Why trainers should treat all their clients like athletes

Why trainers should treat all their clients like athletes

Not all clients want to compete in a competition, but they are all in competition with themselves. Which means that many of my clients have programmes written with the same care as if they were athletes. When athletes compete, they work to achieve not just the final goal, but all the steps in between. All my clients are treated as if they athletes, regardless if their goal is to just get up and down off the floor easier or competing at the next Olympics.

I have one client that wanted to run their first marathon, at the age of 60. I have another client that wants to deadlift 200kg, and another client, that after training with me for 8 years, now wants bigger Glutes.

Athletes from different sports require specific programs to be successful, and my clients are no different. I use periodisation with my clients, just like I would with an athlete, to breakdown their end goals into smaller achievable steps. Great athletes find motivation throughout their programmes because progression can be up and down. I try to find regular “personal bests” within my clients sessions to provide inspiration.

I have several ways to show progression and that’s not just more and more weight, or harder and harder sessions. Examples includes more reps and sets, more volume, more speed, or even circuit training. I take my role as a coach very seriously, even though my sessions are a lot of fun. My role as a coach is to ensure that not only do my clients improve physically but leave their sessions feeling better than when they came in.

My client’s results have included –

  • increasing their deadlift, and overall body strength.
  • improved their balance, as several of my clients have reported they could run better.
  • improved their stamina, by being able to play in the garden with their grandkids for a lot longer.
  • improved confidence, being able to get in and out of their car easier, to go out more.
  • Some of my clients enjoy it so much they have increased the number of sessions they do in a week.

On top of that all my clients get to feel a sense of pride in themselves, and a sense of achievement, not just in their big goals, but the small steps to get them there.