Ask An Expert

A former client of mine used to put so much faith into her scale to “hold her accountable”.  One problem with that, however, is that she allowed the scale to determine her outlook and mood.

I remember her telling me, after a couple of months of training together (and following my direction to not weigh herself during this time), that she was feeling so good about her progress… her clothes were looser, she had more energy, she was feeling stronger… UNTIL she stepped on the scale and saw that the number hadn’t really budged much from the last time she stepped on it.  Her good mood went out the window and she immediately became discouraged.

I can only imagine how being a good mother has got to be one of the most difficult jobs for anyone to take on because you place your children’s needs in front of your own. Therefore, defining a “good mother” equates to being selfless to her own desires; however, a new mom needs to make time to take care of herself, too. New moms need to realize that they would only be better at being moms if they were more physically and mentally fit. While these moms may have zero time for themselves – there are plenty of exercises they can do at home, actually with their infant, to benefit their health. Enclosed are three exercises for new moms to perform to help get their workout in without having to leave the comfort of their own home or little ones. 

This can be a very real challenge to have, especially when you first start working with a new client and you haven’t developed that client/trainer relationship yet.  Not knowing how your client ticks could make it difficult to differentiate between an overtrained person and someone who is simply training hard.

Overtraining is defined as excessive frequency, volume, or intensity of training over an extended period of time, resulting in fatigue (which is also due to a lack of proper rest or recovery).  It can cause significant performance decreases in clients of all training levels.  If you have your client on a realistic, properly designed program and you suspect him or her of being overtrained – or, more likely, of ‘overreaching’ – it could potentially be due to their lack of self-care (sleep, nutrition, hydration, etc.) outside of the time spent with you.

This can be a very tricky subject as there are standard guidelines on what a Certified Personal Trainer can and can’t discuss (or do) with their clients.  These particular guidelines are based upon where you live as well as well you work. In some states you need at least a two (2) year degree, in others you need a Bachelor’s Degree, a certificate or be a Dietitian, and of course in other states (or gyms), you need nothing.

The best ways to advise your clients is to stay in a “Safe Zone” of nutrition.  What this means is that when you’re advising, make sure you’re doing it with your client’s best interest at heart and that the program that you put them on, does not have a counter effect on what they’re currently doing and or eating.

Beyond the regular weekly training session(s), it’s important for the fitness professional to be aware of any other exercise activity in which their client is also participating daily. It’s critical that the fitness professional and client share an honest, open approach with consistent communication to achieve success together in reaching the client’s fitness goals. Without this trusting understanding, the fitness professional and client will not be able to achieve success together. Therefore, having all of the personal information below will help the fitness professional design the best-customized routine for their client:

Great question! Client referrals can be tough to come by, especially if you are just starting out in the personal training industry. However, word of mouth can be one of the best promotional strategies for building your business. Here are a few key things you can do to jumpstart (and maintain) the client referral process…

This weeks question is answered by Doug Holt, Fitness Professional Online Founder and one of the worlds foremost fitness experts, with almost 20 years of experience in the industry.

When you first enter the personal training industry, it can be tough to know where to start. You have no clients, no reputation, and no experience, so how should you go about promoting yourself? Here is what I have learned from my many years in the business.

I am a new and introverted trainer who recognizes the value of digging deep in conversation with my one on one clients, but sometimes has a hard time coming up with conversation topics. What are some good questions to always have on hand to get the conversation going, but not remain too surfacey?

When you’re an introverted individual, it can be very difficult and even uncomfortable to begin conversation with another person, especially when you don’t know the person very well. Additionally, because personal training is very personal – it’s important to have open and honest conversation with your client. However, this dialogue must obviously remain comfortable for both parties and the client’s privacy must always be respected.