training style. There’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy kicking your own ass. I’m not some sadist, mind you, yet there’s something to be said about me helping y our grit through the temporary pain to outlast your previous self. With that said, here are four reasons why I love personal training:
1. Difficult clients.
Apparently there’s a term in the personal training industry called, “Firing Your Client.” There are many reasons a trainer has a right to “fire” a client. It could range anywhere from sexual harassment to lack of motivation, or the client isn’t making progress. Although it’s true that my clients don’t see me every hour of every day, they do see me long enough for me to make an impact.
If I experience a “difficult client,” I don’t think of the quickest way to get rid of them. This person came to me for help and I’m here to provide it. There are a million and one ways to get creative with a client. If I pride myself enough in my work (which I do!), I make it a priority to help this person reach their goals. A client can “fire” me, but I won’t fire them unless my work with them is somehow detrimental to my well-being.
2. Easy clients.
On the other hand, it’s always a joy to have a client truly work hard and share the same energy you do--they ask questions, they don’t quit, they make me feel like my work is worth it. The difficult clients are a joy because I relish a challenge; the easy clients show me the potential my difficult clients can reach.
3. Seeing their progress.
When I say seeing, I mean seeing. I’ve seen clients make enough progress that they are entirely different people. They stand up straighter, or they speak more confidently. They laugh more often, and aren’t afraid to fail. Watching a client slowly but surely wear the same gym clothes over and over is wonderful. Why? I get to see that shirt get loose, and I get to see them tying their pants-strings tighter.
Of course it’s nice to see them do 10x the work they did when they first came to see me!
4. Watching them learn.
One of my favorite parts of a client session is when they catch their own mistakes. Before I have a chance to correct them, they shout out, “Crap, my knees were too far forward!” or “My chest dipped!” or better yet, “Too much ass. Dammit.” (Squats aren’t easy.)
As a relationship builds between my clients and me, I get to watch them change as people. They learn from their mistakes. They learn new things about themselves, too. Since when do you see adults actively changing? Very rarely. And it’s pretty sweet.
1. Difficult clients.
Apparently there’s a term in the personal training industry called, “Firing Your Client.” There are many reasons a trainer has a right to “fire” a client. It could range anywhere from sexual harassment to lack of motivation, or the client isn’t making progress. Although it’s true that my clients don’t see me every hour of every day, they do see me long enough for me to make an impact.
If I experience a “difficult client,” I don’t think of the quickest way to get rid of them. This person came to me for help and I’m here to provide it. There are a million and one ways to get creative with a client. If I pride myself enough in my work (which I do!), I make it a priority to help this person reach their goals. A client can “fire” me, but I won’t fire them unless my work with them is somehow detrimental to my well-being.
2. Easy clients.
On the other hand, it’s always a joy to have a client truly work hard and share the same energy you do--they ask questions, they don’t quit, they make me feel like my work is worth it. The difficult clients are a joy because I relish a challenge; the easy clients show me the potential my difficult clients can reach.
3. Seeing their progress.
When I say seeing, I mean seeing. I’ve seen clients make enough progress that they are entirely different people. They stand up straighter, or they speak more confidently. They laugh more often, and aren’t afraid to fail. Watching a client slowly but surely wear the same gym clothes over and over is wonderful. Why? I get to see that shirt get loose, and I get to see them tying their pants-strings tighter.
Of course it’s nice to see them do 10x the work they did when they first came to see me!
4. Watching them learn.
One of my favorite parts of a client session is when they catch their own mistakes. Before I have a chance to correct them, they shout out, “Crap, my knees were too far forward!” or “My chest dipped!” or better yet, “Too much ass. Dammit.” (Squats aren’t easy.)
As a relationship builds between my clients and me, I get to watch them change as people. They learn from their mistakes. They learn new things about themselves, too. Since when do you see adults actively changing? Very rarely. And it’s pretty sweet.
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