For Personal Training to be most effective it is important that:
1) The Personal Trainer is qualified to the appropriate standard (REPs Level 3);
2) The Trainer has expert knowledge and experience related to the trainee's goals;
3) The Trainer works collaboratively with the trainee to determine SMART goals which are based on the client's "wants" rather than what the trainer perceives as the client's "needs";
4) The Trainer is able to build rapport with the client leading to a trust-based collaborative relationship;
5) The Trainer and the trainee are able to identify obstacles to exercise, nutrition, and recovery compliance and to agree on strategies to minimise or overcome them;
6) Exercise goals must be regularly evaluated and adjustments made to the plan to account for aptitude, efficacy, exercise preferences, over-achieving and under-achieving;
7) A sound nutrtional plan should be in place, preferably along with recording systems, body composition monitoring, and regular revues.
From looking at the above it is clear that the trainer needs to possess excellent communication skills, exercise knowledge, nutritional knowledge, and an ability to motivate, be non-judgemental, supportive, and able to focus on positives rather than condemning non-adherence and set-backs.
The skills required are not disimilar to those found in the helping professions - counselling, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, life coaching etc.
The minimum requirement is for the trainer to be fully conversant with the concept of "active listening", which at its most basic means being attentive to the client, indicating (verbally and non-verbally) that you are listening to what they are saying; not interrupting; seeking clarification of what they are saying; summarising to show understanding, and allowing the client to express what it is they want rather than telling them what they need.
In additional to being a good listener and to being able to elicit accurate goal-oriented information from the client, the trainer will also need to be a resource person, a provider of reliable information on exercise and nutrition. This will necessarily involve a recognition of personal limitations and a willingness to refer on or conduct the relevant research.
Additionally, the trainer may well have a role as a "skilled helper". As an adjunct to active listening skills, the trainer will be able to help the client formulate strategies to overcome problematic behaviour (exercise avoidance, eating problems, sleep hygiene etc). In this capacity it may be useful to adopt some cogntive behavioural strategies (for example food/mood diaries and formulations for problematic eating and associated responses).
All of these skills can be acquired through brief courses or through relevant reading. I am not suggesting that the trainer becomes fully qualified as a counsellor or cognitive behaviour therapist, merely that they add some of these skills to their professional "tool-kit".
At a more basic level, the trainer must be discreet, confidential, trustworthy, reliable, respectful, punctual, diligent, observant, encouraging, supportive, a good record-keeper, and an honest, but tactful, appraiser.
Don't leave training to chance: plan and record everything and hone your interpersonal skills.
1) The Personal Trainer is qualified to the appropriate standard (REPs Level 3);
2) The Trainer has expert knowledge and experience related to the trainee's goals;
3) The Trainer works collaboratively with the trainee to determine SMART goals which are based on the client's "wants" rather than what the trainer perceives as the client's "needs";
4) The Trainer is able to build rapport with the client leading to a trust-based collaborative relationship;
5) The Trainer and the trainee are able to identify obstacles to exercise, nutrition, and recovery compliance and to agree on strategies to minimise or overcome them;
6) Exercise goals must be regularly evaluated and adjustments made to the plan to account for aptitude, efficacy, exercise preferences, over-achieving and under-achieving;
7) A sound nutrtional plan should be in place, preferably along with recording systems, body composition monitoring, and regular revues.
From looking at the above it is clear that the trainer needs to possess excellent communication skills, exercise knowledge, nutritional knowledge, and an ability to motivate, be non-judgemental, supportive, and able to focus on positives rather than condemning non-adherence and set-backs.
The skills required are not disimilar to those found in the helping professions - counselling, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, life coaching etc.
The minimum requirement is for the trainer to be fully conversant with the concept of "active listening", which at its most basic means being attentive to the client, indicating (verbally and non-verbally) that you are listening to what they are saying; not interrupting; seeking clarification of what they are saying; summarising to show understanding, and allowing the client to express what it is they want rather than telling them what they need.
In additional to being a good listener and to being able to elicit accurate goal-oriented information from the client, the trainer will also need to be a resource person, a provider of reliable information on exercise and nutrition. This will necessarily involve a recognition of personal limitations and a willingness to refer on or conduct the relevant research.
Additionally, the trainer may well have a role as a "skilled helper". As an adjunct to active listening skills, the trainer will be able to help the client formulate strategies to overcome problematic behaviour (exercise avoidance, eating problems, sleep hygiene etc). In this capacity it may be useful to adopt some cogntive behavioural strategies (for example food/mood diaries and formulations for problematic eating and associated responses).
All of these skills can be acquired through brief courses or through relevant reading. I am not suggesting that the trainer becomes fully qualified as a counsellor or cognitive behaviour therapist, merely that they add some of these skills to their professional "tool-kit".
At a more basic level, the trainer must be discreet, confidential, trustworthy, reliable, respectful, punctual, diligent, observant, encouraging, supportive, a good record-keeper, and an honest, but tactful, appraiser.
Don't leave training to chance: plan and record everything and hone your interpersonal skills.
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