You're the Personal Trainer: April 8th
Thanks to everybody that participated in the discussion on thePTDC’s Facebook page. There were some fantastic responses to the case study below but David Pavkovich has been selected for this installment of “You’re the Trainer”.
I particularly liked that he pointed out not to throw the previous trainer under the bus and be willing to refer out if needed + provide appropriate literature. Have a read below.
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CONTEST: You’re the Trainer
The winner receives a free copy of my upcoming book “Ignite the Fire” sent right to their front door and will be posted on thePTDC site with a link back to your website or blog if available.
You meet with a new potential client and it’s evident that they’ve had a previous bad experience with a trainer. They tell you that they’d been working out at another gym for 6 weeks with a trainer 2x/wk and got no results and suffer from knee pain.
The client is a 36 year old lawyer with 2 kids under the age of 10. His goal is to lose a bit of fat, trim up, and be able to stay active with his kids.
When probing you find that he tried the other trainer but never really saw any benefit. He felt the trainer didn’t listen to him when he said that his knee hurt and that the program constantly changed. It seemed like the trainer didn’t care enough to plan anything and was deciding exercises on the spot.
You’re the trainer. How would you handle the initial consult, deal with his objections, and show him that you’re different? Feel free to be as specific as you like.
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David’s response
1. I don’t like to throw people under the bus so I would avoid speaking down about the previous trainer.
2. Would try to determine the extent of the pain, whether it is as simple as arthritis or an injury that needs the attention of a specialist.
3. I would explain that my programs will change possibly from session to session to keep it fun,and there is a method to the madness but prescribed corrective knee stretches and excercises would only change progressively.
4.I would be sure to offer the consult and first workout free, be sure the client left with literature on possible knee conditions and assure him a specific program would be designed to help strengthen the questionable knee while not only trimming up , strengthening the body and mind for a long fulfilling, fun life for his children.
(in a nutshell)
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