What can you do when a client is believing false or potentially harmful fitness advice from someone else over your word?
Whether they’re believing a bodybuilder, or a celebrity, or a known person associated with fitness (to clarify I’m not talking about the leaders in the fitness industry (or similar), think The Biggest Loser personal trainers intensely working out 350 pound people for 5 hours straight and they’re not even getting proper nutrition intake (may be an exaggeration but I think you can get the point I’m making) , celebrity fads/workout advice, a guy they know they always looked up to for fitness advice (guy giving out really bad advice on TV(Like Doctor Oz saying there’s a natural miracle diet pill/product, or the fitness version of that), bodybuilder friend, or similar), etc. That’s more or less what I’m talking about.), they’ll hear something from them that’s a either a common trend that’s a myth, something that has no evidence to back it up, or/and can even be harmful. And they’ll believe them over me.
The thing is, I’m in good shape but I’m skinny, even though I’m really toned I don’t have big muscles, I feel like it affects my credibility to client’s and athletes when it’s something like my word vs a bodybuilder’s or celebrity.
So how can I handle this, what are the best strategies?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Julian,
you will be fighting an uphill battle because you are dealing with people who WANT to believe the information that is (often falsely) provided.
You can educate and can come up with any peer-reviewed research paper you can find. If they want to believe otherwise, they will. (Case in point: look at the debate on global warming. It is so much easier to believe that it is just nature doing its thing. It means that there is no need to change.)
However, you can use your own body shape as an example of how genetics will trump celebrity advice. You could say something along the lines of “I have tried myself to build bigger muscles but had to recognize that, as an ectomorph, I can only expect results within the possibilities of my body type.”
It is also a matter of how much credibility you have established with your clients. I can safely say for myself, that my clients will take my word anytime over anything they see on TV. But I have trained many of them for years and have a proven track record of giving the most accurate advice I can find.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com