Fitness professionals play a vital role in helping clients improve their health. Personal trainers are key players in this process, but all too often, personal training isn’t very personal at all. When people seek the guidance of an exercise professional, they place their confidence in their trainer.
A common error among fitness professionals is the failure to individualize training programs for each of their clients. Trainers who focus closely on client-specific needs will yield better results for the client and will see their training business accelerate. While it might be easier to fall back on canned or go-to exercises, the more individualized the program, the greater the results!
Here are my five keys to successful individualization your personal trainers can utilize:
1. Conduct a Needs Analysis
Gather information regarding the client’s past exercise habits, injuries, health conditions and goals. Great trainers also evaluate movement patterns. Are the knees stable during squats and lunges? Are there certain movements that are limited in terms of having a full range of motion? Does your client look unstable or uncoordinated during dynamic movement patterns? Do specific movements result in pain or discomfort?
2. Train Movements, Not Muscles
Base your exercise selection on client needs, goals and weaknesses. After evaluating the movement patterns, build a training program that addresses the client’s weaknesses and improves functional movement. Add as much movement variety as possible to build the client’s fitness. Avoid repeating the same exercises, which will exacerbate movement problems, while neglecting others.
3. Base Exercise Density on Individual Tolerance
The amount of training packed into one session (i.e., exercise density) should fit the client’s individual tolerances. Too much work prescribed into a short period of time will diminish the quality of the workout. Too often, exercise professionals push too far. This causes clients to suffer rather than receive the optimal stimulus needed to advance their levels of fitness.
4. Base Periodization on Individual Response to Training
Pay close attention to signals that indicate whether a client is ready for more aggressive workouts or if recovery is warranted. Altered sleep patterns, extended soreness, diminished energy and altered mood states — these are important signals to observe and use to plan variations in training stress.
5. Set a Backup Plan
Plan several workout options for your clients, so when they arrive, you can apply the right training based on their feedback. Ask how they’re feeling, what they’ve eaten over the last 24 hours, how much sleep they had or how much soreness they’re experiencing. They may not be prepared for a strenuous workout. Knowing when to push your clients and when to reduce training stress is a valuable skill among elite fitness professionals.
Individualization improves training effectiveness, but it also enhances several business fundamentals. When clients pay for training, they’re committing to a desire to self-improve. Any added effort you can provide that helps them achieve significant and timely improvements will dramatically increase client retention. There is nothing more frustrating than committing funds to a cause that isn’t working. Satisfied clients will increase your perceived value as a trainer and help you attract new clients. When you demonstrate more personalized and advanced exercise prescriptions, you’re providing additional value as a personal trainer. Show your current or prospective clients that you’re invaluable in their quest to transform their own health and fitness — and they’ll show you the money.
Dr. Matthew Rhea, Ph.D., is an adjunct faculty member in the Sports & Health Sciences program at American Public University. He can be contacted at 877.777.9081 or by e-mail at info@apus.edu. Visit StudyAtAPU.com/fitness for more information.
