For many, exercise and enjoyment do not go hand-in-hand, especially for your less motivated clients. This however, is not an opportunity to give up, but to inspire your clients through new and engaging forms of exercise. And let’s face it, as a personal trainer your clients are looking to you for inspiration and you must become a master motivator if you want your clients to see their goals all the way to the end.
On the other end of the spectrum, motivating your clients to finish those last 10 burpees or finish that last mile is much easier said than done. So how can you get your clients motivated and excited to work out?
Want to know how to make exercise fun for your clients? We have five tips to get you started.
Take your workout routine to the great outdoors
While we were conducting our research for this post we stumbled across an innovative idea from our friends at Bodybuilding.com: “Set up a training course with a variety of stations at a park, beach, or athletic field. Push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, jumping rope, and stair-climbing all make great stations. If you have an elastic band or tubing, you can create even more stations.” You can do this one-on-one with your client or open up the idea to a number of your clients and turn it into a healthy competition.
Freshen up your playlist
Workouts are intended to be full of energy, though that’s not always the case. To give your clients the extra boost they need, create a heart-pumping playlist to keep your clients engaged and inspired to complete the last set of squats or power through the last mile or two. In fact, “an encouraging new study…suggests that listening to music makes strenuous workouts feel easier and may nudge people into pushing themselves harder than they had thought possible,” says Gretchen Reynolds, in a contribution to The New York Times.
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Make it a social event
Working out with others can give your clients the motivation to keep going, while having fun in the process. If you work at a gym, invite your clients to one of your fitness classes and turn it into a social event. Have your clients arrive early and stretch out their muscles on a foam roller, host the class and then celebrate your accomplishments over freshly pressed juices or protein shakes. When you focus on having fun, the workout will ultimately feel less like work and an activity your clients will look forward to.
Try something new
According to experts at Self Magazine: “The secret to sculpting a firm, toned and strong body is constantly varying your workouts so your muscles and mind won’t get bored. And now is the ideal time to refresh a tired fitness routine, kick-start a new training program and explore new workouts classes.” Not to mention trying a new workout will prevent your clients from falling into a routine of which they will eventually get bored. So mix in some plyometrics or sprint challenges and, of course, have fun.
Set a reward
Helping your client set goals is essential, but perhaps more importantly is that you reward them for achieving those goals. Whether you reward them with a 10 percent discount on a one-on-one session, a free group fitness class or free gear, it’s important to recognize their achievements so they feel inspired to keep going.
Have any other ideas you would like to share with us? Let us know in a comment below.
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