'How are you different to the other Trainers I've had?'
'I've had Coaches who said they could help, but gave me the same stuff as my last coach did, what makes you different?'
'How can I believe you know what your talking about!'
'My last PT didn't actually listen to the things I was saying, which made me feel like I was just another number, and not a person'
The above is quite typical responses I have heard when new clients approach me, I've been there myself when I was first starting out in the world of fitness.
Usually clients move for a few reasons - but if you get down to the nitty gritty of it all - its usually because clients feel unhappy for one reason or another, and that's where feelings come into play.
SO....what makes me different - the BIG question, with a simple response - I've been there, I've seen the pitfalls or lack of knowledge in other professionals training techniques, heck I've even been the one with the lack of knowledge at one point.
Let me explain a little....
In recent years, it has become apparent that anyone can become a PT/Coach/Specialist...
But how do you know they are delivering these services with the best interest and knowledge to their clients?
A lot of trainers out there try and accommodate every client they can to ensure maximum gain financially, I was one of them to begin with, full of enthusiasm and thought I knew everything about every client that there was to know, which meant I could help EVERYONE, but believe me, this cant be further from the truth.
When I first started gaining experience in becoming a Personal Trainer, I wanted to help everyone, but quickly realised I was spreading myself too thinly and soon burnt out, I was trying what I thought was my best, but in fact was failing about 40% of my clients due to the lack of experience I had with the specific goals they required. Now some Personal Trainers will follow the mantra of 'fake it till you make it', but I wasn't prepared to do that, I had lots of questions that needed answered. So rather than attempt to keep going and hope for the best, I made a decision to come away and learn more, research more, become more knowledgeable, but first I needed to learn who I was going to benefit...
Women, mothers, mental health concerns, mobility issues, bad habits, emotional traumas, what did all these different aspects have in common? ME - I fitted into all these at one point or another, so this is where I started to build my niche market - gained from the very experiences I had went through.
I went back and trained in the courses I felt gave me what I would need to give my clients the opportunities to meet their goals and allow me to join them on their new journey.
And now, after quite a weight (see what I did there haha) its time to get the ball rolling again, knowing that I have gained a few years (not sure about them making me wiser but hey I'm here for a good time not a long time!) and hopefully a whole lot of knowledge that will give my clients what they really need and want.
Now with this comes another bout of questions from myself - How can I ensure I'm the right 'fit' for any clients I work with? How can I ensure the qualifications I have gained will be geared towards my clients goals/struggles? How can I give them the tools to allow my clients to grow?
This I feel, is where it is important that my Questionnaires / PARQ's / Fitness assessments are filled out in as much detail as possible before any consultation happens, this will give the best outcome and opportunities to ensure the goals required will be met appropriately.
In the past these are often the stumbling blocks for new clients - if you don't have time to fill these in, then perhaps my services aren't ideal for you at this moment in time.
In conjunction with all of this, I will openly admit I am not medically certified, and I have a select number of specialist's that I work closely with. If I feel that it would be necessary, I will recommend and advise accordingly on seeking advice, before any services start with myself.
I want my clients to feel assured that they are given the best start to attain their goals and start their journey on the right foot and to ensure you leave feeling good about the experience and knowledge you have gained from K3 Fitness Uk.
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