Elevate Your Career and Live Your Passion

Your purpose as an impassioned personal trainer, manager and owner is to deliver life-changing fitness experiences for your clients. Education is the key driver to success. Here are five tips from fitness professionals, presenting at the IDEA Personal Trainer Institute in 2019.

1. Recovery is critical.

Recovery has become a hot topic of late as trainers and coaches realize that what happens outside the workout is at least as important as what happens in it. If your clients are constantly sore, unmotivated and drained of energy, how can you expect them to reach their goals? “Unfortunately, our clients do not have battery life icons hovering above their heads,” says Michael Cummings, global senior director of performance, fitness and wellness at SKLZ, based in Carlsbad, California. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could see how many bars our clients had left so we could know how to adjust the volume and intensity of work and recovery in their upcoming session?”

2. Professionals need recuperation, too.

It’s not just clients who need recovery and energy management strategies. They’re also necessary for personal trainers, business owners and managers who are interested in career longevity, says Ashley Selman, MA, owner of Evolution Trainers in California’s Silicon Valley. Selman adds, “Burnout is a big problem in our industry, and many fitness professionals stay stuck on the hamster wheel of being busy because their revenue relies on the hours they work.”

3. It pays to get nutrition facts straight.

Every year there seems to be a popular new dietary protocol. This time it’s all about the keto diet, which promises fast fat loss, energy boosts and mental clarity. “I believe many trainers and coaches face questions on ketones, their benefits and drawbacks, and their impact on weight loss and exercise, yet [they are often] unable to provide answers derived from a thorough understanding of the science,” says Comana.

4. Clients need more than sets and reps.

Creating thoughtful, effective training sessions is one thing. How you deliver those sessions is another, and this aspect is too often overlooked, according to presenter Travis Barnes, CEO and personal coach at Journey Fitness, which boasts several studios throughout New York. “As a business owner of five locations, I have learned that the best way to differentiate yourself is through customer service,” says Barnes. “I realized that it’s not about the equipment or the standard session that most people offer; it’s about how you go above and beyond.”

5. You’re still not offering small-group training?

You may be missing out on big money and member retention opportunities. “Surveys have shown that customers are interested in and willing to choose group training more than training in one-on-one settings,” says Mary Edwards, MS, fitness director at the Cooper Fitness Center^™ in Dallas. “To negate considering this option in a facility limits potential revenue lines and enhanced member retention and engagement.”

Find all the tools and education you need to get ahead at IDEA^® Personal Trainer Institute in Dallas, Texas on March 7–10 or in Alexandria, Virginia on April 4–7.

IDEA Personal Trainer Institute—the only major educational event that teaches pros from all corners of the industry how to turn their jobs into fulfilling and financially rewarding careers. You also get the opportunity to earn 20 or more CECs, meet and mingle with other fitness professionals, and discover the latest products.

Are you ready to invest in yourself? Find out more about our conferences on our website.