The gym can be a very intimidating place for new clients and as trainer’s the experiences we give our clients will make or break whether they continue to come back or not. It’s important to foster an environment that is welcoming and accepting of clients of all spaces and abilities. This is why it’s important to make clients feel comfortable while also pushing their limits some. Today I’m sharing my 5 tips to help clients who aren’t super comfortable in the gym become more comfortable so that we can build them up and they will push themselves to try new and different things.
Choose Exercises They Are Comfortable With
When we first start working with clients we want to ensure that we are starting with exercises they are familiar or comfortable with. If they have never been in a gym before they may not be comfortable with much, but many people starting on a fitness journey will at least be able to tell you a few names or demonstrate a few things that they’ve tried. If they don’t have any of that then as trainers we need to strip it right back to the basic movement patterns (because spoiler alert, they are likely using these in their every day life whether they see it or not). As clients become more comfortable with exercises you will be able to slowly introduce new and different things and watch their confidence grow.
Choose a Space in the Gym Where They Are Comfortable
As a trainer I always forget that while this seems obvious to me, it’s because I’ve been doing this for a long time, but it’s important for your clients to be in an area of the gym where they feel comfortable. Although lifting weights might be what you are working on with your client, they may not feel ready to walk in the very busy and overwhelming free weight area at the busiest times of day. You need to learn how to adjust and account for these things as a trainer. If you need to take a couple sets of dumbbells into a quiet corner to get them started then do that, and work within those constraints. You will see their confidence build relatively quickly and you’ll be able to start to move them slowly into some of those busier areas.
Use Equipment They Are Comfortable With
If they are familiar with a dumbbell, then throwing a kettlebell into their hands and pushing them into a movement like a kettlebell swing might be a little bit overwhelming at first. If they have never used a BOSU ball before, maybe don’t add that in for the first session. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to introduce these things slowly over time with clients. Add one new piece of equipment when you start to see their confidence grow and then continue to push them into new things.
Set Realistic Goals
One of the most common things we see in less experienced trainers is the struggle to set realistic goals. If a client comes in and tells you that they want to lose 30 pounds in the next month, you should be focusing on educating them about the realities of that happening (because odds are extremely low that they are getting there). Realistic goals allow us to help clients work towards whatever they want to work towards and actually see progress. If we continue to set these lofty goals that very few people would ever be able to achieve we are not setting clients up with a great mindset which makes building confidence pretty difficult.
Ensure They Are Seeing Progress
This one kind of goes hand in hand with setting realistic goals. If we set realistic goals then we can ensure that clients are seeing progress which can help them build a ton of confidence. When clients are struggling to achieve progress towards their goal it’s important to show them how they are progressing. It might not always be in the most obvious way, but sometimes even just seeing improvements in energy levels or the fact that they are sleeping better can be improvements worth noting. This can help remind a client that they are making progress and increase confidence levels.
It’s important to meet clients where they are at. Starting on a health and fitness journey can be difficult and overwhelming for a lot of people and when we set expectations high for people they may struggle even more. Find a place where clients are currently and build slowly from there. As trainers we need to help our clients see that health and fitness is a lifelong adventure instead of the quick fix that has become common in every day life. Focus on building confidence in clients and help set them up for long term success!
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