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Leader of the Pack

American Fitness, March, 1998 by Dave Traynor

Eight sure-fire ways to generate excitement in presentations.

When I first began giving presentations in health and exercise, like many others, I sought lots of sources to aid in my presentations skills. The single best source I located was Ron Hoff's best-selling book, I Can See You Naked (Andrews & McMee, $12.95) that covers important aspects of public speaking, vital to exercise professionals.

First and foremost, I learned when giving presentations the audience is hoping to be entertained. How do you achieve excitement?

1. Be more than a messenger.

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When presenting on a fitness and health topic, give it your personal touch. A lecture on stress management, for example, will be much more entertaining and credible when you tie in stories about what you have used with clients to help them combat stress. Theory is important, but application is vital.

2. Believe in the topic without reservation.

Your drive for personal wellness should be displayed when presenting topics in optimal health. People become much more interested in a speaker who is passionate about what they present.

3. Be willing to "shoot the moon."

Your audience has not attended your seminar to see a predictable controlled presentation. They are there to be entertained, to see a show that is upbeat and enthusiastic with your own personal twist. Don't be afraid to lose a little control. I have never seen an audience wishing for less excitement.

4. Be honest about your knowledge (or lack thereof).

When giving a presentation on new group exercise technique, give a mock demonstration to your fitness peers. Then address questions that come up together. If a question arises that you do not know the answer to, tell the participant you will get back to them and then research the question. It is O.K. to say you don't know the answer as long as you follow through with an appropriate response.

5. Connect your knowledge to participants' needs.

How will your seminar benefit your audience? What will they be able to apply to their fitness career or personal wellness? When you discover this, RPE (rate of perceived excitement) will jump off the scale. A seminar is explosive when the audience understands your presentation is all about helping them.

6. Have some friends in the audience.

All seminar leaders have learned it can be difficult to warm up a room, especially when you are in a foreign environment. With a few friends in the audience, the positive energy will get you and the participants going.

7. Leave a little something behind.

Audiences will remember a presentation for much longer when they can associate something with it. For example, in a wellness seminar, participants might take a "lifestyle inventory" that tells them how close they are to achieving a "zest for living" that they can take home to help them chart progress and improvement.

8. Laugh a little.

Do not force humor. Once you know your subject, the humor and laughter will naturally come. "There is a difference between acting funny and being funny," says Steve Smith, director of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College. "Don't act funny. Be human."

RELATED ARTICLE: Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Superb Presenter?

Here is a checklist from Ron Hoff's book, I Can See You Naked, which has been revised to specifically relate to fitness professionals.

1. Do you ever wonder what the other person is thinking about while you are talking?

2. Do you use the word "you" more than "I?"

3. Can you cut through a detailed scientific journal, dig out the main point and explain it so that everybody understands?

4. Do you have a high energy level? Do other people wish they had as much energy as you?

5. Are you a good editor? Can you digest lots of material from many sources and translate it into simple clear language?

6. Do you like being in control?

7. Can you handle pressure without blowing up? Can you deal with provocative questions without flaring up?

8. Do you like to demonstrate what you are talking about? Do you tend to act out what you are describing?

9. Do you look people in the eyes when you talk to them?

10. Do you look people in the eyes when they are talking to you?

If you answered "yes" to at least half of these questions, you are in good shape to becoming a great seminar leader in health and fitness.

Dave Traynor, M. Ed., is an AFAA presenter in personal training and weight room certifications, as well as numerous AFAA approved CEU courses.

Leader of the Pack

American Fitness, March, 1998 by Dave Traynor

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