A trainers story. Balancing Feeling and Thinking
As a fitness industry it appears that many have become way to Heady about their training and are losing touch with the real reason they started training. Passion and purpose. I think the best way to discuss this is to tell the story of what happens to most of us.
One of the main reasons I love working with new trainers is that they still have that spark in their eye about training. They are pursuing a passion and want to help others. A feeling of wanting to do something bigger with their lives has brought them into the fitness industry. They are all feeling and No Thinking.
They get certified and get a job at a big box gym. Time to change lives, Right? Nope. They can't sell a package and get no clients. Now its time to learn 'Sales'. Their PT Manager throws numbers in their face and teaches them about quotas. Sell, sell, sell. This is the new motto. Their passion slowly begins to die. Now instead of asking the client how they can help them, they are just flipping thru rebuttals on how to close the deal. They have sold their passion for profit. They are all thinking, no feeling.
This last for awhile and they get bored with training, so they start to read up on how to be a better trainer. They venture out and learn all these "new" training methods. They learn about metabolic training, tabata, FMS, dynamics warm ups, functional training, corrective exercises, pyramid, HITTS, fascial lines, foam rolling, twist conditioning, combine 360, crossfit, etc. etc. etc. All of a sudden a new world has opened up for them. This is what they have been searching for. After each cert they come back and switch their whole way of training. They are like a ball of energy running thru the gym. It doesn't matter what the client says, crazy back flips and wild routines for all. They are back to all feeling and no thinking.
This last for a while but a few weeks after each cert the high dies down. So they look for more "education". They begin to follow this guru and that guru and now everything they ever learned was wrong. This person says it must Always be this way and that person says, you should Never do this. The trainer now dismisses all they ever felt and listens to One way of doing it because the "Guru" said so. Every time you ask them a question they always start their answer by saying, "Well the Guru says this is the way to do it". They have again gone to All thinking and No feeling.
For many of you, this is THE END!
So what do we do? Is following someone wrong? Should we not get certs? Do we not seek more education? ????????
Here is my advice based on what I have experienced in the past 13 years of training. You must always be a student, but it doesn't mean the teacher is Always right. We need to continue to learn and grow but you must also maintain your OWN way of doing things. Following someone is not wrong, but you must also maintain you own opinion on subjects. There is a voice in all of us that has ideas and new ways of training. Listen to that voice. Step outside of the box your in and try something new.
Last but not least, NEVER lose touch with the original feeling that got you this far. Remember we are all here for the cleints. They are our bread and butter. They are the reason we have jobs. They are the ones who really matter when all is said and done. Stop bickering and argueing about whose training style is better and who writes better programs. Results never lie. If your cleints love you and leave thier session happy and motivated for the next time, you have done your job. I dont care how you set up your session as long as your training is safe and effective. There must be a balance between feeling and thinking. Once you find that place you will find your success.
-FLO
As a fitness industry it appears that many have become way to Heady about their training and are losing touch with the real reason they started training. Passion and purpose. I think the best way to discuss this is to tell the story of what happens to most of us.
One of the main reasons I love working with new trainers is that they still have that spark in their eye about training. They are pursuing a passion and want to help others. A feeling of wanting to do something bigger with their lives has brought them into the fitness industry. They are all feeling and No Thinking.
They get certified and get a job at a big box gym. Time to change lives, Right? Nope. They can't sell a package and get no clients. Now its time to learn 'Sales'. Their PT Manager throws numbers in their face and teaches them about quotas. Sell, sell, sell. This is the new motto. Their passion slowly begins to die. Now instead of asking the client how they can help them, they are just flipping thru rebuttals on how to close the deal. They have sold their passion for profit. They are all thinking, no feeling.
This last for awhile and they get bored with training, so they start to read up on how to be a better trainer. They venture out and learn all these "new" training methods. They learn about metabolic training, tabata, FMS, dynamics warm ups, functional training, corrective exercises, pyramid, HITTS, fascial lines, foam rolling, twist conditioning, combine 360, crossfit, etc. etc. etc. All of a sudden a new world has opened up for them. This is what they have been searching for. After each cert they come back and switch their whole way of training. They are like a ball of energy running thru the gym. It doesn't matter what the client says, crazy back flips and wild routines for all. They are back to all feeling and no thinking.
This last for a while but a few weeks after each cert the high dies down. So they look for more "education". They begin to follow this guru and that guru and now everything they ever learned was wrong. This person says it must Always be this way and that person says, you should Never do this. The trainer now dismisses all they ever felt and listens to One way of doing it because the "Guru" said so. Every time you ask them a question they always start their answer by saying, "Well the Guru says this is the way to do it". They have again gone to All thinking and No feeling.
For many of you, this is THE END!
So what do we do? Is following someone wrong? Should we not get certs? Do we not seek more education? ????????
Here is my advice based on what I have experienced in the past 13 years of training. You must always be a student, but it doesn't mean the teacher is Always right. We need to continue to learn and grow but you must also maintain your OWN way of doing things. Following someone is not wrong, but you must also maintain you own opinion on subjects. There is a voice in all of us that has ideas and new ways of training. Listen to that voice. Step outside of the box your in and try something new.
Last but not least, NEVER lose touch with the original feeling that got you this far. Remember we are all here for the cleints. They are our bread and butter. They are the reason we have jobs. They are the ones who really matter when all is said and done. Stop bickering and argueing about whose training style is better and who writes better programs. Results never lie. If your cleints love you and leave thier session happy and motivated for the next time, you have done your job. I dont care how you set up your session as long as your training is safe and effective. There must be a balance between feeling and thinking. Once you find that place you will find your success.
-FLO
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