As a personal fitness trainer, believe it or not, you are perceived by others as a sort of “public servant.” Your actions, appearance, and mannerisms, both in and out of the gym, are closely scrutinized. Not unlike firefighters, police officers, and government officials, personal fitness trainers will spend their share of time under their community’s microscope, expected to be accountable to a higher standard.
It should not come as a surprise to you that personal fitness trainers must lead by example, and that first impressions mean more in the fitness industry than in any other. As a personal fitness trainer, if you are in superior physical condition, well groomed, and you dress professionally, you will have already passed the first and most crucial test of the prospective client. Right or wrong, that’s the way it is. For example, how much attention would you pay to the advice of an overweight dietician? Doesn’t the same apply to prospective clients and their perception of personal fitness trainers? Even to a greater degree than public servants, personal fitness trainers carry their businesses around with them everywhere they go, and in everything they do.
To be a true professional, you need to develop and adhere to a self-imposed “code-of-conduct,” a code-of-conduct of your own design. Clearly, we all have different characteristics, personalities, values, demeanor, etc., so your code-ofconduct will be as unique as you are. To start with, it is safe to say that the qualities surrounding your knowledge, experience, leadership and enthusiasm, are as good a place as any to establish a foundation for creating your individual code-of-conduct.
Knowledge
There is no substitute for knowledge. Keep in mind that the industry is fastchanging. In the emergence of NCCA accreditation of certification programs, your health club employer has much to gain from your choosing an “accredited certification.” Health clubs can include credentials’ legal defensibility, reduction in health club professional liability insurance, proactive prevention of unwanted licensure and more. Earn a certification that makes the grade!
A knowledgeable trainer is a confident trainer, and it will generally show. There are many certification programs available that usually differ somewhat, but all credible programs have some degree of standardization generally in preliminary client screening procedures and risk factor identification. It is up to you to determine what type of education will provide you with the insight most adaptable to your specific situation. Pursuing education from multiple programs will provide a well-rounded education, and is highly recommended.
Experience
Experience is one of the best teachers in the world. Some people place more emphasis on experience than on education. Educated trainers with no significant experience could find themselves lost on an exercise floor.
Leadership
There are two fundamentally different types of people: those who act and those who react. In simpler terms: there are those who lead and those who follow. A true leader is self-motivated, driven, and devises plans of action. After the planning stage, a superior leader then directs others (followers) to act on these plans to their successful completion, while at the same time maintaining their respect and confidence. Likewise then, the superior leadership ability of personal fitness trainers is best demonstrated in their ability to gain each client’s confidence and willingness to follow trainer recommendations to a successful end while maintaining an excellent trainer-client relationship.
Enthusiasm
If you are not excited about the services you provide, how will you expect your clients to be? Enthusiasm is indeed contagious. This is not to say that you should take an overzealous approach, just be there to complement and push your clients. Remember, they are paying you and likely are expecting your support. If clients were self-motivated and excited about getting into shape, they probably wouldn’t have even considered your services in the first place. These days clients don’t really have their “head into it,” you need to motivate them yourself. You need to always be the source of encouragement, inspiration, and determination.
In closing, while some of the attributes necessary to be a successful personal fitness trainer can be learned and acquired; some cannot and are generally valued equally! Can a health club owner/manager, afford not to compel their personal training staff to read this information and put it to work in their health club? Trainers who create, and put into practice, their own code-of-conduct will impact health club memberships and improve the bottom line!
Ron J. Clark is the President & CEO of National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT). He can be contacted at 800.729.6378, or by email at rclark@nfpt.com, or visit www.nfpt.com.