Thursday, January 12, 2017

There are approximately 100 million baby boomers (aged 50 and over) in the United States making up 30% of the nation’s population and three-fourths of its wealth[i].  This group is expected to live longer than previous generations.  This is the largest population segment in our economy and they are seeking professional help for their aging bodies. 

As this group ages, we are seeing a significant increase in obesity, chronic disease and individuals with multiple medical conditions. 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Clients come into a fitness studio for diverse reasons. They may want to lose weight, increase strength, train for a specific activity, or simply feel and look better. Clients across age and conditioning levels tend to share certain motivating factors. They are often strong on desire for physical transformation, and short on confidence, patience and time.

Resistance incline bodyweight training—both equipment and training methods—can be the perfect studio solution for at least five important reasons.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Building a team of dedicated and engaged employees sits at the foundation of every business strategy.  In the fitness space, this becomes more critical as success in our industry means we provide a service that enables people to live a healthier quality of life.  It’s a grandiose mission with (typically) a less than grandiose compensation plan. 

Ask any manager, trainer or even instructor, none of them chose this career to make a lot of money.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

As personal trainers and coaches, it is essential that we find out the “why” when it comes to our clients. Why are they training?  Without this information, it is almost inevitable that one day that client will walk away from training with you.  So, what are the main areas of motivation for clients? 

There are four categories of client we’ve all seen.  They want to change their appearance, relieve pain, feel healthier, and/or train or prepare for an event.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Typically, marketing is impersonal.  It involves putting up a cleverly worded offer in a newspaper or online and then waiting for the clients that you’ve never met or spoken with to respond.  For many types of products and services across many industries this approach works.

However, when it comes to aging adults and fitness this approach is seldom fruitful.  Yet it is still the most common way for fitness professionals to try to get clients.  This leads to a vicious cycle of frustration.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Ever heard the sayings, “Everything in moderation” and, “Less is more,” in relation to exercise? Although exercise is clearly beneficial to our health and well-being, it is true that sometimes, too much of a good thing can be harmful to our health and performance.

This is the concept of overtraining, a condition in which training too frequently or too intensely causes decreased exercise performance and increased illness or injury.

Monday, December 12, 2016

2017 is set to bring even more advanced technology to the fitness industry, especially to the discipline of heart monitoring and heart health.

Putting your business on the cutting edge of this technology can give you an edge that will last you the entire year, creating a more engaged relationship between you and your clientele based around a more effective fitness program. Here are just a few of the ways that fitness technology can change your business for the better.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

It’s the end of the year and things are wrapping up soon.  Clients are getting ready for the holidays and perhaps you, too, are looking forward to some time with family and friends and relaxing a bit before the New Year hits.

Between servicing current clients, marketing for new clients, standard business administrative work, family, holiday shopping, and other obligations, there seems to be not a single minute of time left to do anything…let alone catch up on some sleep. 

Friday, December 2, 2016

We all have relationships of many different degrees and facets in our lives. We have our families, our friends, and those acquaintances and professional contacts we see monthly, weekly or even daily. I ask you all to take a step back and take stock in specifically those professional relationships you have and how long you have had them for.

If I think of my own, I have had the same hair stylist now 11 years, visit the same nail salon for 3 years, and even the same esthetician for almost 4 years.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Before we even dive into this question, I think it’s imperative that we first look at a couple of other things, first:

QUESTION 1 - What is a “trainer”?

Defined by Wikipedia – “A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments.”