The Skyndex is probably the best body fat caliper on the market. This is the one with 2 formulas programmed into it. It has the Jackson-Pollock formula which is good and reasonably accurate for everyday use and the Durnin formula if you ever plan to need it for research or a clinical setting. Or if you just want to be a little more accurate. It’s easy to use. You set the dial to a number that corresponds to a range of the subject’s age. Then take 3 or 4 sites to measure, entering each one as you go by pressing the thumb button. When you are done, it automatically goes through the formula for you and give you the body fat percentage on the digital display. It’s the best one I’ve used to date. Everybody claims hydrostatic weighing is the gold standard, but you have to measure tidal volume. If you don’t, it’s not any more accurate than calipers. Plus, hydrostatic weighing requires extra time, a wet area, etc. It’s a hassle. Why not just get reasonably close to the same results in a much more practical product? Comes with its’ own case and power supply.

This is the Lange skinfold caliper. It’s a little more cost effective option, but is not digital. It is very compact and comes in a small case that you could easily store in your gym bag or something. This is the second best body fat caliper I have ever used. It takes a little more time because it isn’t digital, but it is VERY well constructed and will last you a long time. It comes with a calibration block to ensure accuracy. It’s accurate down to within 1 millimeter.

Garmin make some awesome stuff. This is the Forerunner. It’s a GPS with a heart rate monitor and stop watch mounted on the wrist. It’s pretty cool and you can use it to compete with previous workouts for yourself or use it in the gym to time client’s sets and/or workouts.

The PT/Pro Bench is great. For you in home trainers, it’s an excellent portable option for a professional adjustable bench. It’s got a carrying handle and strap for you to easily maneuver from location to location. It’s pretty versatile for just about any type of training you want to do. At 23 pounds, it’s heavy duty too so you don’t have to worry about it falling apart on you.

The Bowflex SelecTech Dumbbells. These could also be portable if you want to lug them around. It’ll replace a whole rack of them. Between the PT/Pro Bench and these, you could really put together a good program for someone. They are fully adjustable and should satisfy the needs of most clients going from 5-52.5 lbs. each. This link even has many of the routines and exercises you can do listed right out for you.

Bodylastics are a great complement to the bench and the SelecTech dumbbells. Very lightweight and versatile with door anchor and ankle straps. You can load up multiple bands at a time with the carabiner clip totalling 127 pounds per side.

The TRX is hot right now and it was specifically invented to use where equipment is lacking. That’s one of the hardest things to address is pulling exercises for the upper back (latissimus) when there is little equipment around. Not everyone can do a pull up. That’s one of the benefits of the TRX is that you can use your body weight (or only a fraction of it) in a way that will allow you to address those previously neglected areas. This one is a cool military green color. It’s VERY well made and should last you a very long time.

This is the online training system that we use. It can allow you to get at previously unreachable markets and disperse your fitness knowledge to people over distance. We private label our site through their enterprise account and our own domain name so it looks like the clients are signing up right through us. All you need is a paypal account. Like I said, this is good for people at distance or a good downsell to someone that cannot afford your services one on one. It has a library of fitness routines, a workout wizard, and nutrition tracking. You can set your own pricing and customize the users experience as much as you want.

If you have your own location, a good scale is a must. A physician’s balance beam model is the way to go as you can calibrate it easier and they are more reliable. You can also measure height with this model.

Myotape is a great tool to use in place of a regular measuring tape. You can measure up to sixty inches and the push button tape retraction makes it a little easier than fumbling with a cumbersome normal tape measure.

Robic is one of the best companies out there for timers. Here they have a clipboard with a ruler/straight edge down the side as well as a stopwatch/calculator combo. You’re covering all of your bases with this one as you can time client activities and calculate anthropometric measurements as clients come in during the day.

This is Sportline’s digital tally counter. I don’t know about you, but the traditional way of counting reps gets in the way of instructing the client mid set. With this tool, you can click off the reps as the client completes them while you continuously instruct them. Then you can look at the total countable reps you clicked off to record after the set is complete. It frees your mind to focus more on what you should be…instructing the client, not counting to 10. You can obtain a lot of data while fully instructing a client. You can time the whole workout, time each set with the clipboard, and track whole reps with the tally counter. All of those numbers should give you a really good idea of what kind of progress your clients are making.

Another testing device is the flex tester sit and reach. Probably the most used test to determine flexibility improvements. Obtain readings in metric or standard. It is well made and accurate with the height of the box at the subject’s hands.

Here is another portable option if you’d like to have clients do a chin up or pull up. This bar has multiple different hand grips and won’t cause damage to the door frame. It can also be used as an anchor point for a band or other suspension device like the TRX.

So there you have it. 14 awesome tools you can implement in your personal training business if you don’t already have them.

I just so happen to be a Master Trainer, but for me being in fitness is about owning a successful business. My second favorite subject is economics. Free market (Austrian) economics. A lot of people have strange feelings about money and maybe even guilty if they acquire a significant amount of it. They may feel or appear greedy some other negative sounding adjective. But, in reality, it’s greed that drives us to achieve and produce for the society. It’s not a bad thing. I was lucky enough to go to one of the best economic schools in the country, George Mason University. My professor always used to say “In order to serve our own greed, we must first serve others’ need.” In other words, you have to provide a service or supply a product in order to get paid for it. There is nothing inherently evil or bad about money or wanting more of it. To me, money is just representative of how well I’ve done achieving the goals I’ve set for myself. And to allow me the freedom and lifestyle that I would like. That’s it, nothing more. Of course, to be a good member of a free market society, you have to have a strong charitable streak too.

OK, that’s how I feel about money and I hope you don’t have any of those negative feelings about it and about pursuing more of it. But, entrepreneurship in general is about the challenge for me. It’s hard, damn hard. But, it’s the journey and the process that keeps me guessing, always learning, and continually driven to do more. I played pretty high level ice hockey when I was a kid and I wanted to play pro just like every other young kid in just about any sport. And even though my Dad (I love him dearly) is a raging Liberal and been an employee who complains about his job his whole life, he recognized the benefits of being the boss or your own boss. He said something simple, but profound to me one time. He said “Why play when you can own the team?” At the time, I was playing for love of the game, but totally understood what he was getting at. Especially after you get a lot of injuries, even as a kid and think that it would be hard to do that for a career. That was when I was about 12 or so and I guess I’ve known really since then that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and have my own business.

I’m really in business to set it up, make it run like a well oiled machine, and create something working I can sell to someone else, and get out. Then move onto another goal. I may never leave this industry, but I may have several different businesses within it while trying to achieve different things.

So, I want to hear what it is for you. Why did you get into it? When did you know you wanted to do it? What keeps you in it? And where do you want to go?

Be sure to leave a comment if you would below. Thanks for reading!

If you don’t have time to workout or were scheduled to, but are running behind, this is a great routine to give a shot. Pick it up here. “I Don’t Have Time to Workout Workout”.

Generally, I try to go to as many events as I can. You’ll have to make a choice as they do have costs associated with them. So going to a lot can really add up, but could be more than worth it too. For me, if I get 1 or 2 clients a year from chamber activities, it’s worth it. Obviously, I’m
shooting for more than that. The large breakfasts and after hours mixers are fun and fairly productive. Leadshare is the most productive for us. It’s a name for a program which consists of smaller, but closer groups where members join to “share leads”. You get exclusivity in the group as you’ll be the only personal trainer. You meet twice a month for lunch or breakfast. Each member gets 30 seconds to stand and introduce themselves and give their elevator speech. You’ll want to have a standard and scripted elevator speech and not just wing it. You’ll sound a lot more professional and get the vital information out that you need to your fellow group members. If you don’t have an elevator speech, go here for a good tool to help you build one. The other group members are supposed to be on the lookout for good leads or referrals to send to you. You have the same responsibility to them. Some people are just in the group to take leads and not give anything, which is fine, but doesn’t really work as well. The more you give, the more you get. We’ve proven that over and over again in the statistics we track. In between meetings you should have 1 on 1 meetings to more thoroughly understand your new business partners’ individual businesses. It may take some time for people to get to know, like, and trust you. I don’t think I really got a good referral until about a year and a half after being in that leadshare and continuously positioning myself as a reputable professional they can trust. Now, it’s the best thing we’ve done. And I think our company is one of only a few personal training/fitness facilities in the chamber unlike other industries where there is a LOT of competition.

I would go into it with a giving hand first. Do anything you can to drive
business and good referrals to the other members. If you meet people at
mixers or breakfasts, look for ways you can benefit them first. Not only is
this just nice, but it serves as an ethical bribe. You gave them something
so now the natural feeling is that they owe you so you will be front of
mind. EVERYBODY is looking for what they can get from the chamber. It’s
better just to go into it with a giving hand first. Follow up with the
people that you meet in person. Meet with them for a 1 on 1, if for no other reason than to
just learn more details of what they do and how they work and what good
referrals for them are. A lunch meeting is always good and you can write it
off. It’s got to be VERY VERY clear and simple what kind of referral you
are looking for and that you are the man or woman to go to if they run across that
person. I would list all the people that you meet and go through your
contacts to see what kind of connections you can make. For example, our
trainers are looking for middle aged men and women (mostly women) that are
short on time and would like to lose fat, increase their strength and
stamina in a short, effective 1 on 1 or small group personal training
setting. We offer a FREE one hour consultation and trial workout ($140
value) to sample the program. Also, people that would like a cheaper option
and one that is in a more social class format, can join boot camp
for a fraction of the cost. Now, you know people like that and so does
everyone else, it’s just a question of making the connection.

You may get clients that are members of the group or chamber themselves, but the
purpose is to give and receive referrals. I use a certified financial planner (no commission
financial advisor) who is a member of my leadshare. That was a good connection for me as he is one of only 300 or so fee only advisors in the country. We also work on several joint ventures together.

If you have a newsletter, it is a good idea to get the people that you have
met and have a good relationship with on the newsletter. Another way
you can always stay front of mind with your business associates, partners,
and prospects.

Your most successful conversions to clients will be qualified leads. In
other words, if you run across someone who needs to sell a house, try to get
permission for the realtor in the group to give them a call or email to discuss the options using
his/her services. I RARELY convert referrals where someone just
gave somebody my name and number, they rarely call. Try to get the person
providing the service or product to get in touch with the prospect if
they’ll take it. If you do this, you’ll be far ahead of the rest of the
group.

There are other events especially during the days in the form of luncheons,
and expos, etc. These may be more appropriate for a personal trainer’s schedule as after work hours may be prime time for you to train clients. However, it is vital that you make time to get out and continuously network so that you continue to drive new prospective clients into your marketing funnel.

Speaking of networking, be sure to join S.P.A.R.T.A. for only $33/month and jump into the discussions and networking going on in our business of personal training social network. It’s just like a Facebook for those of us that would like to improve our personal training businesses. Come on in and start networking now.

1. You over do it. – Many people join the gym and try to do too much too soon. They don’t moderate frequency and volume. Rest is not even considered. They think more is better. I have news for you. The more is better rule doesn’t apply to anything on the planet. At some point, anything can become too much or negative. Rest is equally important as the work, itself. Moderating the variables is crucial to maximizing your success or causing you to fail. If you are unsure of how to do so, consult a professional trainer who can prescribe an appropriate plan for you. Research has shown that overtraining quickly like this can lead to lower red blood cell count, mood disturbances, and other negative things. Be on the lookout for these signs of overtraining:

* Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
* Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
* Pain in muscles and joints
* Sudden drop in performance
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
* Decrease in training capacity / intensity
* Moodiness and irritability
* Depression
* Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
* Decreased appetite
* Increased incidence of injuries.
* A compulsive need to exercise

2. You have an idea, but no action. – Many people have ideas in their head of what they’d like to look like or achieve, but few of them actually put pen to paper to write them down and even fewer have a real plan of action and accountability to carry them out. It’s important to have the ideas, dreams, and desires, but an actionable plan to go with it to make it reality.

3. You don’t keep track. – If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? Things are really happening, but sometimes they are so subtle in the beginning, they may not be that visual. The first thing you should do is to keep track of your body measurements. Also, keep track of your training routines to measure weight, rep, and set increases and always make sure that you are constantly reevaluating your fitness plan every 4-6 weeks. Whether it’s fat loss, building muscle tissue, or just feeling better; keeping a log helps and motivates you to get there. When you see where you were, and where you are, you realize you’re making progress! Our Fitness & Nutrition Tracking program is easy to use and will help you reach your fitness goals!

4. You’re unrealistic. – Be Real about your Success – It would be great if you could train for a week and see magical results, but that’s not how getting in shape and improving your health works. Just like getting out of shape does not happen in one day, you will not see results immediately when you start any type of fitness training program. Be realistic, be prepared and set short, medium and long term goals. When you make your fitness goals realistic and attainable you will ensure a greater success for sticking with your fitness program for life.

5. You don’t have a sustainable plan. – Many people have it in their head that they have to be in the gym X days a week or run a marathon in order to get in the shape that they want. These are rather arbitrary ideas and when implemented can lead to not being able to stick with it. Not everyone is meant to run a marathon and training too frequently leads to many other negative things outlined above. Ultimately, your body will FORCE you to stop exercising and you likely won’t go back. If it doesn’t feel like something you can schedule, be consistent at, and enjoy the results, it won’t last!

Of course the worst thing you could do is nothing. It’s important to take action, but the correct action as well. If you’ve experienced these symptoms above as a result of trying to implement your own fitness program, take a couple of days off, re-evaluate things especially as far as how much rest you are getting, and continue to fine tune until you do have a sustainable plan. If you need help, our trainers will be glad to get you off on the right foot. I challenge you to stay focused and don’t give up on your resolutions, but don’t over do it either.

Wanted to share this video with you today to show you 2 things.

1. The awesome snow storm we got in VA that’s at 2 feet and counting. Supposed to go until tomorrow morning.

And..

2. Our 28 Day Rapid Fat Loss Program coming up starting Jan. 2nd. Listen for the details below.

Go to 28 Day Rapid Fat Loss Program to sign up.

If you’re not local on the East coast in VA and can’t get in on this killer program, you can get the same routiness and advice through our online training solution. Perfect for people at distance and a fraction of the cost too. Only $19. Go here to sign up.

1.What makes you different?
S.P.A.R.T.A. trainers follow the company’s philosophy when it comes to designing programs and they do it with the end goal in mind. We provide routines that are safe, effective, and efficient. We guarantee your results and best of all, you get the effectiveness of an hour long workout in half the time.

2.What is your philosophy on training?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a philosophy of exercise built around the principles of intensity, recovery, and progression. While there are certainly more elements to fitness, these few principles provide a useful framework for achieving your fitness goals. It is adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), and is actually one of the safest and most respected methodologies used today. Founded in the 1970’s by Arthur Jones, it has endured the test of time and dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies. Today it is used by many professional and NCAA athletic teams, and is even used in the treatment of diseases such as Osteoporosis and Diabetes. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy has proven safe and effective in nearly every demographic, proving successful for Osteoporosis patients in their 80’s, professional athletes in every major sport, and every one else in between.

3.What are the benefits of your service?
There are 13 specific and measurable benefits. Read “Benefits of Strength Training” on our Methodology page.

4.Who uses your training style?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™, adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), is used by a number of universities, professional sports teams, and the US Military. See specific teams in our blog post: High-Intensity Training (HIT) Used by Sports Teams.

5.How quickly will I notice results?
Each person is different, but generally speaking, some results are immediate. You can lose a couple of pounds by the end of the week if you control your calories at the level we set for you. Adding lean tissue may take a little longer. It may take 6-8 weeks although we’ve seen some gifted people pack it on in just a couple of weeks. We’ve even had clients report that they felt leaner even after just one workout. The idea is to get a little better in some way each workout.

6.I am a woman. Will I get bulky muscles?
No, women don’t have the same hormonal ability to put on a large amount of muscle tissue. Although some increase in lean muscle tissue is critical to increasing metabolism, improving shape, and improving bone density – all important benefits of resistance exercise specifically for women. Women may actually stand to gain more from resistance training than men. On average, I’ve seen women put on 4-5 lbs of lean tissue which can translate into a nice change of feminine body shape and a significant uptick in daily metabolism.

7.I am a man. Will I get bigger muscles?
Yes, if that is one of your goals. We can customize your routine to specifically target the maximum amount of muscle gain or angle the effort toward other adaptations. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy is derived from multiple sources, one of the major ones is Nautilus. In recent history Nautilus produced large increases in muscular size and strength on many men including body builders like Dorian Yates, pro athletes like Dick Butkus, and many other average men using this philosophy.

8.Where do you train?
We train our clients in their homes, offices, or any Fitness First location in the D.C. Metropolitan area. We also offer online training and phone consulting for clients outside of our normal service area.

9.How often will I train?
Our workouts are often performed 2-3 days per week with an appropriate amount of recovery days in between workout days. It is a myth that you need to spend hours 5-6 days per week in the gym. At S.P.A.R.T.A., you’re trainer will strike a balance between the right amount of work for your personal maximum physical gain.

10.What are your refund, cancellation, and liability policies?
We will happily refund you for any unused sessions if you are not happy with the service.

11.Do you offer Area/Sport Specific Training?
Absolutely. Smiliar training methods are used by the un-defeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, World Champion Body-Builders, US Olympic Athletes, dozens of NCAA athletic programs, and even the industry’s leading researcher, Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. (a member of S.P.A.R.T.A.’s medical advisory board) Nearly 40 years of peer-reviewed research and anecdotal evidence have proven the merit of this protocol for improving sports performance and conditioning. S.P.A.R.T.A. specializes in Ice Hockey and Mixed Martial Arts strength and conditioning programs. We work with high school and professional athletes participating in a variety of sports. More about area specific training offerings.

12.What special populations/areas do you work with?
Our trainers are experienced in the following areas:
•Osteoporosis
•Rheumatoid/Osteoarthritis
•Post-rehabilitation
•Orthopedic problems
•Paralysis
•Lower back pain
•Neck pain
•Hypertension
•Obesity
•Cardiovascular/heart disease
•COPD
•Parkinson’s
•Fibromyalgia
•Thyroid and other Metabolic conditions
•Pre/post natal women
•Seniors
•Military, law, fire, and EMS personnel
•Adolescents (6 years and older)
•Athletes of all ages
•Diabetes/Pre-diabetic
•Orthopedic problems

13.Do I also have to do separate cardiovascular conditioning?
No, not unless you want to. Because S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a form of circuit weight training, your cardiovascular system and muscular systems are working simultaneously. This is the reason the workouts can be maximally effective, but performed in half the time. Your trainer will carefully prescribe your appropriate amount of exercise based on your initial consultation. Should you choose to do additional activity, you certainly can, and we will help you to incorporate it so as not to delve into overtraining.

14.Don’t I need to stretch to maintain or improve my flexibility?
Stretching is sometimes part of a client’s routine, but generally enhanced flexibility can be obtained through strength training alone. In fact, many women are hyper mobile in which case, more flexibility is not desirable. Building integrity around the joints should be of prime concern. Your trainer can perform 2 simple tests to determine if you are hyper mobile.

15.Is there a difference between exercise and other activities?
Yes, exercise is something that is planned and structured to obtain a desired adaptation or result. Activity is nothing more than movement. Some activity is exercise, some is not. Exercise should be helpful and productive, never harmful or counterproductive. One of the major reasons we perform exercise is so that you can continue to do, or go back to doing, the active things that you love. We don’t try to combine the two because an effort to do so will never reap the full benefits of either.

16.What do I need to bring to each training session?
Be sure to dress in a cool, comfortable fashion. Usually sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt will do. We must be sure to mitigate heat production appropriately during exercise. Although some clients enjoy the feeling of working up a good sweat, it is not always desirable. Hot, humid, or rainy days may produce high heat production during exercise sometimes leading to light headedness or nausea. Be sure to dress cool!

17.What kind of equipment is used during a typical workout?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ involves circuit training using all tools available. A routine may be predominantly machine based with other exercises being incorporated through other modes such as cables, barbells, dumbbells, body weight, and manual resistance. All modes have pros and cons and each has it’s place dependent upon what the client prefers, their proficiency, and availability.

18.What is a typical Personal Training session like?
See the Personal Training page for a description and short video.

19.What is a typical In Home Training session like?
See the In Home Training page for more information.

20.What is a typical Online Training session like?
See the Online Training page for a FREE tour.

21. What is a typical Boot Camp training session like?
See the Boot Camp page for more information.

22. Is there a nutritional component to your program?
Yes, you will get ongoing basic support from your trainer and we have registered dietician services available as well. Use our FREE calorie tracker for accurately tracking calorie consumption to stimulate fat loss.

23. What education, instruction, and experience do the trainers on staff have?
We have a Master Trainer and all staff trainers are Certified Personal Trainers (CPT) that have undergone advanced training beyond the normal certification with a Master Trainer.

24. Is this something the trainers like to do and are passionate about or is it just something they are doing in the meantime?
Our Master Trainer and founder, Chris Lutz is in his 11th year of professional instruction. He personally teaches the philosophy to all of the staff trainers. At S.P.A.R.T.A. we are looking for trainers that would like to make training a long term committment or career choice.

25. Are records kept of your progress and body measurements?
Yes, we keep accurate records of your daily progress and any other pertinent information. We will be able to look back and see where you have come from and we do regular assessments in the form of metabolism, body fat %, circumfrence measurements, and body weight.

26. Lastly, can they GUARANTEE YOUR RESULTS?
Yes, because our philosophy has stood the test of time, been through the rigors of the scientific process, and is currently used by many high level organizations world wide, we can happily say that if you follow our program, we can GUARANTEE your good results.

How can I get more information?
Ask us a question through the “Ask a Trainer” form or contact us though any traditional method or major social media outlet.

As a result of the environment, we’ve adapted. You can still get the same good advice, routines, and attention through a slightly different set up at a drastically reduced rate. Several cost effective options now exist in addition to our regular one on one training.

Boot camp

These sessions are fun, group settings, employing our brand of high intensity exercise to body weight and partner assisted exercise with a few fun tools thrown in the mix.

• Enhance Muscular Size, Strength, and Endurance
• Intense Body Weight and Partner Assisted Exercises
• Lose Fat
• Jump Start your Fitness
• For All Ages and Fitness Levels
• First Session Free!

Small group training

This is a great option for couples, or families, or friends. A small group of 2 participants is only $30/person. A group of 3 is down to $25/person. The only caveat here is that the participants have to come at the same time. There is some good research out there that shows those that use the buddy system tend to experience slightly better results as well as more consistency.

Online Training. Got a buck?

This is a great virtual option to get the same programs, routines, meal plans, and accountability. You’ll have a fitness calendar to schedule your workouts and keep you accountable. Access to the library of all routines with any equipment you can imagine as well as the food database and meal plan library. You can upload before and after photos, keep track of bodily measurements, and run reports on your progress. Each routine is coupled with complete exercise descriptions, pictures, and video demo. It’s having your own personal trainer virtually at a fraction of the cost. Take the tour. If you’ve got a buck, you can try it out for a month for just that much. Start with the FREE fitness assessment to get started.

Fitness Information Products

Check out several titles for both trainees and trainers. A very quick way to absorb some knowledge and put it immediately to work. We’ve weeded through all the garbage and supply you with only the most powerful techniques we know of and have tested. Among them are:

Maximum Fat Loss, Minimum Time: 4 Simple Steps to a Tight, Lean Body

S.P.A.R.T.A. Training Systems technical manual.

Any one of these options are great cost effective alternatives. I am especially glad to have our online training system. There is something for everyone here. If you know someone that would like to participate in one of these services, plese connect us with them through our tell a friend feature on this page.

Most trainers I don’t think even realize that our industry has a huge black eye from the perspective of the general public. They don’t know it because they are the ones not showing up for appointments, drinking coffee or eating during workouts, teating clients poorly, and generally being unprofessional. The above picture is probably not the best practice professionally. Not only is it not exercise, it is incredibly demeaning to the people who are paying us. I’m not a believer in regulation of hardly any industry at all so it is up to us, the professionals, to make some changes.

As a Master Trainer, I want to raise the standards in the industry. I’ve noticed some trends over the last 11 years or so. Trainers are notoriously bad business people. This isn’t necessarily bad, because they are really good technicians in a lot of cases. But, when you are an entrepreneur, you need to have other business skills most don’t have. Typically, they have to sell and resell packages of sessions and avoid marketing themselves like the plague. Most don’t have a business entity established and I’d be surprised if they were all paying taxes. I’ve had many new people sign up with me that have had terrible experiences with other trainers which makes me surprised that they had the guts to consult another one at all. I can’t imagine how many people we don’t see because they’ve been treated poorly before. This is all beside the fact that I don’t see any discernable direction or philosophy for what most trainers prescribe as exercise.

As part of my association programs, I’ve started a mentorship program to stop people from going down this path when they get into the industry. It’s also for any current trainers that would like to improve their business skills and develop a viable and successful business strategy for the long term. They don’t even have to live in the area as this program can be virtual. It’s fully supported with done for you systems that you can immediately put in place. Plus, there is the super secret ULTIMATE revenue generator specifically for trainers. It can improve your cash flow and double your income!

There’s also a Mastermind group which is only open to a select few. You must be invited to join after acceptance by the group. I’ve spent a lot of time and money on self improvement and coaching, myself. My old ice hockey coach used to say: “No matter how big and bad you think you are, there’s always somebody bigger and badder than you are out there.” Or somebody that has already been there and done that. And if they have, we should learn from them.

As my old boss, Gary Anger, used to say: “Let’s put the personal back in personal training.” These people are paying us a lot of money and we should treat them professionally at the least. A must read book for trainers is Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service by Ken Blanchard

You can’t afford not to read it. Be sure to under promise and overdeliver on your service. Currently, there is 60%+ of the population that is doing nothing in the way of exercise. Let’s not make it harder or less desirable for them to hire us. Let’s make a real effort to raise the standards in the industry together.

If you are interested in mentorship by a Master Trainer, go here.