PFP Magazine October 2013
By Tammy Polenz
Typically when we think of mind-body we think of things like yoga or meditation, but it's just a small part of the mind body equation. Mind-body encompasses, everything you think, feel and experience. To be completely fit, it takes work and not only of the physical kind. Individuals need support and education and this is where you, the trainer, can play an impactful role. A successful trainer understands that they are much more than an exercise instructor, they are a friend, I wellness coach, a nutritional advocate and even a lent ear. Successful training means you understand the psychology of how or why people make the choices they do and how to get them to make better ones consistently. Great trainers understand this at the deepest level, whether it is on a conscious or subconscious level. They can relate and socialize in a way that allows their clients to feel supported and validated, while helping them attain physical conditioning.
In order to best suite the needs of your clients, it is imperative that you use this knowledge to further your education. Though this growth may not be in the way you originally thought. Often we work on adding the newest, latest and greatest training skills to our repertoire, but this may not be what your client needs most. People come to trainers for a variety of reasons; for weight loss, injury prevention, out of frustration, etc. What this means is that the number one reason why people come to trainers is so they do not have to do it alone.
The internet may be able to answer just about any fitness question, but it does not replace the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical support that you the trainer provides.
Clients see trainers as a friend, someone who understands their pain, a person who can give them the support they need outside of exercise choice or program design. See, the internet may be able to answer just about any fitness question, but it does not replace the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical support that you the trainer provides. The web is not giving them someone to lean on, push them, motivate or encourage them when the training gets tough and the motivation is low. Success in our job relies in a great part on skills you hear little about like neural-linguistic programming, emotional coaching, consciously creating and emotional techniques.
The next time you're looking to fulfill your CECs, consider education that pertains to knowledge other than exercise-based information. Not only will you help your clients in ways you would have never expected, you might learn and grow in ways you did not anticipate yourself.
About the Author
Tammy Polenz, CPT, has been actively involved in the fitness industry since 1991 as a personal trainer, club manager, corporate wellness consultant, and gym owner and designer. She is the author of Think Fit 2 Be Fit, founder of Vedas Fitness in Cleveland, and has been featured in numerous fitness magazines and media. Learn more about Tammy at www.vedasfitness.com.