Few clients train simply because they want to run faster, farther or perform 20 more burpees than they’ve ever managed before.
Yes, those things may be lovely little bonuses that they pick up as they undertake their own personal fitness journeys, but they are seldom the overriding reason that clients picked up the phone to speak to me in the first place.
We all know that exercise is good for us and many of us know we probably currently do far less than we should, but that knowledge alone isn’t enough to spark us into taking some positive action. That said, it is sometimes enough to make us undertake a specific fitness challenge or a short-term splurge of activity –sadly though those kind of things don’t generally last long after the initial burst of enthusiasm fades.
The truth is that clients generally want to undertake a training programme that will give them the ability to lead a longer and healthier life and will make them feel good. Whether it’s boosting self-confidence, prolonging a very physical career, maintaining mental agility or just having the energy to see out a whole game of football with the grandchildren, people train to obtain and maintain the lifestyle that makes them happy.
Enter the role of the Personal Trainer. Like the ninja of wishes, a good Personal Trainer will help their clients identify the ‘why’ element of training and then get on with organising the ‘how’. That’s what we do. The plan will be unique, it will be achievable, and it will succeed because there will be little wins along the way and a constant, overriding feeling of having your body and mind in tip-top condition.
To make sure that I understand my client’s very specific ‘why’, I always start every new client relationship with a discovery call. It might not sound like an exciting thing to do but, done well, it will be the key to longevity. That essential initial stage of the programme, identifying the true purpose for what you are doing, unlocks the motivation needed to keep all the good things going and discard the bad habits forever.
Health, strength and vitality. Precious to us all. Aspirational prizes worth winning. The real reasons why most of us are training.
