As a personal trainer, it’s important for you to not only help your clients see results, but that you also keep their safety in mind at all times. Training is more than just telling them the exercises to do; it’s about showing them a proper technique so that they don’t injure themselves. The same goes for using equipment in the gym, as safety always needs to be a priority.
Because your career depends on client satisfaction and word of mouth, you want to be sure you are going above and beyond in the safety department. With that in mind, we’ve got a few tips personal trainers can use that will ensure your clients stay safe at all times.
Get to Know Each Client Before You Begin
The first rule of safety is to make sure you’re not treating all clients the same. What’s good for one may not work for the next. This is why you want to have a one-on-one meeting with each new client to discuss their goals, any limitations they may have, their health, their personality and so forth. Gathering all of this information allows you to customize a workout to their specific needs that will help them reach their goals safely and enjoyably.
Make sure you communicate to your clients that they also need to be open and honest with you. If anything changes with their health or they are having difficulties with the workout session, they need to let you know. Open communication is important for both parties trainer and client.
This transparency is apparent in the way that established fitness brands handle things. For instance, Anytime Fitness trainers are able to provide consultations with newcomers so that they understand exactly what they want out of their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Adopting a similarly bespoke approach will serve you well.
Give Thorough Instructions on Each Move
It’s also important that you teach your clients how to do the various moves rather than just expecting them to know it. The reason they have come to a trainer is because they want and need that one-on-one help and guidance. Show them how to do each move, discuss the proper form and then help them to do the exercises properly.
Expect the first few sessions to be a little slow and perhaps less productive than you hoped, as so much of it will be education to start with. If you see them doing something wrong, correct them and explain what the issue is.
Make Sure Your Client Has Your Full Attention
When working with your client, it’s good customer service – and necessary from a safety standpoint – to give your client all your attention and focus. Now is not the time to be distracted by your phone, the computer, a conversation with someone else, or other happenings. Your job is to focus on your client and nothing else, making sure they are using proper form and you’re ready to step in when needed. Giving them your full attention can be harder in a gym environment where there are lots of other people, music and other things happening, so this can take a bit of practice.
Fitness Instructor Insurance Is a Must
Another way you can protect your business and your clients is to have fitness instructor insurance. This covers you for legal fees, injuries, unexpected accidents and even damage to your vehicles. Look into the various packages available as they include such things as commercial auto, general liability, commercial property, workers compensation and professional liability. No one wants to think about the unexpected happening, but the fact is that it can, so it’s best to be prepared.
Keep Their Expectations in Check
It would be great to think that by hiring a personal trainer, you’ll reach your goals extremely fast, but that’s not the reality. It’s important to keep your client’s expectations in check so they don’t expect too much too soon. Pushing them is good, but you don’t want to push too fast and too hard as you risk them suffering an injury. Losing weight, getting in shape, toning up and building strength and endurance all takes time and hard work it’s not something that happens overnight.
All of these tips will help you to be the best fitness trainer possible, helping your clients to meet their goals safely. Remember, keeping them safe is a huge part of your job, so they need your focus, attention and help at all times.
