How to Be a Motivating Personal Trainer

Motivation is a key attribute for personal trainers. The development of the personal training profession has changed over the years, requiring trainers to do more for their clients. As exercise and product knowledge becomes more accessible thanks to the Internet, personal trainers are useful as much for inspiration as they are information. Being a motivating personal trainer takes energy and effort. Sharpen your skills to ensure your training methods are most effective.

Things You'll Need

  • Client notes
  • Client journals
  • Email account
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Instructions

    • 1

      Personalize your clients' goals. Avoid basic goals such as losing weight or gaining strength. Discuss specific goals to understand what each client precisely desires to achieve. Instead of losing weight, in general, find out how much weight each client would like to lose. Define personal goals and map out a schedule of activity to achieve those goals in specific periods of time. Keeping goals personal helps you connect with clients on a deeper, more intimate level.

    • 2

      Stay charismatic and full of energy. Understand that clients look to personal trainers for knowledge, inspiration and for opening doors to enhanced levels of fitness. Project charisma and energy at all times to facilitate a clients' belief in you and -- most importantly -- a client's belief in himself. Enjoy your job and your client using encouraging words, congratulating them on accomplishments -- big and small -- and challenging them to meet goals on time.

    • 3

      Expand the client's vocabulary. Bring the client up to speed with strength training vernacular. Tell your client the difference between "active stretching" and "passive stretching," for example. Resistance force in active stretching is engaged by the stretcher alone, where resistance in passive stretching is provided by the trainer. Increase the client's confidence by explaining strength training phrases and terms and using this vocabulary in corresponding conversations.