Keep your clients from vanishing - Personal Training

Every fitness professional is aware of the time of the year when most start to disappear--"the vanishing." After the holidays, everyone begins with a great deal of anticipation and gusto, but it soon dies out. Most people give up and start skipping workouts after a couple of months. Many never return. The attrition rate for fitness is traditionally high every year. How can you change this unfortunate phenomenon and help your clients succeed? You can incorporate several proactive steps into your clients' training to help them avoid the common trap of "the vanishing."

Goals

To start your clients on the right track, have them establish goals. Without a target, a workout program quickly stalls and the client becomes susceptible to giving up. A goal also helps the client articulate exactly what he or she wishes to accomplish. Establishing a goal helps both of you understand the desired result.

Commit it to Paper

As effective as goals are, they can be more effective when committed to paper. In Success! The Glenn Bland Method, Glenn Bland points out that "only 3 percent of people have [written] goals and plans. Ten percent have goals and plans but keep them in their heads. The rest--87 percent--drift through life without definite goals or plans ... [T]he 3 percent who have [written] goals and plans accomplish 50 to 100 times more during their lives than the 10 percent who [don't]."

It's amazing what you can accomplish if you have a written goal. Getting that plan on paper is vital for successfully achieving a desired goal because it helps you stay on track. A written goal also helps the recall process--the weakest phrase is better than the strongest memory. Make sure every client commits his of her goals to paper before beginning training.

Baby Steps

Advancing via "baby steps" is crucial to success. Instead of trying to go from zero to 60 in a few seconds, start slowly. Don't try to make it happen all at once and expect immediate physical change. Help your clients understand that pushing too hard too soon will leave them discouraged, worn out and possibly injured. Instead, help them focus on making a small gain each time they work out. In the long run, several small gains add up to a bigger gain. Emphasize this goal--the change that can be made over the long haul. Each time clients go to the gym, have them aim towards slightly longer aerobic workouts, lifting a few more repetitions or running a bit further. Small incremental increases in training are the best way to improve the body. Additionally, making some progress will benefit clients' attitudes.

Autonomy and Accountability

Two polar areas can significantly contribute to clients' quitting--smothering them with too much advice and attention or ignoring them. It is essential to make your clients accountable for their goals and to you. Each individual has different supervision and direction needs. If you spend too much time checking on a client, your attention may be interpreted as hassling. The accountability you provide should be occasional--not many adults like to have someone breathing down their necks. However, accountability is necessary to attain goals. Sporadic checking on clients' progress is the best approach, unless they specifically request more frequent interaction.

Celebrate the Gains!

One of the best ways to build consistent motivation is to celebrate the gains clients make. Reaching a goal is a significant achievement and should be recognized. If your client has been on a strict diet, relaxing the restrictions for one night won't hurt, so suggest a "junk food night." New clothing can also be the reward. Perhaps you can offer a free training session as an incentive for reaching a particular goal. Celebrating your clients' achievements is a great way to keep momentum and motivation high and, if you keep motivation high, clients will stick around.

Putting these elements into play will go far in keeping your clients in the gym and on the path to positive change. They don't have to be victims of "the vanishing."

References

Bland, Glenn. Success! The Glenn Bland Method.

Weaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1987.

Dwayne Hines II, CPT, owner of Iron Mountain Enterprises, has been active in the fitness arena as an athlete, model and writer. He is the author of 12 books, including Six Pack Abs in 60 Days.

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