THE MASTER
We already know this is a service industry. Nobody wants to be a coach to someone on a power trip. When there’s not a mutual respect for one another, nor an understanding that although the client is the one who’s paying, the trainer is the one who leads and directs the session in the name of said respect, things can get messy, and clients can get fired. I can speak from the most personal experience on this one. It’s extremely off-putting when a client treats you more like you “work for them” than their equal. The academic side of this industry goes out the window when a trainee discounts your expertise or berates you during a session. If your trainer is nothing more than “the help” to you, then you can count on that trainer to tell you to help yourself to a new coach. It’s only a matter of time.
THE LEGAL EAGLE
There are people who sign up for a gym membership or personal training sessions because they want to work hard, and attain results. Then there are people who sign up for a gym membership or personal training sessions because they want to find any reason they can to get their money back, and then some. In 12 years in this industry, the number of lawsuits and lawsuit scares I’ve seen from clients to other colleagues or gyms in my industry surprises even me. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT depo-subQ provera 104 - pillspower.com
And I’ll be the first to acknowledge bad business. Commercial gyms can be vile with their business practices. I belonged to one. Sometimes a subpoena is necessary to get what’s rightfully yours if you’ve been taken advantage of, or if you’ve been injured by faulty equipment. But trying to go after sole proprietors or businesses alike for the most obscure of issues that would probably leave both parties drowning in unnecessary legal fees says more about the type of person you are to work with, than the coach. Demanding a refund months after beginning to work with a coach who did his job, and then threatening to sue when you realize that option is off the table while deep-diving for legal loopholes in email exchanges is the exact reason long-winded training contracts full of fine print exist in the first place. And yes, it’s a massive hassle.
A PRODUCT OF YOUR REFERRALS
You’ll notice that I didn’t include things like being a client who doesn’t listen to cues, or a “motor moron” – someone who can’t coordinate movements. I also didn’t include the client who has their own preconceived notions about training and what methods will yield what results (like getting “bulky” from lifting). The reason why, is because these things are much more coachable and changeable via the direction of a good trainer who says the right things. The examples above are not. In those cases, it’s up to the client to put his foot down, and make a point of changing his ways.
It’s also worth noting that clients who refer their colleagues and friends to trainers usually show a trend: their referrals are typically close to the same as they are as far as their client habits and traits are concerned. The same way most clients wouldn’t refer a friend to a trainer who’s always late or no showing, doesn’t give feedback, and constantly texts while working, most trainers wouldn’t be quick to trust a referral from a flaky, inconsistent and unreliable client who’s always looking for a way to get a freebie or refund.
It’s more than possible to develop a bad reputation in the fitness industry – not only as a trainer, but as a client too. We’re all adults here. It’s easy to discern intention from one professional to another. After making an honest assessment of that, think about the long game of how you’d like a relationship to work with your coach. If you’d like it to be sustainable, I suggest guarding against falling into any of the 6 categories above.
It’ll sure as hell make us happier to do our job.
