Five years on

5 years on – my top 4 learning points on being a PT

August 2017

So, it has just dawned on me that I qualified as a PT 6 years ago.

Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? So I find myself sitting here looking back at what I’ve achieved.  It’s been a bumpy ride, both for myself and my clients, and I’m not gonna lie when I say that at some points, it’s been pretty hard. But with the bad also comes the good, with the past comes the future.

So what advice would I give to myself 6 years ago, or to someone who’s looking to make their way in this really competitive industry? Even if you aren’t a coach or want to be a coach, these tips I’ve put together can still be applied to any workplace or career, or to life in general. So for Adam’s pearls of wisdom…read on.

1. Listen

Sounds like a weird one to start with, right?  Wrong!  How are you going to help people if you don’t listen to them?  I mean really listen to them.  Don’t just hear that they want to lose fat, or gain muscle, hear the whole story.  Hear how they see the world and listen to how they express themselves.  Once you’ve done this, start to use the language or words that they use.  This will make them feel more at ease with you and help to build genuine rapport and a longer lasting beneficial relationship.

1. It’s not about you

Of course you want to get results for your clients, that’s kind of a given. But it’s not about how successful you’ve been as a trainer, but how well they’ve done. Yes, you’ve worked hard planning and prepping sessions for them, we know that you’ve coached them to make better choices with their food, we know you encouraged them through months of training and lifting.  We know all of this.  This time is for them – their moment.  You’ve done a great job for them, they know that and so does everyone else.  You don’t have to boast or big yourself up.  Get a testimonial from them and let their words do the talking – be proud.   

1. Never stop learning

The world changes daily, that’s the great thing about it.  There will always be a ‘new’ way or some technology or science that has been developed to try and make things easier, or to push the limits of what can be achieved.  New isn’t always best but it is right to at least know about it.  There will always be a new exercise to learn or a new area of nutrition to research.  A word of advice here though…learn from the best out there. If you can get access to them through a course or a webinar, then attend if you can, and soak up all the information they are giving you. But beware. There are also a lot of so-called ‘gurus’ on YouTube and Facebook.  Not all of them are qualified to say what they are saying, just make sure you have done your research, asked others’ opinions before you take their word as gospel.

1. Value yourself and the services you provide

It can be very easy to doubt yourself and what you are doing. After all, there are hundreds of PTs out there, what’s so different about you? Why would someone come to train with you when they could choose X? Y is so much more qualified than me, what gives me the right to be operating in this space with them?

Stop those thoughts. Right there. If you put yourself down, tell yourself you can’t do it, then this will be projected onto your clients, even subconsciously. They will sense your negativity, and go elsewhere. And then your point will have been proved. See, I knew I wasn’t good enough, etc…

So be positive. You are good enough. What makes you stand out is you. Use it.

So there you have it. Advice to take away and use. And remember, I’m always open for a chat about training, nutrition and business.  If you have any questions please feel free to leave me a message on the Facebook page or any of my other social media platforms.