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I am not the only one who has met several people who “used to” go to a gym or who used to look good and used to life heavy and run farther than others but now they have stopped doing so. Many times, the training process became too cumbersome and many times the results weren’t showing. Worse, it is the peer pressure of looking good and following the “shredded to the bone” mentality which doesn’t lead to anywhere except a frustrated sign off from the fitness journeys.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance for fitness coaches or trainers to help their clients, esp. those that are new to the gym or fitness routine with the right mindset and expectations and how and what information will be rendered to them and what is expected of them as clients.
There’s been a sudden growth in the fitness Industry in our country, with a whopping three-fold growth in the last 5 years. Growing income among youth, fancier gyms, health issues, mobile apps and peer influence seem to be common factors for this growth. Gyms these days are providing 24x7 open facilities and more and more fitness professionals are getting into virtual training sessions as per client’s convenience.
With the onset of such growth, comes great deal of responsibility on the coaches and trainers to convey the right information and taper the workouts as per the client’s trainability or ability of their bodies to withstand physical stress.
Here are three most common mistakes that fitness trainers are making with beginner clients which is leading to a lot of frustration and helplessness, not to mention time and money! And this goes for both personal trainers and group trainers.
End goal is not defined:
This is one of the most important factors that make or break a fitness journey. If one isn’t aware of their “why” then how in hell are they ever going to go past plateaus, dips – when times are hard and they are required to push their bodies to get better than the previous day?
When I work with clients, I literally ask them to delve deeper into their end goal. Simply stating “looking good” isn’t going to cut it. You must ask “What will happen when you look good?”. It has them search for more, a bigger meaning and something that has to do with enriching their lives and that is what they remember when the weights are heavy and they haven’t slept and still grind it out.
They don't master bodyweight before lifting external weights:
If you are a fitness enthusiast like me, several times you might have seen first timers with dumbbells curling away in front of the mirror or banging out reps on the pec-fly machine. The only problem is that when they go out in the world and try to do something physical, their bodies are out of sync! Meaning, they don’t have core control, nor have they known how to optimize their movements in space, because they were too busy maneuvering some external weight which they had no business lifting before mastering their fundamental bodyweight movements like the bodyweight squat, pushup, bodyweight row, lunges, plank, hip hinge. Truth be told, mastering these fundamental movements take time and doesn’t make you look like a badass in front of others in the gym and hence not too many trainers focus on it, nor people ask for it even if they want to. Heck, they trainer himself didn’t master it somehow and he is clueless how to get this beginner client started! It is sad, but true.
While the client likes lifting weights and feeling better, in the long run they won’t be able to progress much and will require them to master the basics first.
Consistency is the key, results take time:
The only and only driver for any progress in any field is consistency!! Without giving sufficient time to mold into the process permanently, without getting into a permanent mentality and making permanent lifestyle changes, you won’t be able to go far in your fitness journey. By any means fitness journey isn’t different from anything you are trying to learn outside in your work or in your relationships. There are going to be setbacks, lack of progress for days, illness, aches and pains and God forbid, injuries and you will need to be in a “warrior” frame of mind than a victim. You must find solutions to go through all these barriers and make this process a part of your life. Once you do that, one fine day, while hiking outdoors or swimming in a pool, you will understand what you have been training for. It takes years and years of consistent progress to change yourself inside out and you cannot shortcut it by any means. Even if you do, it catches up on you way too soon.
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Hi,
Thank you for reading this article, hope it added some value to you.
I am Vidhu Mahana, a dual certified Strength and Nutrition coach. You can connect me on my Instagram to stay up to date with the latest fitness related content, myth busting, strength training, cardiovascular training and group challenges - @outlaw_lift .
I am also an avid traveler and you can stay connected with me in all my travel journeys - @outlaw_wander