Coach's Chat

Even though January is typically a huge month for the wellness industry  (buying gym memberships, equipment, and workout clothes) because many people have renewed or new fitness goals this doesn’t always translate to a big boom for your personal training business! In this episode, I talk about why people don’t always think they need/want a personal trainer at the very beginning of the year and whe...

When you are a new trainer it can feel intimidating to set boundaries; have you earned the right? Simply put, yes. Boundaries when it comes to your availability, your extra efforts, and your attention are essential to ensure you can sustain your career and ENJOY it. And while you may need to be willing to work more and hustle harder at the start of building your training business, you still need t...

Training = Programming! If you want to be a great trainer you need to program. One-off workouts don’t cut it! In this episode I talk about the benefits of writing programs and approaching your clients’ success in a systematic way. I also break down why programs don’t have to be boring or inflexible. And I don’t leave you hanging! I give you suggestions for getting better at writing programs right...

You could sit around talking calories in turkey or you could be a more impactful coach! Yes, tactical nutrition and exercise advice has a place but every single thing your client sees about fitness and nutrition over the next six weeks is going to be about “navigating the holidays”.  The trainer who is proactive and sees beyond this moment to help their clients approach health and fitness in a sus...

Your client is struggling to squat... what do you do? Trainers are movement mechanics. Much like a car mechanic, they see a problem/dysfunction (I like to think of these as roadblocks) and then they determine a solution and get to work. Trainers need to be able to determine the SOURCE of the roadblock and then apply an intervention that will actually elicit change. The challenge is that troublesho...

Somewhere along the way, trainers decided the best way to sell personal training and assert their knowledge was to treat clients as "broken" movers in need of "fixing".  New trainers often fall prey to this way of thinking and struggle to build their client base, because believe it or not people don't want to be viewed as "broken". People don't want to be to...

What professional development course do you choose? It can be overwhelming to choose what you want to do for continuing education. Why are you doing it? Because you have to get CEUs? Because you want to get better? And what do YOU need to get better at? Then you look at the price tag and ask yourself…. “Is this worth it?” In this episode I talk about the why behind your professional development, h...

You aren’t simply born good at everything! And if you are stressing out about feeling like you are stumbling all over yourself when it comes to getting personal training clients, you aren’t alone. Why? Because no one has taught you the skills to be good at it! You think I’m joking, but most personal training curricula does not include the consultation/sales part of the process and it is a shame! S...

Using stories to connect is one thing. Relying on your individual training experiences to coach clients is another. It's hard. Maybe you are just starting out and don't have a lot of clients' experiences to pull from. Or maybe you just really want to share something that has worked for you. But sharing your personal experiences may be doing a disservice to your clients. Whether it i...

Ever worry what you are doing with your clients is just "too simple"? You aren't alone. Many trainers are uncomfortable keeping things basic for so many reasons: "Will my client think this is worth the money?", "Will my client get bored?", "Will my colleagues think I don't know enough?" In this super quick episode, I break down why you can ditch th...

Some of your clients will be postpartum people, simple as that. Whether it be newly postpartum or postpartum years ago, every trainer will come across clients who have experienced the anatomical, physiological, and psychosocial adaptations of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. This is why every trainer needs at least a basic understanding of how to address these changes with their programming a...

Coach's Chat is back! After a brief hiatus, new episodes are going to be rolling in! Today we are talking periodization, how we plan programming long-term, for the general fitness client! Athletes' strength and conditioning programs typically follow periodization based on pre-season, in-season, off-season, etc. but for the typical client we see in a commercial gym setting schedules aren&...

With 15 years of working as a coach under his belt, Dwayne Brown has surpassed the average career length of a personal trainer ten times over. And for good reason! Dwayne’s thoughtful approach centers around who the client really is and how to help them reach their goals in a way that fits their life. In this episode, Dwayne shares the importance of simplifying habit changes, how incorporating a g...

What would change if you really loved what you do? On this episode, we talk to Patty Graham about how a genuine passion for fitness and its ability to transform lives drove her to do a lot of figuring it out on her own. Whether it was getting her cert, starting her first boot camp, or building her social media presence, she persisted and built the business she has today. And she generously shares...

I don't want you to make these 3 painfully common initial consultation mistakes! I have no doubt you are an amazing trainer who could help so many people achieve the change they are looking for but you are likely falling prey to these common missteps with the initial consultation. I see it over and over again with coaches brand new to the game and I want to save you the heartache. In this epi...

Back with the next episode in the Beyond The Basics Series all about upper body pushing!! Ever feel like you are limited when it comes to programming? Maybe you are new to training and just haven’t been exposed to a ton of exercise variations? Maybe you have been in the game a minute but you feel a little limited by the way you’ve always been doing things? Maybe you are just feeling like your imag...

Ever feel like you are limited when it comes to programming? Maybe you are new to training and just haven’t been exposed to a ton of exercise variations? Maybe you have been in the game a minute but you feel a little limited by the way you’ve always been doing things? Maybe you are just feeling like your imagination is lacking and you need a fresh perspective? In this brand new Beyond The Basics s...

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Nard of Main Street Strength, an online coaching business she co-owns with her husband Patrick that teaches clients how to train with kettlebells at home. Rachel shares real-life insights about making sure you are bringing your best self to your work, getting clear on your priorities, and sharing responsibilities and collaborating with a...

Robbie Farlow, writer and online fitness coach, drops solid gold knowledge about building a successful coaching career being the “real” you. He details how to write captivating and authentic material versus sounding like a boring and dry textbook. He offers actionable tips for creating Instagram posts, writing long form content, changing sweatpants before the work day starts, and of course nerding...

Set the road map for your success! As a trainer, you are taught how to guide your clients through goal setting, but are you setting goals for your own career success? In this episode of Coach’s Chat, I detail 3 essential areas for career goal setting and how to prioritize your needs as you build a long and rewarding career in fitness! Be sure to connect with me on Instagram and get on the waitlist...

Your knowledge and experience is a gift that you have an obligation to share! For new trainers and coaches, this can feel intimidating but consistently creating content is a terrific way to hone your abilities. It gives you the opportunity to practice synthesizing complex ideas, answer questions potential clients are eager to know, and establish yourself as the expert. In this episode, I give you...

Ever feel like you weren't cut out for the personal training sales process? Like you are great at training, and talking to people, and building relationships, but it all falls apart when it's time to sell a training package? Like you feel slimy? That's probably because you have been taught a slimy sales approach that relies on stale tactics. You are probably doing all the "righ...

Being a better coach means asking rather than assuming. So stop assuming you know what someone wants based on their size, gender, or age!!! Whether it be about their goals, their adherence to their program, or their progress, assumptions are dangerous signs we aren't truly getting to know our clients and what THEY want, what THEY need. In this episode, I detail the places where assumptions ca...

I'm sure you've felt it before. You worry that others are judging you. Judging your career development. Judging your choices with clients. You have likely worried about judgment outside of the professional world too. Yes, it's a common concern but you don't have to live with it! In this episode I break down strategies for overcoming those fears, focusing on your own effort and...

Chris Nethercutt, CSCS joins me to talk coaching and specifically how he developed a niche in coaching Weightlifting, how he applies that experience to a variety of different coaching settings, how he focuses on his own education, and what advice he would give to new trainers (some really great things to avoid). Chris is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, USAW 1 and 2 certified, and...