Creating an Integrated Heart Rate Training Program With Culture

IMAGE COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

To have a successful heart rate-based training program, it is essential to take a team approach. Once your club, studio or practice has committed to offering heart rate-based training, it is critical that all team members speak a common language. This allows you to create a culture that values heart rate training.

From the front desk personnel to member services, everyone should understand everything about the tools being offered and should be able to share the benefits with existing and new clients.

Awareness is key. Many people simply do not understand the benefits of heart rate-based training. By creating awareness at all levels and contact points within your organization, you will begin to build awareness and create a culture that values the tools available within your membership base.

You will also increase your opportunity for increased revenue and income opportunities, all while optimizing your client’s results. The simple truth is all the services you offer should be treated this way. Set yourself apart!

Here are five steps for creating an integrated communication approach:

1. Have proactive basic training for all staff members. Develop simple “scripts” that  will educate and coach your team on how to talk about heart rate training with your members. They can learn the “why” and make it their own.
2. Make talking about heart rate programs part of the standard operating procedure. When member services gives a tour of the facility, make it mandatory to talk about the heart rate offering. Then scale the same behavior to all club personnel. Great programs don’t just happen, they are developed — like great physiques.
3. Actively engage colleagues and members in conversation, detailing the benefits of heart rate-based training. Make it fun and peak their curiosity.
4. Tie the heart rate training program into all aspects of training, including group X, spin, weight loss challenges, personal training, small group training and much more.
5. Remember a program has to be taken care of and tended to like any other thing of value. It is not a destination, but a journey. If you take action every day — the more massive the better — you will reap the rewards.

Here are some key talking points on the benefits of heart rate training:

• Much more time-efficient and safer workouts.
• More personalized workouts and training — made fun.
• Intensity can be measured simply and reliably.
• Results become apparent that might otherwise not be seen or known.
• Goals are more easily set and reached.
• Progress, or lack of progress, toward fitness is easily tracked.
• Motivation to improve increases through greater awareness.
• Confidence is bolstered and reinforced through consistent HRM and trainer feedback.
• Knowledge replaces guesswork.

Aaron Eisberg is the vice president of marketing and sales at AccuroFit. He can be reached at 630.705.1898 x356 or aeisberg@accurofit.com