As coaches, we don’t always make friends because of what we need to say. Not to say that we don’t build good relationships, but sometimes we need to tell our clients things they don’t want to hear. We are honest. We tell people what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear.
At SC FIT, our goal is to provide the best time of their day to all of our clients – this means they could do personal training, group fitness class (CrossFit), bespoke nutrition work, or a completely personalised programme. The method employed for each client is specific to their goal as one size does not fit all.
We think that there are three aspects to any programme that guarantee the success of it:
• It needs to be fun. If not, you won’t continue for long
• It needs to be safe. If not, you will likely have to stop due to injury
• It needs to be personalised. This is the only way to truly get the results you want, quickly, safely, and sustainably.
Albeit extremely effective, personalisation is where we get into trouble as coaches. When we sit down with each client 1-on-1 to design a programme specifically for them or, when we meet with them for their goals sessions, our professional duty is to be honest with what we believe will help them the most. After all, it would be easy to just let people do whatever they wanted to do and not be emotionally invested in the amount of progress that they were making.
When we talk 1 on 1 with people, we regularly have to tell our clients things they don’t want to hear. Some of the things that we find ourselves talking to clients about include:
• You need to work on your nutrition. You work out 5x a week and you’re not progressing because you’re drinking too much and eating poorly. Nutrition is truly the foundation to everything. Without proper nutrition, you are literally fighting against yourself. Fuel well and watch the results show up!
• Why don’t you try running/lifting/(insert favourite exercise here) less, and mix in something different to help you break through your plateau? Many people prefer to stick with what they know, but there’s a benefit to changing up your training – be it frequency, style, or focus. Surprisingly for many, this can lead to more fun, novelty and positive adaptation to change.
• You need to workout more than once or twice a week. This seems intuitive, but there are some people who want to put in minimal effort and then get frustrated when results don’t happen or take longer than expected. For the most part, putting in a good effort on something 2 times each week is a minimum. When your coach texts or calls you to check in after not seeing you for a few days, take a deep breath, and be thankful they are helping you get back on track.
As Coaches, we need to have a great relationship with our clients, but we don’t always need to be their friends. Having people in your life who care enough to tell you the truth about what will help you the most is one of the most effective ways to become healthy – both physically and mentally.
When you’re ready to join a community of people that will push you to help you achieve your gaols, book your FREE No Sweat Intro…