Recently in my Facebook group for health club owners and managers, we got into a discussion about what characteristics make successful personal trainers. The responses were so fascinating that I wanted to share them with you. No matter what your position is in the fitness industry, these qualities might spark some interesting thoughts for you.
Here are what 12 club managers and owners think are the top 3 traits that effective personal trainers possess:
1) Hugh H. from Virgin Active says:
- Don't use too much lingo
- Educate their clients
- Give clients homework
2) Eddie D. from Ridge Athletic Clubs says:
- Be genuine
- Stay progressive (i.e., continue growing)
- Inspire!
3) Erin C. from RallySport Health and Fitness Club says:
- They LOVE people
- They know that building relationships is super important
- They stay curious
4) Paul L. from THE MAX Challenge says:
- Passion to help others
- Willingness to learn
- Drive to be the best
5) Rob L., organizational culture consultant, says:
- Resourcefulness
- Initiative
- Social intelligence
6) Jason S. from Life Time Fitness says:
"I call it the triple threat. In no particular order"
- Technical skills (PT and Nutrition)
- Business acumen
- Behavior modification skills
7) Wes B. from The Centre says:
- They MUST know their stuff
- They need to be a builder of people (relationally, motivationally)
- They need to have a passion to serve others and go out of their way to do so
8) Clint G. from e3 Fitness says:
- Resilience. Never allow your passion to be lessened by any kind of
circumstance, so that the client can always see there's a path to better.
- Practice empathy and coach from the heart. You will connect more and create impact.
- Don't even be a Trainer...Be a Coach! If you're going to lead others than you better be doing it yourself! Regardless if you're a club owner, coach, or group fit instructor.
9) Michele M. from The Bay Club says:
- Listen first and a lot...Be an exceptional listener (two ears one mouth) give them what they ask for and sneak in what you know they need.
- Create a measurable plan that can be executed and tracked.
- Routinely check in to make sure you are addressing their
concerns and that your sessions are exceeding their expectations.
10) Scott K. from Scott Keppel Fitness says:
- Adaptability
- A passion for helping others
- A passion for learning
11) Rob K. from Lifetime Health & Fitness says:
- The ability to connect at the deepest level to a complete stranger.
- The ability to analyze EXACT movement ranges and capacity for workload in every unique joint/combination/person.
- The ability to combine #1 and #2 in the most fun and motivating way possible for sustainable programming.
12) James B. from Excel Fitness says:
- The ability for the trainer to retain the client
- To be a team player
- Not bad mouth the facility or other employee's of the gym
Learning, loving people, and passion seem to be themes that are seen throughout many of the responses here. What do you think are the top 3 traits in a personal trainer? Let me know by joining the Top Club Owners & Managers Facebook group here.
Cheers,
Ravi
VP, Global Sales at ClubConnect
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P.S. Did you know? ClubConnect is now the number one resource for health clubs and gyms. We power the education and development for over 4,500 health clubs and growing. Learn more about how we help health club managers, directors and owners here.
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