5 Essential Qualities to Look for in a Personal Group Trainer
In any booming industry, opportunists flood the field, seeking to make a fast buck. The fitness industry is no exception.
A great trainer is confident without being cocky. They must be personable because clients buy into people they feel comfortable with.
Group personal training instructors are typically extroverted and know various formats. This makes them a natural fit for the group training setting.
Passion
Being passionate about fitness is a key trait that drives good personal group trainers. It isn’t easy to get a client excited about a workout program if you don’t believe in it yourself. Passion is crucial for a PT to stay motivated and grow their business.
Passions often involve hobbies but can also be a part of your career or lifestyle. There are two types of passion: harmonious and obsessive. Harmonious passion is a hobby you engage in out of your own free will, and you can freely stop or change the activity. Obsessive passion is more akin to an addiction, which can negatively affect your life. Identifying these two differences is important for a happy and fulfilling life.
Knowledge
Finding a skilled trainer, like those at Kirkland Gym, is crucial as they should be able to communicate their expertise effectively to clients. Additionally, having a friendly and approachable demeanor is important because clients are more likely to trust and feel at ease with a trainer they feel comfortable around.
This includes broad technical knowledge like anatomy and physiology and industry knowledge, such as ongoing changes within the active leisure sector. Tacit knowledge is also considered – the know-how only experience and continual practice can provide.
Clients will bring various issues to sessions that require wisdom, such as understanding that a sudden change in their circumstances could impact their motivation levels and ability to follow their fitness program. Demonstrating support and understanding builds supportive goal-orientated relationships with your clients.
Communication
Communication is the lifeblood of any business, including the trainer-client relationship. This communication can be verbal or non-verbal and includes information exchanged between people.
Being able to communicate effectively is a necessity, as well as being personable. Clients want to feel comfortable with their trainer and will not continue training with someone they do not enjoy being around.
Being punctual is important as well. Often, a trainer will be booked back to back, and one small delay can affect the whole day. Clients will not appreciate it if their trainer arrives late for their session, which shows they do not respect their time.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability of muscles, joint and soft tissue to move through a full range of motion without pain or restriction. It is a component of fitness that enhances performance, improves posture, allows for efficient movement and reduces injury risk.
A group training trainer often knows a wide variety of formats like barre, pilates, yoga, and spin, to name just a few. Having flexibility and the ability to adapt to any format is essential.
Being friendly and approachable with clients is important. But it’s also important to remain professional as you manage the session schedule and ensure your client receives the quality time they deserve. Be punctual and always on time! Your clients will appreciate your reliability. They’ll want to train with you again!
Experience
Whenever any business booms, opportunists will flood the market with all sorts of motives (see the housing bubble and real estate jobs in the mid-2000s). The same happens when the fitness industry grows – thousands of people jump into personal trainer certifications to make a big paycheck.
Your PT must be experienced – this will help them stay consistent with their work and provide you with high-quality training sessions. It’s also beneficial if they have multiple success stories and can offer testimonials from satisfied clients. Being punctual is another trait to look for; a trainer must be on time for every session. Being late causes a domino effect on their clients and can be extremely stressful for everyone involved.